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Chill alternative rap, enthralling indie-rock, a bright road trip song and more

Yo-Yo Ma + Anna Clyne: In The Gale (The Birdsong Project) The second volume of music supervisor Randall Poster’s awe-inspiring, five-volume The Birdsong Project—composed of songs and spoken-word recordings that draw attention to the beauty of birdsong, as well as the plight of bird life—releases today. From the astounding list of contributions comes “In The Gale” by Yo-Yo Ma and Anna Clyne. These two collaborators …

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Silky, sultry, soulful and psych-inflected new songs from the week

Ruthven: Don’t Keep It To Yourself Released on Jai and AK Paul’s label-meets-collective Paul Institute, Ruthven’s hypnotic “Don’t Keep It To Yourself” is a spacious, slinky and sultry track about pillow talk and secrets—”bedroom feels,” the UK-based singer-songwriter and musician says. Blending elements of future funk, ’80s R&B and more, Ruthven (aka Sean Nelson) effortlessly transitions between delicate falsetto and big, soulful pop vocals. MICHELLE: …

Charli XCX feat. Christine and the Queens + Caroline Polachek: New Shapes

Charli XCX has officially announced her upcoming album Crash (out 18 March) and from it released “New Shapes” featuring French singer-songwriter Christine and the Queens (aka Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier) and NYC-based artist Caroline Polachek. The glittery, ’80s pop-inflected track features plenty of synths, over which the three singers trade verses. The album will include cameos by Lotus IV, Rina Sawayama, Oneohtrix Point Never, Jon Shave …