Rumors of a collaboration between Taylor Swift and Drake for a Kanye diss track, an unhinged music video for Sam Smith and Kim Petras’s “Unholy,” Post Malone saying he watches every episode of Modern Family every day on tour — this week was a doozy. However, there were also a bunch of great tracks to go along with the mayhem.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.
Shawn Mendes — “Heartbeat”
“Heartbeat” by Shawn Mendes is taken from the Lyle, Lyle Crocodile soundtrack, in which Mendes voices the crocodile. The song is jovial with an infectious chorus: “Heartbeat, it speeds up whenever you / Want me, what you got, I want it like / All week, I need that, I wanna be / Wherever you are, wherever you are,” he sings against a flamboyant rhythm.
Björk — “Sorrowful Soil”
Finally, Björk’s new album Fossora is out. It’s hard to pick a single track that sticks out because they all blend into each other extravagantly and hypnotically. “Sorrowful Soil” sounds like a church hymn; the vocals are choir-like and hallucinogenic, it puts the listener in an instant trance.
Ed Sheeran — “Celestial”
Ed Sheeran’s “Celestial” is a massive, immersive pop song that’ll definitely take over the radio with its catchy melody. The anthem glimmers with an infectious energy, and the video makes it even better by unexpectedly entering the Pokémon universe.
Tate McRae — “Uh Oh”
Uproxx cover star Tate McRae released her debut album I Used To Think I Could Fly earlier this year, and now she’s already back with a new song called “Uh Oh.” The groovy track is mischievous with a booming bass and her distinct vocals are the centerpiece.
Leah Kate — “Monster”
The “10 Things I Hate About You” is fed up on her new song “Monster.” The track is not as bombastic as her other hits and instead finds power in a brooding, seething build-up as well as intense lyrics: “Go run your mouth and keep putting dirt on my name / You love to see it, another woman to hate,” she sings.
Charlie Puth — “Charlie Be Quiet!”
It’s almost time for Charlie Puth’s new album Charlie to be unveiled, and he’s building the anticipation with this vulnerable new single “Charlie Be Quiet!” Though it starts off slow and tranquil, it becomes dynamic, flirting with louder, edgier sounds before returning to a calmer state.
Shygirl — “Honey”
Shygirl’s one-of-a-kind new LP, Nymph, is out. It’s full of highlights, but the woozy, otherwordly “Honey” is definitely a moment that stops the listener in their tracks and drags them into a daydream. The sound is mesmeric and transcendent; it’s music for dancing or meditating.
Dodie — “Lonely Bones”
“Lonely Bones” by Dodie is a lo-fi, romantic ballad that hypnotizes with its intimacy. Her vulnerable vocals sing against the slow strumming of an acoustic guitar — there’s a lot of empty space in which the listener can drift and reflect on their own experiences.
Sarah Cothran — “I’m Here”
Similar to “Lonely Bones,” Sarah Cothran’s “I’m Here” is a stripped-down serenade that inevitably evokes feelings of nostalgia and melancholy within the listener. Cothran makes one last effort to reconnect with a past lover: “Too many years, I doubt you care / But I’m just saying that I’m here,” she sings against a haunting sonic backdrop.
EXID — “Fire”
For their 10th anniversary, EXID has unleashed the colossal song “Fire,” which bursts with attitude and relentless chaos. The beat is catchy and the bass booms; it’s a massive way to celebrate the decade they’ve spent making music, and it shows they’re not slowing down any time soon.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.