Lorde - Green Light

It's been over three years since the world last heard from Lorde, but now she's back with "Green Light" and wow, was it worth the wait! Think of every possible emotion associated with a breakup: bitterness, melancholy, independence. The entire spectrum is represented here. In less than four minutes Ella Yelich-O'Connor emerges triumphantly as a tsunami of snappy synths soundtrack her newfound singledom. "Green Light" is the sound of liberation and release.

Oddisee - Digging Deep

Philly rapper Oddisee has always had an innovative approach towards hip-hop. "Digging Deep" exemplifies his sonic adventurousness as it features organ drones, finger snaps and funky guitar lines that all re-occur across his latest album Iceburg. The song works as a mission statement of sorts too, advocating critical thinking and the need to tackle a host of political and social issues. Iceburg does indeed dig deep.

Lana Del Rey - Love

"Love" finds Lana Del Rey at her most optimistic. It's a rare Lana song about living in the moment without the fatalistic consequences. While it might be just as nostalgic sounding as her previous music, it's more forward-looking in its outlook. It's as if she's learned that sometimes being young and in love doesn't entail death via James Dean-esque car crashes.

Wavves - Daisy

Hyper-prolific pop-punker Nathan Williams aka Wavves has kept busy over the past few years, releasing a pair of albums in 2015, as well as a split single with Weezer last year. His sixth album out in May is titled You're Welcome and follows a tumultuous split from Warner Brothers ("Nobody knew what they were doing. Turnover rate was like an American Apparel," Williams said.) Luckily label drama didn't stop his new song "Daisy from sounding just as bratty and upbeat as his best.

Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos - Slide

More laid back than Calvin Harris's typical fare and more upbeat than your usual Frank Ocean track, "Slide" finds the happy medium between their talents. The piano slowly hooks into a tropical groove, while Ocean smoothly croons "Do you slide on all your nights like this?/ Do you try on all your nights like this?" Throw in a verse by Migos and you've got the song of the summer a couple months early.

Rhiannon Giddens - Baby Boy

Former Carolina Chocolate Drop member Rhiannon Giddens returns with her second solo album Freedom Highway, an Americana record that's traditional in its sound, but ambitious in its scope. “Baby Boy" is a haunting lullaby that showcases her rich vocals. While deeply spiritual, the track's gorgeous harmonies and cello swells are enough to convert the most cynical among us.

Thundercat - A Fan's Mail (Tron Song Suite II)

Thundercat is awesome for a lot of reasons. The bassist, singer and producer has collaborated with everyone from Flying Lotus to Kendrick Lamar. But on Drunk, his third studio album, he defies genre on his own with a blend of soul, jazz, funk and electronic fusion. "A Fan's Mail (Tron Song Suite II)" is a great example of his eclecticism. Plus it's about cats, and how cool they are. More songs should take on this subject.

|
John Joseph Brill - I'm Not Alright

"I'm Not Alright" is stark and vulnerable in all the right ways. British singer-songwriter Joseph Brill's voice trembles the titular statement among sparse synths. The monochromatic lyric video matches the sonic mood to a tee. It helps you focus on the words, which are are almost Sprinsteen-esque in their bleakness. He's definitely a musician to keep an eye on.

Future - Testify

Future's having a busy 2017. He already busted out two album in February, including the surprisingly introverted HNDRXX. Standout "Testify" is a vaguely tropical jam that finds the rapper urging his lady to confess his love to him: "Anything we go through is a test of times/ Can you be the one, love me all the time?." It's a rare moment of joy an vulnerability from trap's leading man.

Follow Last.fm elsewhere: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Spotify | Soundcloud |Flickr