Rated by The Face: a weekly playlist
Featuring Kamo Mphela’s hip-shaking amapiano, Dave’s heavyweight UK rap possee cut and Lorde’s soothing stoner ballad.
Music
Photography: Ophelia Mikkelson Jones
Lil Nas X – Industry Baby ft. Jack Harlow
Kanye West and Take a Day Trip cooked up the production for Lil Nas’s new one. Once again, everyone’s talking about the video. And once again, he’s laughing in the face of his conversative critics.
Cabello celebrates her Mexican-Cuban heritage here, sprinkling in Spanish lyrics over flamenco guitar licks.
Dave – In the Fire ft. Fredo, Meekz, Ghetts & Giggs
When Dave shared the tracklist for new album We’re All Alone in this Together, none of these heavyweight guests were credited, causing UK rap fans to go wild when they pressed play for the first time.
NTS have just dropped Amapiano Now, a compilation celebrating the much-hyped South African genre. Durban singer Kamo Mphela’s track Thula Thula has a heavy rhythmic swing to it, bringing to mind the gqom genre, which is amapiano’s harder cousin.
Nilüfer Yanya – Day 7.5093 (keiyaA Remix)
Yanya’s bright and breezy tune gets reworked with fluttering drums by NYC experimentalist keiyaA.
Space Afrika – Rings ft. Guest
After teaming up with Salford’s Blackhaine for their leftfield rap anthem B£E, Manchester/Berlin duo Space Afrika have dropped another track from their forthcoming album Honest Labour. This time, Young Echo member Guest’s ghostly vocals hover above twinkling ambience and bursts of static noise.
Lorde – Stoned in the Nail Salon
Weed-induced anxiety never sounded so soothing.