Sound Off: 10 Songs You Need to Hear Now

Kendrick Lamar & Sampha — “Father Time”

Kendrick Lamar returns in brilliant, uncompromising fashion with Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, a lush and powerful new record that was well worth the wait. “Father Time,” featuring Sampha, is a clear highlight.

TOPS — “Janet Planet”

“Janet Planet” is the introspective highlight from TOPS’ new Empty Seats EP — a rich, moonlit song about being trapped in your own head and, hopefully, finding your way out.

Felicita & Kero Kero Bonito — “Cluck”

This collab from PC Music heavyweights Felicita and Kero Kero Bonito is as wonderfully zany as you’d expect — a piece of pop that’s basically sound art.

G Flip — “GET ME OUTTA HERE”

G Flip’s latest is a punchy, punk-influenced track that recalls Christina Aguilera — it’s bright, aggressive and, potentially, G Flip’s biggest pop look yet.

Mallrat — “To You”

Mallrat’s debut album Butterfly Blue is filled with bright, effusive moments like “To You” — a gorgeous, Tame Impala-indebted psych-pop song that shows off Mallrat’s remarkable stylistic range.

Florence + The Machine — “Dream Girl Evil”

Florence Welch’s most personal album yet is marked by highlights like “Dream Girl Evil” — a raw, witchy folk song that showcases Welch’s iconic ethereal voice.

Ethel Cain — “Hard Times”

Ethel Cain’s debut album Preacher’s Daughter is basically Taylor Swift’sFearless redone in the style of Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence, and “Hard Times” exemplifies that rich, pastoral vibe completely.

Julia Jacklin — “Lydia Wears A Cross”

“Lydia Wears A Cross,” the first single from Julia Jacklin’s new album Pre Pleasure, is a simmering slow-build of a track that crescendos to a swirling vortex of muted tones, a reckoning with childhood memories that’s patient and painstakingly crafted.

Shygirl — “Firefly”

The first single from Shygirl’s long-awaited debut album Nymph is the gorgeous, ultra-glamorous “Firefly,” a resplendent dance track that signals her sky-high aspirations.

Jessica Mauboy — “Automatic”

Jessica Mauboy’s reinvention as a throwback house diva is remarkable — namely because her latest songs, both produced by Cosmo’s Midnight, are truly fire. “Automatic,” once it launches into its funky chorus, feels unstoppable.

Photography: Renell Medrano