Alas, Friday! That beautiful day signifies not only the end of the work week and the commencement of the weekend; it’s the day of new music, too. This week we bid fond farewells through song, whether it be BROCKHAMPTON’s final album or Gucci Mane’s tribute to Takeoff. It’s a week for nostalgia here at V. 

Let’s get into this week’s best releases:

“Brockhampton” by BROCKHAMPTON

With the saga of BROCKHAMPTON coming to an end, we must celebrate their legacy within the music industry. BROCKHAMPTON redefined what a boyband could be, mixing new-age rap with those classic tropes to create their sonic masterpieces. The group had to leave with a bang, dropping a surprise double album filled with raging beats and nostalgic lyrics. 

“One Night With the Valet” by Tennis

Indie duo Tennis is coming back for our hearts, having announced their sixth studio album and dropping a single for our listening pleasure. “One Night With the Valet” teems with those ‘80s synth-pop flairs that we know and love them for, but is mellowed down to create more emotional resonance. What a way to reenter the game. 

“Pistol” by Cigarettes After Sex

Let’s slow it down for a second. Cigarettes After Sex is infamous for their delicate indie staples, strumming low-fi guitars under poignant lyrics. “Pistol,” their first major release in two years, is another prime example. That sense of longing is so viscerally present: “You’ve been on my mind / And I’ll wastе my time / ‘Til you lift me off the floor / And love me again.”

“Letter to Takeoff” by Gucci Mane

After the passing of Takeoff earlier this month, much of the rap world was left to grieve. We all process in different ways and, for Gucci Mane, that medium is music. In his “Letter to Takeoff,” Gucci Mane formulates his feelings on the loss over a classic rap beat. It’s music to grieve, to love, to remember. 

“Nauseous” by Annie DiRusso

Annie DiRusso is single-handedly bringing back that raging rock sound. Bass-lines ring out with their power, and drum fills proliferate throughout her choruses. Plus, some lyrics that seem so fresh and true-to-form, it’s almost shocking. Revel in her voice as she screams “I cleaned my room for you!”

“Lip Service” by Cautious Clay

“I repeat myself like mysteries / Weren’t lucid dreams / We all writing our story.” It’s that kind of biting lyricism that makes a Cautious Clay song pop. He has a way of writing about loss and love that feels not only fresh and meaningful but grounded too. It’s mesmerizing. 

“Do you miss me?” by PinkPanthress

PinkPanthress is our next big R&B star on the rise. After her album to hell with it made waves back in 2021, PinkPanthress is quick to capitalize upon that virality with her new single “Do you miss me?” It’s infectious and gripping, reminding us of some of SZA’s best. 

“On The Run” by Kelela

After a three-year hiatus, we are finally getting new Kelela music. With singles “Washed Away” and “Happy Ending” providing a sonic backdrop for this new album cycle, “On The Run” seems to be her best yet. It’s so deeply soulful, quietly brilliant in its genius.

“do you really want to hurt me?” by Nessa Barrett

Nessa Barrett knows how to handle her emotions with grace, condensing her rage into a powerful statement. With the extended edition of her recent album young forever, Barrett rekindles that harrowing flame. “do you really want to hurt me?” is a highlight, with dissonant guitar lines providing a pressing sense of chaos. 

“Creme Brulee” by Cochise

Keep an eye out for Cochise. In a modern rap field where sounds begin to blur and tropes begin to feel overdrawn, Cochise is one of those artists reinventing the form. It has those classic rap staples that make tracks pop, but toys with the structure of a song in a creatively fascinating way. He’s doing something new.