The Nicholas: Call Me Back

Relaxed but purposeful, “Call Me Back” by The Nicholas (aka Amsterdam/LA-based Rutger van Woudenberg) is dreamy but tactile. “Your heart’s like a star / I saw you from afar / Maybe it’s time for you / to call me back,” he rings out on the track, which is from Woudenberg’s Lighthead EP. It’s altogether sonically pleasing and reminiscent of bygone eras, though influenced by psych-stars …

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Classic hip-hop, experimental soundscapes, sample-heavy tunes and more in our musical round-up

Rapsody: Ibtihaj Named for Ibtihaj Muhammad (the first American to wear a hijab when competing for the USA in the Olympics), new single “Ibtihaj,” from North Carolina rapper Rapsody, heavily samples GZA’s “Liquid Swords” and also features the Wu Tang member. Unlike the 1995 track, this release includes the immediately recognizable vocals of D’Angelo. The infectious groove will appear on Rapsody’s upcoming album EVE, which …

Khushi: This Is, Pt. I

Drawn from London-born, LA-based artist Khushi’s debut album Strange Seasons (out 13 September), “This Is, Pt. 1” volleys precise, charismatic electronic arrangements against emotional lyricism in a match of great depth. Khushi wrote, produced and sang on the track, which was recorded in an East London shed and mixed by James Blake. Part two will appear on the album.