Melissa Kacar

brat and it's completely differe nt but also still brat totally redefined the concept of a remix album. To top off the massive year Charli xcx had following the release BRAT , she took the concept of that album and every single song and completely transformed it into something brand new. It takes the idea that every song's concept, or even just song title, can have so many different lives that can be (and should be) explored further than just the original version of it. Many of the songs don't even feature a single lyric or melody from the original versions, but still find a way to expand and evolve the meaning behind each. Charli's approach to this project is as artful as it is groundbreaking and its long overdue for her to finally get her flowers. By embracing the reworking of concepts, Charli showcases the dynamic potential that exists within her music. "I think what's interesting about the remix album... is I was writing the original record when I was in ...

Tough" // Lana Del Rey & Quavo Lana Del Rey and Quavo teamed up for "Tough", a dreamy Americana summer anthem released right before the Fourth of July. It reminds me of something that could have been included on one of my all-time favorite albums by Lana,  Lust For Life , which is a sound I love to hear her channeling again. I also love the resilient message of the lyrics and the varied influences they draw from in this song. Their voices unexpectedly blend so well together and they truly make a great pair on this song. It's one of my favorite songs of the entire year so far, I love it so much and hope that we get more new music from Lana soon! "Juna" // Clairo I absolutely love every single song on Clairo 's latest release,  Charm , it flows together so beautifully into such a calming and transcending listening experience. "Juna" is definitely a highlight for me, it is such a sweet and simple jazzy song that feels like it could have been...

"Never Felt So Alone" // Labrinth & Billie Eilish Labrinth's new song, "Never Felt So Alone" was previewed in the second season of Euphoria and was now officially released as a single leading up to his newest album. It also has an uncredited Billie Eilish feature, which made such a powerful addition to the second half of the song. Labrinth and Billie are both immensely talented and creative geniuses when it comes to their music innovations, so this collaboration is the perfect match. I also loved their Coachella performance , the live version elevated all of the emotions of this song to a new level - Billie's vocals were particularly some of the best I have ever heard from her. "Chemical" // Post Malone I always love hearing Post Malone 's growth and evolution as an artist, "Chemical" is an upbeat pop song that I can see being a big hit this summer. His vocals are so strong and the chorus is infectious. It reminds me of some of...