Lav's Music Corner

One of the busiest weeks of the year for new singles resulted in a hotly contested top 5 where I had to make some hard cuts. Here's what soared to the top.  5.  Del Oro  - Floating Potins Del Oro  builds on the already exciting promise of a strong single Floating Points dropped last year. Once again its the combination of irresistible house drums that keep me moving from start to finish and the progressing dance synths fluttering in every which direction over top of them. The album serves up one breakdown after another eventually leading to its last and final moment sparking the spectacular final minute of the song.  Listen 4.  Purple Gas  - Zach Bryan Zach Bryan seemingly just can't miss right now and this song is even more proof. Just a few weeks after dropping one of the best country singles of the year he's back with a breezy, chemistry-filled duet. He continues to master his ability to pull from vintage folk and country styles and presentation but...

5.  Te Mata  - Kali Uchis Kali's new Spanish-language album is off to a strong start with this Bolero cut. The style feels like a natural fit to her and while it lacks some of the purely infectious moments her best songs contain, the track is lush and dramatic in a way that feels larger than life. It's a song that's both exceedingly charming and exceedingly pretty.  Listen 4.  In The City  - Charli XCX (feat. Sam Smith) This song definitely took some time to grow on me but at the end of the day it's really the A.G. Cook production that wins me over. Like so many of their best songs together  In The City  manages to translate the grit of its jagged and rough around the edges production into supremely blissful pop sounds. This time in particular the motif of "The City" feels particularly well served by the sonic choices and it elevates an already solid songwriting foundation.  Listen 3.  Sleeper  - BADBADNOTGOOD (feat. Charlotte Day Wilson...

The Album as definitive of an artistic statement as you will get from most musical artists. There are no frills about this one, I listened to a LOT of albums this year. These are the best of them. Lets do it.  100. Dark In Here  - The Mountain Goats Getting us started if John Darnielle and company who haven't been on their most creative streak in the bands storied history but delivered some really good singles and interesting deep cuts that play on John's coy and humorous style of songwriting.  Listen To: The Slow Parts In Death Metal Albums , Dark In Here 99. Is 4 Lovers  - Death From Above 1979 The third new DFA record since their "comeback" in 2014 splits the difference between the first two. While it has plenty of wild moments throughout they do spend quite a bit of time playing it relatively safe and sounding like some of their contemporaries. Listen To: Mean Streets , N,Y,C Power Elite Part 1 98. The Art Of Losing  - The Anchoress Being billed as the next ...