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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 a surprisingly early release from Bon Iver, and the Megan Thee Stallion song everybody has been waiting for. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.
Bon Iver — i,i
The latest from Justin Vernon and company was supposed to come out at the end of August, but after a series of listening parties this week, Bon Iver went ahead and released the whole thing a few weeks early. While Bon Iver was once a stage name for Vernon, he is truly embracing a band-centric approach on this one, as it features contributions from Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak, James Blake, Brad and Phil Cook, Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, Bruce Hornsby, Moses Sumney, and many others.
Rick Ross — Port Of Miami 2
Rick Ross’ latest is the highest-profile hip-hop release of the week, and that’s partially due to who is (and isn’t) on it. There’s a posthumous feature from Nipsey Hussle, and there’s also “Maybach Music VI,” which features Lil Wayne and John Legend. The latter track was initially supposed to include Pusha T as well, but for one reason or another, Pusha’s verse is only heard in a leaked demo version of the track.
Megan Thee Stallion — “Hot Girl Summer” Feat. Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign
Before “Hot Girl Summer” even came out, the phrase went so viral that Megan Thee Stallion decided to slap a trademark on it. Now the song is finally here, and this hot girl summer can truly begin. She got Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign to join her on the track, and the anticipation was justified. The upbeat track is a ton of fun, and proof that “Hot Girl Summer” is more than just a meme.
Lana Del Rey — “Season Of The Witch” and “Looking For America”
Lana Del Rey’s highly anticipated album Norman F*cking Rockwell is just around the bend, but ahead of that, Del Rey has taken a bit of time to share a couple of songs not related to the album. “Season Of The Witch” is a cover of a 1966 Donovan song that she recorded for Guillermo del Toro’s Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, while “Looking For America” is an impassioned response to the recent shootings in the US.
Katy Perry — “Small Talk”
Katy Perry had a pair of successes with her two recent Zedd team-ups, “365” and “Never Really Over.” The producer wasn’t involved with “Small Talk,” but Charlie Puth is on board as a co-writer and co-producer. The two worked well together on the song, a retro-leaning synth-pop gem.
Blueface — Dirt Bag EP
Fresh off being included in the esteemed XXL Freshman issue, Blueface is back with a new EP, which he somehow found time to make when he wasn’t busy with other endeavors. The follow-up to a pair of 2018 mixtapes — Famous Cryp and Two Coccy — Blueface continues to show off his idiosyncratic flow, and he got some assists from Offset, Rich The Kid, Lil Pump, and other featured guests on the 8-track effort.
Jay Som — “Nighttime Drive”
The singles preceding Anak Ko have been teasing what could end up being one of the year’s best indie albums, and Jay Som built that hype up even further with her latest single, “Nighttime Drive.” As the title might suggest, the track is a laid back affair, a dreamy tune led by acoustic guitar and Jay Som’s relaxed vocals, making for three minutes of lovely downtime.
DRAM — “The Lay Down” Feat. H.E.R.
DRAM is generally an upbeat fellow when viewed through the lens of his music, but he gets more lovelorn in his new H.E.R.-featuring song, “The Lay Down.” He adopts a decidedly old-school soul song on the single, an emotional track on which DRAM lays his heart on the line. The result is a terrifically soulful ballad that shows off the continued maturation of DRAM.
Trippie Redd — !
In the eyes of some hip-hop fans, there’s a stigma that comes with having emerged from the Soundcloud rap scene, but Trippie Redd has proven himself to be more consistent than a lot of his peers with similar origin stories. He’s a creative guy, and ! features guests like The Game, Lil Baby, and Playboi Carti, as well as production from Diplo.
Marika Hackman — Any Human Friend
Break-up albums aren’t rare, but they’re rarely this interesting. The UK singer-songwriter has delivered an album filled with clever songwriting and production that’s compelling and just as smart. There are highlights aplenty, like the jaunty and just-odd-enough “The One” and the soaring and more straightforward indie-folk-rock of “All Night,” although Any Human Friend is far from a record that could be summarized by two songs.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
August 12, 2019 at 08:37AM via ThePurpleSnakeEra
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