Best New Tracks Of The Week: 10/27/24
Some HIGH profile new singles dropped this week, see how they shake out against some underground favorites.
5. Afterlife - Sharon Van Etten
I'll be the first to admit I was skeptical from the moment this song kicked off with its anthemic drum beat and even after I heard the fluttering keys backing Sharon's chorus. While you would think inherently that the grandeur would rob her music of the power it has in its intimacy, she seems to have taken a queue from some of her singer-songwriter contemporaries who impressively expanded their sonic range. This track isn't perfect, but her writing and energy shines through.
4. Noid - Tyler, The Creator
Tyler's newest single has justifiably been met with quite a bit of acclaim for both its sound palette and compositional dynamism. Even if some of the altered vocals and MANY of the song's lyrics leave quite a bit to be desired, there's still plenty here to grab onto as potential green flags for Tyler's new album which is right around the corner.
3. Graucha Max - Darkside
Darkside is stranger than ever and I wouldn't have it any other way. This new track enters new territory for what is now a trio continuing their indulgence into punchy art rock with flashes of electronica but in a louder, grittier, and more omnipresent sense than ever before. What results is a bizarrely propulsive single full of well-textured instrumentation that all feels shot out of a canon in different directions across each other. Even with a weird finale passage that maybe didn't need to be part of the single, this song is a hit.
2. Elephant - Jasmine.4.t
Though we will have to wait for 2025 to hear the whole thing, Jasmine 4.t's debut album of Saddest Factory records is off to a tremendous start. A great first single was followed up by a just-as-stunning second effort that once again features a killer vocal performances whose fluttering little brushes with imperfection add a ton of character. That combined with how infectious the refrains are and the rush of momentum the instrumental provides and this song is just a delight from start to finish.
1. How To Impress God - Saba & No ID
It feels like I've been waiting for 8 years to hear a Saba song this good again. While I liked his new album a few years ago and a handful of the singles from this ever-forthcoming No ID collab have hit, this song is the combination of smooth, focused, and articulate that separates Saba from his contemporaries. The beat is on the gentler side but it's perfect support for his masterfully assembled flows.
