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Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best music released in the last week.
This week saw Charly Bliss emerge with boisterous power-pop suitable for the changing seasons, the triumphant return of Ciara, and a Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran collaboration that seems ready to dominate the airwaves for the coming months. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.
Charly Bliss – Young Enough
In 2017, Brooklyn indie-pop outfit Charly Bliss released their minor breakthrough album, Guppy, to much acclaim. But like any album that makes a splash, their follow up Young Enough emerges with much greater visibility, and the band is rising to the occasion. Writing about the album for Uproxx, Steven Hyden said, “Charly Bliss might still be underdogs slugging it away on the club circuit, but Young Enough sounds like it was made under the assumption that Hendricks is already a superstar. If there’s any justice, she’ll eventually get there for real.”
Ciara – Beauty Marks
On her first album since 2015, Ciara returns to blend pop and R&B into her own vision. It’s kept her in the public eye for more than a decade, and now she’s ready to show a new generation of singers that she’s still a powerful force — Macklemore and Kelly Rowland both show up to lend a hand.
Logic — Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind
Hip-hop sensation Logic didn’t give fans much time to emotionally prepare for his new album, as it was just announced this week. But the best-selling author has been on such a commercial winning streak, there is little reason to think that this won’t also be a rousing success. Guests on the record include Eminem, Wiz Khalifa, Will Smith, and G-Eazy.
Holly Herndon — Proto
On the 2015 standout Platform, Holly Herndon’s music often felt like the intersection between humanity and technology, a circuit board made of flesh and blood. So, it’s only fitting that on the latest album, Herdon turns into the world of A.I. by collaborating with an entity named Spawn. Herndon’s project delves into some of the philosophical discussions surrounding A.I., using her recently completed Ph.D. from Stanford where she studied machine learning and music. If the future has a sound, this is likely it.
Jamila Woods — Legacy! Legacy!
To call Jamila Woods simply a musician would be to sell her short. She’s a poet, a thinker, and an artist whose work hits many levels — vast historical insight, deep emotional connections, a distinct social perspective — without selling any of them short. Her latest should further define her as an essential presence in the music community, even if her reach is so far beyond that.
Rhye – Spirit
Rhye’s previous album, Blood, was notable for how long the project took to gestate, revealing the many outside factors that can contribute to when we hear new music from artists we love. But with label issues in the past, Rhye is now following up that 2018 standout with another album. Spirit finds the LA-based musician rediscovering his love of piano, reflecting in a focused effort that stays true to his singular perspective.
Ed Sheeran — “I Don’t Care” Feat. Justin Bieber
Four years ago, Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber teamed up for the No. 1 single, “Love Yourself.” A lot has changed in both of their careers since then, but the magic that happens when they join forces remains intact. “I Don’t Care” replaces producer Benny Blanco for Max Martin in the breezy, effortless tune that could easily soundtrack every cookout scheduled for coming summer months.
Carly Rae Jepsen – “Too Much”
Carly season is really approaching now. We’re just days away from her much-anticipated follow-up to her virtual classic, Emotion, and every new single paints a more complete picture of the album to come. With “Too Much,” Uproxx’s Chloe Gilke notes, “As the song ramps up into its exalting, maximalist chorus, it seems like Jepsen has reached a conclusion. She asks, “Is this too much?,” and maybe it is, but Carly Rae Jepsen is at her best when she’s feeling everything all at once.”
Madonna – “Crave” Feat. Swae Lee
Of all the features to come on Madonna’s upcoming album, Madame X, Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee stands out as one of the wildest, with two artists from seemingly different worlds coming together. And now that “Crave” is out, the smooth melody of badge and relaxed flow of Swae turn out to be a perfect match. Credit to producer Mike Dean, as well, for providing the playground for these two creatives to have fun in the sand together.
ASAP Ferg — “Pups” Feat. ASAP Rocky
“Where my dogs at?” Yeah, the concept of Ferg’s new single “Pups” is pretty on the nose, but that doesn’t mean these old friends can’t get your tail wagging. If it doesn’t leave you begging for more, loosen the leash and embrace the retro song’s throwback aesthetic. It might be hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but Ferg and Rocky are certainly a pair of ypung artists perfecting the old ones.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
May 13, 2019 at 09:30AM via ThePurpleSnakeEra
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