Lizzo: Juice

Once again Lizzo has blended various genres for an effortlessly perfect pop song that celebrates self-love. With elements of funk and soul, the track has a distinctly retro vibe—spurred on by its ’80s-inflected music video. Directed by Quinn Wilson, the clip pays homage to everything from the Soul Glo commercials in Coming to America to workout tapes, talk shows and infomercials.

Helado Negro: Pais Nublado

Off his forthcoming album, This Is How You Smile, Helado Negro, aka Roberto Carlos Lange, releases “Pais Nublado,” a folky, surreal tune that’s sung in Spanish and English. The song’s title translates to “Cloudy Country” and evokes a similar vibe. It’s in the same vein as Lange’s previous single, “Please Won’t Please,” and hints at what’s likely to come on his second album on label RVNG Intl.

Best of CH 2018: Listen Up

From synthpop to indie, disco-inflected bops and more, our favorite songs of the year

Each day, our editorial team listens to new music and shares favorites in the Listen Up section. Be it synth-pop, indie, experimental or beyond, the discoveries are always powerful. This year provided plenty of ammo—from the ferocious to the poetic, political and personal, delicate tunes, bops and more. While some artists represented are long-standing CH favorites, we were pleased to discover that many of our best-loved …