Songs to break your heart and then put them back together.
12. Karol G - Tusa (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
Nicki's retirement has turned out to be the most fruitful period of her career for fans. Right now we're getting a feature a week and the latest sees her team with Colombian superstar Karol G for a very enjoyable song that might not change lives but will change dancefloors.
11. Omar Apollo - Hit Me Up (Feat. Dominic Fike)
Omar Apollo and Dominic Fike are both on a similar trajectory so it's inspiring to hear them on a track together. This one pulls its influence from both R&B and indie-rock giving us organic instrumentation paired with slick rap/sung bars.
10. Melanie C - High Heels (Feat. Sink The Pink)
Sporty Spice has become a staple of the British queer scene and she's teamed up with LGBTQ+ collective Sink The Pink for this one. It's taking us back to her I Turn To You club days giving us big vocals over a pulsating dance beat that could easily be handled by Robyn.
9. Doja Cat - Won't Bite (Feat. Smino)
Doja Cat's profile has risen exponentially this year and Hot Pink feels like a victory lap. Won't Bite is a wonky cut that often sounds like it's going to fall off the tracks and that's the most exciting part of it. Smino is a great choice too. He's one of the only male rappers that could match her charisma.
8. Muki - I Know What I Like
Up-and-coming popstar Muki has starved us this year but she's finally delivered with new single I Know What I Like. It's a frantic, lo-fi trip that detours from racing beats to wobbly synths in seconds. Muki, as always, lays down a killer melody.
7. Lara Andallo - Said&Done
Three tracks in and Aussie R&B singer Lara Andallo may have just hit gold. Said&Done is the sort of song you'd murder if you didn't have an R&B vocal but Andallo has real chops and she slides through this very strong hook like a master.
6. Mura Masa - Deal Wiv It (Feat. Slowthai)
Mura Masa and Slowthai have buddied up and it seems they're quite the match. Deal Wiv It is a cheeky, cranky and chaotic cut that makes use of everyone of Slowthai's strengths. Mura sounds completely at home in his new rock aesthetic too which helps.
5. DAWN - Slim Thicc / Ay Papi
You can always count on Dawn Richard to pop out a masterpiece or two each year and right on time she's delivered two new songs Ay Papi and Slim Thicc. While her last project New Breed went back to her R&B roots, these songs look to the future. Ay Papi gives a sweltering take on Latin music while Slim Thicc takes dancefloor into a new era.
4. Jessie Ware - Mirage (Don't Stop)
Jessie Ware is back with her second single of the year and she's kept her feet planted in the disco for Mirage (Don't Stop). Using that sultry, crystalline voice, she's delivered an instant dancefloor classic with this latest cut.
3. Tinashe - Touch & Go (Feat. 6lack)
Old school Tinashe fans will be glad to hear her delivering R&B slow-burners once again. Touch & Go never tries too hard, falling back in the beat and just letting it burn out.
2. ROSALÍA - A Palé
ROSALÍA's 2019 cuts may have been sunnier than usual but she's embraced her darker side once again here. A Palé is a menacing trip through icy vocal work and trap-meets-flamenco beats.
1. FKA twigs - mirrored heart
Turns out FKA twigs had one more heartbreaking moment in store for us on MAGDALENE. mirrored heart is a sweeping, grandiose ballad. You can literally hear her heart-breaking during the line, "for the lovers who found a mirrored heart, they just remind me I'm without you."
Get a little more of this sort of stuff by subscribing to our Interns Top Tunes playlist on Spotify:
