On Friday, Yung Lean released his third studio album Stranger, and it’s everything we hoped for. Filled with a series of lo-fi, melancholic instrumentals, and auto tuned melodies, Lean tackles topics of love, drugs, and self-reflection. Each album release, Lean moves further away from the bucket-hat, Arizona sippin’ days of Ginseng Strip 2002, and continues his transition into a weird, unique lane of gloomy, dystopian pop. Stranger is introspective, innovative, and showcases Yung Lean’s diversity as an artist.

Birds and The BEE9 showcases Sampa The Great’s talents in soaring form. It’s a concoction of hip-hop, jazz, neo-soul, and funk, with Sampa spitting and singing throughout themes of politics and womanhood, all while exploring her roots, ancestry, and spirituality. Sampa is an old-soul, wise beyond her years and witty beyond her contemporaries, and Birds and The BEE9 solidifies her position as one of the most talented and ambitious rappers in hip-hop. Be sure to witness this talent live at our Melbourne Music Week Party next week.

Lais’ new single ‘Induce’ blends in perfectly with the cold, eerie wave of music coming from his home city of Toronto, but his peculiar voice separates him from the herd. 90s-esque piano chords and a reversed soul sample accompanies Lais’ faint, but flavourful voice, as he croons about alcohol-induced love affairs. ‘Induce’ will fit snugly in your Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR playlists, but Lais’ sense of originality and off-kilter approach to R&B signifies him as fresh, unique force in the Toronto scene.

‘Crisis’ finds Rich Chigga at his best, trading bars with 21 Savage over a bass-heavy, self-produced trap beat. The Indonesian rapper switches from melodies, to fast, heavy hitting flows seamlessly, perfectly contrasting the ominous slur of Savage’s bars. Currently on a string of sold-out dates on his headlining tour in the US, Chigga continues to solidify a strong and unique place in hip-hop’s climate, demonstrating that he’s more than just a one hit wonder.

After a year of work behind the boards producing for artists like Khalid, Tunji Ige returns to the forefront fully loaded with fire. ‘Thing 4 U’ is typical Tunji, with stuttering synths, a driving bassline and an undeniably catchy hook, pinpointing him as the pop mastermind that he is. Look out for more Tunji in the future, because ‘Thing 4 U’ is merely the foreshadow of a major comeback

NAV and Uzi are the perfect duo on ‘Wanted You’, the bad boys of eerie, melodic trap. Both rappers go back and forth over a series reverb-drench synths and 808s, harmonising in a slur of beautifully auto-tuned bars. A Nav and Uzi collaboration album is one we’d wish happen, but as of now, ‘Wanted You’ is the perfect banger to hold us over.

Ontario rapper Night Lovell continues to make waves in the underground with his new song ‘Jamie’s Sin’. The lo-fi, gloomy beat serves as the perfect soundtrack as Lovell ponders about love, with his deep, menacing voice emphasising the melancholic themes of the lyrics. With a new project speculated to drop very soon, look out for Night Lovell as he flies to the top.

Melbourne based producer GXNXVS has linked up with Atlanta oddball Rome Fortune for a new cut entitled ‘Shapes & Colours. The track features Rome Fortune’s signature mellow, flows over an airy, bass-driven instrumental, with GXNXVS’ production allowing enough room for Rome Fortune to flourish. If you’re looking for luscious, low-key banger, look no further.