New Music Friday: Listen to tracks from Drake, Travis Barker, and more

Drake – Back to Back

Sometimes all an artist needs to make new music is a little inspiration. Right now, Drake has a lot of it. After getting called out by Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill for supposedly having his songs written by someone else, Drake started churning out the music. There are famous beefs between rappers: Biggie and Tupac, Jay-Z and Nas, Ja Rule and 50 Cent. If Drake’s wheels keep churning the way they have been, his tiff with Meek Mill will go down as one of the most lopsided fights in hip hop.

Back to Back is actually the second track Drake dropped with Mill as the target, and it came without a response to the first song. That’s unusual — Typically, these things are back and forth affairs. Though Meek Mill did finally respond, nothing he said came close to Drake’s best punches. Even if Drake wasn’t winning the war of the words, his actions speak even louder: He supposedly donated $75,000 to the high school Meek Mill attended. That’s one way to win.

New Order – Restless

It’s been a decade since Manchester synth rockers New Order dropped an album. The wait ends this year, but not until September. To tide you over, give a listen to Restless. Set to be the opening track on the record, it’s the first taste of the upcoming album to be released to the public. Restless sounds much more comfortable than the title suggests. A bright beat and melancholy vocals highlight the track, supported by strong guitar riffs and athematic chorus that asks, “How much do you need?” If all the songs are this good, you’ll need much more.

Travis Barker – 100 ft. Kid Ink, Ty Dolla $ign

As his band Blink-182 remains in a perpetual state of hiatus, Travis Barker is gearing up to drop a new solo album. The drummer has recruited quite the supporting cast to help out, if 100 is any indication. Featuring up-and-coming rappers Kid Ink, Ty Dolla $ign, Iamsu!, and Tyga, 100 features a bouncy, club-friendly beat that bears the Barker production touch. Each rapper attempts to one up the last as they trade verses.

Angel Haze – Impossible

After pouring some heavy emotions out into Gxmes and Candlxs, two songs set to be a part of her upcoming The Winter of Wet Years EP, Angel Haze is going an entirely different direction with Impossible. She’s aggressive with a scorched earth flow as she goes rapid fire on a variety of topics with a sneering attitude and a middle finger raised. Haze is never giving less than 110 percent effort in any of her songs regardless the topic, but she cranks it up even higher here.

Pusifer – Grand Canyon

Fans of Tool and Maynard James Keenan have been waiting (and waiting and waiting) for a new record from the band to follow up on 2006’s 10,000 Days. They’ll have to continue to do so, but at least they’ll get new music from Keenan through his side project Pusifer. The group’s third album Money Shot is due out later this year, and Grand Canyon is the first track to drop. Epic in scope and sound, it’s packed with reverb, as if Keenan is actually singing in the Grand Canyon.