The 10 Best Songs of the Week
"The Game" by Jauz
If the title didn't give it away, Los Angeles producer Jauz draws inspiration from old-school video games for his latest single, "The Game." Embracing video game culture isn't new to EDM-shout to Porter Robinson-but Jauz adds a bit of moodiness to a style that can too often feel like the sonic equivalent of a confetti cannon explosion.
"1 Night" by Mura Masa ft. Charli XCX
Charli XCX seems to still be in the process of figuring out what her pop music career path is going to be. The new "1 Night" by Mura Masa might be a little more subdued than Charli's best-known work, but this stylistic pivot works well for her.
"Aba" by Lane 8 & Kidnap Kid
The producers Lane 7 and Kidnap Kid must have gone into "Aba" with a clear vision of what they wanted to achieve: a touch of ambient, a bit of deep house, and a (very light) hint of progressive house. The final result is an effortless track that will loop in your heads for hours, if not days, on end.
"On the Come Up" by Mike Will Made It ft. Big Sean
Big Sean often plays the class clown in songs, but even when he's goofing off, the Detroit rapper can't resist giving it his all. Mike Will Made It's "Come Up" is a great example of a track where you might think Sean would let the beat do the talking, but instead he uses the opportunity to share his origin story, for those who might not know it.
"Holding Pattern" by Real Estate
Nearly a decade into their career, New Jersey band Real Estate still only has one mood: chill. So while naming a song "Holding Pattern" might be a wink to their own discography, the song's charming, easygoing guitar work makes it much more than just an inside joke.
"Get It Together" by Drake ft. Black Coffee & Jorja Smith
At this point, there's no guessing what new direction Drake might take. Still, the South African house shift on "Get It Together" was a nice surprise, as the production from the producer Black Coffee might be the closest Drake's ever gotten to his idol, Sade.
"Twinbow" by Slushii x Marshmello
The sugary combination of Marshmello and Slushii might inspire thoughts of pure, saccharine EDM pop, but the duo take a slightly different tact here. Instead, they make a bouncy future bass song that is sure to find its way into both artists' summer festival playlists.
"Flame" by Tinashe
The shadow of "2 On" still looms large over the work of Tinashe, but on "Flame" the R&B singer assumes the role of booming pop star. The appeal of her more challenging slow R&B songs is gone, but it's still nice to hear Tinashe exploring a new range.
"Symphony" by Clean Bandit ft. Zara Larsson
The lyrical hook of Clean Bandit's "Symphony" is a cute metaphor about being in a relationship ("I just want to be a part of your symphony"), and it's only enhanced by Zara Larsson's radiant singing. Add in the group's signature piano melodies, and you've got a track with a perfectly breezy spring mood.
"Pleasure" by Feist
Six years since her last album, Metals, Feist employs an almost bluesy guitar tone on her newest song, "Pleasure." At the outset, this tune feels almost muted, but then it dramatically builds, crescendoing into rapturous territory and closing out with chants of "pleasure, pleasure, pleasure."
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