10 songs you need in your life this week

The U.K. rap scene remains in fine form but it can be a claustrophobic space, with the same small cabal of rappers trading guest verses and creating a sometimes repetitive atmosphere. Credit, then, to Central Cee, whose new mixtape 23 arrived last week. He’s previously collaborated with FKA Twigs and remixed PinkPantheress and his roving ear is responsible for 23 stand-out “Eurovision,” which features rappers from France, Italy, and Spain rapping in their native tongues. Morocco by way of Milan’s Baby Gang stands out on a track where everybody puts their best foot forward, his deft double time flow given extra weight by a menacing growl. Parisian drill MC Ashe 22, meanwhile, sounds so good it makes you wonder why everybody doesn’t rap in French. Who knows? Maybe after this they will. — DR

Carmen Villain’s new album is a rare fusion of the natural world and the great beyond, and its title track bridges the gap. Complemented by the subtle sounds of Joanna Scheie Orellana’s flutes, Villain’s synth beds cover the track in a gentle mist. The song fills any space you’re in, imbuing the moment with a powerful sense of unreality. — RH

It’s rare that we receive a musical offering from Zendaya, but her recent creative partnership with Labrinth courtesy of the hit HBO series Euphoria has assured that when we do hear her vocals on a song, it will be a sonically transcendent performance. For the season two finale, she joined the composer for “I’m Tired,” a song that encapsulates the deep yearning for redemption that her character Rue experiences during her tumultuous battle with addiction. There was a rendition of the song made available a few weeks ago with only Labrinth included, and the updated duet isn’t too dissimilar. But it’s Zendaya’s velvety performance on the outro that creates a standout moment. The pair’s joint “Hey Lord, you know I’m tired” transforms into an elevated and heavenly solo release: “Hey Lord, you know I’m trying / It’s all I got, is this enough?” she asks. “Hey Lord, I wanna stay / Hey Lord, you know I’m fighting / Hey Lord, you know I’ll find it / I don’t know when or how today / Hey Lord, I’m on my way.” – LP

A hiatus and lineup change gave Kenny Becker time to reassess his indie rock project GOON and what it’s capable of. Paint by Numbers, Vol. 1, released last week, offered a glimpse at a reinvigorated GOON with their playful instincts crucially intact. “Garden of Our Neighbour” begins like a secret: a guitar is played with more of a gentle caress than a strum, synth lines wave beneath like creatures in a tide pool, and Becker’s hushed vocals arrive somewhere between Elliot Smith and Big Thief. The chorus is a gorgeous sunset-coloured detonation of keyboards unleashed as Becker celebrates the “howling wind, smiling underneath.” The phrase “Still waters run deep” may be a cliche, but “Garden of Our Neighbour” shows its still-invigorating truth. – JD

bbymutha’s prolific 2021 culminated in CHERRYTAPE, a four-track July EP produced by Rock Floyd. Her first project of 2022, left4dead, comprises three songs with beats produced by Floyd, Paris Aden, and Fly Anakin, and the Chattanooga rapper destroys each of them in short order. Third and final track “the sheesh battle,” however, steals the show, with bbymutha rebuffing over-eager advances as the tempo of Anakin’s beat expands and contracts beneath her vocals. — RH

“Bodies of Water” is the lead single from U.K. electronic producer HAAi (real name Teneil Throssell)’s upcoming debut Baby, We’re Ascending. The song follows her recent collaboration with Romy (The xx) & Fred Again… “lights out” and carries on that same spirit of end of the night hedonism. There’s an inner peace to “Bodies of Water,” most evident in the delicate vocal that begins the track, but that later gives way to a chopped up sample that moves things from the natural and into more ravey territory. This mix of earthy and the synthetic isn’t an easy one to gel together but HAAi makes it sound easy. — DR

“I want you to never forget what it feels when the sun shines so bright,” Asa sings on the shimmering “Morning Man,” a standout from her new album V. “Oh, in the morning time when you wake up with a glow.” “Morning Man” is a tender, devotional song that expresses love through a series of requests. The Nigerian-French singer dreams of love that’s inspiring, fruitful, and forever passionate, penning sweet tunes to her morning star and his heartwarming smile. It’s all about the little things sometimes. —BC

For years, Charli XCX has straddled the line between modern pop trends and futuristic developments in the genre, operating largely within the artistic freedom of the latter realm. With her latest single “Baby,” she’s making a case for her simultaneous presence in both spaces, bringing the song’s dominating energy to the surface in more ways than one. “You’re nervous, but you know just what you want / If you’re feeling scared, that’s fine / I’ve got no problem taking full control,” she sings over glittering, synth-heavy production. Charli XCX wields the power and confidence of hyper-sexualized female pop with ease, going all in for her main pop girl era as the release of her hotly anticipated fifth studio album CRASH rapidly approaches. – LP

Nilüfer Yanya seems to wield her guitar like a conductor’s baton, each of her songs unfurling naturally from her immediate, captivating melodies. Each of her singles from the London-based artist’s upcoming album PAINLESS have shared this feature, but on the album’s opening track “the dealer,” she adds a massive breakbeat to the recipe. The pace fits the setting: while not tied explicitly to city life, “the dealer” hints at a specific kind of urban malaise with Yanya lamenting the “mad rush” she must face all by herself. There’s disappointment in Yanya’s voice, stung yet in touch with her deep well of soul, like she’s aware that the song’s dream-pop fever dream will soon break into better days. – JD

If you loved Drake Edits, you’ll love Drake Edits Vol. 2. It’s been eight years since DJ Paypal released the first Drake Edits, and since then, Drake’s gotten into multiple beefs, shared three albums, two mixtapes, a “playlist,” and ended up making a couple more good songs along the way. Drake Edits Vol. 2 reimagines music from across the Toronto rapper’s with a scattershot approach—there’s a Florida Fast style remix of “Work,” a footwork rework of “Blessings” and a colossal 8-minute version of “From Time.” And then there’s “I Know,” a jawdropping blend of “TSU” and “Desires.” There isn’t a more concentrated batch of toxic Drake than this. —BC