Staff Pix 11/9

The Milk Crate staff’s favorite tracks of the week, presented with blurbs worthy of a promotional sticker on a jewel case. Tune in Tuesdays from 1-2 EST to the Staff Pix radio show.

Karenna Umscheid

Tuned In Freestyle by Megan Thee Stallion

Demonstrating her chokehold on rap fans and hot girls everywhere, Megan Thee Stallion surprise-released a compilation album titled Something for Thee Hotties, starting with the track “Tuned In Freestyle.” She exudes her trademark confidence in this track, full of comedy and ferocity, blunt and silly, in a way Megan pulls off phenomenally. You can hear her determination through layers of fun, in this track and the whole album. She floats on the fun beat with lyrics best screamed to in the car, or anywhere really. Continue your hot girl semester with Megan’s latest hot girl shit, ah!

Will Ingman

Beautiful by Scattle

Best known for his soundtrack work on neon-tinted indie games like 2012’s Hotline Miami and 2016’s Furi, David Scatliffe has released a solid catalogue of instrumental synthwave and hip-hop under the Scattle moniker in addition to his inimitable video game scores. “Beautiful” is the latest in his remarkably consistent output, and delivers the same ambient, sample-heavy electronic sound found throughout Scattle’s remarkable repertoire.

David Shird 

The Dress by Djion

Finally releasing his debut album Absolutely,  the singer shows how he has developed his unique R&B sound. The soulful melodies coupled with the beautiful harmonies of Dijon’s airy vocal feel blissful. “The Dress” is nostalgic as it sounds like classic 90’s R&B but something about the raspy vocals bring this song into 2021. 

Maura Cowan

Strangers Forever by Maude Latour

Riding the wave of her growing success on TikTok and a year full of successful single drops, Maude Latour rounds off her sophomore EP with its final piece, titular track “Strangers Forever.” Latour’s tightly produced, meticulously crafted pop never fails to bring energy to my earbuds, and this latest release is no exception. “Strangers Forever” dances on the tightrope between wistfulness and cynicism as Latour reflects on a former relationship with cutting, detail-driven lyrics. Wherever you yourself may land on that continuum, this track is a perfect addition to the ranks of dance-fight-worthy breakup songs.

Sarah Fournell

Smokin Out the Window by Silk Sonic

The newest single from the highly anticipated album An Evening with Silk Sonic certainly does not disappoint. Anderson Paak and Bruno Mars’ collaboration  efforts shine brightly, their voices harmoniously interwoven in cheeky verses. This jocular heartbreak anthem tells the tale of a dramatic relationship gone wrong, and has set the standard for the rest of the album, which will be released on November 12th. 

Kyle Woolery

Stupid Boy (feat. Big Freedia) by Slayyyter

No more than five months since the release of her stellar debut album, Troubled Paradise, pop princess Slayyyter is back with brand new music, joining forces with New Orleans rapper Big Freedia for “Stupid Boy.” Slayyyter is perhaps best known for her distinct brand of nostalgia pop harking back to the early 2000s when Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Juicy Couture reigned supreme, and she revs up her bedazzled time machine once again on “Stupid Boy.” This time, however, she transports listeners back to the early 2010s: the Spring Breakers, Project X era, when every pop song worth its salt was injected with an adrenaline-filled, Four Loko-fueled, club-ready post-chorus EDM breakdown. “Stupid Boy” is a sweaty dance floor filler that would slot perfectly between David Guetta and Akon’s “Sexy Bitch” and A-Trak’s remix of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Heads Will Roll” during a DJ set. The lyrics are signature Slayyyter—sassy and tongue-in-cheek—and the colorful, WWE Diva-inspired music video successfully captures the raucous, effervescent energy of the track. Everything about this is Slayyyter at her best.

Izzy Desmarais

Kiss a Cross by The Aubreys

The Aubreys released their debut album, Karaoke Alone, this past Friday. As a big fan of Stranger Things (actor Finn Wolfhard is the band’s frontman) and their 2020 EP Soda & Pie, I was super excited for this record to come out. After listening a few times through, “Kiss a Cross” is definitely my favorite track. It’s a quick, lighthearted tune that puts a little pep in my step as I brave the cold New England morning for my 10AM class in Paramount.

Kate Mettetal

Fear by Chastity Belt

For the first time in nearly two years, Washington state’s beloved neo-grunge alternative girl group Chastity Belt has made their long-awaited return — and, with powerful intention. Released on Nov. 4, Chastity Belt’s new single “Fear” picks up where their 2019 self-titled studio album left off. Initially written almost three years ago by the group’s lead guitarist Lydia Lund, “Fear” is ultimately a deep, emotional discourse about confronting anxiety in the face of ambiguity, spoken through Lund’s snarling riffs and lead vocalist Julia Shapiro’s gritty, almost frenzied chorus. Overall, it is yet another showcasing of Chastity Belt’s rare capacity to render overwhelming emotional states into masterfully composed tracks. 

Nia Tucker

Insane by Summer Walker 

In her latest album, Still Over It, Walker tells a story from beginning to end of a man she trusted to a man who has broke her heart beyond repair. “Insane” sits at the center of the album, marking her realization that his actions have changed her for the worse and it becomes a pivotal thematic track. Many edits on TikTok and Instagram have been made with “wall sliding” to this song—a person sliding down weeping or acting distressed and I couldn’t relate more. “Cause you claim you see things / When you on DMT / But I've seen the same things before I go to sleep,” has to be one of the best lines I’ve heard all year and perfectly shows the way gaslighting feels by a partner you once gave your everything for.