Best New Tracks: Doja Cat, Jean Dawson x SZA and More
Dive into the weekend with these music projects.
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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 Doja Cat and Jean Dawson with SZA, who released the album Scarlet and the single “NO SZNS,” respectively. Also joining this selection are offerings from Bleachers, DJ Premier, Balming Tiger, Jacob Collier with Brandi Carlile, JELEEL!, Bleachers, Mndsgn and Moneybagg Yo with Sexxy Red.
Doja Cat - Scarlet
Doja Cat’s fourth album Scarlet makes for a strong contender for Album of the Year. The 17-track project is almost effortless for the artist and hears at her coolest, most comfortable and most confident yet as she explores the sonic spaces that her artistry desires.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Jean Dawson x SZA – “NO SZNS”
Jean Dawson and SZA team up for the dreamy collab, “NO SZNS.” Speaking to Rolling Stone, Dawson shared, “I made this song like I’ve made the rest of my songs: The song poses a question then answers that question upon completion. This song allowed me to ask myself what I’m afraid of in my own physical voice and what it is I have to say to anyone that deems my music worth listening to.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Bleachers – “Modern Girl”
Jack Antonoff’s rock outfit Bleachers return with “Modern Girl,” their first single of 2021. The cut arrives with an accompanying music video directed by Alex Lockett and is the first taste of the group’s followup album to 2021’s Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Balming Tiger – “Kamehameha”
Balming Tiger, the Seoul-based collective making waves all over the world, announces their debut album January Never Dies (due October 19) with the new single “Kamehameha.” Paying homage to the Korean drinking game of the same name, the group shares, “’Kamehameha’ is a song that expresses the psychology of a heavily drunk character and is inspired by a Korean alcohol game song that any Korean adult can sympathise with. The crew compared the feeling of being drunk and full of confidence to Kamehameha, the representative skill of Dragon Ball. This track also contains the meaning of satire that the momentary bravado after drinking alcohol is not the real self.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Mndsgn – “YUM.ME”
Stones Throw’s Mndsgn debuts “YUM.ME,” the second single off his forthcoming Snaxxx project. The record is set to drop October 8 and is a solo production with collaborators Anna Wise, Liv.e and Devin Morrison — deviating from his previous release Rare Pleasure that featured recordings and performances with a full band.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
JELEEL! – “GFU!”
JELEEL! continues his roll with the new single “GFU!,” which serves as the successor to his debut album REAL RAW! from earlier this year. “I really love this record as it has aspects from my signature sound but with the new addition of a club music bounce in the drum rhythm,” he shares in a statement. “I’ve also grown a lot since my post album tour, and this song speaks to what comes with that. There’s an influx of new people that are coming into my life now as I’ve gotten more attention, but I’m just trying to do me and be with my day one people!”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Jacob Collier x Brandi Carlile – “Little Blue”
Jacob Collier announces the final installment in his Djesse series with the Brandi Carlile-assisted cut “Little Blue.” Carlile says of the track, “‘Little Blue’ is such a gorgeous song and Jacob is a generational talent. I spend an embarrassing amount of time following him and studying his mind bendingly beautiful music. Getting to climb inside of it and be a part of his creation is a wonderful twist of fate.” Collier’s Djesse Vol. 4 drops February 29.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
DJ Premier – Beats That Collected Dust, Vol. 3
The legendary DJ Premier unveils the third volume in his Beats That Collected Dust series. The 18-track effort is the first release in the series since 2011, with the producer stating, “I like unique releases and Beats That Collected Dust is so unique. I also love the process of titling a project. I’ve always been responsible for titling all the projects I produce, and Beats That Collected Dust is so fitting. The format is an original tool, just like talk beds, freestyles, writing verses, and just plain listening. I decide when to release these instrumental volumes when they reach the stage of collecting dust. So here we are; Beats That Collected Dust, Vol. 3 is here and vinyl has arrived.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Moneybagg Yo x Sexxy Red – “Big Dawg”
Rising star Sexxy Red teams up with Moneybagg Yo for their collaborative track, “Big Dawg.” The cut is set to appear CMG The Label forthcoming compilation album Gangsta Art 2, which will release Friday, September 29.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
