Highsnobiety Soundsystem 50: We're Listening to New Smino, BEAM & a 'Donda' Deluxe
I'm sorry to break it to you, but your playlist needs updating. And no, you don't need to scramble through Spotify, Twitter, and everything in between for the good stuff, because we've got everything you need right here. Today, Highsnobiety Soundsystem is once again giving you the best of new music with a collection of stunning tracks offering you the best vibes. I'm talking of course about the Highsnobiety Soundsystem 50 Playlist and below you can already check out some of the highlights.
The Best New Music You Need to Hear (& Why)
1 Smino - I Deserve (ft. NOS.) - Fresh off signing with Motown, Smino turns a soulful beat into a luxe stoner anthem and reminds us why he deserves it all.
2 Kanye West - Life Of The Party (ft. Andre 3000) - When Drake leaked this song amidst his CLB vs Donda feud, what was meant as a shot against Mr. West really turned out to be a preview of Ye's curational vision and Andre 3000's unbeatable ability to turn a feature verse into a masterpiece.
3 Smallgod - 2000 (ft. Major League DJz, GuiltyBeatz, Uncle Vinny & Wes7AR 22) - Smallgod – Africa’s DJ Khaled – has done it again, assembling the musical equivalent of the avengers for this latest Amapiano banger. From infectious adlibs by South Africa's Uncle Vinny to the inimitable finesse of Ghanaian producer GuiltyBeatz, this sound is from Africa to the world.
4 BEAM - ANXIETY - The Kingston born producer-turned-rapper lures us into another dark trap universe. Lazor-sharp bars kick down the door into his world riddled with street set ups and anxiety.
5 Twitch 4EVA - Give Up - Twitch 4EVA gives us an atmospheric and hopeful Afrobeats anthem that cuts through all the noise.
Album Alert
Probably one of the most anticipated albums of the year dropped yesterday. 30 by Adele. Whether you're a die-hard Adele stan or a casual listener, you won't be disappointed, Adele is at the top of her game. But what exactly is her game?
The power of Adele lies in being able to bridge the divides that most artists have to contend with: if you're a trap artist, grunge rocker, or EDM DJ your audience is mostly confined to those genres. And then there's Adele whose heart-wrenching ballads are truly timeless and seem to resonate with all of us.
From crying and giving perhaps the most relatable heartbreak speech on "My Little Love," to going on a rage-fueled ego trip on "Woman Like Me,"30 is a quest for self-discovery after the storm with exquisite songwriting that feels universal and that poignant voice that moves everyone.
On Your Radar
With Afrobeats coming into its own globally, you need to stop listening tot he same three songs and artists. Put down the "Essence" and "Love Nwantiti" and expand your horizons. Let me introduce you to Afrobeats' romantic gangsta: Twitch 4EVA.
Twitch 4EVA is gifted in the purest way. A captivating voice caries his lithe verses, which swagger between street-wise raps and poetic professions of love. Having collaborated with African music heavyweights like Amaarae, Kwesi Arthur, and Medikal, Twitch is gearing up to be the next big thing in Afrobeats, so pay attention.
Are Deluxes Overrated?
Short answer: Yes.
Deluxe editions are nothing new, for decades artists have been extending the life of projects by reissuing them with bonus content. It's a phenomenon some of the 2000's biggest popstars understood particularly well. But at some point this trend rubbed off on Hip-hop and now it's being taken a bit too far.
I find modern Hip-hop's penchant for instant deluxe editions mostly irritating. The trend of quickly chasing a new album with more music and then billing it all under the same title is tiring. We're getting tracklists that should have been cut, songs that were recorded after the fact, features that were witheld precisely for a deluxe. With album lengths already pushing the limits, we really don't need feature-versions of every song.
One of the few artists that stands above this is Kanye. With Donda, Ye let the audience into his process, we were there when he Mike Dean was remastering tracks in the arena, when Ye asked to collaborate with Lil Baby on twitter, or when he controversially replaced JAY-Z's verse on "Jail" with DaBaby and Marilyn. Donda is a living, breathing work, constantly evolving. I guess a deluxe edition is just part of that process.
