The best new tracks, picked by our staff

Want to keep up with the best new music?

Listen to this weekly playlist, lovingly curated by THE FACE’s editorial team.

Brazy – Finest

As well as her ability to speak four languages, British-Nigerian artist Brazy is proud of her broad musical palette. She listens to everything from Afrobeats, to techno and Indian music, which all informs her ​“Afro-sexy” sound. Finest is a self-affirming anthem that will have you pining for the club. Press play and let your self-doubt evaporate. DR

Asake – Active ft. Travis Scott

When Nigerian artists blow up and start collaborating with Western acts, there’s a lot of discussion about the merits of crossover success versus the risk of creative compromise. Asake seems to have the international market in mind with his third album Lungu Boy, which features Central Cee, Stormzy and Travis Scott. On the slick, swaggering track Active, Travis sounds pretty comfortable over the pulsating amapiano log drums, while Asake fluctuates between Yoruba and English lyrics. All in all, a successful experiment. DR

Addison Rae – Diet Pepsi

Back in 2021, people scoffed at Addison Rae’s first attempt to become a pop star with Obsessed, writing her off as an influencer-turned-industry plant who had no business making music. Since then, she’s put in the work wracking up cool credentials, getting Charli XCX on her leaked viral hit 2 Die 4, before returning the favour and screaming her head off on Charli’s Von Dutch remix. All of this has laid a solid foundation for Addison’s launch as a pop star proper, who’s just dropped her first major label release with Columbia Records. Playful, sultry and far more advanced in terms of production and vocal stacking, Diet Pepsi kind of sounds like Lana Del Rey and Britney Spears had a baby – not a bad way to kick off a rebrand. Accompanied by a film noir-esque video directed by Sean Price Williams (responsible for this year’s It Actor-studded The Sweet East), with creative direction by Interview magazine’s editor-in-chief Mel Ottenberg (who was behind that Rihanna cover shoot), the entire package is a genuinely impressive pop power play.

Beabadoobee – California

At this point, have there been too many songs with the word California in the title? Just off the top of my head I can think of California Love, California Dreaming, Californiacation and that slightly annoying one which was The OC theme tune. But if you’ve just recorded an album with Rick Rubin and his Shrangri-La studios in Malibu, then you’re definitely allowed to sing about The Golden State. Beabadoobee’s California is a bittersweet grunge-pop anthem that alludes to a relationship on the rocks. Once again, she’s made heartache sound great. DR

The Dare – You’re Invited

Funky dance-punk blew up in New York City in the early ​‘80s. Then around 20 years later, LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture brought it back. Then around 20 years after that, The Dare brought it back again. You’re Invited – the second single from The Dare’s forthcoming debut What’s Wrong With New York? – is a rugged floor-filler that reeks of spilt vodka and cigarettes. Thought The Dare had grown up since his proudly horny breakout single Girls? Think again. ​“Let’s make a baby, in the Mercedes /​You lost the rubber, let’s make another,” he half-raps over a grizzly bassline. Sometimes you don’t have to take music too seriously. DR