Robin Thicke keeps the sexy going, the Kid Daytona appreciates the ride or dies, Ebony Bones taps into her third eye from across the pond, and more

Robin Thicke ft. 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, “Give It 2 U”

Robin Thicke whets our musical appetite with this new release from his forthcoming album, Blurred Lines (coming July 30). “Give It 2 U” is an up-tempo, sexy jam all about—you guessed it—sex. Thicke croons over the track in his signature falsetto about wanting to put it on his boo thang (I see you, Paula). Eventually, the singing stops and the robotic beat gives way to 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar’s respective verses. The song could have done without 2 Chainz, who seems a bit awkward and out of place, but Kendrick Lamar’s verse (“You’re like a needle in a haystack/I want to sit you where my face at”) complements the raunchy-sexy tone of the song.  

Listen here.

The Kid Daytona, “Shotgun”

This laid-back offering from the Bronx native is all about riding. The Kid Daytona emcees about bringing his lady along for the journey down the “West Side Highway,” as they both feel themselves—in that hip-hop, “I’m the greatest” kind of way. Self-aggrandizing aside, there’s a sweetness to the song as he praises his “shorty riding proper” in what could easily be a man’s inner-dialogue during the first date, kind of like a movie.

“This record was inspired by a few ride or die women that I’ve encountered on this journey we call life. So often I would get caught up in my ego, and just in the grind altogether, that I would miss out on something that could’ve been special,” said the Kid Daytona. “But being honest with myself, I knew I just wasn’t ready, or maybe just really afraid of how dope these women actually were. So much so that it felt like it was too good to be true. With that being said, I wrote ‘Shotgun.’ ”

And there you have it.

Listen here.

India.Arie, SongVersation

India.Arie is back with her fifth album, Songversation, and after a long musical hiatus it’s a much welcome pièce de résistance. Her signature raspy but mellifluous voice is an audible treat that, combined with her brand of positivity, makes her music a win for the fans who love her. Songversation doesn’t deviate much from her previous material in terms of acoustics and uplifting content, yet she keeps it musically interesting as 11 of the 16 tracks are assisted by Turkish musicians (including Istanbul Strings, horn players and an oudist.)

Songversation is rife with songs where Arie bares her soul—like in “Break the Shell,” inspired by an encounter with Cicely Tyson, where India admits that she’s sometimes unsure about her position in life, as a woman near 40 with no partner or children. Of course, she plans to have a positive outlook about what her life’s path entails anyway. On “I Am Light,” she embraces the gifts she has to offer the world while letting go of her baggage. Both tracks add the album’s warm glow.

Available where music is sold.

Ebony Bones, “I See I Say”  

The singer/songwriter, producer and actress once attended London’s Sylvia Young Theatre School with former classmate Amy Winehouse. It was there that she honed her passion for performing. She eventually blossomed into the theatrical artist (flashy clothing and all) who caught the attention of Time Out London magazine, who named her one of their “40 Men and Women Who Make London,” as well as Cee Lo Green, whom she opened for during his 2011 European tour.

These days, Ebony Bones is gearing up to release her next album, Behold a Pale Horse, scheduled for release in August. “I See I Say” is a tribal, trip-hoppy experimental track that starts off minimal as the music builds atop looped vocals chanting “I see I say.” (The tone of the song is that she sees what’s going on with the world, third eye status.) The chant speeds up and slows down at times until building to its climax. It’s pretty cool, and worthy of a modern dance routine… or something like that.

 Listen here