Erykah Badu: Hotline Bling (Drake cover)

Erykah Badu has recorded the most empowering cover yet of Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” a song that remembers an ex-lover. There’s much less hurt and confusion in Badu’s extended seven-minute rendition, which was co-written with her 17-year-old son, Seven Benjamin, and perfectly shows off her distinct jazzy, soulful voice. It even includes a mock voicemail (her own hotline) that neatly outlines the reasons why people call …

The Brian Jonestown Massacre: Get Some

The prolific, controversial Anton Newcombe, frontman of the now Berlin-based The Brian Jonestown Massacre, is working on releasing new material—and calling the package, straight up, Mini Album Thingy Wingy. “Get Some” is a track the band has been performing live for some time (you can find YouTube videos dating to 2006), but the recorded version is just as good; a laid-back head-nodder that’s the perfect …

SOPHIE: MSMSMSM

SOPHIE, the secretive London-based producer who sometimes hangs with PC Music, has established a cult following with surprisingly few solo tracks (you can count them on one hand) as well as production on songs like QT’s “Hey QT,” Le1f’s “Koi” and even “Bitch I’m Madonna.” The first single to be released since last year, “MSMSMSM” is a grimier and darker what-the-fuck-is-happening track, lacking the pitched-up …