Bop Shop: Songs From Denzel Curry, Cravity, JoJo, And More

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  JoJo: "Worst (I Assume)"
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=2Qsg3rQcfIE
  
  
  
  The latest cut of ethereal and atmospheric R&B from JoJo finds her mind being her own worst enemy. "I keep assuming you're gonna do shit that might break my heart," she admits, later questioning reality or wondering if she's just "in a mood." Through all of the uncertainty, the gauzy song accommodates paint a relatable picture. Some days we feel like we're the only ones. Nevertheless we NEVER are alone in our darkness," JoJo writes in an accompanying statement. Find more solace on her new project, Trying Not to Think About It, out October 1. —Patrick Hosken
  
  
  
  
  



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  Cravity: “Gas Pedal”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=Nrypvg3OfYY
  
  
  
  because the initial single off their debut full range album, The Awakening: Written in the Stars, K-pop rookies Cravity put their best foot forward with “Gas Pedal,” marking the begin of a fun and adventurous comeback. Accompanied by an electrifying visual in which the members explore and defeat a digital universe, “Gas Pedal” puts Cravity’s creativity to the test, pushing the limits and boundaries of their previously displayed capabilities. Though the sort is still up-and-coming and developing their sound, they have begun to refine their artistry and make their mark on the industry. Their work on “Gas Pedal” proves just that, and more. —Sarina Bhutani
  
  
  
  
  



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  Sunmi: “You Can’t Sit With Us”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=V0wInr_xATk
  
  
  
  Sunmi brings retro ‘80s, ‘90s, and even early 2000s beauty in her latest track, beginning with the title, a reference to Gretchen Wieners’s iconic line from Mean Girls. The K-pop star sings about her frustrated, irritated, and torn feelings to her love interest: “Hurry, it's almost time to call my females / I'll get you / Where are you? On my way / I have no intention of hating you, you know / You can't sit with us, oh / I hate you / Whenever I think of you, I'm feelin' faded.” She even goes out of her normal comfort zone by rapping in the next verse: “Tell 'em you've noticed the only one who blеw you up, yeah / Don't call me ‘honey’ 'causе I ain't gonna be no sweet girl.” Hate isn't the opposite of love. Indifference is. —Athena Serrano
  
  
  
  
  



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  Josie Proto: “I Just Wanna Walk Home”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=geT3WYAoB3o
  
  
  
  “I Just Wanna Walk Home” is an indie-pop song with a crucial message. Josie Proto’s powerful social anthem articulates the day-to-day fear females experience and the extreme measures they imagine to prepare ensure they reach their destination safely. The track’s chorus exudes aggravation and pleads for accountability as she asks, “You OK with where we are?” “I’m not a politician, and I don’t know how to solve this,” she says. “But this is what I feel and that cannot be disputed.” —Farah Zermane
  
  
  
  
  



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  The Blossom: “Sports Car”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=H25bxXWuGeA
  
  
  
  Lily Lizotte, also referred to as The Blossom, is poised for a big year. Not only are they set to hit the road with Remi Wolf later this fall, however they count artists like Kevin Abstract among collaborators on their most recent EP, 97 Blossom. With its soul-baring lyrics and grungy aesthetic, their new single “Sports Car” proves the hype is real. Their vulnerability is palpable from the initial note, with a voice that puts you in a chokehold as Lizotte harnesses the power of 2000s pop-rock to express restlessness and loss with a visceral angst. “Rev up your sports vehicle / Get me the hell out of here / I’m living tough on a diet of worry and fear,” they screech before racing into a refrain of “I still hope to delete you.” Buckle up — their race has only just begun. —Carson Mlnarik
  
  
  
  
  



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  Denzel Curry: "The Game"
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=v5k8CI04Ip4
  
  
  
  "I got love for Megan however also got love for Noname," Denzel Curry raps on his electric new single "The Game." It's an eas yet efficient show of support for two very different rap superstars, and it's the sort of openness he celebrates on the pulsating new track produced by Charlie Heat. As much as he's warning about the perils of fame and why rapidly life can transform — "Doing all this industry shit, I begin to realize / We looking up to junkies and shit, then mimic they lives" — Curry lets that passion fuel his bars. "I won't stop speaking to y'all up until I change," he concludes. It's all in the game. —Patrick Hosken
  
  
  
  
  



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  Hana Vu: "Everybody's Birthday"
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=MwmsSOkldeM
  
  
  
  Here's an incantation that sounds like a party, albeit one at the end of the world. Any time Los Angeles artist Hana Vu sings each person I love is blue," it's much less a gripe than a statement of pure fact. For a morbid stomp through apocalyptic realization, "Everybody's Birthday" really goes. It's the quasi-darkgaze banger we need. —Patrick Hosken