Songs of the Week: Doja Cat, Stig Brenner, Nukid, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado

… Plus drops of Norwegian and Italian rock: Here’s the sound of the weekend.

Sage Brenner & Nukid – “Just Between Us”

It could have at one point or another dusted off Thomas Dibdal’s modern autumn classic From Grace (2022). On this Swedish collaboration, Siddis’ simple string swings are the core of the song, but Brenner and Newkid add just enough longing originality to make Afrobeats’ outing “Bare mellum oss” feel fresh (enough). This is going to be a hit, and that sounds totally fine.

Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & Nelly Furtado – “Keep On The Rise”

In theory, it’s tempting to applaud Timbaland’s decision to use just one chord when he invites two of his favorite singers, Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, back to the party — after all, this is a guy who’s delivered pretty simple masterpieces on a weekly basis. The foundation is in its prime. In practice, those three minutes are hardly surprisingly long. It is difficult to understand how this could be of interest to anyone other than (necessarily) its participants.

Throttle roof – “The End”

Of course, rock lives on, no matter what the light-hearted trend analysts may claim. Kvelertak is one of the best examples of this: Rogalenders trawl into the hard rock tradition for memorable riffs and hooks, and they usually end up going gold. So here too. The verse takes its fair share of time to reveal its wings, but the chorus – which brilliantly paraphrases “Don’t Be Afraid of the Grim Reaper” – showcases the band at their daring best.

Moonlight – “Honey (Are You Coming?)”

And at the other end of the petroglyph scale is the Italian moonlight. These Eurovision winners clearly think they invented rock every time they step into the studio, which often leads to parody and fist appeal. This song is extraordinarily great for this band – the subtle ‘New Order’ vibe is felt – and it’s safe to hope that the band will delve deeper into the sassy joys of the late ’80s.

Scar – “Follow Your Heart”

Hilde Scar of Sturd is getting better and better. Well, “Follow Your Heart” isn’t a deep, direct message, and the lyrics are clearly the weakest element of the song. Fortunately, there is a lot to enjoy here. This song is swirling disco pop to say the least – nicely produced, good vocals and a solid step up the Norwegian pop division.

Doja Cat – “Demons”

Things get tricky when Doja Cat summons his demons against a claustrophobic, bass-laden backdrop. The third taste of the rap and R&B star’s upcoming fourth studio album “Scarlet,” due out in September, sparks rumors that this will be a blockbuster release. It feels like something Travis Scott could throw himself into. Like Scott, Doja Cat has little to report on. As tough as it sounds.