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HEAT OF THE WEEK: MAY 7

Acclaim's favourite new tracks from home and around the world. New music from Saweetie, Isaiah Rashad, Don Toliver, REMI and more!

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Weekly updates


Welcome to Acclaim Magazine’s Heat of the Week. Here are our picks for the best new local and international releases — Don’t forget to follow our Spotify playlist too, it’s updated every Friday.

01. Saweetie - Fast (Motion)

Saweetie is channelling the party-ready legacies of Missy Elliot and Gangsta Boo on this new joint. Over the swift propelling of straight-forward instrumental that sounds like a mixture of Lil Jon and DJ Mustard, Saweetie thrives in a stern flow, rich with flex-heavy bars. It’s another example of why Saweetie’s rapid rise to the limelight has been nothing less than satisfying.

02. Isaiah Rashad - Lay Wit Ya ft. Duke Deuce

After five years of musical silence, with fans craving his long-anticipated album The House Is Burning and broken up only by last year’s single ‘Why Worry’, Isaiah Rashad has finally delivered a first single that is sure to defy expectations. Isaiah links up with fellow Tennessee native Duke Deuce for a bleak banger that pays unmistakable homage to their home state heroes Three 6 Mafia.

Far from the breezy melodic vibes or the tortured introspection of much of his past work, Isaiah is embracing his debaucherous side here. He leans into the creepy atmosphere created by the beat’s haunted music box sample with his unusual vocal delivery, and Duke Deuce provides the crunk energy like only he knows how. It culminates in a song that sounds made to be listened to while lurking and/or mobbing around a cemetery at 4 in the morning. He leaves us with a lot of questions about where his album is headed but makes one thing clear: he’s not scared to switch up the formula.

03. REMI - The Times ft. Tyler Daly

Today, super duo Remi and Sensible J released their final album as REMI titled Fried. An immediate standout is the lush, soulful cut ‘The Times’. Over J’s warm bass tones, mellow key chords, expansive synths, and drum patterns that drive an undeniable groove, Remi reflects on his struggles and battles with the inner monologue of the mind, using his smooth cadence and rapid flows as a device for expression. UK vocalist Tyler Daley pops up as a feature here, summarising the song perfectly as he soulfully croons, “I just can’t run from the times.”

While it’s inevitable we will miss the presence of Remi and Sensible J’s chemistry in the Australian hip-hop scene, their final collection of tracks serve as a gratifying, immersive conclusion.

04. Day1 - King Of My City

Day1 is repping for the city of Brisbane on this new track; as the title suggests, it sounds like royalty. The Maori-Australian blends his signature melodies with ear-catching trap-influenced flows, as his lyrics gleam with hometown pride and the importance of repping where you come from. Supporting each bar is an instrumental rich in atmosphere that pairs vocal samples, guitars, keys, and heavy 808s, bringing the track into anthem territory.

05. Buddy - Shit Don’t Feel Right

‘Shit Don’t Feel Right’ was created for the second season of Epix’s TV Show Godfather of Harlem, and finds Buddy channelling the energy of 1960’s gangster Bumpy Johnson, who the series is based upon. The result is a whole new vibe for the Compton rapper, who finds his versatile raps and melodies over reverberated guitars, murmuring pianos, and vocal samples that feel reminiscent of walking through the Harlem streets. The dramatic tone of the song fits hand-in-hand with the crime show and is a testament to Buddy’s ability to be a musical chameleon.

06. Nerve & JK-47 - One In A Million

Following their fan-favourite dish ‘Sunday Roast’ from back in 2019, Nerve and JK-47 link up once again for a new buffet of bars. The track is a motivational call to arms, imploring that you can thrive outside the systematic boxes of life and find purpose in the act of putting your heart and soul into what you love. This theme is evident in both rapper’s respective flows, as they excel over the plucking brass-like sounds and bellowing bass of the instrumental. While the roast is still tasty, ‘One in a Million’ is a different level, Michelin-star course.

07. Don Toliver - What You Need

Don Toliver’s latest single is an atmospheric dose of the psychedelic trap flavours he, alongside his labelmates on Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack label, has become known for. Producers Corbett and Hit-Boy provide a mountain range of synth soundscapes for Don to hike through, reaching a new summit every time he hits a high note with his warbly melodies, which often coincide with lyrics that tell the narrative of an intoxicating love story. This track is expected to appear on his forthcoming album, which drops very soon.

08. Youngn Lipz - Spaceship

Youngn Lipz enters the orbit of happiness and good times on this new track, ‘Spaceship’. Throughout the song, the inflections of his croons soar with vibrancy, perfectly matched by acoustic guitars and snappy percussion courtesy of producer Colcci. It’s set to appear on Lipz’s upcoming debut project Area Baby, slated to drop sometime this year.

09. Cochise - MURI/KAMI

Cochise’s ‘MURI/KAMI’ is reminiscent of the artist it pays homage to; bright, vibrant, colourful, and outside the box. The first half of the song feels like a collection of music from a Monster Hunter game set to the tempo of an 808, before using an orchestra of synths to transition into a more minimalist beat switch up. However, the Florida rapper continues floating with high-pitched, effortless melodies as if he was taking his time to embrace the scenery around him. Tracks like this are why Cochise is a prospect you should keep your eye on in 2021.

010. Church & AP - THESHINING

‘THESHINING’ may not be a reference to the Stanley Kubrick, Stephen King classic of the same name, but here’s Church & AP, providing a level of rap excellence that’s almost as scary. The production from Dera Meelan on this one winds through eerie sounds and crushing drums reminiscent of the labyrinth at the Overlook Hotel, which eventually escapes to a New York stoop on the latter end with some vintage scratch work. Over the top, Church & AP intricately trade verse rich in swagger, witty wordplay, and creative flows. This single ain’t a horror, but it certainly is a movie.