Here are our top 5 songs to stream this week.
Carly Rae Jepsen – Making the Most of the Night
It would be easy to dismiss Carly Rae Jepsen as a typical pop star with one big, earthquake of a hit and a couple tremors after. But she’s making a strong case for having staying power with the release of her new album Emotion. Over the course of the record, her third studio release, Jepsen hits the highest of high notes when it comes to crafting pop music, creating songs that are undeniably catchy, but never cheap or uninspired.
One of the best examples of how her formula for success works is Making the Most of the Night. The fierce and frenetic track leans heavily on a pulpy synth sound and a funk-infused baseline, but it takes some risks that most bubblegum pop wouldn’t bother with. The song’s urgent back beat is reflected in her lyrics, as she makes a point to not waste time and get to making the most of the night — just like the title suggests.
Menace Beach – Ghoul Power
Menace Beach, rockers from the United Kingdom, seem intent on reviving the punk sound that emanated out of the region back in the ’70s. Their new track Ghoul Power dips its hands into the dirt and gets grimy. A sludge-laden guitar riff carries the tune, which has an interesting premise: The band suggests carrying around a tiny ghoul in your pocket to eat up all of the negative energy you experience over the course of a day. That’s one way to deal with inner demons.
Frankie Broyles – Capturer
Deerhunter is arguably one of the most influential rock bands of the last decade, birthing a whole bunch of indie bands that have risen up over the years. One explanation for why Deerhunter is so successful might be that every member of the band is equally as good on their own. Take Frankie Broyles, the group’s guitarist, who goes solo on Capturer and creates a minimalistic track that counts on the hypnotic aesthetic to trap you in it.
BJ the Chicago Kid – Church feat. Chance the Rapper
Chicago’s hip hop scene is thriving once again, just as it did in the early 2000s when it was churning out artists like Common and Kanye West. The new class consists of talents like BJ the Chicago Kid, who you’ve likely heard singing in a soulful tune on the tracks of other artists. Now he’s recruiting help on his single Church, and support comes in the form of fellow Windy City rapper Chance the Rapper. The result is a funky track about temptation.
Disclosure – Willing and Able feat. Kwabs
English electronica duo Disclosure, made up of brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence, has fans anxiously awaiting the release of its sophomore album. As a means of tiding them over, the duo released Willing and Able, a snappy track with a toe-tapping beat. Disclosure adds soul singer Kwabs to the track, and his voice is a welcome addition over the track that pulls in ’90s era R&B influences.
That’s it for now, but check back every week for more new tunes to stream!
