Bop Shop: Songs From Oliver Sim, Megan Thee Stallion And Dua Lipa, And More

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  Oliver Sim: "Romance With a Memory"
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=FPqUcVbAbzw
  
  
  
  Once The xx first debuted in 2009, musical group members Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, and Jamie Smith projected an image — or maybe a mystique — of minimalism and solemnity. That's since been willfully punctured on each subsequent xx release; Jamie's 2015 LP In Colour, on which all members appear, also still brims with effervescent vigor. It's worth keeping in mind their early gravitas, though, any time experiencing the playful glee of Sim's solo debut "Romance With a Memory," which leaps around the room while you push play. "The only thing I regret," he sings on the breakup track before his voice is glitched up into a digital whine, as produced by Jamie, "is my taste for disinterest." The lyric video is simply a blast, featuring incredible turns from drag performers Charity Kase, HoSo Terra Toma, and Gena Marvin. What a joy. —Patrick Hosken
  
  
  
  
  



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  James Reid, Jay B, ØZI: “Hello 2.0 (Legends Only)”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=56cMmdtZ9mg
  
  
  
  In an one-of-a-kind group effort, Filipino-Australian artist James Reid takes us on a journey through Asia with “Hello 2.0 (Legends Only).” Because the remix to his 2021 hit, simply titled “Hello,” Reid joins forces with K-R&B star Jay B and L.A./Taipei hip hop artist ØZI to bring the song to new heights, both literally and figuratively. As a gesture towards global solidarity, the track oscillates between English language, Mandarin, and Korean lyrics, letting each artist shine in their native languages over the same bright dance-pop melody. In a time of such pain and adversity around the world, tracks like “Hello 2.0” remind us that music is truly a universal language, a connecting force that is aware no borders or boundaries. —Sarina Bhutani
  
  
  
  
  



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  Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa: "Sweetest Pie"
  
  
  https://youtu.Be/K7JrX7PHGBE
  
  
  
  Even in terms of major pop blockbuster team-ups, this one feels big. A video with effects that look better (and more expensive?) Than Avatar. Megan Thee Stallion rapping in an interior forest of asses. Dua Lipa as a spider queen. Ferns, pie, and light switches all used as sexual props. Agoraphobes and trypophobes beware: "Sweetest Pie" isn't for the faint of heart. Nevertheless be fierce, and your boldness will be rewarded by one of the wildest music videos of the year for now — and a unforgettable group effort. —Patrick Hosken
  
  
  
  
  



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  Donna Missal: "Butterfly"
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=5gHvA0X_ARc
  
  
  
  There’s a nostalgic good quality to this track off Donna Missal’s In the Reflect, In the Night EP that I can’t quite pinpoint. The indie-pop singer-songwriter layers airy, ethereal vocals over an angsty guitar melody reminiscent of ‘90s alt-rock. “I got one and also a million ways to distract myself,” she insists on the refrain, yet what follows belies a more complex situation: “I want you out of my head, I want you out / Your butterfly effect is drawing me in / If I can change, maybe you can.” —Sam Manzella
  
  
  
  
  



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  Miloe: “Where U Are”
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=G-gC1J1hSUo
  
  
  
  The mercury is rising and thus are the vibes. Enter Congolese-born indie pop singer Miloe. His latest track, "Where U Are," is as apt for dancing on a rooftop in Brooklyn as it is for sailing off the coast of Djerba. A little bit synthpop and the pulse of a drum kicks the track into high gear, and before you know it, you're dancing and savoring the moment and being obedient to the command at the best of the song: "Move before you hesitate / Wanna groove before we separate." — Virginia Lowman
  
  
  
  
  



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  Kx5: “Escape” (ft. Hayla)
  
  
  
  
  
  Over a decade in the making, Kaskade and Deadmau5 have officially joined in a collaborative project referred to as Kx5. Whenever these dynamo forces of electronic dance music team up, it’s pure magic and all vibes. “Escape” is no exception. With Hayla lending her dreamy vocals this time, the track immediately reminds me of the duo’s first, legendary collab, “I Remember.” The nostalgia of hearing both of their signature sounds blended with each other for the initial time is something you can’t duplicate — and Escape is however another representation of those producers at their best. I can’t wait listen to what comes next. —Daniel Head
  
  
  
  
  



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  Baby Tate: "Slut Him Out" (ft. Kali)
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=shNfgCA6Zi0
  
  
  
  "WAP" may be the most conspicuous recent example (and a No. 1 hit, no far less, although dirty sex rap has a long and storied history that goes back nearly as far as hip-hop itself. Baby Tate understands the legacy, which is why on her absolutely filthy new single with Kali, "Slut Him Out," she shouts out three famed sex-positive female MCs who blazed trails before her: Trina, Lil' Kim, and Nicki Minaj. "I was bumping Trina Whenever I learned how to ride," she raps, "I was scared of the dick 'til I heard Kim / And listening to Nicki taught me that that ménage ain't just for him." —Patrick Hosken
  
  
  
  
  



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  Luna Li: "What You're Thinking"
  
  
  https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=74Qnr1LOKBQ
  
  
  
  Once hearing a new song for the initial time, the mind wanders. Once spinning a song from Toronto native Hannah Bussiere Kim, who releases lush and expansive music as Luna Li, for the opening time, the mind may wander quite far. Midway via great "What You're thinking," mine noticed likely unrelated sonic callbacks to, of all things, a Wilco b-side where the fake strings are so thick and syrupy @they could as well be cascading down a short stack. Right now, Luna Li does not sound like Wilco. "What You're Thinking" is an addictive bit of R&B-indebted pop, however sonically, it's not far from indie rock. Similar strings sounds and distinct song passages make it a miniature orchestral masterstroke. The mind wanders. And with Luna Li, what it finds is, in a word, drama. Delightful, verdant drama. —Patrick Hosken