We're going to use this space above the important stuff to describe the week using comments left on One Direction's Facebook post announcing Zayn Malik was leaving:
- "Don't do this Zayn man! please stay,life awaits for no man, living a normal life won't pa the bill at the age of 44 build ur empire while you still can."
- "he's the reason for my tear, yesterday, today and tomorrow. It was hard to accept those statements."
- "im crying again damn"
- ""I don't want you to leave!!!!!" Says my daughter Elizabeth."
This week the world mourned together but the music must go on. It's what Zayn would've wanted. Let's also hope this cheers Elizabeth up.
Rihanna
Bitch Better Have My Money
Bitch (me) does have Rihanna's money and bitch used some of that money to buy Rihanna's new single. Bitch also stayed up until 3am last night only to be directed to an app to hear 20 seconds of her new song, so bitch thinks he might keep Rihanna's money at least until she gives us her album. Ransom. Lord knows what Rihanna's doing right now. First she releases a song with Paul McCartney that both your Dad and you could sing along to and now she drops an absolute banger who's chorus has to be censored on the radio. It's not the most sure fire way to grab a number one hit but it's a song dripping in RiRi swagger and a level of ridiculousness that only she could get away with.
Jamie xx
Loud Places (Feat. Romy Madley-Croft)/Gosh
Jamie xx, the beatsmith of the xx has had a cracker of a week, announcing his debut album In Colour and dropping these two unbelievably great tracks. The first, Loud Places, features his xx bandmate Romy Madley Croft and is a stunning slow-burner that ramps up into a gospel-flavoured chorus. Gosh is centred very much in the club world with a sound that harks back to last year's All Under One Roof Raving. The synth that creeps up towards the end of the song creates so many warm and fuzzies, it's hard to imagine life beyond the end of the song.
Tei Shi
Go Slow
Tei Shi is ready to just explode all over the internet in the next few weeks with the release of her Verde EP. Go Slow is taken from that and it's the strongest cut we've heard from her yet. A humble, smooth verse explodes into an expansive, flourishing chorus that brings the track home strong. It's voices like Shi's make you believe that there is still life left in the electro-RnB genre.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/tei-shi/go-slow[/soundcloud]
Hudson Mohawke
Very First Breath (Feat. Irfane)
Producer Hudson Mohawke delivered an incredible show at the Fader Fort at SXSW last week and he continued the hype this week by dropping Very First Breath featuring French vocalist Irfane. It's taken from his forthcoming album Lanterns and sees him hold things back a little to make way for the delicious melody delivered by Irfane. Fans of abrasive HudMo need not worry though. There's still plenty of pulsating bass and dense synth-work to keep you happy.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/hudsonmohawke/very-first-breath-feat-irfane[/soundcloud]
FKA Twigs
Glass & Patron
Only FKA Twigs could have video where she gives birth to dancers who she then competes with in a voguing battle and makes it look beautiful. This is probably the most unconventional song and video we've heard from Twigs yet (and that's saying something). The track goes from plodding along at a snails pace to speeding up into something altogether extraterrestrial. It was the best video from the YouTube Music Awards by a mile and we are now convinced that Twigs would make an excellent Anna Wintour.
Shamir
Call It Off
"It's not time to get started, it's time to call it off," may be a rather negative notion to begin a song with but Shamir manages to move upwards and onwards from there on latest track Call It Off, crafting another effortlessly charismatic pop song. The cow bells from On The Regular are back and while there is notably less sass there's muppets in the video so it all equals out really. This one's taken from his debut album Ratchet which is due to change your life in about seven weeks.
Club Cheval
From The Basement To The Roof
Electronica supergroups are all the rage at the moment and by that we mean we can name one other from this year off the top of our heads - Future Brown. Club Cheval consists of French producers Canblaster, Myd, Sam Tiba, and Panteros666. It's quite the lineup and naturally this song is as smooth as the French are. An unobtrusive vocal sits atop lushes synths and candied beats creating the kind of tune you want to hear when you're popping bottles of champagne in a Parisian club. So classy, so chic.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/clubcheval/from-the-basement-to-the-roof-2[/soundcloud]
Tourist
Holding On (Josef Salvat & Niia)
UK producer Tourist is building a reputation for creating some of the best emotional electronica around and this latest track Holding On on builds on that. It features London-based Australian vocalist Josef Salvat and NYC singer Niia. That little bit of Aussie in the song probably makes it eligible to win an ARIA and it probably should given how beautifully nuanced and textured it is. It's the type of song that you'll jam to in a club but will also go home and cry in the shower to (if you have a waterproof radio).
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/touristmusic/tourist-holding-on-feat-josef-salvat-niia[/soundcloud]
Kehlani
How That Taste
Kehlani is an LA-based RnB vocalist who's been mixing in circles with Chance The Rapper and Travi$ Scott so needless to say she knows what she's doing. We've heard a few of her tracks but this is the first one that's really made out ears prick up. How That Taste is essentially a diss song for her haters which also manages to double as a victory lap. She sounds flawless throughout with a vocal that's part unbreakable and part husky. She told The Fader of the track, "It's a Tsunami Mob anthem, ready to wake people up and ask them how that shit taste!" What a rude awakening.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/kehlanimusic/kehlani-how-that-taste[/soundcloud]
Skepta
Nasty
It's always a good week when you finish it off with a bit o' Skepta. The UK grime rapper has barely allowed us to recover from the mammoth Shutdown and he's dropped out another banging cut. It may be just over two minutes but it's more than enough for him to pack in a real punch. Basically it's just like a runaway-train, free-style that sees Skepta call out all the people that have hated on him. He's no doubt enjoying his well-deserved time in the spotlight while the people who have hated on him will have their tails between their legs.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/skepta/nasty[/soundcloud]
https://soundcloud.com/the-in-terns/sets/10-songs-you-need-to-hear-8
