The world has been ending, although. Apocalypse is drained, and a part of the enjoyable of “Hell of a Journey” is that it form of understands that. We partied prefer it was 1999 and right here we nonetheless are. “Nonetheless name my ex lady after I go half loopy,” belts Brown. In instances like these, who wouldn’t? –Will Gottsegen
Hear: Nourished by Time, “Hell of a Journey”
13.
Addison Rae: “Food plan Pepsi”
The cultural thought of a Lana Del Rey track—horny child, American flag, rap-lite beat—hasn’t actually aligned with the type of music Lana truly makes for almost a decade now. Thank god, then, that Addison Rae sped into 2024 armed with “Food plan Pepsi,” a Lana-type-beat that is as laconic, seductive, and conceptually mind-boggling as the true deal. The core components of the sound are all there—cheeks which might be “purple like cherries within the spring,” product-placement-as-Americana, a dinky sense of poeticism pushing up towards real, heart-rending craving—however Rae juices issues a bit of with shimmering chillwave synths and the type of startling, almighty key change that is been lacking from pop for years now. It is a confluence of brilliance and ridiculousness that made “Food plan Pepsi,” and the concept of Rae as a real ascendant pop star, unimaginable to disregard this yr. A great star would play this track off with a wink; an excellent one, like Rae, performs it straight. –Shaad D’Souza
Hear: Addison Rae, “Food plan Pepsi”
12.
Nick León / Erika de Casier: “Bikini”
Listening to “Bikini” appears like sipping a frothy French 95 whereas taking in a stunning last-day-of-vacation sundown. The slinky collaboration between Miami dance producer Nick León and Danish R&B experimentalist Erika de Casier conjures up its sun-dappled scene by walloping bass, hyaline synth melodies, and a sprightly tempo to match the track’s sunkissed lyrics, full with a deliciously memorable invitation of a hook: “Meet me on the seashore/It’s me within the bikini/The one I all the time put on/Discover me daydreaming,” de Casier coos, simply earlier than León pitch-shifts her phrases down right into a frantic, intoxicating demand. Who may presumably say no? –Eric Torres
Hear: Nick León / Erika de Casier, “Bikini”
11.
Geordie Greep: “Holy, Holy”
The most recent Broadway manufacturing of Jesus Christ Famous person stars Geordie Greep as SATAN, contemporary out of Hell in time for completely happy hour at LOCAL BAR, the place his transferable abilities from centuries of soul-snatching—seduction, manipulation, common wickedness—meet their match in UNNAMED WOMAN, the silent object of his determined monologuing. Devil, it seems, is sort of lonely in Hell, which is why his pathetic pleas for banal connection are backed by a sprawling jazz-fusion ensemble. As his musings develop more and more delusional, the stage musicians tumble down a slippery slope starting with Boz Scaggs and ending with a scorched-earth tackle Return to Perpetually’s The place Have I Recognized You Earlier than. “We perceive that this sounds batshit loopy on paper,” executives concerned with the manufacturing mentioned in an announcement, “which is why we’re happy to tell you that it sounds much more batshit loopy on stereo.” Simultaneous face-scrunching, ethical questioning, foot-tapping, and appreciation for complicated jazz chords, or your a refund, assured. –Sam Hyland