2hollis polishes the underground sound on his club-ready track Afraid

Also on the Rated by THE FACE playlist: Cristale, Greentea Peng, Len and Mechatok.

There’s loads of music out there, and sometimes it’s hard to keep up.

Rather than letting the algorithm dictate your music taste, you can listen to Rated by THE FACE – a playlist that’s lovingly curated and updated by our (human) editorial team every week.

2hollis – Afraid ft. Nate Sib

2hollis is blowing up right now, and the 20-year-old’s recipe for success includes a couple of ingredients from the new American underground – namely distorted bass and loads of Rick Owens – mixed with club-ready beats and proper pop sensibility. Afraid, featuring kindred spirit Nate Sib, brings to mind LA duo The Hellp with glitchy synths, slightly emo melodies and a simple, danceable drum pattern. You might just hear it in a strobe-lit arena one day. DR

Mechatok – Addiction

Mechatok has marked his signing with the Young label with this bouncy, glitchy track, which the German producer/​DJ describes as a pop song looking at itself in a broken mirror”. Having previously worked with Yung Lean, Bladee, Charli xcx and Evian Christ, Mechatok has once again captured a distinctive sense of sweet euphoria to heat up the dancefloor. TL

Len – pinktesla

Hot on the heels of Conglomerate, his scene-defining album with Lancey Foux and Fimiguerro, leading alt UK rapper Len is leaning harder than ever into his ravey style with pinktesla, which features palpitating kick drums, clattering percussion and a whirlwind of neon synths, as if to soundtrack an Uber ride through the city on the way to the club. Len half-whispers boasts about debauched sex, substances and luxury fashion over hectic production, dropping in references to Eastenders and Bend it Like Beckham to remind you he’s still a regular London lad at heart. DR

Greentea Peng – Stones Throw

After two long years, neo-soul songstress Greentea Peng is back with a tune to get you in your feels. Over a scattered bassline and soulful guitar licks, on Stones Throw she sings about past regrets and taking an ex for granted. Your love too good for me, I was too blind to see,” she croons in her signature husk. TL

Cristale – Ready 2 Go

When I saw this track was produced by Toddla T, I was expecting to hear a wobbly bassline and hyperactive beat that was cooked up with student clubnights and festival audiences in mind. But on Ready 2 Go, the Yorkshire producer is at his most restrained, and Brixton rapper Cristale sounds confident over the crisp, stripped-back hip-hop beat, loosely throwing out melodies which stick around in your head. Cristale said she thinks it’s one of the best tracks she’s ever done. I’d agree. DR

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