PinkPantheress and Oklou give Girl Like Me a trip-hop makeover

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.

Skepta & Finessekid – Sirens (from Ireland)

One of the good things about the Victory Lap cyphers is that they get massive rappers to cram into the small studio with hungry, up-and-coming MCs. You might remember Dave praising the ​“superhuman” ability of Kibo back in 2022. At the Corteiz co-hosted cypher in March, Skepta rubbed shoulders with rising South West Londoner Finessekid, and now they’re both dishing out elaborate threats over foreboding strings and stuttering percussion. Watch the video if you’d like to see Big Smoke’s weatherman audition. DR

dexter in the newsagent – I Told Ya

As a bit of a cult fixture in the UK’s alt music scene, South Londoner dexter in the newsagent has ticked some pretty good boxes: she’ll support Blood Orange on tour in November, just a few months after featuring on Jim Legxacy’s album Black British Music, and releasing a string of fresh singles. I Told Ya is a vibrant, uptempo earworm abut an inattentive careless guy she’s finally done away with. ​“I finally got you off my shoulder /​There’s no need to stress today,” she sings with some satisfaction. Good riddance! JW

PinkPantheress & Oklou – Girl Like Me (remix)

The guests on PinkPantheress’s 22-track remix album Fancy Some More? range from dad-friendly dance heavyweights Groove Armada and Basement Jaxx, to pop royalty such as Sugababes, Kylie and Jade, and – for all the esoteric types out there – Bladee, Sega Bodega and Oklou. While the original version of Girl Like Me (arguably the best song on Fancy That) is PinkPantheress’s unexpected moshpit opener, this rework with French dream popper Oklou is a much more mellow affair. With a ​‘90s trip-hop sound palette, Pink and Oklou reflect on their romantic troubles while a warm bassline slowly swells like the purple blobs inside a lava lamp. DR

Tara Lily – Tropical Storm ft. King Krule

I first came across Tara Lily last year, through her sinuous, jazz-flecked electronica album, Speak In The Dark. Now she’s now teamed up with fellow shadowy Peckhamite King Krule, for this hazy track which feels like music from a dream. As the pair circle each outer, you can just about hear them mumbling about ​“faded city lights” over hazy synths and a laidback beat. TL

Bassvictim – 27a Pitfield St

When you type ​‘27a Pitfield St’ into Google Street View, you’re met with the relatively mundane image of a rental flat above a tattoo parlour and a chicken shop called Taste of Tennessee. But according to this pretty-but-gritty track from Bassvictim’s very good new album Forever, this East London location has seen plenty of action. ​“Smokey little flat, always full when we all hang out/​Trashy little hut where we fight and we make up,” trance-punk duo’s frontwoman Maria Manow sings. Melodically skipping over surging distorted synths as if she’s blissfully dancing at a party that’s been overrun by gatecrashers, Manow describes a scene of strangers, lovers, distant friends, an Uber ride at sunrise and orders to the dealer. They can say goodbye to that tenancy deposit. DR