Check Out New Ones From Daniel Hart, Loudiene, Warbeast, Dead Flowers, Calhoun, New Science Projects, Loach, Fooly Faime, Nezi Momodu, 88 Killa, Pierce Washington and Never Friends.

Welcome to Songs of the Week, where we hip you to all the new local releases you should be caring about. By putting them all together here in one place, our hope is that you can spend less time searching for relevant new releases and more time giving each one of these jams the proper shine they so deserve. OK? OK.

Loudiene – “Swervin”
RIYL: Drifting Ferraris in Tokyo.
What Else You Should Know: It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Loudiene, the New Orleans-bred former Dallas resident who’s been all over the country since he burst onto the local scene in 2016. But now the Brick Squad-affiliated rapper is back with a new track featuring Rich The Kid, and it’s every bit as head-rocking as we would expect from the jugging rapper.

Warbeast – “Maze of The Minotaur”
RIYL: Greek mythology and Dallas legends.
What Else You Should Know: This new single from Warbeast marks a bittersweet period for the metal band. While they’re excited about the release of their new album Enter The Arena on August 4, which they’re calling their magnum opus, the group is still reeling from news that vocalist and founding member of the band Bruce Corbitt was recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer that will put an end to his singing career, and, in turn, the band’s run.

Dead Flowers – “For Healing”
RIYL: When bands have beer for merch.
What Else You Should Know: On July 14, Braindead Brewery and Dead Flowers are throwing a party to celebrate their collaborative saison beer, which is flavored with chamomile and honey. At the release party, the band will perform live, and the first 300 people in the brewpub will receive a free download of this track from their upcoming album, Let Me Be, which was entirely produced by 18-year-old studio ace Nash Griggs. Of course, if you really want to own a copy of the song right now, you can buy it right here.

Daniel Hart – “Safe, Safe, Safe”
RIYL: Feeling sentimental about ghosts.
What Else You Should Know: Dallas director David Lowery’s A Ghost Story has been lauded as one of the best films of the year since its debut at Sundance. Then it generated a ton of local buzz with a sold-out screening at this year’s Oak Cliff Film Festival. Former Dallas resident Daniel Hart has played a huge part in the film’s acclaim, too, thanks to his tender score. Earlier this year, we heard his band Dark Rooms’ song “I Get Overwhelmed,” which was featured in the film’s trailer. Now we have a new solo song from Hart that’s also off the soundtrack, which is set to release on July 14.

Calhoun – “New, Improved Nightmare”
RIYL: Analyzing your nightmares.
What Else You Should Know: Calhoun’s new album Football Night in America is right around the corner, with a release date set for August 18. The lead-single for the album “Georgia,” has been in heavy rotation on KXT for a while now, but here’s a second taste. It’s a pleasantly melodic, sweeping tune that’s easy to get lost in.

New Science Projects – Drop Out/Sleep In
RIYL: Pretending not to care but actually caring a lot.
What Else You Should Know: NSP’s first release in four years, Drop Out/Sleep In is an eclectic bob and weave of jestful songwriting, as heard on the slacker anthem “Negatory” and sentimental truths like “Bingewatching.”

Loach – “Nothing’s Promised”
RIYL: Going 12 for 12 from the three-point line
What Else You Should Know: Looks like Loach is next up from the IRAS crew, which in recent years has brought us some of our favorite local acts —  folks like Devy Stonez, Kissed Killed, Larce Blake, Terrence Spectacle, Brandon Ford and countless others. Loach released two tracks last week, and the R&B-inspired beat for “Nothing’s Promised” is a complementary backdrop for the artist’s tweener status as a rapper and singer. It definitely has us looking forward to more.

Fooly Faime – “Of Course”
RIYL: Living like a villain.
What Else You Should Know: We’re not really sure what the status is on Yung Nation, the once prolific rap duo of B Reed and Fooly Faime, which, in retrospect really seems like a precursor to party starters Rae Sremmurd. Nonetheless, Fooly Faime has been busy releasing tracks on his own in association with Lil Twist’s New Money imprint, which is itself an imprint of Lil Wayne’s Young Money. Hey, however we get new music from Fooly Faime is fine with us; we’re just happy to see activity from one of the most unique voices in hip-hop.

Nezi Momodu – “HoustonDallasLagos”
RIYL: Slabs and Spinners.
What Else You Should Know: After first making a name for herself during a star turn in a Texas Tech cypher from two years back now, Dallas-bred rapper Nezi Momodu released two new tracks this week from her upcoming album Seasons album that’s set to be released in September, and if these tracks — “HoustonDallasLagos” in particular –are any indicator, we’re in store for one hell of a release. Momodu possesses a confident flow and stocks her versus full of well-known Texas rap references. Her star is bright.

88 Killa – “Right Back on Time”
RIYL: Soundtracks for waxing your car.
What Else You Should Know: 88 Killa is one of our favorite rappers, and “Right Back On Time” is a great example of why. Foregoing over-saturated trends, Killa raps over a funky beat that’s worthy of the fur coat that the rapper’s often found in wearing while performing with a laid back rasp that laments the grinding efforts, or lack thereof, of other rappers.

Pierce Washington – Reservd
RIYL: Asking yourself what happened to Bishop Nehru
What Else You Should Know: Pierce Washington is a new face for us, but we’re really digging his old-school aesthetic and effortless flow. It doesn’t hurt either when he raps over beats borrowed from J. Dilla…

Never Friends – For Better or For Worse
RIYL: Emotional breakdowns
What Else You Should Know: This new album from Denton band Never Friends should hit all the marks for fans of indie/post-hardcore. Each song features sharp progressions, emotive lyrics and a heavy punch.

Daniel Hart cover photo by Kathy Tran.

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