BANKS - Drowning

BANKS is headed for big things.  Her minimalistic approach towards blending elements of R&B and dance music make her seem like a veteran artist already, yet she just debuted her first tracks early last year.  With a full-length release scheduled for September, BANKS has been busy living the touring life, but that hasn't stopped her from sharing a new single every now and then.  "Drowning" only strengthens her case with tight production and charged lyrics.

You can stream "Drowning" below.  BANKS' debut album, Goddess, is out September 5.

Kimbra - 90s Music

New Zealand's other reigning superstar has returned to the scene with the wacky and experimental "90s Music".  The song, which may or may not be the lead single from her upcoming sophomore album, debuted a little over a week ago and it's definitely been turning some heads.  The track moves away from the sound of Vows, which often leaned towards a pop-oriented direction.  "90s Music" heavily features some deep bass during the verses and there's a recognizable Kimbra sounding chorus.  Taking the title quite literally, she even gives a shout out to a few nineties artists, such as TLC.  Don't go chasing those waterfalls, Kimbra!

La Roux - Let Me Down Gently

Raise your hand if you remember the brilliance of La Roux's debut album.  I know, it's been a while and you might need a stroll down memory lane, so here's a quick refresher.  Okay, now that you recall the androgynous ginger wonder, you should know that La Roux has a new track out.  It's called "Let Me Down Gently" and it's off of their upcoming record, Trouble In Paradise.  Pretty exciting, isn't it?  The new music is a shift from the first record's more straight forward dance mood and even the vocals have a new feel.  The bit that comes after the dramatic pause about halfway through is where the song really gets going.  Check it out...

Trouble In Paradise is due July 7, via Polydor/Universal.

Lily Allen - Sheezus

I really haven't been too keen on Lily Allen's recent string of singles.  Don't get me wrong, I think her first two albums are fantastic, but the new material just missed the mark.  It's hard to be enthusiastic about an artist's new song when the artist herself admits that the track is rubbish.  With that said, Lily's new single, "Sheezus", is very interesting.

The chorus is a bizarre name dropping moment that actually had me saying, "Whaaaaaat, no way!" the first time I heard it.  Rihanna, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Lorde, and Gaga are all mentioned, but it's not a diss track.  The entire thing is pretty ridiculous, yet it actually has me anticipating the full album.  Check out the equally intriguing music video, featuring what looks like some M.I.A. inspired art direction, below.

Sheezus is out in the US on May 6.  You can pre-order a copy here.

Imogen Heap - Me The Machine

It's beyond amazing to finally hear a new song from Imogen Heap's upcoming record, Sparks.  The album's release date is currently pending due to some kind of contract issues, so we can only hope for the best, but Imogen's long awaited "glove song" has arrived.  Heavily featuring the work of her Mi.Mu Gloves, "Me The Machine" has been teased endlessly.  With such a large build-up, it could've easily disappointed, and I may be a bit biased when it comes to the Heap, but this was so worth the wait.

Sparks will be out later this year.  For more information about the album, you can visit Immi's website.