Once upon a time, the only way you could find out about new music was by being a mag head. Flipping through pages took you away from the Top 40 and introduced the White Fences, the Rotting Outs, and the Skrillexes of the world. For most, nothing felt better than throwing a new artist onto their third generation iPod and falling into the deep end of a different sound, and that’s where this feature comes in. Every month, we’ll mess with nostalgia and generate a staff-selected mix of new tracks and re-works that you may have missed, introducing a goodie bag of vices that deserve a spot in your rotation. Covering multiple genres, here are 20 Songs You Need To Listen To Now.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND FT. DANNY BROWN, HEEMS & DESPOT – “STEP (REMIX)”
VW meets rap music? It’s like a dream come true for half of Ezra’s fans and Despot goes in.
PUBLIC ACCESS T.V. – “MONACO”
No one really knows who the mysterious New Yorkers are but they’ll make you miss The Strokes.
BASS DRUM OF DEATH – “BLACK DON’T GLOW”
Football season may be over, but John Barrett needs to soundtrack an NFL commercial starring Drew Brees.
BISHOP NEHRU – “YOU STRESSIN” (PROD. DISCLOSURE)
The Lawrence Bros. preview their Q-Tip collab with a trip-hop piece that Bishop absolutely murders.
DRAKE – “TROPHIES”
As Drizzy puts it: “This shit is not a love song/ This a fuck a stripper on a mink rug song”.
YOUNG THUG FT. NICKI MINAJ – “DANNY GLOVER (REMIX)”
Thug’s Black Portland classic gets fine-tuned by Nicki who stunts on “plottin’ girls” and name drops Jessica Biel.
JENNY LEWIS – “COMPLETELY NOT ME”
All hail Jenny Lewis. Why? Because her one-off contribution to the new Girls soundtrack is a flawless strummer.
ANGEL OLSEN – “HI-FIVE”
The Missouri songwriter has always been talented but her latest single is a devastating tsunami of guitar feels.
CREATIVE ADULT – “PUBLIC TRANSIT”
The Run For Cover/Bay Area noise dudes riff your head clean and take your scalp as a prized souvenir.
THE PREATURES – “BETTER THAN IT EVER COULD BE”
Never underestimate Aussies as this Sydney five-piece emulate Bowie and the Stones with a bit of psych revival.
EAGULLS – “POSSESSED”
With Bill Murray tattoos and a taste for Magazine, the Leeds-based post-punks are a vice you can’t wash off.
EACH OTHER – “SEND ME YOUR SIGNALS”
All kinds of awesome, the Montrealers need to put their new album on an 8-track. Or at least a MiniDisc.
WOODS – “LEAVES LIKE GLASS”
As put by Stereogum’s Tom Breihan, Woods’ new one has “some serious “Like A Rolling Stone” vibes”.
NJOMZA – “HOLD ON”
The Chicago cohort of Mac Mill elicits a fresh take on what’s perhaps the best “Hold On” cover. Period.
LIARS – “MESS ON A MISSION”
Pushing barriers and equipment, the four-minute ensemble is a layered mesh of every attractive aspect of Liars.
THE BLACK LIPS – “BOYS IN THE WOOD”
Fact: The Black Lips know how to party. Fact #2: This drink-clinker will make you fall in love with Jose Cuervo.
FREDDIE GIBBS & MADLIB FT. EARL SWEATSHIRT & DOMO GENESIS – “ROBES”
The mixtape maestro and Oxnard legend provide a trailer for their collab release with an Earl & Domo gem.
ALEXANDER SPIT FT. DAVINCI – “POOL SHARK”
Alexander Spit is underrated. Alexander Spit is incomparable. Alexander Spit is one you need to watch.
FUTURE – “DRUNK IN LOVE (BEYONCE COVER)”
Everything Future touches turns to gold and that includes impromptu, thugged-out covers of Queen B.
KEYS N KRATES – “ALL THE TIME (TO LOVE FLIP)”
The new kush-tinged track from the Toronto trio melts a pitched-up vocal sample with easy-breezy synths.