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Check out new tracks from bbno$, Arooj Aftab, Sports Team, Dizzy Fae, Sleater-Kinney and Coldplay

The Current: Music You Should Know
The Current: Music You Should KnowMPR graphic

by Jade

May 13, 2021

In this week's new-music playlist, meet an artist from Vancouver by way of Armenia, and a composer from Brooklyn by way of Pakistan. Also catch up with Sports Team, Sleater-Kinney and Coldplay, as well as with Minnesota artist Dizzee Fae.

bbno$, "Help Herself"


bbno$, the Canadian-Armenian rapper, singer and songwriter from Vancouver, British Columbia, has the mumblecore thing down. His single, "Help Herself," covers a relationship that probably shouldn't happen. It rides that fine line between rap and emo with some chillwave instrumentation.

Arooj Aftab, "Mohabbat"


Brooklyn-based Pakistani composer Arooj Aftab creates beautiful music. Her third album, Vulture Prince, sees Aftab, "revisiting places that don't necessarily exist anymore. It's about people, friendships, relationships — some relationships that were unexpectedly short term, and how to deal with that." Aftab's younger brother died while she was writing the album, and she dedicated the album to his memory. "Mohabbat" keeps everything simple and is all the more moving because of it.

Sports Team, "Happy (God's Own Country)"


As soon as the new Sports Team song "Happy (God's Own Country)" came on, I was suddenly awake. The U.K. band has a youthful joie de vivre that is a shot of adrenaline to help bust you out of any funk.

Dizzy Fae, "Body Move"


According to all reports, people are going to go wild this summer once they are allowed to be around each other again. With that in mind, Minnesota artist Dizzy Fae is ready to be the ambassador of summertime fun. Paper magazine described it as "weirdo club anthems for post-vaxx partying" and they are exactly right.

Sleater-Kinney, "Worry With You"


After a big shakeup, Sleater-Kinney are back officially as a duo of Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein. The two spent quarantine writing and recording their new record Path of Wellness. "Worry with You" covers a lot of ground in three minutes, showing off a back-to-basics approach (after a more glossy last album produced by St. Vincent) with fuzz, feedback and grit.

Coldplay, "Higher Power"


The British band helped open the BRIT Awards by playing their new song "Higher Power." At this point in their career, they seem to know what will work best for their big-stadium shows and the sort of sound that transfers from the TV to the homes of their fans. It's a simmering confection full of uplifting lyrics.

Playlist