Happy Sunday everyone! To celebrate the fact that we don’t have to go to school and work tomorrow, I thought I’d share some of my favorite tracks right now because what’s Labor Day weekend without a little music right?

Anyway, this roundup is wayyy behind schedule. I meant to post a roundup back in late July, and then another one in August, but I’ve been so swamped that I haven’t had the time. With that being said, a lot of these songs aren’t necessarily new, but they are fairly recent or just new to me.

Introductions aside, let the round up begin.

1. “Young Dumb and Broke”-Khalid

If you haven’t heard of Khalid by now, you’re probably living under a rock. Don’t worry though, I just crawled from under a rock too. Khalid, a 19 year old singer from Texas, is all the rage right now. My first encounter with his music was his single “Location.” My initial impressions of Khalid were that he’s very talented and mature, but somehow still youthful. His youth is present in his teen anthem “Young Dumb and Broke.” There really isn’t much to the track. It’s easy listening to the core, not that easy listening is bad or anything. The track is carefree in nature, and it’s relatable. I mean I’m young, sometimes I’m dumb, and I’m definitely broke. I like what Khalid is doing right now. I hope he keeps it up.

2. “Love Galore”-SZA ft. Travis Scott

“Love Galore” is a prime example of how overdue this round up is. I listened to this song throughout the entire summer basically. SZA (pronounced Sizzah) is an up and coming R&B act. A lot of people are saying SZA’s music is reminiscent of Erykah Badu’s alternative style of R&B. Like I said earlier, I grooved to this track all summer. SZA’s voice is so melodic, the production is organic, and Travis Scott complements her sound very well in a less produced vocal performance. I like this different approach to R&B. Like Khalid, I’m interested in seeing what SZA does in the future.

3. “Homemade Dynamite” Lorde

Lorde strikes again. “Homemade Dynamite” has been out since June when Lorde released her latest album Melodrama , but it has only recently gained traction for me. This song is such a bop. It’s so infectious, sonically pleasing, and well written. Lorde’s personality shines through and that really puts this song over the top for me. Long live Lorde. (P.S. The original version of “Homemade Dynamite” isn’t linked. The video above is a cool rendition Lorde did of the song. It’s worth watching.)

4. “XO TOUR Llif3”-Lil Uzi Vert

Rap music is heading into a new direction. In a lot of ways, the music we consider “rap” today isn’t rap at all, at least not traditionally. The rise of artists like Migos and Lil Uzi Vert showcase rap in a trap spotlight, meaning auto-toned vocals and big pop-influenced beats. “XO Tour Life” is probably Lil Uzi Vert’s biggest hit as a solo act, and it is not a rap song. Does it have trap influences or rap influences? Yeah, but “XO Tour Life” is basically a pop song. This isn’t a bad thing, as it only adds to Uzi’s cross over appeal. Drake did this with tracks like “Passionfruit,” “One Dance,” and “Hotline Bling.” By creating a pop song with hip hop influences, Uzi doesn’t alienate any one group. His music, while ambiguous, is accessible, and super catchy on top of all of that. “XO Tour Life” is a banger, but if you listen closely, it’s actually a pretty sad song lyrically. I’m a fan of it. I think Uzi’s approach to hip hop is cool. His eclectic taste shines through his own music which is probably why he’s so exciting to the public right now. Would I consider Uzi a rapper? This concept, I’m still debating.

5. “1-800-273-8255 ” Logic ft. Alessia Cara and Khalid

I’m an avid Spotify user, and I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t discover songs from hearing ads over and over again. This track by Logic was on one of those ads I heard constantly. I thought it was pretty catchy, but I didn’t really listen to the lyrics. I forgot about the track until last week after I saw it performed on the VMAs. It’s a pretty “woke”( I can’t believe I just said that) track if you will. I love a good socially conscious song every now and then. Logic brought Alessia Cara and ya boy Khalid along for the ride. All three artists give very soulful performances, resulting in a powerful, clever, and sensitive track that aims at preventing suicide.

6. “Feels”-Calvin Harris ft. Pharell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean

I like the direction Calvin Harris is going in. His music has more groove than ever before, and I love a good groove. “Feels” is just a fun track, weaved with Caribbean influences and light vocals. In my opinion, Katy Perry’s performance against the funky production is the best part of the song. The chorus is airy and infectious, and those elements are essential for a great pop song.

Well, that’s it for this round up. Sorry for the long delay! Hopefully you were able to discover or revisit some cool music! Have a great rest of your long weekend.

Couturely Sound ❤