Best Songs of The Week: ft. MIKE, AKAI SOLO, and More [Playlist]
The Round-Up is Okayplayer’s weekly playlist of the best songs in the worlds of hip-hop and R&B. This week’s set features new music from AKAI SOLO, MIKE, Kadhja Bonet, Evidence, and more.
Scroll through selections from this week’s sequence below and subscribe to Okayplayer’s Spotify channel today.
AKAI SOLO – “Keep My Poise!!!”
AKAI SOLO goes fully existential over a hazy psychedelic soul loop in this selection from the New York rapper’s new Navy Blue-produced album, True Sky. Read about the making of the project here.
Evidence – “Pardon Me”
Evidence offers another glimpse at his upcoming album with an introspective performance on a glistening Animoss production. Unlearning Vol. 1 is out June 25th via Rhymesayers.
Kahlil Blu featuring Medhane – “FREESMOKE Pt. 2”
Kahlil Blu re-ups with Medhane on a loose and guiltless one-off.
Contour – “Outmyface (Love Suite no. 2)”
A skittering low-end-heavy heartbreaker with symphonic flairs off Love Suite, the stellar new project from LA-based artist Contour.
MIKE – “Crystall Ball”
MIKE treats himself to a run of tourist traps in his own hometown in the video for his new single, “Crystal Ball,” the second offering from his incoming album, Disco! (out June 21st via 1ok.)
MFnMelo featuring squeakPIVOT and Frsh Waters – “Handheld”
MFnMelo revives his run of singles with a blast of breezy wordplay tailor-fit for a lap or two with the top down.
Paris Texas – “CASINO”
Paris Texas lands somewhere between bedroom pop ballad and synth-soaked trap anthem on this whirling standout from the duo’s freshly-released debut project, BOY ANONYMOUS.
Ìxtahuele featuring Kadhja Bonet – “Manna”
The soothing hum of Kadhja Bonet resurfaces on a ghostly spell of cinematic soul from Swedish exotica specialists, Ìxtahuele (whose catalog is rife with songs that could score the Jackie Treehorn scene in The Big Lebowski.) As a properly trippy accompaniment, the track arrives with a hypnotic desert-trekking visual.