A stacked section:
61. Omega (Rosalia feat. Ralphie Choo):
even when giving us simple ballad, Rosalia manages to make it totally shine.
62. Buenos Tiempos (Dillom):
the propulsive beats just do not give up.
63. Alright (Victoria Monet):
don't be fooled by its simple hooks...this is major.
64. Kobe (Kevin Abstract):
the switch up at the end really elevates this homage to great heights.
65. Don't Rely On Other Men (JPEGMafia):
no one mixes and matches so many radical ideas like Peggy and even when the ideas are simple, he finds unending magic.
66. Dark Sword Angel (Danny Brown):
over a squelchy instrumental buttressed by live drums, Brown drops the sort of filthy punchlines he’s long been known for (“Tried to put my finger in her like a rotary phone/If I take her for a spin, she will never call home”). (PITCHFORK)
67. Veneficium (Xiu Xiu):
so glad to see the band making great chaos music again.
68. Ultra Shxt (Denzel Curry feat. Key Nyata):
when Denzel draws out that "Nina, Nina, have you seen her" line, you knew a classic was coming.
69. TV Off (Kendrick Lamar):
blends West Coast bounce with modern, punchy elements, making it feel both familiar and fresh. Kendrick masterfully switches his flow midway through the song, showing off his versatility. (STAY FREE RADIO)
70. Infatuation (I Don’t Know How But They Found Me):
alluring, and clearly a play on the romantic music of the ’80s. With hauntingly beautiful vocals and a subdued overall tone. (F MAGAZINE)
71. Lorelei (Empress Of):
jealousy, anger, and grief over an unfaithful partner are emotions that tend to thrive in shadow, flowing inward until their bearer implodes. With “Lorelei”’s slippery, buoyant beat, Empress Of sluices all those ugly feelings down another channel. In a dizzying character study, Lorely Rodriguez imagines herself as a woman sleeping with a cheating boyfriend—but sings from the perspective of the girlfriend who’s just found a strange pair of earrings on the sheets. In a cheeky turn, the song’s narrator is more interested in getting her feelings across to the other woman than she is in lashing out at her cheating partner, who’s barely a character in this drama. (PITCHFORK)
72. New Black History (JPEGMafia feat. Vince Staples):
not sure what culturally relevant mark the duo is espousing here but the messaging of taking a victory lyric lap is clear.
73. Darling Drive (Mette & Sam Gellatry):
nothing more a groovy scroll through a few minutes but damn, this is elegantly done.
74. The Prophecy (Taylor Swift):
a poignant exploration of longing, resignation, and a flicker of defiant hope. Swift's raw vocals against the spare acoustic backdrop create a deeply personal atmosphere. It's a confession of vulnerability where she grapples with the feeling of a predetermined, unfavorable destiny and a desperate desire to rewrite her own future. (STAY FREE RADIO)
75. Dark Matter (Pearl Jam):
aims for a more ‘modern’ take on rock which equates to them beating Royal Blood at a similar game; and ‘Won’t Tell’ is a radio play courting singalong with a soaring quality to the chorus and bridge. (SPUTNIK)
76. Yeern 101 (Schoolboy Q):
been absent for a minute but and full of the usual stylistic tricks.
77. Genesis (Raye):
backed by impeccable harmonies and angelic strings, the all-consuming nature of social media is addressed in part one: “Cause I’m busy on my phone observing everyone else / How I compare and obsess / Just me, my phone and these walls”. These observations evidently hinder Raye’s self-image as she relies on “Facetune and ring lights”. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are full of idealistic and unattainable images – psychologically, this can take a toll on people and Raye appears to be no expectation. She utilises the imagery of a “devil on [her] shoulder” to represent the negative voices and self-doubt. (THE INDIEPENDENT)
78. Zoom (Machinedrum feat. Tinashe):
if you didn’t know your streams any better, you’d surely mistake this cut for something influential from deep in the vibe of garage, two-step, and jungle-informed pop of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. In reality, this breezy bit of glitched horniness recenters those UK movements in today’s American south. A highlight of this year’s 3FOR82, it brings together North Carolina’s producer par excellence and the lilting vocals of Kentucky’s current R&B princess on a track that’s endlessly chiming and crystalline, from the high-end percussion and every synth run to her recounting/imagining getting “freaky on the weekend.” “Zoom” reinforces why it feels like Tinashe is suddenly everywhere, and why Machinedrum should be. (TREBLE)
79. Like I Say (I Runaway) (Nilufer Yanya):
boasting crunchy, distorted guitar, the sub-three-minute track is reminiscent of the ’90s-era alternative and grunge scene, as Yanya sings about the passage of time being “precious“. In the uplifting chorus, she adds: “‘Cause I feel like all my friends/ They don’t read my mind/ The minute I’m not in control/ I’m tearing up inside/ Fill up on that feeling/ Fill up on the line.” (NME)
80. Won’t Cry (Amber Mark):
hypnotic dance number.
