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Playful psych-pop, laidback R&B, a mesmerizing cover version and a farewell to an icon of house music

Paul Johnson: Music’s in Me Paul Johnson, a pioneer and champion of house music, has passed away at 50 years old. He began DJing at just 13 in Chicago, eventually making infectious dance anthems that remain beloved all over the world. Best known for 1999’s “Get Get Down” (which landed in the top 10 in Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the UK), Johnson was an …

Unknown Mortal Orchestra: That Life

In June Unknown Mortal Orchestra released their first new single since their 2018 album Sex & Food, and today ushers in “That Life,” a song that’s immediately recognizable as the Auckland-founded, Portland-based outfit. Equal parts fuzzy and shiny, the track comes accompanied by a video directed by Lydia Fine and Tony Blahd. Artist and fabricator Laura Manns (who works frequently with the Jim Henson Company) …

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Traversing musical genres via bangers, ballads and bops

Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow: INDUSTRY BABY Lil Nas X continues to triumph and tantalize (and torment homophobes in the meantime) with “INDUSTRY BABY” featuring rapper/singer Jack Harlow. The video, directed by Christian Breslauer, is a colorful, vibrant celebration of homoeroticism, Black men, queerness, sex and freedom—all in Lil Nas X’s now-familiar playful style (and even nods to his partnership with The Bail Project). The song …