Friday Features: Doja Cat, Kygo, HER, Troye Sivan, Kyle and more turn the summer heat up a notch this week
This week is all about the summer jams, including everything from chill reggae to tropical house to retro pop.
Anne-Marie: 'To Be Young' (featuring Doja Cat)
We already know both these artistes are capable of putting out absolute bops, so having them on a track together is like a dream come true for anyone in the mood for a midtempo retro dance jam with an all-too-relatable theme of being an absolute mess.
Kygo and Tina Turner: 'What's Love Got To Do With It'
It appears the DJ/producer has his heart set on turning 2020 into one massive nostalgia party. After reworking Whitney Houston's 'Higher Love', he's back with another summer jam, this time a reworking of a Turner classic accompanied with a video of a young Black woman choosing self-love and respect over a less-than-ideal relationship.
WizKid and HER: 'Smile'
Another dream team, rapper/singer WizKid delivers a top-notch reggae-infused track that's perfect for summer and who better to take that vibe to the next level with than the incomparable H.E.R. with her effortlessly smooth, floating vocals?
Conor Matthews: 'Hit Me Back' (featuring Social House)
Continuing the summer bops that feature themes of love and heartbreak is this easy-breezy track from Matthews featuring Social House who bring a bit of those Ariana Grande 'Boyfriend'-esque vibes to this track.
Aluna, Princess Nokia and Jada Kingdom: 'Get Paid'
Another gorgeous reggae-hip hop track with a team-up we did not know we needed, this track makes you feel like you're out and about enjoying the summer heat with your crew.
Steve Aoki, Frank Walker and AJ Mitchell: 'Imagine'
A dance-pop dream, 'Imagine', features stellar production — as is expected of Aoki — along with equally impressive vocals from Mitchell. If the clubs were open, this would be on every playlist.
Keith Urban: 'Superman'
Outside of covering Dua Lipa's 'Don't Start Now', Urban has also delivered a perfectly concocted country-pop/rock track on 'Superman' which somehow fits both the early 2000s vibe as well as the early 2020s vibe perfectly.
Benny Benassi and Cece Rogers: 'I'll Be Your Friend'
As the name suggests, this song will make you feel like you've got a friend, with Benassi and Rogers blending their electro house gospel-R&B sound to make for a heartwarming dance track.
Kyle: 'Money Now' (featuring Tyga and Johnny Yukon)
Kyle delivers a song for his haters on 'Money Now' but with a twist: he's not returning hate, instead, he is celebrating himself and his accomplishments on this chill and feel-good rap song with a pop melody.
Tinashe: 'Rascal (Superstar)' and 'Play Fight' (featuring They)
Tinashe is on top of her game right now. 'Rascal', a groovy darker track, is an anthem for anyone looking to hype themselves up, while 'Play Fight' is a lush, smooth track that is reminiscent of 2000's-era Craig David.
Beabadoobee: 'Care'
Bringing back some '90s to early 2000s indie/punk rock, Beabadoobee's 'Care' sounds like a track you'd hear on the soundtrack of a movie like '10 Things I Hate About You' and is perfect for a nostalgic summer.
Troye Sivan: 'Easy'
Sivan pays homage to dance-pop greats with this one. The track is all about heartbreak and burning bridges. While the song has elements of some good old disco in there, the video takes it to the next level with the singer donning a David Bowie-looking outfit as he is backed up by drag queen dancers.
Albums to check out
The Chicks - 'Gaslighter'
Ellie Goulding - 'Brightest Blue'
Blackbear - 'Everything Means Nothing'
Gang of Four - 'Anti Hero'
Jhene Aiko - 'Chilombo' (Deluxe Edition)
Bush - 'The Kingdom'
Joey Bada$$ - 'The Light Pack' of the Week
Duckwrth: 'Coming Closer' (featuring GLAM and Julia Romana)
Rapper/singer Duckwrth really is a breath of fresh air on the scene. You'll find him listed under hip-hop and rap in most spaces, but this is an artiste that blends everything, from more traditional hip hop to retro funk and soul to electro-dance to create music that you'd think would sound like a cacophony but instead is a smooth blend of the best of every genre. And 'Coming Closer' is the best representation of everything he has to offer.
Friday Features is a column that brings you the week's latest releases that you may or may not have heard yet.