CRATE Pulls of the Week

This is precisely when a best friend needs to intervene, confiscate your phone, and throw it into the nearest ocean. Landlocked? Get creative. The Chainsmokers have teamed up with Ilsey for “Baby,” a dangerously catchy reminder that nostalgia has terrible judgment and apparently excellent Wi-Fi. Drew Taggart is scrolling through an ex's life, seeing their face everywhere, and wondering whether the feeling might still be mutual. Meanwhile, Ilsey's repeated “you used to call me baby” is getting increasingly difficult to resist, particularly once the production builds and that enormous drop arrives. It's the kind of song that could convince an otherwise sensible adult to reopen a conversation that was closed for very good reasons. Absolutely not. There's already far too much happening in the world. We are not adding an emotionally unavailable ex to the list of international crises. Initiate Operation Distraction immediately.

Drum and bass, sultry female vocals, and a healthy serving of horns? You've successfully bypassed every security measure protecting my attention. Just A Gent and Broey. arrive with “OnlyU,” a liquid DnB delight that has me feeling rather personally addressed. The vocals, courtesy of Kellie Taylor, keep insisting there's only you. Me? Surely you mean me. How flattering. And while I'm busy accepting this unsolicited declaration of devotion, the drums are doing extraordinary things underneath a melody that feels equally suited to a late-night drive and a dance floor with no plans to close. The lyrics suggest a more complicated romantic situation, involving someone who has taken up permanent residence in another person's thoughts. Understandable. I've been known to make an impression. The horns add another layer of seduction, and by the time that hook comes around again, I'm ready to believe every word.

One minute and thirty-seven seconds. I mean, I guess. The Avalanches and Loaded Honey have delivered a gorgeous little offering that barely gives me time to fall in love before it's collecting its belongings and leaving. At KKS, we have three playlists: Condensed for pop, CRATE for dance, and Dinner Party for, well, I'll let you work that one out. “I Give Everything I Have 2 U” could comfortably set up camp in all three, with its dreamy vocals, romantic declarations, and a groove that makes excellent company. But then the one-minute mark arrives, the rhythm takes a delicious turn, and suddenly we've got a bidding war on our hands. Dinner Party offers a lovely table by the window. Condensed promises plenty of admirers. CRATE simply slides a briefcase across the table and asks everyone to name their price. Everything you have? Sold to CRATE. Congratulations on your new home. We do wish you'd stay longer.

Some songs arrive dressed for a night out and then spend the entire evening pretending they're in no hurry. Jacques Greene and Sølv's “Waiting” is one of them. The production moves at a leisurely pace, with a gorgeous late-night atmosphere and a rhythm that keeps finding its way into your shoulders, your knees, and eventually your feet. Meanwhile, Sølv is asking, “Whatchu waiting for?” with the unmistakable impatience of someone who's already put on a good outfit and has no intention of wasting it. There's romantic uncertainty lurking in the lyrics, the possibility of staying all night and getting your heart broken for the trouble, but the music makes an awfully persuasive argument for taking your chances.

We’re all ears. Jaxxtone and Back Talk have called this one “tell me something,” and I'm delighted to report that they've secured my undivided attention. A rather impressive achievement, considering the number of people who have attempted the same thing this week with considerably less success. There's something wonderfully suggestive about a dance track that opens the floor to conversation. What are we discussing? A confession? A proposition? Some devastatingly good gossip? I'm available for all three, provided the delivery is interesting and nobody begins with “quick question.” The title alone has me leaning in like someone at the next table has just mentioned a name I recognize. I wasn't invited into this conversation, but I've already pulled up a chair.

We love a good statement piece. A silk scarf, an outrageous necklace, a tie that suggests you own several properties and have never personally completed a tax return. Mochakk and Channel Tres arrive with “Neckwear,” and suddenly I'm reconsidering the entire contents of my wardrobe. These are two artists with enough individual personality to make a collaboration feel like a particularly well-dressed social engagement, and the pairing has all the makings of an invitation you should accept immediately. Mochakk brings his unmistakable club sensibility, while Channel Tres has the kind of vocal presence that could make reading a restaurant menu sound like an exclusive event. The result belongs in CRATE, preferably somewhere with flattering lighting and a door policy. I may not know what everyone else is wearing, but I do know one thing: showing up underdressed would be terribly embarrassing.