Toro Y Moi, Ella Mai, Pink Sweat$ with Tori Kelly, plus Amber Mark’s hotly anticipated debut album
One month into the new year and we’ve got so much new music releasing each week, it’s hard to keep track of all the stellar music (and the duds!). We’ve got new music from The Chainsmokers after more than a three-year hiatus, Charli XCX is back this time featuring Rina Sawayama (and a sample of the dance smash “Cry For You” by September aka Petra Marklund) and another posthumous release from XXXTENTACION that likely will score big. Meanwhile, as usual, we’re looking at those tracks that may not get the recognition they deserve – here is this week’s #HitsOfTomorrow!
British MC and rapper Bru-C (aka Josh Bruce) joins hands with drum and bass DJ Wilkinson (aka Mark Wilkinson) for this atmospheric, moody track “Paradise.” There’s a slow build here like many of Wilkinson’s previous hit songs but there’s something even more ethereal at play here, thanks to Bru-C’s vocals and the haunting piano track. It’s unfortunate most times tracks like these are relegated solely to festivals and on dance radio but there’s a euphoric pop song in here that makes me nostalgic for the early Nineties, but also something that sounds 100 percent like it belongs in 2022.
R&B starlet Ella Mai is back. After she ruled the world with “Boo’d Up,” the singer-songwriter is ready for her second innings and if “DFMU” is any indication, there is absolutely no sophomore slump happening here. The single is fresh, sultry and everything neo-soul used to be but seemingly only exists lately in Brit-soul. The clever song title instantly helps the song join the current lexicon. With her second album on its way in 2022, I have a feeling we’re going to be hearing a lot about Mai this year, both on the year-end charts as well as at awards time!
San Francisco-based Chaz Bear, better known as Grammy-nominated Toro y Moi returns with his seventh album Mahal and the single “Postman” perfectly captures the continued brilliance and eclecticism of the artist who has collaborated with everyone from Tyler, The Creator to HAIM to Travis Scott. The single is funky, psychedelic, with a dash of Prince, a nod to The Marvelettes and very appropriate lyrics for the Mr. Postman of 2022. In a world now obsessed with packages like never before, there is more to this ode than what meets the ears. Toro y Moi delivers!
One of the most exciting underground producers and DJs today is Brit p-rallel. While we anxiously await his upcoming EP, we are treated with another collaboration between the artist and Kasien. The song is a jazzier affair, all the more charming and dark due to Kasien’s vocals. The saxophone riff and the meticulously precise arrangement make “Get Down” an incredibly hypnotic deep track that honestly deserves to become a mainstream hit. With the right “mix” this could break out in a big way if pushed right. Radio is dying for interesting arrangements like this!
L.A.-based electronic and indie-dance duo Phantoms (Kyle Kaplan & Vinnie Pergola) are back, this time teaming up with British singer-songwriter Jem Cooke for “Lay It All On Me.” At a time when most dance tracks seem to replicating each other, it’s a welcome change to hear the duo collaborate with Cooke (who is also a co-writer) and create a song about connecting despite the chaos. Given the current state of the world, the lyrics and the optimistic message are warmly welcomed. Sometimes you want to dance even in the darkness. Radio should take note!
We’ve been waiting quite patiently for Amber Mark’s full-length studio album debut Three Dimensions Deep to release. While the set includes our #1 pick from 2021 “Worth It,” the eclectic album features quite the variety of tracks that highlight the diversity of style and “dimensions” to Mark’s personality. While there are many winners (and a slew of singles ready to impact radio across different formats), the standout track on first listen for me is actually the album closer “Bliss.” The album cut feels current and could help Mark land that big Top 40 hit she rightfully deserves!
On the cusp…here are four more new releases we hope to see go far!
Listen To #HITSOFTOMORROW Playlist on Spotify!
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