Best New Tracks: Daft Punk, Lil Durk x J. Cole and More
10 music projects to enjoy this weekend.
As the week in music comes to a close, Hypebeast has rounded up the best projects for the latest installment of Best New Tracks.
This week’s lineup is led by Daft Punk, Lil Durk x J. Cole and Jorja Smith, who each released the album Random Access Memories (10th Anniversary Edition) and the singles “All My Life” and “Little Things.” Also joining this selection are offerings from Yung Gravy and bbno$, G Herbo, Jeremy Zucker, Sampa the Great, Jean Dawson, Tay Iwar with Twelve XII and Deante Hitchcock.
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (10th Anniversary Edition)
Daft Punk celebrates 10 years of their fourth and final studio album Random Access Memories with a special expanded edition, which includes nine previously-unreleased tracks and the “last” ever Daft Punk song ”Infinity Repeating (2013 Demo)” featuring Julian Casablancas+The Voidz.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Lil Durk x J. Cole – “All My Life”
Lil Durk and J. Cole team up for their highly-anticipated collab “All My Life,” which is set to appear on the former’s upcoming album Almost Healed. In an interview with Apple Music 1, Durkio called Cole as a cornerstone artist and “one that I looked up to that give out a positive message to,” and also named JAY-Z and Swizz Beatz. “Yeah, Swizz got me and Hov connected, so that’s how we started talking, you know what I’m saying? It’s just about relationships, about energy, and about keeping the vibes together, you know what I’m saying?” he shared.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Jorja Smith – “Little Things”
Jorja Smith shares her uplifting track “Little Things,” which arrives shortly after April’s “Try Me.” The three-and-a-half-minute cut is the British songstress’ way of reminding her listeners that all of us are unique, and that we should be celebrated for our uniqueness and individuality.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Yung Gravy x bbno$ – “Goodness Gracious”
Yung Gravy and bbno$ reunite for their latest joint, “Goodness Gracious.” The upbeat offering sets the stage for their forthcoming album Baby Gravy 3, which marks their third collaborative LP and first in three years.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Deante Hitchcock - Once Upon A Time
Deante Hitchcock takes fans on the emotional journey of the birth of his and his partner’s son, Otto Saint Hitchcock, in the conceptual project Once Upon A Time. “At what was shaping up to be a turning point in my life, the world as we know it seemed to stop turning altogether. I watched our world change, and in the midst of it all, I had a son, became a father, and watched my world change as well,” he said in a statement. “The word ‘son’ feels hella ironic to read, like the sun up in the sky that I used to stare at until it became an almost blinding blue bouncing ball of light, my son came into the world and brought a brightness into my life that could rival that of its homophone. His mother and I are forever in awe, and forever thankful for our angel, our Saint. The story of how we got here is no fairytale, but I’ll try my best to tell you all about the best way I know how.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
G Herbo – “We Don’t Care”
Fresh off the release of his latest mixtape Strictly 4 My Fans 2, G Herbo delivers an accompanying music video for “We Don’t Care.” The Kevin Mares-directed video serves as a recap of the last few months of the rapper’s life, and utilizes career highlights and intimate behind-the-scenes moments of his life.
Watch: YouTube
Jeremy Zucker – “OK”
Jeremy Zucker shares his introspective and emotionally-charged new single “OK,” which the artist explains is about caring for and checking up on loved ones. “I wrote this song as a way to connect with anyone who doesn’t feel ok, a way to let them know that I’m here. Everyone is going through something, and sometimes knowing that the person behind the song is there for you can be comforting and reassuring,” he said in a statement.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Sampa the Great - As Above, So Below (Deluxe)
Sampa the Great drops off the deluxe version of her latest studio effort, As Above, So Below. The newest edition includes seven special live versions of the tracks, captured at ZNBC Studios in Lusaka. She brings back the important figures from the albums such as Mag44, Emmanuel “Jagari” Chanda and James Sakala, and also brings on rising Zambian rapper Natasha Chansa and the iMitundu Choir.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Jean Dawson – “XCAPE”, PT. 1 JEAN DAWSON AS “PHOENIX”
Jean Dawson shares the first installment of his upcoming trilogy “XCAPE”, PT. 1 JEAN DAWSON AS “PHOENIX.” The project features the double single “youth+ and “delusional world champion,” while the body of work is described as “deeply conceptual while profoundly confessional” and “will reveal the various congruent and juxtaposing facets that make up the multifaceted visionary and often mystifying Jean Dawson – both the artist and the human.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Tay Iwar x Twelve XII – “Undercover Lover”
Tay Iwar links with rising Nigerian singer-songwriter Twelve XII for their collab “Undercover Lover,” an intimate and slow-burn cut. “I wanted to create a song that captures the feeling of needing someone who’s always there for you, even if it’s just for a moment. ‘Undercover Lover’ is about finding comfort and pleasure in the arms of someone who understands you, even if it’s just temporary. The lyrics and melody capture the mood perfectly, and I hope it resonates with my fans,” Iwar said in a statement.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
