Fall is heating up with some of the hottest new releases. Tory Lanez breaks his silence on the now infamous shooting of Meg Thee Stallion. Did he do it? He claims no. In the indie world, Sufjan Stevens dropped a new record, and Internet turned Pop Star Joji drops his debut album. We pick the best of this week below.
Album(s) of the Week:
Daystar – Tory Lanez
Unflinching, assertive and urgent, Tory Lanez leaves no stone unturned on this project. Calling out labels, rappers from Meg Thee Stallion to Chance the Rapper, and adopting an arrogance and bitterness that only the most prolific rappers can get away with. Does he do it? Not entirely, but Daystar is yet another example of the rapper’s raw talent, however soaked in its influences it may be.
For fans of: Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Bryson Tiller
Free Love – Sylvan Esso
Characterized by the duo as a compelling argument, Free Love is indie pop at its most self-assured. Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn straddle the line between dance pop and experimental electronica, tackling the complexities of human emotion over a hotbed of synths and forward thinking sounds few artists in pop can boast.
For fans of: Glass Animals, Rostam
Single(s) of the Week:
“Your Man” – Joji
If TikTok survives, this song will be all over the platform. Catchy but not annoying, “Your Man” adopts the signature melancholy that has dominated pop this year. It’s a tender ode to commitment, with a chilled out Joji calmly asserting his feelings.
For fans of: Post Malone, Dominic Fike
“Rambo (Last Blood)” – Bryson Tiller, The Weekend
Five years later and still a banger. Anchoring his (incredibly) delayed re-release of T R A P S O U L (Deluxe), the collaboration remains an instant hit. This is hopefully less a homerun lap than a promise of more to come from an artist still reaching for the day when he matches the heights of his genre bending debut record.
For fans of: PARTYNEXTDOOR, Majid Jordan, 6LACK
“Dennis Rodman” – A$AP Ferg, Tyga
Wow. A$AP Ferg has always been a talented rapper, but he did NOT come to play on this latest single off his newly released project Floor Seats II. Accompanied by a surprisingly impressive verse and hook from Tyga, “Dennis Rodman” is sure to make waves in the hip hop scene as sports continue to resurge as the pandemic continues.
For fans of: A$AP Rocky, Mike WILL Made-It
“The Great Divide” – The Shins
Leaning more heavily into the popular electronica in pop today, The Shins’ triumphant “The Great Divide” is an anthemic jam. Epic and emotive, its a change in direction for a band that always hits the feels so expertly.
For fans of: Miike Snow, Foster the People
