D'Angelo and The Vanguard - Black Messiah

After 15 years of studio album silence, D'Angelo returns with a fantastic comeback record.

FKA Twigs - "Video Girl"

FKA Twigs drops some black & white visuals for the track "Video Girl," which is one of many cuts off her stellar debut album LP1. Kudos to Kahlil Joseph on directing this thing, because it's as gorgeous as it is unsettling. We're essentially given images of what looks like an execution about to take place, and Twigs' absolutely strange dance moves bring a certain surrealism to the situation. Am I to guess she is the victim of this death row inmate, and this is her ghost observing his final moments? Maybe! I think I just impressed myself for a second there. Rather than risk sounding like a completely conceded moron, I'll stop here.

PartyNextDoor - Two

PartyNextDoor's sophomore release is yet another piece of bottom-barrel R&B.

Big K.R.I.T. - "Pay Attention" ft. Rico Love

Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T. drops a new single from this forthcoming album Cadillactica. After tracks like this and "Mt. Olympus," I have to admit, I'm pretty excited for this album. It seems K.R.I.T. is finally finding that sweet spot between honing a commercial sound and still impressing as an MC.

"Pay Attention" is a sweet, sensual slow-jam, featuring a great hook from Rico Love. This might not be the kind of sound K.R.I.T.'s fans expect--or even seek out--but it's pulled off well. It's been a while since I've thought a track in this style was this tasteful. Kudos to K.R.I.T. on this one, and keep and ear out for the Cadillactica release date.

Sia - "Big Girls Cry"

Golden-haired pop songstress Sia drops yet another song from her forthcoming record, 1000 Forms of Fear. It's dropping July 8th.

Usher - "Good Kisser"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lQtoRFaLsA Well, here's an unforeseen development: Usher just earlier this month dropped one of the hottest songs of his career. Immediately distinguishing "Good Kisser" as such a killer track is its beat - underlying the verses is a simple yet funky bass and drum kit groove. Frankly, it's a pretty organic-sounding instrumental for a piece of radio-pop. Moreover, Usher's voice here is just incredibly commanding and soulful; his adept falsetto leading into a staggeringly grand refrain. It's great to hear him achieving these new passionate heights, especially at this point in his career.

Funky, soulful, largely organic, and as tasteful as a song about oral sex ought to be, "Good Kisser" is a truly great pop tune. If Usher's gonna be turning out earworms like this, maybe losing your SO to him wouldn't be such an unbearably embarrassing thing ... Nah, of course it still would be.

Chet Faker - Built On Glass

Chet Faker brings together a few decent songs and instrumentals on this debut album of his, and while he's a capable producer, he falls horrifically short as a singer, in my opinion.

SZA - Z ft. Cakes Da Killa

It pains me to say it, but I don't care for this new SZA record at all. Not just because some of the tunes are unmemorable, but her own vocal guests just step all over her and these songs.