Sound Off: 10 Songs You Need to Hear Now

Nick León, Erika de Casier - "Bikini"

Absolute heater from regular collaborators Erika de Casier and Nick Leon, the latter of whom draws out de Casier’s best pop instincts on this sultry, simmering earworm.

Central Cee - "gen z luv"

Central Cee in troll mode is absolutely sublime, making this song – which draws in flippant references to TikTok, the cost of living crisis and more – a masterclass in blue humour.

Halsey - "Lucky"

Halsey interpolates a Britney classic on this surprisingly winsome ballad about ambition and personal growth.

Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding - "Free"

Uncool? Maybe – but, as far as I’m concerned, this Balearic new Calvin/Ellie collab is pure bliss. Let’s normalise exes coming together to make summer poolside smashes!

SOPHIE, Evita Manji - "Berlin Nightmare"

It gets points for the name alone, but this grinding house track is a banger on its own merits too, flattening out SOPHIE’s mind-melting synth work into a song that’s sleazy and hypnotic.

Ice Spice, Travis Scott - "Oh Shhh..."

Travis Scott sounds more energized than he has in ages on “Oh Shhh...,” a highlight from Ice Spice’s debut album Y2K.

JADE - "Angel Of My Dreams"

Weird-ass track from Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall, and that’s entirely complimentary – I love the way it switches from R&B that sounds like Solange’s Dev Hynes era into driving synth-pop.

Jorja Smith - "High"

Jorja Smith returns with this smouldering, low-key dance track, a throwback to her “On My Mind” days.

Ivy Getty - "One Hit Wonder"

You can be an heiress and a pop singer these days, as evidenced by Ivy Getty, of the Getty family, who’s switched gears from high society into music. Good for her!

Genevieve Stokes - "Dreamer"

Ambling, '70s-inflected pop from Genevieve Stokes, whose earthy voice perfectly suits this kind of production.

Photography: Conor Cunningham