Throughout the week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with the new releases that caught our attention the most, be it a single leading up to the release of an album or a newly unveiled deep cut. And each Monday, we round up the best new songs released over the past week (the eligibility period begins on Monday and ends Sunday night) in this segment.
We have a great batch of new tracks on this week’s playlist, starting off with Mdou Moctar’s ‘Afrique Victim’, the title track from the Tuareg guitarist’s forthcoming album, which addresses the effects of imperialist violence over a mournful, increasingly furious instrumental. Sons of Kemet’s ‘Hustle’ thrives off the Shabaka Hutchings-led group’s stylistic versatility, with vibrant guest spots from London-based rapper Kojey Radical and backing vocals from Lianne La Havas complementing its bustling rhythms, while Japanese outfit CHAI showcased their pop influences on the infectious, Booksmart-inspired new single ‘Nobody Knows We Are Fun’. Half Waif returned with another evocative track called ‘Take Away the Ache’, featuring subtle production flourishes that anchor Nandi Rose’s soaring vocals, while experimental folk musician and multidisciplinary artist Francesca Brierley aka heka previewed her upcoming EP with a downbeat, hypnotic single that captures a wall of numbness yet gently pushes through it. Last but not least, we have the final singles from two excellent albums that came out on Friday, Dry Cleaning’s gnarly ‘Unsmart Lady’ (off their debut LP New Long Leg) and the gorgeously layered ‘One More Hour’ from Flock of Dimes’ sophomore record.
Best New Songs: April 5, 2021
heka feat. Jemima Coulter, ‘(a) wall’
Flock of Dimes, ‘One More Hour’
Sons of Kemet feat. Kojey Radical and Lianne La Havas, ‘Hustle’
Song of the Week: Mdou Moctar, ‘Afrique Victim’
CHAI, ‘Nobody Knows We Are Fun’
Dry Cleaning, ‘Unsmart Lady’
Half Waif, ‘Take Away the Ache’
