We finally made it to the end of the work week and we can’t think of a better way to usher in the weekend than listening to new music — extra points if its from an artist you recently discovered.
A mixture of new singles and studio length albums have been released this week, but don’t fret the overwhelming amount of content. We’ve selected a handful of newly released songs that are worth a play.
Majid Jordan, Wildest Dreams
The Toronto R&B duo, made up of singer Majid Al Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman, released their highly anticipated album, Wildest Dreams, on Oct. 22. The 11-track project, which arrives four years since their last project The Space Between, features previously released singles “Summer Rain,” “Been Through That,” and “Waves of Blue.”
Drake joined his OVO Sound signees on “Stars Align,” which is undoubtedly a standout on the album. Other guest appearances come from Diddy and Swae Lee of the rap duo Rae Sremmurd.
Fans of Majid Jordan won’t have to wait long to see the album performed live, as the duo announced that they’ll be hitting the road next month for a North American tour. They will be in Los Angeles on Nov. 19 at the El Rey Theatre. [artist info]
Wale, Folarin II
Nearly a decade since his 2012 mixtape Folarin, the D.C. rapper has released the long-awaited sequel, Folarin II on Oct. 22. The 15-track project includes the single “Poke It Out,” where Wale reunites with rapper J.Cole over the sample Q-Tip used on his 1999-single “Vibrant Thing.” Wale also teams up with Maxo Kream and Yella Beezy on “Down South,” which flips the Houston classic, “Still Tippin” by Mike Jones.
“I’m sampling way more than normal, so, it feels like a mixtape,” Wale told XXL. “I’m giving people their flowers and I’m getting mine.” (The cover of Folarin II depicts Wale covering his face with a boutique of red roses.)
Folarin II, which is Wale’s seventh studio album, also includes guest appearances from Jamie Foxx (“Dearly Beloved”), Chris Brown (“Angles”), Rick Ross (“Light Years”), Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men (“More Love”). [artist info]
PinkPantheress, To Hell With It
I’m not sure how I missed this release last week, but it’s worth talking about the latest offering from British singer and producer, PinkPantheress. The 20-year-old musician who grabbed — and held — our attention after releasing addictive snippets of “Just For Me” and “Break It Off” on TikTok, making her one of the most exciting breakout acts of the year. The bedroom-pop princess released her debut mixtape, to hell with it on Oct. 15.
[All of the songs] are “vividly sad,” PinkPantheress told Apple Music. “I think I’ve had a tendency, even on a particularly happy beat, to sing the saddest lyrics I can. I paint a picture of the actual scenarios where someone would be sad.”
To hell with it provides further validation that we need to continue to pay attention to PinkPantheress. [artist info]
Other Worthy Mentions
Other worthy mentions includes a new single from Big Sean and Hit-Boy titled “What a Life,” which arrives with a visual that shows Sean covered in literal bees. Lagos singer TEMS also dropped off a visual for her vibey track “Crazy Tings,” which was featured on her latest project If Orange Were a Place. Leimert Park rapper Dom Kennedy also released a visual for his single “Deep Thought” from his From the Westside With Love 3 project, which dropped last week.
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