By: Courtney Miller, Marco Ovies, Elisha Summers, Natasha Tar

“X” – Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, Saudi

Marco Ovies: I’m so excited to watch Black Panther, and this song has got me even more hyped.

Elisha Summers: I feel like this is a great song to listen to while drinking or when you need to get pumped up for the day.

Courtney Miller: I feel like I’ve heard this before, and I don’t mean that in a good way. Would be improved with the presence of the No. 1 Kendrick in my life.

Natasha Tar: Wow, what a fantastic song. Great generic beat and meaningful, deep lyrics.

“The Wave” – R3HAB, Lia Marie Johnson

MO: Great chorus, otherwise nothing super incredible going on here.

ES: I like the snapping, but I don’t love the part that sounds like techno robots singing “la la” . . .

CM: I don’t hate this. I mean, I don’t care enough about it to seek it out for fun, but I’m not going to hit ‘skip’ unless I’m already having a shit day.

NT: Such an exciting song. My blood is pumping. Exhilarating.

“You’re Not Missing Me” – Chelsea Cutler

MO: Dang, those lyrics, I think we can all relate to what she’s singing here. If I have to be honest, though, it has a similar vibe to the last song.

ES: Relatable lyrics and cool vibe.

CM: Her vocals are a bit nasally for my tastes. The rest of the production is pretty solid, and lyrics are fairly standard. I’d like it a lot more with a different vocalist, but it’s fine.

NT: So beautiful.

“Wasting Breath” – Julia Biel

MO: Kind of relaxing I guess, not really my speed.

ES: This one has a real smooth, sultry tone to it!

CM: It does feel smooth, but not in an enticing way.

NT: This could possibly be the opening song for the final James Bond movie, when James is finally in an old folks home watching butterflies fly past his window.

“Diddy Bop” – Jacob Banks, Louis The Child

MO: It’s a bop! Really digging the piano bit at the beginning, and I’m really into the vocals. It reminds me a bit of Louis Armstrong.

ES: So, he wants this girl to keep dancing and drinking all night so no one can take her home? I hope he is sending her home in a cab, because after grabbing “a drink or four” all night this girl is going to be seriously stumbling!

CM: Sans vocals, this is a fun time. With vocals, at times the vocals work with the motown/light jazz feel, but other times they’re too gravelly.

NT: I’m so upset that this isn’t another rap song.

“Bloodstains” – Rhys Lewis

MO: That falsetto! He has crazy good vocals and the song is catchy as well. Would 100% add this to my music library.

ES: Interesting lyrics. You would likely find this guy behind the BDSM table at the next Taboo Show in Vancouver.

CM: He’s got a good falsetto and the rhythm is well done. I’m actually into this.

NT: OK, I’ll admit this song isn’t actually that bad.

“Agoro” – Juls, Adekunle Gold, Bisa Kdei

MO: Not a song I would go out of my way to listen to. I don’t hate it, but don’t love it either.

ES: Nice beat, but not sure what half the words he is saying are.

CM: Nice beat and I’m loving the guitar, but the rest is kind of ‘meh.’

NT: Life-changing.

“Wild Silence” – The Wandering Hearts

MO: The type of chorus you can scream on a late-night drive with your friends. It has a bit of a Mumford & Sons vibe to it too, which I dig.

ES: Beautiful harmonies! I totally get a hippie vibe from the drums in this one.

CM: Yeah, this is like a mix between Mumford & Sons and Of Monsters and Men. It’s hipster folk pop, but pretty standard fare.

NT: This belongs on the Divergent soundtrack.

“Look Alive” – BlocBoy JB, Drake

MO: It’s a ‘no’ from me.

ES: Edgy duo, but not my style.

CM: No.

NT: YES.

“Intercontinental” – Tasha The Amazon

MO: Not really my style but the beat is sorta cool.

ES: I get a bit of a Nicki Minaj, wannabe female badass from this.

CM: It’s a ‘no’ from me.

NT: This is just like Danielle Bregoli’s song “Hi Bich.”

“Kids These Days” – Shakey Graves

MO: This is my jam! Super into the guitar, the layered vocals, and those drum fills have me super hyped.

ES: Fun chorus and an overall catchy song!

CM: I do enjoy Shakey Graves. It’s not their best song, but it’s OK. The lyrics are pretty good.

NT: *shrug*

“My Life” – Back Atlass

MO: Very relaxed. It’s the type of song you could fall asleep to.

ES: Oooooh! What a hauntingly vulnerable song and those high notes are perfection.

CM: Trying too hard to be soulful. But like, it’s fine for easy listening.

NT: OMG this so soulful and amazing!