One of TIDAL’s founding principles is that we do not rank creativity. To each their own, in terms of what constitutes a great song or makes one song “better” than another. However, each week there are a few tunes that really test our belief system, and we can’t help but elevate them above the thousand-plus tracks we’re pitched across genres. So keep checking this space on Fridays for a list of new songs that are sitting atop our own personal playlists. Maybe yours are different. That’s cool. After all, if you are part of the TIDAL family, your opinion matters and, also, you clearly have better taste in music than your friends. That’s one ranking we can make with certainty. - Tony Gervino
Rauw Alejandro
“GuabanSexxx”
One of the signs of a true music maverick is someone who can spark the change among their colleagues. With his 2021 single “Todo de Ti,” Rauw Alejandro created one of the best pop songs by a non-traditional pop artist. Fellow urban artists attempted to imitate Rauw but most failed. Now, with “GuabanSexxx,” the boricua entertainer steps firmly into his trippy tropical era. It’s a great way to enter the fall and keep hints of summer. We only hope this song creates better imitations. - Jesús Triviño Alarcón
Justin Bieber
SWAG II
Justin Bieber coming back with SWAG II is exactly the follow-up we didn’t know we needed. Dropping just two months after SWAG, this sequel doubles down on the confidence and nostalgia of the first album but feels sharper, bolder and way more fun. It’s Bieber leaning into the energy that first made us fall for him, while showing how much he’s grown. And can we talk about “I DO”? Hands down my favorite track. It’s catchy, sweet and just one of those songs you can’t shake. SWAG II is proof that Justin Bieber still has us hooked. - Amberliz Mateo
Cut and Run
“Anticipate This”
Chicago punkers Cut and Run came back after a two-decade hiatus. Their aim is to “prove that distortion is the best cure for a midlife crisis” and, based on their latest single, “Anticipate This,” I would argue they’re succeeding. Midwestern emo with a touch of poppy skate punk hooks. A midlife crisis can be a beautiful thing! - Christer Alexander Hansen
Drake, Julia Wolf and Yeat
“DOG HOUSE”
PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drake and Cash Cobain
“SOMEBODY LOVES ME PT. 2”
In less than a week, Drake released two singles for a rabid fan base awaiting his upcoming album, ICEMAN. “DOG HOUSE” opens with Julia Wolf’s haunting vocals, capturing the darker side of fame — “When they’re all searching for my body, I don’t know who they’ll find” — before the songs erupts into a high-octane trap beat where both Drake and Yeat shine. Drake slips in his trademark lyrical subliminals — “Shout out to her ex, he a crash out / Took too many pills, he a crash out” — while Yeat’s charged delivery amplifies the track’s intensity. On the other hand, “SOMEBODY LOVES ME PT. 2” offers a breezier, late-summer vibe. Cash Cobain’s feature rides atop his New York sexy drill inspired drums, giving the song a warm, melodic lift. Together, the singles hint at the duality of Drake’s direction for ICEMAN: one track dark, trap-driven and energetic, the other smoother and more melodic. Both are worth checking out now on New Arrivals: Hip-Hop and R&B. - Juan Navarro
Brian McMaster
“I Want to Start Healing”
Indie artist Brian McMaster has been carving out a space for himself with a steady stream of Upload releases, including his Spotlight track, “I Want to Start Healing.” The song captures the feeling of wanting to move forward while still carrying the weight of unresolved pain. What makes it resonate is the balance. McMaster pairs heavy emotion with a bright melody that offers listeners a sense of hope. You can find the track featured now on our Indie Circus playlist. - Tonya Nelson
Tortoise
“Layered Presence”
The quintessential post-rock band, Tortoise set the standard for how forward-thinking, genre-bending and far-reaching rock could sound in the ’90s, with landmark albums like Millions Now Living Will Never Die (’96) and TNT (’98). They defined a loosely connected scene stretching across Chicago, Montreal and Glasgow, yet never stopped evolving on their own terms. Now, nearly a decade after their last record, The Catastrophist, Tortoise return with new music. “Layered Presence” is the lead single from their forthcoming album, Touch (out November 11 on streaming).
Now that Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire and Jeff Parker are scattered between Los Angeles, Portland and Chicago, the band approached this record with more deliberate, disciplined sessions — without sacrificing the intuition and collaborative spark that has always fueled their music. “Layered Presence” may only run a little over three minutes, but it’s a vivid reminder that Tortoise’s singular blend of jazz, electronica, krautrock and prog remains as vital as ever, and that their sonic horizons are still expanding. - Bjørn Hammershaug
Yukimi
“Get It Over”
Little Dragon vocalist Yukimi follows up her beautiful solo album from March with a stand-alone single, “Get It Over.” It’s a weird, thumping, piano-and-acoustic-guitar-filled earworm that asks, “Am I too stoned, too small, too sad to get it over?” One can only hope this means there’s a new album on the way. - Brad Farberman
