Junior Boys: What You Won’t Do For Love

Junior Boys are back from their “hibernation,” as they’ve Tweeted, with an electronic music-driven cover of Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love.” It’s very fitting—as the opening lyrics are “I guess you wonder where I’ve been.” Arpeggiated synth lines and techno-like percussion raise the energy, while the effects on the vocals channel The Human League.

Sampa the Great: The Great Mixtape

For “The Great Mixtape,” poet and vocalist Sampa the Great sings and rhymes with a political conscience, dragging words out slowly or stuttering them out rapid fire over producer Godriguez’s jazzy beats. Exploring hip-hop, R&B and spoken word with experimental flourishes, the mixtape shows off music as a “soul language,” as Sampa puts it. Mos Def and Lauryn Hill’s influences are clear, as is her …

Petite Noir: MDR

Describing his sound as “Noirwave,” Cape Town-based singer and producer Petite Noir (aka Yannick Ilunga) is set to release his album La Vie Est Belle / Life Is Beautiful next month. From it comes his latest release, “MDR.” It’s a track that—as Petite Noir puts it—has “a new African aesthetic,” but also blends elements of new-wave and funk, while his hearty voice contrasts beautifully with …