Emerging Picks of the Week: Elliphant, Ryan Hemsworth & Ces Cru
To begin October, we've compiled some of our favorite tracks that landed debuts on the latest Billboard + Twitter Emerging Artists chart. Give them a listen below and be sure to look out for their upcoming projects.
Elliphant ft. MØ, "One More"
Fresh off a track with Skrillex, "Only Getting Younger," Swedish singer-rapper Elliphant has debuted another stimulating track in "One More." Minimal production anchors the song's introduction as Elliphant drops quick verses with ease about escaping from life with a night on the town: "Come up now, we take your car / I know a sleazy bar / Not far downtown, you get tacos for free / And it's open all night, come on hang with me." The feel-good vibe of the song informs its music video, which chronicles Elliphant and collaborator MØ as the pair drinks, smokes and even makes out.
Fans are certainly enjoying the duo's adventure: the video's premiere on Vevo on Sept. 23 sparked enough Twitter activity to spur the song's No. 10 debut on the Emerging Artists chart. The track previews Elliphant's upcoming EP of the same name, available Oct. 14.
Ryan Hemsworth ft. Dawn Golden, "Snow in Newark"
The Canadian DJ (no relation to famous siblings Liam and Chris) is no stranger to popular tracks, having netted attention for his remixes, including versions of Backstreet Boys' "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" and Kanye West's "All of the Lights." On this single, however, Hemsworth crafts a mellow feeling. Guest vocalist Dawn Golden croons the tune in a voice barely exceeding a mumble as he grapples with finding solace: "Back of the club, try to call your phone / It's the middle of the night before I get back home / To a hotel room where you're a million miles away."
The production steals the track, however: A subtle pop groove accented with chimes creates a relaxed, ensnaring mood. The pair's touch worked, generating a No. 13 debut on the Emerging Artists chart. Ces Cru, "Jimmy Stewart"
The title may allude to a movie star from Hollywood's Golden Era, but the hip-hop track is entirely of this century. A vintage-style loop anchors the track as Ces Cru's Godemis and Ubiquitous spit the verses and chorus with unrivaled synchronization; hardly a second of wasted space exists between tradeoffs. Ubiquitous acknowledges the pace as he rhymes, "You're pissed that I'm rappin' fast, well, I'm happy to spit slow / 'Cuz everything goes fast, I watch as it go past."
The pair's anthem gives a nod to its titular figure toward the end with the line, "It's a wonderful life, maybe you get what you ask for, that's yours," an allusion to the 1946 classic starring Stewart. The song's video, however, parodies a non-Stewart film: the 1994 hit Pulp Fiction. The video's arrival on Sept. 25 triggered a No. 33 debut for the song on Emerging Artists. The song is the latest from the group's album Codename: Ego Stripper, released on Aug. 5.