Sparky Staff Picks is a series where our writing and editing team comes together to talk about what what’s been stuck in our heads and on repeat in our playlists. it doesn’t matter if it’s new or old, popular or underground, it just needs to have us in a chokehold. Follow Sparky on Twitter and Instagram @sparkywtf for more.

Charli XCX - “Lightning”

Charli XCX’s latest LP, Crash, is a hotly anticipated album--and the artist’s final record with her label, Atlantic Records. Crash blends “mainstream” pop with Charli’s warped, futuristic hyper-pop sound. “Lightning” sees this combination at its best, filled with vocaloid and synths in a delicious pre-chorus where XCX sings, “Heartbreak already hit me once/They say that it won't happen twice)” before entering an explosive, traditional pop chorus. She sings, “You struck me down like lightning” before promising her lover that she’ll do whatever he wants. “Lightning” is a masterful track, a clear standout on Crash, and yet another piece of evidence that Charli XCX remains an innovator and bonafide pop star. - Liz Foster

Sugar Ray - “Into Yesterday”

I’ve previously praised the Surf’s Up soundtrack in a hefty article you can find here. However, Sugar Ray’s “Into Yesterday” is more than worthy of a second recommendation. The song oozes carefree joy, perfectly fitting for the arrival of spring. As the temperatures rise and the sun hangs in the sky until 7:00 P.M., “Into Yesterday” is a jamm-y track that is quintessential for a casual, windows down drive. - Liz Foster

Jenn Carter x TaTa - “Window Pt2”

I am absolutely addicted to the 41 group from Brooklyn. I’ve been listening to an artist named “Kyle Richh” for awhile now and he has had various tracks picking up steam recently, in particularly, “41 Cypher.” I have so much respect for Kyle. Rather than ditching his friends and pursuing his career alone, he chose to bring his friends up with him. In the cypher, other members of “41” each spit their own verses. In a group as diverse as this, there are typically clear imposters who aren’t as talented as the other members and bring nothing new to the table. However, everyone held their own. Immediately, I started researching some of the other artists featured in the cypher and they did not let me down. Other than Young M.A., there’s been a hiatus of female drill artists from Brooklyn. Jenn Carter undoubtedly has what it takes to continue to the next magnitude in the industry. With Kyle’s exposure help, Jenn, a constituent of 41, has a track dropping on April 8th, with well-known Dallas artist: Asian Doll. TaTa on the other hand, possesses a stand-out cadence, delivering on a demonic level. TaTa incorporates an overlap of his vocals on multiple verses in “Window Pt2”, one portion being his regular voice and the other component associating with a slowed + reverb customization which is extended over the unchanged line. The effect talks for itself and provides an unorthodox, yet compelling twist to the already chaotic piece. - Eli Grehn

Ken Car$on - “Till I Die”

Although this is an older Car$on track off of his album Project X, it is important to me that it gets the recognition it deserves. It was produced by Lil 88 (a staple in Car$on’s rise to the top, working together on numerous songs) and Outtatown, quite possibly one of my favorite producers known for his tracks with Playboi Carti, Kanye West, Lil Uzi Vert, and pretty much the remainder of the mainstream industry. “Till I Die” summarizes Car$on’s beliefs regarding girls, fake friends, and drugs. In regards to women, throughout the song Car$on chants, “I f*ck on these b*tches/ I can’t fall in love” referencing how he has no faith in women nor does he want to put any trust in them. Moreover, Car$on acknowledges how there are people he dissociates with now that his music is gaining traction stating: “They be slippin’,/ they ain’t really slidin’/ They just in the car,/ they ain’t really riding.” The beat, melodies, and flow switch-ups contrast to perfection and truly take the track to the next level. It’s a masterpiece. - Eli Grehn

Zapp - “Computer Love”

The theme of my staff picks for this week is songs with drum tracks that go unreasonably hard. Up first is “Computer Love” by the electronic funk Zapp. This track features a groovy retrofuturistic vibe, complete with synths zipping and zapping to mimic computer sounds, a wobbly electronic bass line, and several layers of talkbox vocals and vocals processed to give the human voices a digital edge. However, the part of this song that really stuck out to me when I first heard it was it's repetitive, but undeniably funky drum machine beat. The basic driving pattern is a punchy 80s snare, followed by a fat electronic clap. Every other time this pattern happens, a simple shaker sample comes in between the snare and clap, and while this may sound particularly exciting on paper, I guarantee that if you listen to this song and hear the swing and sound of these drums in tandem with the rest of the song, you’ll have a hard time not wanting to clap along. -Jake Trujilo

