Rated by The Face: a weekly playlist
The best contemporary music – updated weekly.
There’s a daunting amount of music out there and we know it’s hard to keep up. But rather submitting yourself to an algorithm for new music recommendations, try this lovingly curated playlist that The Face will be updating every week.
Listen below and check out last week’s additions here.
Chance The Rapper – We Go High
Chance The Rapper’s an intense guy. And so The Big Day – a 22-track concept album about marriage – is, as expected, very intense. We Go High is one of the record’s gentler tracks and one of its highlights, referencing Michelle Obama’s “when they go low, we go high” phrase, which she coined in reference to Trump’s nasty tactics in 2016.
Burna Boy – Omo
Burna Boy’s new album African Giant is packed with big names features – from Jorja Smith, to Future and Damian Marley – but the Nigerian star sustains the slick groove of Omo all on his own.
YBN Cordae – We Gon Make It ft. Meek Mill
As good as the intense trap stuff is, it’s always a pleasure to hear Meek on a soulful beat. Here he shines alongside rising rapper YBN Cordae on this heartfelt collab.
Rico Nasty – Time Flies
Thanks to her spot on XXL Magazine’s Freshman cover, Rico Nasty’s winning a lot of new fans right now. She’s seizing the moment with Time Flies, which showcases a more melodic side to her style, rather than the unflinching fury that’s become her trademark. Watch Rico talk bad hairstyles and meaning of life here.
100 gecs – money machine
Genre-splicing duo 100 gecs are known to race through trap, Skrillex-style dubstep, chiptune, noise-rock and heart-tickling pop melodies, often all in one song. If that sentence alone irritates you, fair enough. But money machine presents a problem for the haters: the song is really good.
Nina Kraviz – Dream Machine
Kraviz successfully fulfils her career as a big name DJ while championing the adventurous corners of the dance music underground. Taken from her new Stranno Stranno Neobjatno, Dream Machine is an atmospheric techno track with glimmers of Kraviz’s eccentricity.
Napoleon Gold – Love Don’t Cut Me Down ft. Haiva Ru
French producer Napoleon Gold teams up with Allie Merrill of Santa Barbara-based indie band Haiva Ru for a silky-smooth jam. Give this one a few spins and let that hook sink in.
Jarami – Post Mates ft. Cautious Clay
Swedish production duo Jarami have worked with the likes of Frank Ocean and Camila Cabello. This time they’ve joined forces with New York-via-Cleveland artist Cautious Clay for a slice of summer funk. Read more about Mr. Clay here.
