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Tunde Adebimpe – “Magnetic”
Find yourself forcefully attracted to TV On the Radio frontman Tunde Adebumpe as he goes solo with this excellent punk-fusion track. “Magnetic” features buzzing guitars, a high BPM, and Adebimpe’s unmistakable voice in two modes — TVOTR-style speak-sing in the verses, and high-octane, punk/metal-informed deliveries for the choruses (that you, Ozzy?). Adebimpe’s a man of little rest: He directed the single’s B&W video, has a full slate of tour dates on deck with the recently reformed TVOTR (including three nights at LA’s El Rey Theater), and even had a part in the recent summer blockbuster Twisters. Stay tuned for the album, out early next year via Sub Pop.
Anna Lunoe – “Polite (Feat. Shanique Marie)”
DJ, producer, and singer Anna Lunoe is calling all baddies to the dancefloor. This sass-ified track is one for your pump-up playlist, with a dancehall-inspired beat, classic samples, baddie-manifesto drop-ins, bars from Jamaican rapper Shanique Marie, and a soaring respite of a bridge: “I’m gonna do my own thing / no one can tell me what to do,” they sing, setting up a giggle-prompted drop back to the track’s foundational beat. Chef’s kiss. Lunoe’s debut album Pearl is out now.
Sister Gemini – “One Room Apartment”
LA’s own Remy Jean, known in these streets as Sister Gemini, makes music that’s like your favorite fall sweater: invitingly warm, stylishly rough around the edges, and with just enough fuzz. This guitar-driven track hits all of our grunge-rock desires with its layered cool-girl vocals and big satisfying riffs to mark the song’s lyrical turns. And this sister’s got more for the season. Check out her recently released trio of Halloween inspired covers, available for free on Bandcamp.
Yves Jarvis – “The Knife in Me”
Beware of sharp edges. This track from experimental and genre-blending artist Yves Jarvis is a musical melange in that it switches gears halfway through. In lesser hands such a move might not land, but Jarvis is capable in many modes. When you first tune in, you’ll find a funk-bop that’ll perk the ear of even the most casual Thundercat fan… then it gives way to a folk troubadour moment that’ll have you reaching for your acoustic guitar and hiking boots. All throughout, this track is lyrically advanced and musically elevated. Plus, the video’s a trip.
Sade Adu – “Young Lion”
Universal Mother Sade Adu (known to former decades of fans simply as Sade) inspired major buzz in the music world this week with this stunning release — her first new song in six years. The track is a tribute and an apology to her son Izaak, who is transgender. “You must have felt so alone…” she sings, “I should have known.” It’s part of a 46-track compilation called Transa:Selects, which was recently announced by trans-rights non-profit Red Hot Organization. Click play for a moving ballad in Sade’s signature slow-burn style.