Mallrat: Drive Me Round

Australian singer/rapper/producer Mallrat (aka Grace Shaw) released her third, and most polished, EP Driving Music earlier this month. From it, “Drive Me Round” is at first a gentle, drifting tune (complete with echoing background chants), but when the beat drops the track turns into a rich, synth-driven bop. Concurrently melancholy and upbeat, the song is a glittery couple of minutes long, and sees the Mallrat’s …

Okay Kaya: Ascend And Try Again

Set to appear on Norwegian-born, NYC-based Okay Kaya’s next album (which is due out next year) “Ascend And Try Again” combines multiple genres, melding them together with haunting songwriting. The track itself literally describes the artist’s attempt to becoming scuba-certified for a role in a Swedish film—she was prone to ear infections and had to bow out—but it also stands in as a meditative guide …

Danny Brown: Best Life

Backed by a rich bassline and a select few samples, Danny Brown’s “Best Life” combines the artist’s charismatic cadence with Q-Tip’s illustrious production. It’s certainly jazz influenced but it also harkens back to the golden era of hip-hop—and Brown (aka Daniel Dewan Sewell) does far more than hold his own. “Best Life” will appear on his forthcoming album uknowhatimsayin¿, out on 4 October via WARP.