Today's Top Tune

This summer is filled with bouncy bangers, but if you’re looking for something a little mellower and sexier, pick up the latest from NxWorries, a project that melds Anderson.Paak’s bars and Kxwledge’s beats alongside A-List invitees H.E.R., Thundercat, and on “FromHere,” the inimitable Snoop Dogg and October London. 

Invincible UK out-rock trio Beak>, which includes Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, have released their fourth album,  >>>>, (that’s four beak symbols!), about which they say, "At its core, we always wanted it to be head music (music for the ‘heads’, not headphone music) – listened to as an album, not as individual songs. This is why we are releasing this album with no singles or promo tracks.” That said, we’ll introduce you to a track that gives heavy feels for its sinister-yet-cinematic hook, a touch of classic Nirvana and prog-rock, and durability as “Denim.” 

Take a hypnotic trip with Korean-Canadian, LA-based artist Luna Li, who after a split from her long-time partner, decided to leave her family and friends in Toronto for a fresh start in LA, where her creative juices turned to songwriting. A new album, When a Thought Grows Wings, is set for August release and features “Confusion Song.” 

You may have heard Lee Bob’s beautiful cover of Nina Simone’s 1968 classic “Peace of Mind,” but he’s also a singer who writes his own songs. You’ll find that cover on his new EP, Free, alongside an intimate collection of songs conceived on a rooftop in Bamako, Mali. We’re sharing the title track, on which you can hear a kaleidoscopic integration of different genres, from folk ballads to Malian polyrhythms. 

Danish-Japanese artist IDA KUDO draws inspiration from her ethnic roots to whirl electronic beats into theatrical drama ripe for the stage. “Okina Nami” means “big wave” in Japanese and is culled from her new EP, Proud. Experience feminine power as she sings, “Rising to the top, Okina Nami, power of a million voices roar. Your strength is strong enough to carry you to shore.”

If Philip Glass or Steve Reich experimented with EDM, we would arguably find their Venn diagram convergence in Floating Points. In fact, Sam Shepherd (aka Floating Points) recently composed his first ballet for symphony orchestra and electronics, Mere Mortals, for the San Francisco Ballet. We’ll get you dancing to your own beat with the twinkly, vibrant track “Del Oro.”  

Since the release of her landmark album I Am Shelby Lynne some 25 years ago, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and musician Shelby Lynne has released many beautiful and heartfelt albums featuring her powerful vocals and astute storytelling. Today, we’re sharing a brand new summer anthem with you called “Over and Over,” a soulful reflection on heartbreak and loss. 

If you are a fan of the indie-folk Swedish singer-songwriter and guitarist José González, you will love this next track from Welch flamenco guitarist Billy Sharp, whose masterful picking is elevated by Latin rhythms and indie pop on “Rose Tint.” 

Some 20 years ago, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, M. Ward, and Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis got together for a revue-style tour that made quick friends. Nicknamed Monsters of Folk by their then-tour manager, the supergroup reconvened five years later and set out to work on their self-titled album together. The eponymous record is being reissued  for its 15th anniversary and features a handful of unreleased tracks, including the trippy Springsteen-tinged sound of “Disappeared.” 

Manu Chao has been practicing more of a pared-down, uncluttered lifestyle that extends beyond material things into his emotional life, going forth with a pure heart and zero pretention. 

“Viva Tu,” or “long may you live” in Spanish, was a rumba written for his neighbors. A collector of “little bits” that eventually piece together into song, this one looks us in the eye with its candid pace and beautiful refrain. Today, while Manu Chao celebrates others, we thank him for all the great music and his forthcoming album, on his 63rd birthday.