Lav's Music Corner

My review of my favorite artists complicated posthumous self-titled album is out right now in Ringtone Magazine <3 Read it here For more groundbreaking pop, check out my review of Charli XCX's  BRAT

A variety of styles on this weeks list, but an extremely good collection of songs nonetheless.  5.  Exhilarate  - Sophie (feat. Bibi Bourelly) Sophie songs seem to so rarely have a "main character." Even Sophie herself often seemed like she was more of an orchestrator than a principal protagonist in her own music. That's why it was strange at first to see guest vocalist Bibi Bourelly taking over this song with her lyrics and melodies. Despite the surprise though, this is a warm electronic pop effort that I find pretty infectious and one that maintains Sophie's eccentricities, even if they come in a very muted manner.  Listen 4.  Summer Drop  - Cordae (feat. Anderson .Paak) 5 years ago Cordae and Anderson Paak teamed up for one of the smoothest rap songs I've ever heard on the former YBN affiliate's debut album. I haven't loved much of what Cordae has done since but this absolutely hits it out of the park once again. The pair are unshakably smooth together ...

Another ironically long shortlist for the best new tracks of the week this week, but narrowing it down didn't turn out to be all that tricky. 5.  Scarface  - BABii On BABii's second single with Iglooghost and co on board, the princess of electronica delivers on her promise of hard-hitting glitchy beats with sugary singing. It's a combination that won't be a reset for anyone's expectations of what BABii is capable of but a song whose refrains and grinding dance beat are steps ahead of most of her contemporaries.  Listen 4.  Superstar  - Hinds I haven't been crazy about the pop-punky indie rock of Hinds in a while but this track reminds me of why their effortless fun and bottomless wit clicked with me in the first place. It's an attitude-soaked takedown of a local superstar with all the details and snark you'd hope for but the band manages to wrap it up into a catchy and concise package for their best single in years.  Listen 3.  I'VE BEEN EVIL  - S...

This week was stacked FULL of potential favorites and breaking down the best to just 5 wasn't easy, but here's what rose to the top  5.  Getting No Sleep  - Tinashe Asking Tinashe to follow-up on Nasty, the freaky anthem of the summer, was always going to be a tall, if not impossible take. But honestly Getting No Sleep  does a pretty admirable job with a rumbling R&B instrumental with drums that pop out of the mix. More importantly, the song is effortlessly sensual in Tinashe's hands with vocals and charm that is nearly unmatched.  Listen 4.  Flipside  - Melt-Banana Melt-Banana have absolutely nothing to prove as the legendary Japanese rock outfit returns for their first new album in over a decade. That's why it's no surprise that their lead single is a fiery no-holds-barred slugfest of a song that pummels you for a rapid-fire two minutes and unceremoniously fades out. I fully expect it to be just one of many punches the band has in store.  Li...

Charli XCX is a popstar unlike any other and one that really needs no introduction if you've been paying attention to music in any capacity. After scoring a few early radio hits, most notably Boom Clap , she turned her sights on experimental pop and hyperpop. Along the way she created some of the genre's most acclaimed songs and albums while working with some of its most innovative producers like A.G. Cook and Sophie. She is also responsible for jumpstarting the careers of numerous artists in the scene through collaborations on her projects.  Review By Lav: It's hard to imagine somebody feeling neutral about Charli XCX. Either you're a big music fan and you've been following her career closely since 2015's Vroom Vroom  EP through her explorations and innovations within the world of hyperpop. Or alternatively you like radio music in which case she has disappeared completely from your radar since singing the hook on Iggy Azalea  Fancy , with maybe the sole excepti...

The single is the absolute heartbeat of popular music. Nothing racks up streams, builds up hype and generates social media buzz like a lead single, music video or elaborate promotional campaign. While the medium isn't exclusive to the mainstream and bands all the way down to the local level can issue singles in the streaming era, this is the list most affected by general consensus and commercial success. Based on the quality of these songs, the level of execution in their visuals and promotion, and the appeal and reception within their target fanbase this is a ranking of the top 100 singles released in 2021.  Enjoy <3 100. Bloody Future  - Kilo Kish Last Time On The List: 2019 Bite Me With nostalgia being as potent a force as ever in music this year Kilo Kish kicks our list off with a multi-decade encompassing R&B banger. Her voice continues to be an infectious accompaniment to a bouncy hook and her impeccable attitude goes a long way to help sell the track.  99. P...