Welcome to another instalment of Biff Bam Pop’s What’s Going On! As the musical landscape continues to evolve with so many new releases, we’re here to keep you up on the latest and the greatest that deserve a place on your personal playlists. Grab your headphones, turn up the volume, and let’s dive into the hottest tracks that have been making waves in the world of music. As always, if you dig what you hear, be sure to stream and follow the artists.
WhyTek – Producers WhyTek are stepping into the spotlight with their new single “Saxo.” Built around a sample of the horns from Alexandra Stan’s global dance smash “Mr. Saxobeat” and featuring the rapid-fire raps of North London rapper Tion Wayne, “Saxo” is sure to get the parties going on that side of the Atlantic and hopefully cross over here as well. If WhyTek are new to you, the pair consisting of WhyJay & LiTek are best known for producing viral rapper Central Cee’s smash hit “Doja” and “Fly Girl” featuring Missy Elliott for British trio FLO.
Photo credit: Liam Heeley
Listen to WhyTek’s new single “Saxo” ft. Tion Wayne below.
Chxrry22 – Rising Toronto singing sensation Chxrry22 is out now with “MORE.” Walking the line between ethereal and declarative, “MORE” stands out as one of the most sonically interesting releases of the week. The XO Records artist’s airy vocals draw listeners in and keeps them captivated throughout the Sensei Bueno (Snoh Aalegra), Matt Cohn (The Weeknd), Jacob Olofsson (Frank Ocean), and Jonah Christian (Normani, Tems, Foushée) co-produced quasi-empowerment anthem. Explaining what her new single is all about, Chxrry22 states: “MORE is about shamelessly expressing what you want out of a situation and not feeling bad about it – not settling and not wasting time. It [MORE] sets the tone for the new music that I have coming.”
Listen to Chxrry22’s new single “MORE” below.
Lyan Paris – Alternative pop-rap duo Lyan Paris are stripping things down on their latest release, an acoustic version of their single “We’re OK,” out now via Universal Music Canada. Luke Marshall and Ryan Goulding (Luke + Ryan = Lyan), Toronto-based childhood best friends, seamlessly fuse elements of pop sensibility and rap rhythms, further showcasing their knack for pushing musical boundaries. In keeping with the current musical climate, the pair also released a sped-up and a reverb-heavy slowed-down version of “We’re OK”, but it’s the acoustic rendition that shines as a testament of what the young pair are capable of.
Listen to the acoustic version of Lyan Paris’ “We’re OK” below.
Roosevelt – German songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Roosevelt wants to give people a message of hope with his new single “Rising.” A departure from the disco and funk throwback feel of his most recent previous singles, “Rising” is rooted in modern electronica. The euphoric track comes together with Roosevelt’s smooth vocal delivery encouraging listeners to be optimistic and rise up. You can get more Roosevelt soon as his new album Embrace is due out September 22nd via Counter Records/Ninja Tune. Roosevelt is also hitting the road on a headlining North American tour kicking off on September 21st in Santa Ana, CA.
Listen to Roosevelt’s new single “Rising” below.
Zac Farro’s halfnoise – Paramore drummer Zac Farro just released one of the grooviest songs of the summer. Out now via Nashville artist collective Congrats Records, “Cool Cat” is undeniably seductive and endlessly listenable. The retro-soaked indie-pop track is the latest taste of what we can expect from the new halfnoise album that’s in the works. We’ll keep you posted on that in the months to come. What is a “Cool Cat” to Zac Farro? He says: “With ‘Cool Cat’ I am describing someone who effortlessly goes about life. A person completely themselves and everyone around them admires them for that. Marching to the beat of their own drum. It’s one of the songs on the new album that makes you want to groove and live in it for a while.” Can’t argue with that!
Listen to Zac Farro’s halfnoise’s new single “Cool Cat” below.
