New Music Report: Expert Picks - Week of December 18th

Camila Cabello

There has been a lot of great new music released over the last few weeks. You can find out what was released this weekend in our New Music Report, but take a look at what we've been listening to lately. Our editors Nicole and Isha have shared some of their Expert Picks for the week. Check it out below.

Nicole's Picks:

Camila Cabello & Grey - "Crown"

Life is extremely exciting for Camila Cabello right now, and if you're a Camilizer, it is truly a time to be alive. Not only did she announce that her debut album, Camila, will officially released next month, but the 20-year-old gave fans TWO new songs from the record. On top of that fans also have another new song from Camila called "Crown," a collaboration with production duo Grey. "Crown" is part of Bright: The Album (the soundtrack for Netflix's Bright film starring Will Smith), and features Camila's unmistakeable vocals with production from Grey. What I love the most about this song are the lyrics, especially in the chorus, Camila sings, "I’m running for the crown/Running for the crown/So hit me on, hit me on my bones/When I'm sitting on, I'm sitting on my throne."

Me after listening to this song: 👸🏼👑👸🏼👑👸🏼👑👸🏼

Cash Cash & Dashboard Confessional - "Belong"

In my college years, when "Hands Down" was my favorite song, if you told me that I'd be listening to Dashboard Confessional on an EDM song, I would have been floored. But, here we are in 2017. Chris Carrabba and crew have teamed up with dance music trio Cash Cash on a brand new song called "Belong," and it definitely belongs on your playlist. "Belong" is the perfect blend of dance/pop production from Cash Cash and romantic lyrics from Dashboard. "'Cause you, you belong with me/And I belong with you," Carrabba sings in the chorus (*melts into a puddle of feels*). The song is featured on the track listing for Dashboard's upcoming album Crooked Shadows -- the band's first full-length release in eight years.

Follow Nicole on Twitter: @NicoleMastr0

James' Picks:

Charli XCX - "Unlock It" featuring Kim Petras and Jay Park

Charli XCX released a new POP 2 offering to savor prior to the release of the mixtape and the shimmering cut called "Unlock It" featuring rising singer Kim Petras and K-Pop rapper Jay Park was an appropriate appetizer to the set. After dropping her Tove Lo and ALMA-assisted "Out Of My Head," the British pop star unleashes the pop cut and it's the effort of her time with producers A. G. Cook and Life Sim. On the four-minute synth-heavy track, Charli finds a middle ground between her signature style and some mainstream sensibility, and, let's just say that the final product delivers to sparkly ends. "Rollercoaster ride in the fast lane/ Got the roof down/ Kiss me hard in the rain/ You got the candy-colored eyes/ Pink and gold chain/ Million dollar babe/ Whip it out, like I'm propane," she sing-talks during the hook. 

The Bellas - "Toxic"

The Bellas are back with Pitch Perfect 3 and for the third installment of the pop franchise, they’ve decided to cover Britney Spears’ gem, “Toxic.” Similar to the Bloodshy & Avant-produced original, the three-and-a-half-minute cover is a wild ride, with plenty of harmonizing, background instrumentation fill-in, courtesy of the group’s vocals, and, of course, a catchy melody. Make sure you check out the rest of the soundtrack, which includes covers of Sia’s “Cheap Thrills,” DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean” and even a new collaboration from Iggy Azalea and Zedd called “Boom Boom.” 

Follow James on Twitter: @newyorkinstinct

Isha's Picks

Eminem featuring PHresher – "Chloraseptic"

“Chloraseptic” is a cut from Eminem’s REVIVAL album and it features Brooklyn rapper Phresher. On this track, Em raps about his frustrations with mumble rappers. In so many words – literally – the rapper spits circles around these artists and shows them the rap that he’s about. The name of the song alone illustrates this. Em is saying that “Chloraseptic” is needed as a throat medicine to cure mumble rappers, so they can finally be able to actually rap. SHADDEEEE.

“The hip with hop, still on point and poignant/ Skilled as Floyd is/ In this field, and still no filter, boy,” Eminem spits. “I'll put you in your place (yeah) like a realtor, boy/ You still ain't in the building, boy/ I will destroy shit, even as I build it/ Get the drill bit, pen is filled with poison/ Which is the source, easy to still pinpoint it.”

A$AP Ferg featuring Nicki Minaj - "Plain Jane (Remix)"

A$AP Ferg blessed the streets with a “Plain Jane (Remix)” featuring Nicki Minaj and we weren’t ready. The song has already been hard, since the MOB artist dropped the original verse in the summer. But, this remix with Minaj completely blew us away. We’re glad to say that the Queens rapper went in with her verse and was back in rare, hardcore New York form for this one. “Ride with Minaj, Mmmmashallah/ Check in with me, then do ya job/ Queen is the name, Rafeallo did the chain," she raps, before rapping, “I go hard in the booth/ Biggie vibes, gimme the loot." Our edges weren’t prepared.

Follow Isha on Twitter: @IshaThorpe


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