Y/N: Jessie Ware Returns, Julia Michaels Debuts, and Kendrick & Rihanna Proclaim Their Loyalty

By Jezebel Staff | July 28, 2017 | 8:55pm

Entertainment Music

Yeah, I’ll take it: Kendrick Lamar, “Loyalty:” What’s really and truly working in this video is Rihanna, resplendent in white and diamonds and fur, spitting a wad of gum at Kendrick Lamar, then gazing into his eyes as they both sink into asphalt that is actually quicksand. Also nice: the good Kendrick and the Bad Kendrick; the shark fins moving with a rapid clip through the very same asphalt; the two of them loved-up on a ledge somewhere high above the city, away from it all. —Megan Reynolds

N: A.G. Cook, “Windowlicker”—Given the satirical nature of British producer Aphex Twin’s closest encounter with pop, his goofy/caustic/perfect 1999 single “Windowlicker,” it would be dramatic to get mad about PC Music’s A. G. Cook making a “full-length, note-for-note cover” of the song. So file this one, which only serves to water down Aphex’s brilliance anyway, alongside pointless beat-for-beat remakes like Gus Van Sant’s Psycho and Michael Haneke’s Funny Games, and let’s pretend like it ever existed. —Rich Juzwiak

Most Popular

Y: Jessie Ware, “Midnight”—Welcome back Jessie Ware, how I have missed your dulcet tones. “Midnight” is the first single from her forthcoming album and it’s lovely—not much of a departure from her typical ethereal heartbreak jams, but still a good one. An insistent piano line gives way to a stomping, plodding, “Benny and the Jets”-esque vibe with a killer chorus that sounds like summer to me—a bit of longing, a lil’ sexy and worthy of a plaintive karaoke sesh for one. –MR

You know what, sure!: Julia Michaels, “Pink”—Listening to Julia Michaels debut album sort of feels like eating a sugary cupcake with too much icing. Nothing here is close to being as brilliant as her first single “Issues,” but if you don’t mind bubblegum I’d recommend “Pink.” Yes, the song is about how much her dude likes her vag. And, honestly, I respect Michaels’ chutzpah here. –Hazel Cills

Yeehaw!: Margo Price, “Paper Cowboy”—I love this new song from my favorite whiskey-swigging, no-nonsense woman in country Margo Price, written by her bassist Matt Gardner. I saw her play it last year and it was incredible live, especially in the way it starts deceivingly as a slow ballad and turns into a full-on rock song. –HC

Eh: Future ft. Nicki Minaj, “You Da Baddest:” I won’t be mad if I hear this song blasting out of every car that passes me for the remainder of the summer but that doesn’t mean that I like it. It’s fine enough, though I tire of Nayvadius’s pharmaceutical-rap shtick. Nicki looks great and so does Miami, so ya know, there’s that. — MR

Y: Karen Gwyer, “He’s Been Teaching Me To Drive” – The UK techno producer Karen Gwyer’s latest album Rembo is currently up on Soundcloud and while the whole thing is fantastic I’m currently partial to the dark, droning percussion of “He’s Been Teaching Me To Drive.” – HC

Y: Scratcha DVA, Killa P, Sinjin Hawke, & Zora Jones, “Bussgun”—Scratcha, Sinjin and Zora are already some of my favorite producers in underground UK dance music, so putting them together essentially melted my face on a Friday afternoon. It’s like being beamed up from Jamaica to a garage rave on Jupiter. As fuck. —Julianne Escobedo Shepherd