10 songs you need in your life this week

Tracks we love right now, in no particular order.

10 songs you need in your life this week Pictured L-R: Jessie Ware, Mereba, Spice

Each week, The FADER staff rounds up the songs we can't get enough of. Here they are, in no particular order.

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“Apartment 402” — girl in red

girl in red’s excellent debut album if i could make it go quiet is a collection of songs that seek to make the interior exterior, usually in the form of catchy indie pop anthems. Sonically, “Apartment 402” is something different, a sweeping piano ballad propelled by a four-on-the-floor kick that more simulates an anxious heart than a sweaty dancefloor. Marie Ulven’s range is further cemented by her bold lyrical depiction of a depression so overwhelming, an ostensible sanctuary becomes a tomb. — JD

“They Can’t Stop Us” — Kareem Ali

Thanks to a deep compositional passion and Frankie Knuckles-esque vocals, Kareem Ali has more than earned his self-proclaimed title as the “Godson of House.” The latest song in his recent prolific tear is “They Can’t Stop Us,” a rallying cry disguised as gossamer rave kindling. — JD

“Please” — Jessie Ware

Jessie Ware’s What’s Your Pleasure was an essential for any living room dancefloor held in the past year and “Please” suggests she’s not ready for the party to end any time soon. Taken from the upcoming deluxe edition of that album, “Please” is a camp and flirty disco staple, lit up by soulful backing vocals and Ware’s ability to inject fun into any situation. — DR

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“What You Need” — Don Toliver

Don Toliver’s biggest challenge used to be separating himself from label boss and fellow AutoTune advocate, Travis Scott. 2020 brought with it his biggest hit to date, Internet Money collaboration “Lemonade.” Like that breakout smash, “What You Need” is a showcase for Toliver’s undeniable vocals (check out the falsetto when he sings “Tell me just what you like Gucci on her”) and trippy, drum-heavy production caught somewhere between the trap and the VIP area of a Tame Impala concert. Sure, the song doesn’t hold up to much interrogation, it’s mainly about spending lots of money to secure love, but in an age when vibes matter more than ever, Toliver’s feelgood presence is primed to soar. — DR

"Go Down Deh" — Spice feat. Sean Paul and Shaggy

Despite her reign as the queen of dancehall, and one of the genre's hardest-working titans at that, Spice has yet to release a proper album. That all changes this year with the release of her debut LP Ten, for which "Go Down Deh" is the second single. It's as lascivious and filthy as anything you could expect from her, with guest vocals from Sean Paul and Shaggy only sweetening the deal. The days of bumping and grinding once more are nigh. — SM

"Dark Gethsemane" — Burial

Burial splits the bill with Blackdown on their new EP Shock Power of Love. The gnarled centerpiece, here, is the ten-minute "Dark Gethsemane," which pivots from a dingy groove into a sun-dappled rave sermon in the back half, thanks to the walloping words of Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II. — SM

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“Rider” — Mereba

For her first solo release since her 2019 album The Jungle Is the Only Way Out, Mereba’s triumphant return is a breezy ode to waiting for the right one. On it, Mereba calls out to a budding love, her soft vocals layered atop fluttering steel pans and percussion.— SE

“Purr” — Kyle Dion feat. Kari Faux

Dion and Faux share a penchant for revelling in toxic love over pounding bass and hazy synths, admitting they “like it when it’s messy.” The pair insist that this chaotic energy—complete with curse-outs and eventual make-up sex—is the only way to keep things interesting “Something’s wrong if you don’t bite,” Dion croons. — SE

“Foolish Enough” — Geoffrey O’Connor with Laura Jean

A sublime reintroduction to Geoffrey O’Connor’s first new solo music in seven years, “Foolish Enough” hits its marks with such rakish charm and cool insouciance that it’s hard to believe it’s not some recently-unearthed lounge classic. — SD

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“From The Back of a Cab” — Rostam

“From The Back of a Cab” is end of the movie shit, hard-won and bittersweet peace after abject struggle shit. It is supremely satisfying, and musically fascinating too, its 12/8 drums mimicking the flutter of a racing heart. — SD

10 songs you need in your life this week