Ahhhh the break between massive pop record discourse as major outlets take a breather between COWBOY CARTER and the next Taylor album. Are you hydrating? Are you getting your steps in? Self-care is important.
I was thrilled and surprised to see Pitchfork’s BNM for Cindy Lee’s Diamond Jubilee, especially considering the album’s commitment to obscurity and difficulty. It’s nice seeing outsider art get shoved to the center of the conversation, especially amidst celebrity rap beef taking over the timeline.
Anyways, on to this week’s tracks. As always, you can follow along on our playlists on Spotify and Apple Music, which update every Tuesday along with the newsletter. Enjoy!
BETWEEN FRIENDS – Drive over me
Wait a Max Martin cowrite on mutant hyperpop? This has his signature big prechorus drop into the refrain, but it’s funny knowing the king of 00’s pop is sniffing out where the radio is headed to next – and maybe it’s worth noting this is where he’s spending his time in the studio.
Zach Top – Sounds Like The Radio
For all the ~discourse~ on the changing guard with country music thanks to Cowboy Carter, it’s worth noting that tracks channelling pure late 20th century country radio like “Sounds Like The Radio” are out here racking up major spins. I really love the period piece devotion of Zach Top’s album Cold Beer & Country Music, a lot of which feels like lost Alan Jackson deep cuts.
Tinashe – Nasty
Unstoppable peak Dream/Ciara vibes on Tinashe’s new Ricky Reed-assisted single. The chorus lifts just enough, the grind is perfectly borderline PG-13. Do I wish there was a giant silk shirt R&B bridge? Yes I do, but that’s true of literally every song, so I’m still all in, though she should get back in the studio with Machinedrum again ASAP.
Future & Metro Boomin – Luv Bad Bitches
Future and Metro Boomin’s second record of 2024 bridges the toxic Future/reflective Future divide as he contains multitudes over slinky R&B and pop sonics on WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU. The Weeknd-featuring title track is almost wedding dancefloor ready with its smooth 4/4 beat, but it’s “Luv Bad Bitches” that stands out as the track I’m relatively certain we’ll hear all summer. Someone you know will make a terrible decision to this song at 2am. Pray for them.
Jamie XX feat. Honey Dijon – Baddy On The Floor
Like many recent Jamie one-offs, “Baddy On The Floor” feels deceptively simple on the first listen. It’s a straightforward house workout that hides a ton of fun strange sonics in the stereo image – the filtered house piano, a squelchy Patrick Adams lead line tucked away, hard panned percussion. The looping horn line has a French touch affectation, but the daytime festival set heartache is signature Jamie.
throwback
Robbie Nevil – C’est La Vie
The changing of the seasons means my appetite for Spago Rock is back with a vengeance, and I found this in hour of MTV’s top 20 video countdown from 1986. Always excited to find a huge, shiny pop gem I had never heard – also, he pivoted to writing dozens, if not hundreds, of songs for the Disney fame machine. Wild!