THE FRIDAY ROTATION | JULY 31ST: THIS WEEK’S TOP 3 ESSENTIAL TRACKS
THE FRIDAY ROTATION | JULY 31ST: The midsummer release slate is operating at peak performance, delivering some of the most critical artistic statements of the entire year.
While our full, exhaustive breakdown of the week’s new studio albums is live across the site, we have unlocked the three absolute mandatory tracks you need to lock into your rotation immediately.
From monumental UK R&B link-ups to heavyweight street reporting and global Afrobeats anthems, here is the heat you cannot afford to miss this weekend.
1. Odeal ft. Jorja Smith – ‘Coming Home’
A breathtaking, powerhouse collaboration for the UK scene. To celebrate the arrival of his stunning new project For A Good Time…, Odeal links up with Jorja Smith for ‘Coming Home’, a sultry, late-night R&B masterpiece. Both vocalists deliver rich, weightless harmonies over a warm, slow-burning instrumental that captures the raw emotional weight of returning to love.
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Sonics: Sultry, late-night R&B baselines layered beneath immaculate, texturally dense duet vocal arrangements.
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Where to watch: Watch the official music video on YouTube
2. Headie One – ‘Turnt To A Target’
The Tottenham heavyweight returns with an absolute clinic in street reporting. Driven by a dark, thumping production, Headie One commands the mic with his signature, precise delivery and uncompromised realism, reflecting on the heavy pressures that come with dominance at the top.
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Sonics: Dark, brooding 808 bass pressure underpinned by crisp, clinical UK rap percussion.
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Where to watch: Watch the official music video on YouTube
3. BNXN & Asake – ‘Eja Meja’
When two of Nigeria’s most gifted melodic hitmakers connect, instant magic follows. ‘Eja Meja’ layers BNXN’s smooth, satiny hooks alongside Asake’s infectious, high-vibrational energy, creating a mid-tempo Afro-fusion anthem built for global summer rotation.
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Sonics: Clean, fast-paced Afro-fusion rhythms mixed with driving synth accents and bright baseline pockets.
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Where to watch: Watch the official music video on YouTube
Full list of the week’s new music on Substack.
Check out last week’s 3 selects here.
