Here's a collection of tracks we loved this week. Tick them off your list so you can move onto next week confident that you took everything from this week that you possibly could.
Years & Years
Shine
British trio Years & Years had a mighty task following up their UK chart-topping single King, but it seems as though they've done it with ease. Shine takes a slightly different pace to King but it's no less euphoric with frontman Olly Alexander's vocals once again sounding flawless. At this point it's hard to see the band making any missteps on their forthcoming album Communion which is due out 10th July.
Elliphant
Love Me Badder
Swedish songstress Elliphant has been churning out perfect pop for the better part of two years but it finally feels like she's hit her stride. Last year's MO-featuring One More was one of our favourite tracks of 2014 and this latest one Love Me Badder is just an impressive. It's a big-sounding, dancehall-sampling ballad with a chorus made for the masses. Elliphant's voice is smokey and full-bodied and tackles the huge melody without any problems at all. Her Splendour In The Grass shows should make her plenty of fans here.
Novelist
Ignore And Wot
I've spent the better part of the week trawling through grime history for a piece that is about to go up on the site. It feels like an appropriate reward that at the end of it all a new Novelist track emerged. Ignorant And Wot popped up on Novelist's soundcloud and it's a corker. It's a ready-made anthem with a simple but hard-hitting hook bookended by fast-flowing verses. It's baffling that this guy is only 18 years-old.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/novelist/ignorant-and-wot[/soundcloud]
Anne-Marie
Karate
Rudimental collaborators have had a pretty good track record when it comes to moving onto their own solo careers. John Newman had a number single on his own, Ella Eyre is making waves with her solo tracks and Sinead Harnett looks set to make a big splash with She Ain't Me. Anne-Marie has toured with Rudimental as their live vocalist but looks to be more than ready to do it alone. Karate, her debut single, is a little more left-field than what the aforementioned names are making. It's experimental pop with a strong melody and airy vocals. It may not be a number one single in waiting but it doesn't feel like that was the goal.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/iamannemarie/anne-marie-karate[/soundcloud]
Rihanna
Bitch Better Have My Money (Diplo & Grandtheft Remix)
For one of Rihanna's less-successful tracks Bitch Better Have My Money keeps popping up everywhere. Last week we got the EDM remix courtesy of R3hab and now we have a remix firmly in the trap-world courtesy of Diplo and Grandtheft. It's far more true to the original than any other remixes we've heard but it does give it an extra dose of oomph with abrasive horns and hard-hitting beats. It's definitely one of Rihanna's more curious singles but it really does just keep getting better. Diplo and Grandtheft have helped that cause.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/diplo/bitch-better-have-my-money-diplo-grandtheft-remixofficial-you-losers[/soundcloud]
Charli XCX
Doing It (Carmada Remix)
It's criminal that the original of this song didn't reach number one for 40 weeks on the Australian charts but Aussie duo Carmada may have the answer to ensuring its resurrection. They have been on the Groovin The Moo festival trail with Charli XCX playing their Doing It remix along the way but now we finally have the proper, final product. They keep that stellar chorus and around it build a world of flickering synths, high-pitched vocal samples and mournful keys. We reckon Charli would approve of this one.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/carmadamusic/charli-xcx-doing-it-carmada-remix[/soundcloud]
Rita Ora
Poison
Rita Ora really doesn't get enough credit. She's currently trying to crack America and in that market she looks like an underdog but in the UK she's had four number one singles. That's damn impressive. Poison is the latest tune to be taken from her forthcoming second album and it's another perfect piece of pop. "I've picked my poison and it's you," she sings over a hard-hitting beat that only eases up for the euphoric verses. It may not be as immediate as I Will Never Let You Down but after two days of listening we can guarantee it's a grower. Listen here.
Jamie xx
I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) (Feat. Young Thug)
Popcaan and Young Thug may not be the most likely suspects for a Jamie xx track but goddam does it work. This version that leaked this week only features Young Thug but you can see where Popcaan would happily slot in on the album version. While the feature-vocalists may suggest otherwise, it actually doesn't sound that far out of Jamie xx's world. There are still steel drums, warm bassy synths and a soulful throwback sample (of The Persuasions' Good Times. Like Gosh and Loud Places, it's uplifting music, which seems to be a theme of In Colour when you also consider the multi-coloured album art.[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/looie31007/young-thug-ft-jamie-xx-i-know-theres-gonna-be-good-times[/soundcloud]Laura Clock
Fade
Robyn is the queen of mournful dancefloor stompers but in her absence there are plenty of other artists keeping the space warm. One of them is Laura Clock (previously known as Butterclock) who's gearing up to release her debut EP under the new moniker, Baby - Part One. Fade is the first single from that and it's a dancehall-inspired track made for the latest point of the night when the dancefloor is empty enough to really cut loose - Dirty Dancing style.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/goldenbruise/fade/[/soundcloud]
Billie Black
Going Under
We've been waiting a while for new material from London singer Billie Black but now we finally have it. Black has returned with a killer new hairstyle and a sleek sound that recalls Sade and Jessie Ware. Going Under is her most confident sounding track yet with the latter half exploding into a clean slice of electronica that immediately sounds like London. The track is taken from her forthcoming Teach Me EP which is due to drop 25th May.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/billie-black/billie-black-going-under[/soundcloud]
