The Songs You Need to Hear This Week

At the end of every week, we highlight the creme of the crop in music and round up the best tracks and music videos that came across our desks throughout the last few days.

Check out all of the "Songs You Need to Hear This Week" in our extended Apple Music curator playlist and read about some of the selections ahead.

Jidenna's "Bambi"

Jidenna's riding high off the release of his debut album The Chief, which dropped last Friday following much anticipation.

Just yesterday, we premiered his latest video for the highlife-inspired, slow-burner "Bambi," a track that sees Jidenna flexing his vocal range atop hazy production.

Legendury Beatz link up with Wizkid & Mugeez for "Undercover Lover"

Legendury Beatz master every shade of 'afrobeats' in their new mixtape, Afropop 101. "Undercover Lover," which features star collaborators Wizkid and Mugeez, is a clear highlight on their new tape.

Stream our ‘Songs You Need to Hear’ playlist on Apple Music, updated every Friday.

Spoek Mathambo returns with "I Found U"

Spoek Mathambo has been quiet for a minute. The South African innovator comes back strong with "I Found U," a track featuring his band Fantasma and the 'future soul' electronic sister duo Kajama. It's the first single from his upcoming album, Mzanzi Beat Code.

"My mission has always been simple: to enrich and expand the palette of South African music with a vision that’s being introspective and open to outside influence," Spoek tells The Fader. "The melange of our guitar and bass styles with beats is the sweet spot. I’m pretty happy to realize my 'I Found You' leads with bass and guitar from our folk music, Maskandi."

While you're at it, make sure to check out Spoek's recent Blacswet EP with French electronic producer The Impostur.

Davido’s Tekno-Produced Single "If"

Davido connects with Tekno for his latest single "If." It's a memorable one, no doubt, but there’s more humor in appreciating the confluence of Igbo, Hausa, pidgin and English—what to some might be disparate elements made into a seamless whole. We broke down a few in our review:

Words and Meanings

Tutu – safe to assume it is an affectionate term.

Burkutu – locally brewed alcholic drink from Northern Nigeria.

Chuk – to pierce, or insert

Chuku-chuku – thorny or spiky

Obianuju – you came in the time of abundance

Juju – if you don’t know this one you shouldn’t be on an OkayAfrica webpage.

Tunisian singer Emel's "Ensen Dhaif"

Emel Mathlouthi, the ‘voice of the Tunisian Revolution,’ releases her new album, Ensen today. We spoke to her about making 'political art' and her new record.