As the week in music comes to a close, HYPEBEAST has rounded up the 10 best projects for the latest installment of Best New Tracks.
This week’s list is led by Post Malone and The Weeknd‘s collaborative track “One Right Now,” Drake‘s visual for “Knife Talk” with 21 Savage and Project Pat, Travis Scott‘s “ESCAPE PLAN / MAFIA” and Silk Sonic‘s “Smokin’ Out the Window.” Also joining this week’s selection are projects from Aminé, Terrace Martin, Charli XCX x Caroline Polachek x Christine and the Queens, Wande Coal and Omar Apollo x Kali Uchis.
Travis Scott – “ESCAPE PLAN / MAFIA”
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Not only did Travis Scott gift fans with the official release of “ESCAPE PLAN,” he also debuted the never-before-heard cut “MAFIA” featuring J. Cole. The two cuts arrive just in time for the return of Astroworld Festival 2021, which takes place in Houston from November 5 and 6. Fans who are unable to physically attend can tune in to Apple Music on November 5 to catch Scott’s performance, which is sure to be exciting.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Drake x 21 Savage x Project Pat – “Knife Talk”
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Drake, 21 Savage and Project Pat’s “Knife Talk” is regarded as one of the standout cuts from Certified Lover Boy, and now it finally has its own music video. Helmed by Pablo Rochat, the hard-hitting cut’s accompanying visual features clips of the artists and snippets from eerie vintage cartoons and films, including the popular Betty Boop Snow White from 1933.
Watch: YouTube
Post Malone x The Weeknd – “One Right Now”
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After teasing fans earlier this week, Post Malone and The Weeknd debuted their latest collab, “One Right Now.” The new track, produced by Louis Bell, Brian Lee and Andrew Bolooki, is billed as the lead single off Posty’s upcoming fourth studio effort and will receive a music video directed by Tanu Muino soon.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Silk Sonic – “Smokin’ Out the Window”
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With Silk Sonic’s studio album set to release next week, Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars dropped off their third single “Smokin’ Out the Window.” The latest track follows “Skate” and “Leave the Door Open,” and arrives with an accompanying music video co-directed by Mars and John Esparza.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Charli XCX x Caroline Polachek x Christine and the Queens – “New Shapes”
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Charli XCX’s fifth and final album in her record deal CRASH is set to drop on March 18, 2022, and she’s continuing her rollout with the release of “New Shapes” featuring Caroline Polachek and Christine and the Queens. “I was able to possess and persuade an incredible group of producers and collaborators to contribute to CRASH by using my femme fatale powers and a multitude of dark spells and curses,” she said in a statement. “Some of these include A. G. Cook, George Daniel, Deaton Chris Anthony, Lotus IV, Caroline Polachek, Christine and the Queens, Oscar Holter, Digital Farm Animals, Rina Sawayama, Ian Kirkpatrik, Jason Evigan, Justin Raisen, Ariel Rechtshaid, Ilya, Oneohtrix Point Never, Jon Shave and Mike Wise. They will all remain locked in my basement forever.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Aminé – TWOPOINTFIVE
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Aminé’s shared his latest project TWOPOINTFIVE, which marks his first release since his sophomore album Limbo and the followup to 2018’s ONEPOINTFIVE. “The POINTFIVE projects are the breaks in between albums where I give myself the freedom to make music without expectations, focusing instead of spontaneity and the best of what comes from stream of conscious creation, which is why they arrive unexpectedly without a long rollout. It’s an opportunity to create for my day one fans the way I used to in my bedroom. Thanks for listening,” he said in a statement.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Curtis Harding – If Words Were Flowers
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Curtis Harding dropped off his first album in four years, If Words Were Flowers. Written and recorded over the past two years, the record takes inspiration from vintage soul, R&B, hip-hop, garage rock and psychedelia. “Nina Simone said that it’s an artist’s job to reflect the times,” he shared. “I think it’s important to live in the moment. If you do that and you’re honest and vulnerable, you can reach the people that need to be reached.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Omar Apollo x Kali Uchis – “Bad Life”
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Omar Apollo and Kali Uchis teamed up for the Teo Halm-produced single, “Bad Life.” In a statement, Apollo shared, “To me, Bad Life represents putting in energy into a relationship and not getting anything in return. It’s a song about being resentful towards somebody — wanting them to have “bad life” with whoever they’re with now. I posted a snippet in January teasing it and Kali called me telling me she loved it, so I asked her if she wanted to get on it. Her voice sounds amazing on it, I love her tone.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Terrace Martin – Drones
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The “Crenshaw kingpin” Terrace Martin released his brand new album Drones, featuring Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Leon Bridges, Cordae, Ty Dolla$ign, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington, YG, James Fauntleroy, D Smoke, Channel Tres, Smino, Celeste, Malaya, Kim Burrell and Hit-Boy. “There are touches of R&B, touches of jazz, touches of hip-hop, touches of classical, Cuban music, West African music, house music,” he said in a statement. “You’re going to hear all elements of Black music within this record. It’s not one element I can leave out if I call myself a true Black artist.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Wande Coal – “Come My Way”
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Nigerian star Wande Coal delivered the music video for his latest Bruno and Screwface-produced track, “Come My Way.” The single is his first solo release of 2021 following last year’s Realms, with its visual helmed by frequent collaborator Sesan and featuring Coal’s home city of Lagos.
Watch: YouTube
