But don’t worry, we’re going to save you the hassle. We listen to some of the most-hyped and interesting songs each week, and tell you which are worthy of your precious listening time.
Here are our top five songs to stream this week. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our Spotify page for a playlist of our weekly picks, which can also be found at the bottom of this post.
Kendrick Lamar — FEEL.
On Thursday evening, Kendrick Lamar released his fourth studio album, titled DAMN., causing many fans to listen late into the night. On FEEL., the album’s fifth track, the rapper investigates how famous he’s become, and how that has transformed both his music and the actions of those around him.”I feel like only me and the music though/feel like your feelin’ ain’t mutual,” he exclaims on the deep and introspective song, expressing a desire to maintain artistic integrity in a world full of musicians he thinks are corrupted by money and fame.
Danger Doom — Mad Nice
Iconic rap duo Danger Doom (a collaboration between producer Danger Mouse and underground rapper MF Doom) announced plans this week to rerelease their only album, 2005’s The Mouse & the Mask, while simultaneously sharing this special bonus cut. Mad Nice is a vintage-style hip-hop song that samples the iconic evil laughter of horror film actor Vincent Price and features rapper Black Thought of The Roots, who shares an especially introspective verse on the first half of the 3-minute cut.
Mac DeMarco — On The Level
A poorly rendered 3D image of Emperor Palpatine stands with his arms waving up and down in the middle of the new music video for songwriter Mac DeMarco’s latest single, On The Level. But despite the comedic elements of its visual presentation, this is a song that showcases the more elegant side of DeMarco’s production and songwriting. Gentle synthesizer lines and soothing Lennon-like vocals sit atop a simple groove, in a song that feels like it could calm the dark side in anyone.
Jonathan Rado — Thunder Road
Foxygen frontman Jonathan Rado recently partnered with Turntable Kitchen’s Sounds Delicious vinyl club, which commissions contemporary artists to cover classic albums in full, to make his own full-length version of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run. Our first taste of this effort, this take of Thunder Road, does sound more lo-fi than the original, but it retains all of Springsteen’s classic energy. Rado’s acclaimed indie production abilities shine through, in the form of layered guitars, synthesizers, and bell patterns. It’s as loving and honest an homage as any we’ve heard, and one that you’ll have fun comparing to the original.
Camp Howard — Juice
The most candy-flavored bit of indie pop we heard this week came from Richmond, Virginia-based quartet Camp Howard. The title track off the group’s upcoming EP, Juice, features heavily syncopated bass lines that meet clean drums and vocal overdubs, with just the right amount of vibe-y guitar to tie the whole thing together.
That’s it for now, but tune in next week for more tunes — and check out the playlist loaded with our recent selections below:
