Welcome to Acclaim Magazine’s Heat of the Week. Here are our picks for the best new local and international releases — Follow our playlist here for weekly updates of the best new music!
01. Pania - 10's & 8's (No 4's & 5's)
Pania’s ’10’s & 8’s’ finds her contemplating a number of reasons why a romantic situation is not working. She fights back and forth between self-worth and the woeful experiences of mistrust, articulating this duality through an ear-catching verse. Despite the subject matter sometimes getting solemn, this is for sure a sing-a-long, as Pania’s impassioned delivery thrives atop smooth, R&B production from Hamley. It appears on her EP burnt ur clothes & changed the addy, which you can stream now.
02. Wizkid - Wow ft. Skepta, Naira Marley
Wizkid is back with a banger perfectly suited for the Summer. ‘Wow’ finds Wizkid with his typical infectious melodies, sitting atop club-ready drum patterns and dance-inducing afrobeat tempo. Featuring on this track is Skepta and Naira Marley, who enhance the vibe with enthused, bouncy passages. It appears on Wizkid’s new project More Love, Less Ego, which you can stream now.
03. Cochise - Creme Brulee
Cochise is a genius when it comes to vibrant trap music. ‘Creme Brulee’ is as sweet as the dessert itself, pairing 8-bit-like synths with subwoofer-ready 808s. Cochise per usual, is having the time of his life vocally, turning his voice into a vehicle for unique inflections and smile-inducing energy.
04. Anieszka - Dysfunctional Thoughts
Dysfunctional Thoughts opens with a gorgeous plucking guitar melody, before it’s met with Sydney artist, Anieszka’s soulful addition of sickly-sweet vocals. Her harmonies and riffs have proven to be unmistakable, making the chorus of this track especially thrilling. Bridging Australian neo-soul to the world, there’s no doubt Anieszka will continue to kill it.
05. Ike(from)Pluto - BRICKY SUNSHINE
Ike(from)Pluto’s ‘BRICKY SUNSHINE’ is about finding light even in the brief cracks. It was inspired by a recent creative drought, which was caused by the adversity of a bad COVID case he suffered through. Honing in on these bright spots and abandoning the bleak, he conjured this quick and hard-hitting banger, punctuated with a beat switch in the middle, and a constant barrage of bars.
06. Yibby, Chub.e - Syd City
Yibby sounds like he’s free from turmoil on ‘Syd City’. His delivery is mellow and effortless, elevated by soulful production from chub.e. This collaboration creates a classic boom-bap feeling, feeling like a joyful frenzy found through contentment in life. It appears on their new project The Chubby Tape, which you can stream now.
07. lio jewell - Tension
66 Records’ latest signing lio jewell represents a contrast from the usual hard-hitting rap we hear from the Melbourne-based label. On ‘Tension’, this prospect pens an R&B jam for those late-night reflections, articulating feelings of lust through raspy croons. lio’s voice sits atop spacious synths and thumping bass, giving this bounce not only to be a melancholic moment, but an undeniable banger.
08. Akosia - The Weekend
Ghanaian-born, Naarm artist AKOSIA thrusts us into a world of intense love on this dance track, employing producer Tentendo, who perfectly generates the type of musical impulse that calls you straight to the dancefloor. A tale of finding your person amongst a crowd, and having the vibrations of the music string you together naturally, it’s a fun, and visceral listening experience that takes you to a different place.
09. SoFaygo - Takeoff ft. DJ Khaled, Gunna
SoFaygo shoots out of the stratosphere with ‘Takeoff’. Produced by the legend Pharrell Williams, the layered synths and bellowing 808s act as the propelled for Faygo’s out-of-this-world flows and woozy autotuned delivery, which is then juxtaposed by the laid-back swagger of Gunna’s feature verse. Even DJ Khaled appears here, introducing the off-kilter sonic illustrations of this oddball banger. It appears on SoFaygo’s new project Pink Heartz, which you can stream now.
010. Stevan - Driving
The last installation in Stevan’s run of auto-vehicle themed title tracks is DRIVING. His buttery voice steers this track in between the lines of soft piano chords, subtle chimes, and undertones of blues and jazz soundscapes that are reminiscent of classic love songs. Stevan is known for switching lanes when it comes to music, showcasing the depths of his abilities as best as he can, but the softness and sweetness to this track ropes it all back in.