Skip to main content

Listen to Hell You Talmout, Living as a Ghost, and more in our 5 songs to stream

5 songs to stream hell you talmout sharpness headphones
Sascha Kohlmann/Flickr
Every week, there are hundreds of thousands of new songs hitting the airwaves. It’s too much for just your two ears to handle. With all those options, you can’t be wasting your time on tracks worthy of a thumbs down button. Don’t worry, we’re going to save you the hassle. We listen to some of the most hyped and interesting songs each week, and tell you what ones are worth using your bandwidth on.

Here are our top 5 songs to stream this week.

Related Videos

Janelle Monáe and Wondaland Records – Hell You Talmout

Art always serves as expression, but it’s capable of capturing so much. When something strikes a chord with an artist, they can channel that into their craft and turn it into a statement. That’s exactly what Janelle Monae and the Wondaland Records roster have done with Hell You Talmbout, a track that tackles the bubbling issues of racial relations and police brutality.

Music is at it’s best when it has power and passion behind it. You won’t find a track that feels more infused with emotion than Hell You Talmout, a powerful protest song that turns the names of black citizens slain by police into a chant demanding action. It serves both as a way to remember the names of those lost and make sure they are not forgotten, but it’s also a rallying cry for those who want change. Packed with anger, fear, disenchantment, and frustration, it’s an incredible statement that demands attention.

AFX – simple slamming b 2

Last year’s release of Aphex Twin’s Syro marked the first album in more than 13 years from legendary British electronic musician Richard David James. It seems as though he’s been in a groove ever since, because he’s been churning out new music left and right. The latest comes in the form of an EP under the alias AFX. It’s a different name, but the song has plenty of the trademark sounds that makes James a favorite, from his grimy synth bass to the track’s chugging pace.

Jamie Woon – Sharpness

Jamie Woon made his debut more than four years ago with his first album Mirrorwriting. He’s been mostly quiet since then, but the neo-soul singer has crept back into the limelight with Sharpness, a silky-smooth R&B throwback that melds a ’90s vibe with modern effects. It’s a feathery jam, lightweight and floating, and it’ll have your head nodding from the moment you hit play. If his second album can carry on in the same way, it’ll be a strong sophomore showing.

Shabazz Palaces – The Mystery of Lonnie the Døn

If you’re ever looking for new music, make a point to pop over to the Adult Swim Singles series. The television network best known for its insane animated lineup has been recruiting some great underground artists for collaborations. The latest is rap duo Shabazz Palaces. They find a dark, haunting sound on The Mystery of Lonnie the Døn, with a ghastly, moaning sound standing in between the verses and reverberating vocals.

GEMS – Living as a Ghost

If you haven’t heard of GEMS yet, you likely will soon. The shadow pop duo from Washington D.C. just have a sound that you can imagine hearing everywhere. The pair have their first album on the way, titled Kill the One You LoveLiving as a Ghost is the first teaser from the full-length record, and it’s one that should have you ready for more. The dreamy vocals of Lindsay Pitts rise up atop Clifford John Usher’s production, which bounces from an airy approach to a rougher sound that tries to consume the track.

That’s it for now, but check back every week for more new tunes to stream!

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
From NYC to Seattle, Apple’s City Charts show which tunes have residents rockin’
Apple Music City Charts

Music charts have been a staple for decades, showing folks how popular specific songs and artists are, usually at a national or global level. But what about regional differences? Could it be that people in Dallas are digging a very different set of tracks than the denizens of New York City or Seattle? Enter Apple Music's latest feature, City Charts, whoch gives a look at the top 25 tracks from major metro areas around the U.S. and around the world.

The City Charts, which cover more than 100 cities globally, are updated daily, Apple says. And they're not exclusively based on the number of plays a track is getting. Apparently, Apple also looks for "additional signs of local popularity" to rank the top 25 songs gaining momentum with listeners locally, though the press release Digital Trends received did not offer any details on these additional factors.

Read more
Apple Music TV is a new take on the 24-hour music video channel
apple

If you miss the halcyon days of MTV in its prime, Apple thinks you might want to check out Apple Music TV. It's a free, 24-hour a day curated livestream of music videos, according to Variety, which will also feature live shows and events as well as chart countdowns and guests.

Limited to U.S. residents for now, the livestream can be accessed via the Apple TV app, on the web, and as a new tab within the Apple Music app on all supported devices. Given that the Apple TV app is now available on a huge variety of smart TVs and streaming media devices, there are going to be very few people who do not have access to Apple Music TV.

Read more
Podcasts may be coming to Amazon Music and Audible, as well as Echo speakers
Amazon music

Amazon is apparently the latest of the big streaming music services to get on the podcast bandwagon, according to a leaked email acquired by media blog The Desk.

The email, which was reportedly sent to select podcast show producers on August 10, details some of Amazon's podcast plans, including its intention to add podcasts as a feature to its Amazon Music and Audible services.

Read more