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.

VTSS & Boys Noize – Steady Pace

Returning to the mic once again, DJ/​producer VTSS has linked up with the legend Boys Noize to strike the right balance between sleazy and chic. ​“The lyrics I wrote are about a really hot guy who I couldn’t really read well, who seemed like he was being a bit hot & cold,” VTSS said in the press notes. ​“Two can play that game, I thought.” DR

Tohji – aglio e olio

Japanese singer-rapper Tohji’s new single is a slice of sonic bliss, with glossy melodies gliding through the euphoric dance-pop track. Tohji’s celestial aesthetic has made him a natural collaborator with the likes of Bladee, Mechatok and Mura Masa – artists who also cushion their tracks with sweet, affectionate-sounding synths. DR

PinkPantheress – Mosquito

“I just had a dream I was dead /​And I only cared ​’cause I was taken from you,” sings PinkPantheress on her latest single Mosquito. It’s a classic PP tune that hits all the right notes: there’s the nostalgic drum ​‘n’ bass production, the yearning lyrics sung in her signature baby voice and the strategically placed vocal echoes that stretch out her longing. The bonus? A star-studded music video featuring Yara Shahidi, India Amarteifio, Charithra Chandran and, er, JW Anderson’s viral pigeon clutch bag. OP

Jorja Smith – Broken Is The Man

A stand-out track on Smith’s second album Falling or Flying, Broken Is The Man is the former FACE cover star’s soulful, melancholy take on a past romantic relationship she now realises verged on toxic. The quietly powerful ballad’s dramatic beat and poignant chorus portray more mature version of Jorja Smith: ​“I met a man /​Did everything he could to put me down /​Just to build me right back /​I was never broken /​‘Cause broken is the man”. JW

Saya Gray – Annie, Pick A Flower.. (My House)

Annie, Pick A Flower… is Saya Gray’s bemoaning of modern technology, written during a bout of severe pneumonia when the Canadian artist was presumably stuck at home with nothing to look at but a couple of screens. There are subtly menacing strings on the song, delicate vocals and the stress-inducing sounds of iPhone notifications throughout: ​“Be less scared, if you wanna be happy /​How can you bleed all the sap from tree? /​I watch you cut it down in front of me,” Gray sings, blurring the feelings of tranquillity and anxiety. JW

Vegyn – Makeshift Tourniquet

On Makeshift Tourniquet, Vegyn makes a foray into ​“more conventional dance music.” The track has gone down well at the leftfield producer’s club shows this year, and it features a tinge of his trademark melancholy. JW

BXKS – Cheque

London-via-Luton rapper BXKS has been steadily building a fanbase for a couple of years now. Having witnessed her host a live MC cypher in South East London this summer, we recognise her star appeal. After being previewed on Victory Lap radio, Cheque – the first single from an upcoming mixtape – is finally here. Over whirring synths and sharp snares produced by previous collaborator Oscar Worldpeace, BXKS flexes with the unblinking confidence of a rapper who knows they’re about to blow. DR

Doja Cat – Fuck The Girls (FTG)

The best tirade on Doja Cat’s latest, rantiest album Scarlet, Fuck The Girls (FTG) pairs a laidback boom bap-style beat with venomous jabs at her own super stands. ​“I don’t love you hoes, you worship everything you couldn’t be,” she raps, before telling the ​“Kittenz” to ​“suck my dick, clit, tits, I’m yellin’ 666”. Claws out, eh? OP

Balming Tiger – Kamehameha

Self-described as an alternative K‑pop outfit, Seoul-based collective Balming Tiger are gearing up for the release of their debut album, January Never Dies. Their new single is named after the Korean, Dragon Ball Z-inspired drinking game Kamehameha and it’s a satirical ode to being inebriated, and all the fun that comes with it. The track combines sparse percussion and a blast of space-rock with tongue-in-cheek lyrics, some of which roughly translate to: ​“Powering up, come on, bitch don’t kill my vibe /​Soju, beer, whiskey, all with a strong kick /​Down it all, come on, don’t decline.” JW

DAMEDAME* – A Stranger

After executive producing Jorja Smith’s upcoming album, Brummie duo DAMEDAME* are striking out on their own. Debut single A Stranger is an indie track that delivers rumbling bass and distorted riffs. There’s a seductive eeriness to the production, particularly when the beat stops to let the pair’s woozy vocals shine. ​“Can you describe the motion /​When you’re closer,” they echo over haunting backing vocals. And when the beat kicks in again? Time to dance. OP