Hello and welcome! Is this heat killing you (the way it’s killing me, good god, help)? Do you need something, anything really, to provide you the sweet, sweet respite you’ve always desired? Then welcome to V’s new music round-up, where we tune you into some of the week’s biggest and best releases, whether they be singles or albums. Will we cool you off? No, but we at least ARE cool! (I’ll see myself out)

Here are this week’s top picks:

F*CK LOVE 3: OVER YOU by The Kid LAROI

The third installment in the “love sucks” saga for LAROI is more of a sobering one, although you wouldn’t be able to tell right off the bat. It’s in the little nuances, like the fact that the song titles aren’t capitalized in this one, or that he’s acknowledging some of his own faults as well. Like with the previous sets, it’s very much brimming with standard rap tracks with your average trap percussion loop. But when it hits, with the opening half of “Still Chose You” and the Justin Bieber-assisted “Stay,” it hits very, very well.

“INDUSTRY BABY” by Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow

It’s easy to forget that Lil Nas X is a rapper, sometimes, because he so frequently straddles the line between hip-hop and pop without really committing to one or the other. He decides to go full throttle on the rap with his newest track, which, unfortunately, falls in too deep, ending up sounding too similar to several tracks on the rap charts now. However, it does feature some of his usual theatrics, like the marching drums and the horn loops, that elevate it enough to at least merit as quirky and cool as a Lil Nas X track.

“Don’t Go Yet” by Camila Cabello

Camila Cabello has given us the Spanish influence in tracks before, but hasn’t leaned into it as heavily as she does with this newest single of hers (which makes sense given what she’s said about the upcoming album). “Don’t Go Yet” is a fun and effusive track that blends romance with a little bit of flair, the kind of song that acts as the life of the party. It’s good to experience a jubilant side of Camila’s we don’t see often.

“Coloratura” by Coldplay

Only Coldplay, in this day and age, would think, “let’s make a track that’s over ten minutes long,” and still, somehow, through some work of god himself, be able to pull it off. The band has clearly mastered the art of creating a specific atmosphere and mood throughout their music that clearly comes through on “Coloratura,” almost operatic or orchestral or whimsical in its approach. You may not have it on repeat, but it’s definitely a worthy one time listen.

“Stoned at the Nail Salon” by Lorde

“Stoned at the Nail Salon” might be one of Lorde’s most adventurous tracks yet, while also being one of her most understated. She’s speaking to her own feelings of dread and worry without generalizing it to a generation, a more open introspection of the singer set over an indie folk pop beat and soothing bass reminiscent of Lana Del Rey and Clairo at the same time.

“New Normal” by Khalid

Seeing that Khalid mentioned this song was inspired by the quarantine, it’s a fittingly dreamy, introspective song that fits the mood, and hits his voice. He gets to croon in the choral background and explore the facets of his range without going in too hard on one end or the other. It’s one of those tracks that envelopes you in its production and has you feeling comforted, which in this pandemic, is a major accomplishment.

“Lifetime” by Swedish House Mafia with Ty Dolla $ign and 070 Shake

Not only did they drop their first single in nine years last week, but they decided to keep it up by releasing another one this week! Incredulousness aside, this is another track from them just packed to the brim with energy and cementing the fact that Swedish House Mafia may be here to stay. Can they keep their hot streak going? Well, if they keep packing in the bangers like these, then don’t you worry, child.

“Toa La Noche” by CNCO

The group’s first song since Joel Pimentel’s departure leans heavily into the kind of reggaeton flair that contemporaries like Bad Bunny and J Balvin have been proficient at, bringing their own boy band energy. They tread the balance between being earnest and too cool for school, trappings that boy bands quite often fall into. They’re just as seamless as ever, and this proves that losing one of their own doesn’t seem like it’ll spell the end.

“Oh!” by The Linda Lindas

The Linda Lindas rock so hard that it’s disturbingly good. With each chant of “OH!” it just makes you want to scream it out with them. It’s extremely evocative of the rock leaning into pop girl bands of the 80s, like the Bangles and the Runaways and the Go-Gos, but they don’t make any overt efforts to modernize or produce their sound for the 2020s. What we end up with is a bit of nostalgia-driven hard candy that rocks effortlessly and timelessly.

“Say What You Will” by James Blake

“Say What You Will” is one of those all-encompassing songs that takes you through several different journeys. It starts out slow, then picks up, then breaks down for a gospel vocal serenade, then picks back up. It’s really a cavalcade of different moods and emotions, something signature to many James Blake songs, but nothing quite the stretches the limit quite like this one.

“Bounce” by DanteThePoet

Where Coldplay went the full ten minutes, DanteThePoet said “hold the phone” and went under the two minute mark. It’s pretty much all you need for the track to make its mark, though, and it certainly lives up to its name. The word “bounce” certainly becomes a such feature on the track that maybe, just maybe, it’ll make you bounce yourself.

“Psycho” by Dixie ft. Rubi Rose

It’s fitting that Dixie was the one to take control of this song, since it’s pretty much bursting at the seams to become a TikTok trend. It’s a definite big upgrade over her past work, now what Dixie really needs to figure out is a lane that she wants to walk in. And if the plan isn’t to stick to one at all, she needs more commitment, more passion, enough to firmly establish herself as a force beyond social media. The ingredients are there, we just need to figure out the recipe.