Welcome to ‘Top 10 Tracks’, the essential weekly round-up of the best new music.
At the end of each week, we count down the ten essential new tracks you need in your rotation. Ranging from rappers in the Emerald Isle to boundary-pushing, experimental producers and everything in between, it’s all hits, no filler.
This week, Sweetlemondae shares a thoughtful single, Channel Tres gets funky and Kai Kwasi returns.
Channel Tres, Photo credit: Leeay
Proteje’s ‘Ten Cane Row’ wafts with the casual energy of a smoke cloud. Its tropical energy and Jorja-assisted vocals work to extend summer for just that little bit longer.
Inspired by Notting Hill carnival, Jamie xx debuted ‘KILL DEM’ during the festivities. It lands after the success of April’s ‘LET’S DO IT AGAIN‘.
Having been previewed at the likes of Glastonbury over the summer, ‘Blind Date‘ finally gets its official release. Joy Orbinson, Overmono and ABRA team up on the huge collaboration.
In the last year, Tomike has proved to be one of Ireland’s most exciting newcomers. With performances at Primavera Sound and a number of soul-stirring singles she’s shared ‘Blue’ which arrives as part of her Take Two EP.
Stormzy subverts expectations with the surprise release of ‘Mel Made Me Do It’. In a world dominated by TikTok and increasingly shorter and disposable content, he lets the handbrake off on a seven minute track, with the accompanying video featuring a heavy list of cameos including Usain Bolt and Jose Mourinho.
Putting racism under the microscope, Sweetlemondae’s head-nodding ‘Never Gonna Be’ is the product of a conversation with Moyo about the increase in racially-motivated violence in Ireland.
Channel Tres’ excursions with house music predate its relative renaissance in pop culture this year. His blend of west coast rap, funk and electronic comes into full focus on ‘No Limit’ which lands ahead of his debut full-length album Real Cultural Shit.
The first track he penned outside his bedroom, ‘Jugular‘ is a gentle reflection on Kai Kwasi’s growth and lands ahead of his debut EP Jalilah, named for his late Grandmother.