New Release Radar: Four Tet, PinkPantheress & More

New Music Friday is something I look forward to each week. So much so, that I have started a series highlighting new releases. I’ve put together an especially eclectic list this time, everything from Four Tet to Beyoncé. Overall, it was a great week for collabs. Let’s dive into my top 5 favorites of the week to close out this hazy summer.

“Belize” – Danger Mouse, Black Thought, MF DOOM

For one, Danger Mouse released his new album with Black Thought, featuring a rare posthumous DOOM feature–the first track featuring the trio since “Mad Nice” off the 2005 DANGERDOOM collaborative album, THE MOUSE & THE MASK. It’s an anachronistic beat that feels plucked straight from The Doors’ back catalogue. Minimal, yet grand. No stranger to sample-digging, Danger Mouse provides both powerhouses ample space to shine with this selection. Both bombard us with the mind-meltingly complex rhyme schemes they’re known for. Check it out here.

“Picture in my mind” – PinkPantheress, Sam Gellaitry

The latest from pop sensation PinkPantheress, “Picture in my mind” features production credits from Sam Gellaitry, an old favorite of mine. He provides a groovy, key-led house beat that came as a pleasant surprise as I scrolled through my Radar. Blowing up on TikTok within the last couple years, PinkPantheress has made a name for herself spearheading contemporary pop music’s return to UK garage and jungle influences. Even the video kindles a similar nostalgia, featuring actors wandering around a crowded, old laundromat in stylish, vintage clothing.

“Mango Feedback” – Four Tet

There’s something so distinctive about Four Tet, and it certainly shines through in this first track of his new single. Maybe it’s his signature chopped-up string samples that evoke paradise between the bass kicks of the four-on-the-floor beat. It could be his mysterious online presence that stirs house-heads in bulk in his intermittent post announcements. What is known is that the producer has operated under the Four Tet moniker since 1998, and he is still a force to be reckoned with to this day. If you get the chance, make sure to catch one of the NYC producer’s sought-after DJ sets, in which he spins every genre you could think of. An absolute must-see.

“Lobetrotter” – Emancipator, Lapa

Both Emancipator and Lapa are known for their malleability in their output, drawing influence from the likes of trip-hop and house music to craft blissful downtempo tracks. On this track, we get a bit of the latter genre. Twinkling guitar strings bring in a cloudy deep-house beat that feels reminiscent of both artist’s styles, yet something new entirely. The second single from their forthcoming collaborative album, “Lobetrotter” makes me excited to see the way their vision fleshes out in the rest of the project. Stay tuned for that.

“Make Me Say It Again, Girl” – Ronald Isley, The Isley Brothers, Beyoncé

Fresh off the release of her revolutionary new record, Renaissance, Beyoncé graces us with an unexpected duet of “Make Me Say It Again, Girl,” with Ronald Isley himself. At first, I couldn’t stop thinking how Isley sounds better than ever. Though I later found out his vocals are from the original 1975 recording, the call-and-response is seamless, and to say the pair have anything less than stellar chemistry is a disservice. 2022 Beyoncé is in peak form, showcasing her versatility in dropping a wonderful album of disco-house bangers, then pivoting to lend vocals to a timeless soul classic.

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