Flume - “Sirens (feat. Caroline Polachek)”

Flume is one of the most consistently experimental and boundary-pushing electronic artists at his level of notoriety. He also has a tendency to work with incredibly interesting artists, and that is certainly the case with his latest single Sirens, which features the ethereal pop-vocalist Caroline Polachek. Flumes production and sound design are always top-notch and are particularly strong with some of the drum sounds featured in this track. It can be hard to try to describe some of the sounds that he creates in words. His drums sounds are intricate and layered. This track features a stuttering snare-like sound that builds into a drop so mechanical and huge that weirdly sounds to me like what it would sound like if every component of a speaker was floating a few inches away from the speaker itself. -Jake Trujilo

Lucy Dacus - “Night Shift”

Lately, I’ve been thinking about what the appeal of a six minute song is. Like anything that is time consuming, a six minute song should leave you wanting more even after listening to it in its entirety. It’s definitely not a standard in music for a reason, seeing the 6:38 finish line at the end of a track is a big feat for casual listeners. These songs may change your mind though. “Night Shift” by Lucy Dacus has been in and out of my rotation since its release in 2018. It’s a heavy hitting song that could almost be broken into a three song epic. The song gradually progresses over six minutes, capturing the tumultuous ebb and flow of a heartbreak. The song starts slow and acoustic, slowly adding drums and a steady baseline until it ends in a perfect crescendo of emotions. -Jocelyn Gotfred

Wilco - “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”

The song “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” by Wilco, another longer track (coming in at 6:58), oddly pairs well with “Night Shift.” It is a song that spreads out slowly, starting with the incredible opening line, “I am an American aquarium drinker”. The song is sonically interesting with textured percussion, and a sporadic drum beat that keeps you wanting more throughout the track. Similarly to “Night Shift,” “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” is emotionally charged with the intensity of a breakup. These songs both pay tribute to the complexities of a relationship, and the ways in which we try to tell the story of a breakup to ourselves. I recommend both of these songs if you're trying to test your capacity for long form media in the digital age. Although they’re not instantly gratifying, they’re songs that stick with you. - Jocelyn Gotfred

LilDre’s “BADABING FREESTYLE” has been a staple in my playlists for the past few months. The bars are just so witty and playful, along with a hard hitting beat, that combo just can’t be stopped. While rapping may just be another thing LilDre does on the side on top of walking runaways as a model or being a professional skateboarder or even taking on a few acting roles, it’s easy to see that the talent is just intertwined within themselves. The Bay Area is a melting pot of talent, and LilDre is just one of many examples of that. - shotbysig

Emo Fruits - “Stressed Out”

We all feel a little stressed out from time to time. Whether that stems from work, relationships, school, etc. it’s something that we all go through. This Emo Fruits single “Stressed Out” has that pop punk/emo rap feel that makes you take a step back and evaluate where you are in life. On top of that, his voice is very one of a kind and you know who it is off the rip. If you are a fan of the Lil Peep emo rap scene this song is for you. Someone go tell him to drop more music so we can add it to more playlists. - shotbysig

Seiji Oda - “like this”

Sunset Sessions alum Seiji Oda has always been an innovative artist; his unique take on Bay Area hip-hop that both embraces the city’s sonic traditions and fuses it with different underground subcultures has made him one of California’s most interesting musicians. But his new album lo-fi // HYPHY feels like he’s finally making the exact music he hears in his head when he sits down to record. “like this” is a perfect example: it mixes classic Bay Area bounce with lush synths and acoustic guitars, both elements playing into his uber-charismatic rapping. The song, and the album in its entirety, emits the type of effortless cool that some of rap’s biggest superstars built their career off of - and whom Oda should find himself compared to soon enough.

Overmono - “Gunk”

There are a number of hyper-specific subgenres that I will never get tired of. One-verse, no-hook Southern rap anthems. Any house music that includes horns or some sort of funk and / or disco sample. Those indie songs that sound like the singer is fading away while laying down vocals. And, of course, Burial worship (or as it’s officially referred to, future garage). Overmono does a great job at paying homage to their garage forefathers without borrowing so much that it’s redundant; their vocal chop techniques feel closer in style to OVO 40 than any electronic producer, and their drums pop like a Defected release. Their newest EP, Cash Romantic, is filled with toe-tapping, head-bopping thumpers, and the project’s lead single “Gunk” set the tone from the start. A must-listen for any fans of the more subdued side of dance music.