MIA focuses on fame and 7 more songs

It’s a little hard to tell whether MIA is spearheading social media culture’s self-involvement on “Popular” or whether she’s competing for a TikTok hit herself — but hey, who says you can’t have it both ways? “Love me like I love me, love me,” she says, as the skittish but thoroughly hypnotic beat (from producers Boaz of the Beats and Diplo) lulls the listener to nod to sleep. ZOLADZ

A concept song about the revival of anti-pop attitudes rendered with the drought of 1990s alt-rock, delivered by a singer whose breakthrough came through a record label initiated TikTok. It’s a catchy eye-roll that’s an ouroboros of TikTok tangled hype-cycle collapse, merging microtrend and backlash into one. CARAMANICA

Willow, ‘float like a goddess’

“Hover Like a Goddess”, from the upcoming album ““, is further proof that Willow has finally found her way into the space where bouncy pop-punk and anxious emo-rock meet. “I’ll never be okay if you’re not mine,” she sings with pent-up intensity amid of a number of other lustful confessions (“Just meet me under the covers/Baby, I wish”), before the song suddenly turns into a dreamy musing. That bliss is fleeting, however, and with the next verse Willow is thrown back just as quickly in her endearingly terrifying reality

Yeah Yeah Yeahs unexpectedly interpolate Frankie Valli and the 1967 Four Seasons version of “Beggin'” for their fiery new single “Burning”, from their upcoming album “Cool It Down”, extending the original’s sense of romantic despair. to a greater and more ominous conflagration. Nick Zinner’s guitar riff winds through the song like a burning fuse as Karen O sings devilish come-ons like, “Put your red hand on me when I go.” The whole thing is a bit retro and a bit neo-apocalyptic. ZOLADZ

As the title suggests, this is simply a series of intense, chewy Nicki Minaj raps about Rick James’ “Super Freak,” a combination so obvious and winningly effervescent that it’s shocking it didn’t exist yet. CARAMANICA

Ice Spice, “Munch (Feelin’ U)”

Few things have a better mouthfeel than a fresh slice of jargon. The way the lips, teeth and tongue twist to form a word as the neural pathways connect that word to a new concept – it’s stimulating. So it goes with “Munch (Feelin’ U)” by Bronx drill-rapper Ice Spice, who received a boost last week after a hug from Drake. In a frenzied genre, she’s a low-key rapper, which is part of what makes this song so icy – the beat is skittish and foreboding, but Ice Spice sounds peaceful. She rhymes quickly, but also calm and a little dismissive, probably because of the subject. That would be a man who might be useful in some ways, but who is easily fired – someone on duty, but hardly in need. He’s good at one thing, and when that’s done, not much else – he’s a munch. Get used to saying it. CARAMANICA

Rex Orange County, ‘Threat’

A tender take on self-doubt by crazy hot British singer Rex Orange County. “I don’t want to keep you in a boring life/I can answer if you call/Keep it with you always,” he sings, wondering if he’s worthy of the object of his affection. It’s all delivered about a guitar figure who suggests that the early revival of Vampire Weekend is just around the corner. CARAMANICA

Hoodies have never sounded more sexy than on Ari Lennox’s devious new homage to loungewear and everything going on ‘under your North Face’. The track from the R&B singer’s upcoming album “Age/Sex/Location”, due out on September 9, has a few playful lines (“spread it like some queso”), but Lennox’s powerful vocal performance permeates the whole thing. with a mature, pulsating sensuality. ZOLADZ