5 tracks for Friday
Every Friday, we’ll be posting "5 for Friday".
Tracks from past and present that caught our ears during the week in terms of quality and vibe…as simple as that.
Here’s the first 5:
Allegoria by Sapphire Slows
Label - Not Not Fun Records
Year - 2013
A beautiful slice of electronica taking in elements of dream pop, minimal techno, and ambient dub, while anchoring itself around slow, pulsating rhythms and hypnotic synth pads from Tokyo-based electronic producer Sapphire Slows (Kinuko Hiramatsu).
Top Billin by Audio Two
Label - First Priority Music
Year - 1987
Widely considered one of the most influential and frequently sampled cornerstones of golden age hip-hop, "Top Billin'" is a masterclass in minimalist production. The track’s backbone is an iconic, off-kilter drum pattern. The track's stark, heavy empty space completely redefined the boom-bap aesthetic, leaving an indelible blueprint that has been echoed and flipped by generations of rap royalty from Fifty Cent to Jay-Z.
Thunder by Lana Del Ray
Label - Interscope Records
Year - 2021
A cinematic slow burner, Thunder is a stripped-back arrangement of acoustic guitar and piano before swelling into an epic, soulful crescendo complete with soaring string orchestration and a booming, layered choir of backing vocals. The song captures a perfect pocket of melancholy and hard-won clarity, immortalised by Del Ray’s iconic, soaring delivery. The track also features instrumental contributions from members of The Last Shadow Puppets.
Up (Fatshaudi Remix) by Maria Somerville
Label - 4AD
Year - 2026
Reimagining the hazy, ambient-folk original from Somerville’s Luster LP, London producer and NTS resident Fatshaudi (Rachael Ryan) pulls the track directly onto a smoky, late-night basement floor. The remix strips away the windswept acoustic airiness, anchoring the track with a deep, pulsing sub-bass and crisp, minimal electronic percussion that operates at a steady, hypnotic mid-tempo groove.
It Should Have Been You by Gwen Guthrie
Label - Island Records
Year - 1982
Produced by the powerhouse Jamaican reggae duo Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare alongside Steven Stanley. "It Should Have Been You" is a towering masterpiece of post-disco and early 80s NYC proto-house, built entirely around a heavy, locking bassline, staggering synth stabs, and Guthrie’s immensely soulful, commanding vocal delivery. What truly elevated the track to mythic status, however, was the iconic, floor-shaking 12-inch remix crafted by legendary DJ Larry Levan.