Santigold - Banshee
With her third album 99¢ due out later this month (and her first in nearly four years) "Banshee" is an exuberant return for Santigold. The track is as wild as its title suggests, with tropical rhythms, electro beats and fiery chorus, it might be the most summery pop song you hear all winter.
Iron & Wine's Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop - Every Songbird Says
After releasing an album of cover songs with Band of Horses' Ben Bridwell last year, Iron & Wine's Sam Beam continues his collaborative streak well into 2016. His upcoming album Sing Into My Mouth is a collection of duets with folk singer, Jesca Hoop. With it's lilting harmonies and upbeat strumming, the first single "Every Songbird Says" showcases their musical chemistry and is a lovely preview of the record to come.
Kanye West - Ultralight Beam
The opening track off the long-awaited Life of Pablo, finds Kanye making a grand entrance, only to quickly retreat, ceding the throne to Chance the Rapper, a gospel choir, and God, himself. It's an plea for faith in a time of crisis. As the organs and brass swell, you can hear the heavenly clouds part and the sun beam through. However, while Kanye may pray, it's ultimately Chance that raps his way to redemption.
You can stream it all on Tidal (LOL)
The Thermals - My Heart Went Cold
Portland power punkers The Thermals celebrated Valentine's Day the best way they know how - by releasing a song for rejected lovers everywhere. With its anthemic chorus of "oh oh ohs" "My Heart Went Cold" is so upbeat you'll almost forget your romantic failings. Almost.
Missy Elliott - Pep Rally
Leave it to Missy Elliott to liven up high school gymnasiums all over the world. Her latest track "Pep Rally" shouts, stomps and bigetty-bigetty-bounces its way into your ears, truly giving you something to cheer for. Between this song and last year's "WTF" let's hope an album is on the way soon.
Mavis Staples - Action
For nearly five decades Mavis Staples has proven herself not just a powerful singer, but a powerful interpreter of songs. Her latest album Livin' on a High Note finds Staples lending her brassy, gospel-tinged vocals to tracks written by a litany of her famous friends including Nick Cave, Neko Case, Aloe Blacc, and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. On "Action" a song written by tUnE-yArDs, Staples imbues a greater sense of urgency to an already forceful number.
Whitney - No Woman
Max Kakacek and Julian Ehrlich, formerly of short-lived, highly lauded indie band Smith Westerns, make their musical return as Whitney. Their first single "No Woman" is a gentle, country-tinged ballad that's retro in all the right ways. Catch the 70s AM radio vibes and enjoy the melancholic sounds of drifting away.
Yeasayer - Prophecy Gun
Yeasayer unveiled new track "Prophecy Gun" off their upcoming album Amen & Goodbye with a video that's as surreal as the song. Floating heads and bleeding watermelons are just some of the bizarre imagery that accompanies this eerie, ambient tune. The band describes the aesthetic as "Sgt. Pepper meets Hieronymus Bosch meets Dali meets Pee-wee's Playhouse." Here's hoping the entire album maintains this level of weirdness.
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