We get it: With everything going on in the world, it can be difficult to carve out time to discover new music. Industry-pushed tunes that you may not even bang with like that could also get in the way of you finding something that tingles your consumer taste buds.
While new tunes are usually released throughout the working week, a majority of new material drops on Fridays. As a music fiend, I’ll be here to help you dig through some crates, in order to make things easier on your energy and your ears.
Not even gonna hold you: I wasn’t in a music-listening mood this weekend for obvious reasons. I mostly just read and watched television to get my mind off of things, but I did my very best to find you some tracks to potentially bump to or dump off. Take a look at some of my picks below.
REPLAY
“TD” by Lil Yachty, A$AP Rocky, Tyler, The Creator and Tierra Whack
Yes, this surprised me as well. I never thought this combination of artists would work, but wow, did it work. Probably one of the better rap songs in 2020. I expected Lil Yachty to be overshadowed on his own song (he was), however, he held his own and did better than expected. Plus, if anyone tries to say that Tierra Whack wasn’t the best on this song, they’re lying to you!!
“Shoulda” by Lucky Daye and Babyface
A cohesive mix of old school energy with new school sounds. The two musicians’ voices work so nicely together, and it’s truly a buttery, pleasant R&B track. If you have a car, I would definitely consider this a good driving song to clear the mind.
“Dance Alone” by Tayla Parx
A child prodigy turned Grammy-nominated songwriter, Parx is stepping into the light as a musical force of her own. “Dance Alone” features a catchy ‘70s vibe perfect for hitting the dance floor (at a safe distance). The lyrics, which are about getting close to that special someone, are perfect for a song that encapsulates timeless energy.
REVISIT
“U2” by Ne-Yo and Jeremih
Is there anything wrong with this song? Not necessarily. It’s a smooth track with a nice beat that showcases both artists’ dreamy vocals, but that’s...it. There’s nothing special about it but there’s nothing terrible about it either. Maybe I’ll give it another shot.
“For Andre” by Tank and the Bangas
This track is an homage/shoot-your-shot to Andre 3000 because he deserves nothing but the best. I am a fan of Tank and the Bangas’ last album and their eclectic style, so I know they can do better as a whole. This track was a tad more muted than I expected from them and didn’t really have as much energy as I’d expect for a 3 Stacks homage, but I’m willing to revisit because maybe I’m the one missing something.
REJECT
“Riri” by Amine
I don’t particularly care for the lyrics or his flow whilst saying them; they just feel a little redundant (another song about a failed relationship). The bass-heavy beat is flat as well. I want a bit more for Amine as I think he’s very talented but didn’t really make waves after “Caroline,” the big splash that was his introduction onto the scene. Also, the titles of rap songs lately are really lazy. He makes just one reference to Rihanna at the beginning of the song; it has nothing to do with the rest of the lyrics. But okay!
“RNB” by Young Dolph and Megan Thee Stallion
I guess Megan is the go-to girl now for features, but she’s not great at picking them. This song and beat are not good and the lyrics are even worse (“black-ass nigga with a bad-ass bitch, I went got the bag, now everything lit”). To say she saves the song is an understatement, but it’s still not great. I know we all want to shake ass and drive the boat with her, but her flow is getting to be a bit tired (she switches it up slightly here). She’s another artist who I want to see make better musical decisions, especially with an album dropping.