Listen Tracks: JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown, Lana Del Rey, The Chemical Brothers and more

As the lead single from a collaborative album from JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown, ‘Scaring The Hoes Vol. 1’, ‘Lean Beef Patty’ (which takes its title from a thirst-trapping TikTok fitness content creator) is activated by a crunchy, chipmunked sample of P. Diddy’s bouncy R&B classic ‘I Need a Girl, Pt. 2’ quickly layered with throbbing, highly syncopated percussive synths while Peggy’s “It’s fuck you unless you fuck with me” mentality has him jabbing at Lil Yachty and Drake while his right hook winds up to take bigger swings at Elon Musk and Ye. The track blazes onwards, not towards catharsis but round and round in an extended space of ecstasy as the song melts into a furious breakbeat, where the admixture of Danny Brown’s ambiguous and pithy trill-rap fits seamlessly over JPEG’s destructive soundscape, something which would swallow up an even slightly less-frantic artist. (Bryson Edward Howe)

With her ninth studio album due next week, Lana Del Rey’s recent singles have generated intrigue. Third offering and album opener ‘The Grants’ sees Lana treading new ground musically and thematically. There are hues of neo-soul in its opening minute as a trio of backing singers harmonise before the track shifts into a sweeping piano ballad. She pairs her trademark honeyed vocals with a melancholy instrumental in this poignant tribute to her family. (Sarah Taylor)

Released as the outfit gear up for their slot at next month’s Coachella, The Chemical Brothers’ first new material since 2021’s ‘The Darkness That You Fear’ is exactly the kind of hypnotic paean to nihilism the summer’s festival fields and small-hours sweaty tents will be after. As sonically pummelling as the Brothers have led us to expect, its sampled message of “We have no reason to live / We have no reason at all” loops around in a hypnotic trance. (Bella Martin)

Featuring her intimate vocals against a breezy backdrop, ‘In My Own Time’, the third single from Fenne Lily’s upcoming third album, ‘The Big Picture’, is a track that is beautiful and delicate. With sharp lyricism, the song builds up to an endearing final message: “Write me a love song, make it all rhyme / Hold me up sometimes, we’ll be fine”. (Katie Macbeth)

There’s something wonderful in vivid storytelling that gives absolutely nothing of its premise away. The titular ‘Ribbons’ of Ryan Beatty’s latest are poetically-described tears (“Driving with the headlights off / Ribbons running through your face”), but other than the whole of the Golden State, this lusciously-woven tale with nary structure nor lyrical conclusion and yet a ton of emotional rawness (“It’s brave to be nothing to no one at all” a heck of a line) is mysterious in all the best ways. (Bella Martin)

A song about being gentle with yourself, ‘MF Bassline’ is Will Joseph Cook exploring self love in his own words. Using his signature concoction of hip hop-inflected indie pop, ‘MF Bassline’ utilises a softer, sultry chorus sitting alongside small creative bursts of spoken word. Accompanied by a prominent singular recurring beat, the track comes layered above swipes of guitar and a slight smattering of jazz-inspired keys. A musical treat wrapped up in a precise production process, ‘MF Bassline’ is one suited to the calmer moments in life. (Faith Martin)

Temples are the sort of band that have a niche - prismatic, richly melodic psych - that lends itself to subtle tweaks rather than giant leaps in sound. In other words, after a decade in the game, the Kettering quartet aren’t about to go making a hyperpop record. What they have managed with latest single ‘Afterlife’, however, is to inject a more modern slant - largely thanks to some early Bloc Party-style drumming - into the mellifluous mix. It’s not rewriting their own rulebook, but maybe adding a couple of extra lines to the tenets. (Lisa Wright)

The third single from The Lemon Twigs’ upcoming ‘Everything Harmony’ is a sugary escape with retro sounds and angelic pitch. Primarily a track about the disengagement between the brain and perception of self, ‘In My Head’ uses a simple melody, heightened with the use of a catchy chorus that swirls around after just one listen. The song manages to evoke mental imagery of bright orange sunsets and ’70s sheer blouses despite its rather more meaningful, darker lyricism. (Faith Martin)"

Tags: JPEGMAFIA, Listen, Features, Tracks