The Archive: New Chxrry, Latto, Freddie Gibbs & More
Your rapid-fire editorial breakdown of the week's most talked-about releases.
Step inside The Archive. We’re so glad you’re here for another weekly rundown of the culture’s most essential sounds. The musical landscape is feeling incredibly rich right now—R&B is reclaiming its space with deep, legacy-building vulnerability, and hip-hop is pushing boundaries with raw emotion and unwavering grit. Make yourself at home.
7 Albums You Need to Hear This Week
Chxrry – ‘U, Me & My Ego’
Chxrry’s debut on XO Records has landed this week. Critics are praising its razor-sharp self-awareness and unapologetic edge. One reviewer from Architeg Prints noted, “This album isn’t ‘bragging’—it’s negotiating. The first thing U, Me & My Ego tells me is that Chxrry isn’t trying to be liked. She’s trying to win the room.” Another aptly summed it up as “manufacturing confidence out of spite, style, and a little bit of emotional self-harm.” It’s pop star posturing with a knife in it, and the execution is flawless.
Hilary Duff – ‘(Mine)’
A true 2000s staple gets a masterful refresh. Whether you know it as “Come Clean” or just the soundtrack to your most dramatic teenage rainstorms, this 2026 reinvention is hitting all the right nostalgic notes. It’s proof that a pristine pop melody never truly ages; it just waits for the right moment to make us let the rain fall down all over again.
aespa – ‘LEMONADE - the 2nd album’
The K-Pop titans are back, trading in some of their metallic lore for a heavy dose of dance-floor adrenaline. Critics are calling out its “trendy, high-tempo Tron-esque sound,” noting that while it relies heavily on classic tech house production, “the members’ deliveries are still very hip hop-based.” It’s a fierce, unyielding project that cements their status at the top of the global pop food chain.
Latto – ‘Big Mama’
Latto is stepping into a brand-new era with grace, grit, and undeniable power. Big Mama isn’t just an album drop; it’s a profound life update and a fierce statement of motherhood on her own terms. The industry is already hailing it as a triumphant moment, with critics calling it “one of her most personal projects to date.” As one reviewer perfectly summarized, “It’s Latto at her confident best, blending hustle with heart.”
Freddie Gibbs – ‘RBT’
Gangsta Gibbs surprise-dropped a quick, potent 3-pack to hold the streets over. Following up his legendary run, RBT is a brief but relentless display of pure bar-work. Hip-hop purists are already calling it a “solid 3-pack from Gangsta Gibbs filled with the boastful gangsta rap lyricism he’s become known for.” With production from Boi-1da and a classic dancehall sample to close it out, it’s all killer, zero filler.
LoSmoothe – ‘If I LUV’d You’
Houston is continuing to export some of the best sounds in the country, and If I LUV’d You is a six-track masterclass in setting a mood. It’s a project that demands to be played from top to bottom, coasting on effortless vocals and undeniable groove. You can feel the intention in every note—this is exactly the kind of pure, unadulterated R&B the culture needs right now.
On Our MP3 Player
The zero-skip tracks charting on our office MP3 players this week.
“girls like girls (from the motion picture)” by Hayley Kiyoko
“Call Security” by Chxrry
“shot in the dark!” by Brianna Castro
“Go Back Home!” by Nobdy
“What the Hell” by KIARA
“Germy” by Jazlyn Martin
“Callin (feat. Blu june)” by Syd, Blu june
“Hurricane” by Infinity Song
“Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back (2026 Remaster)” by My Chemical Romance
“Come Clean (Mine)” by Hilary Duff
“Sad Girls” by Bebe Rexha & David Guetta
“Can You Be Mine” by Timbaland & Justin Blau, Alice Aera
“SHAKIN’” by aespa
“Attaboy!” by Jae Stephens
“Dehors (普通话版) (Ambient Version)” by JORDANN
“what a waste” by Asal
“Crashing Out!” by CARI
“Everyone” by BAYLI
“Boring” by Chxrry
“Pray For Me” by Maurice Moore
“All I See Is You” by LoSmoothe
“hate that i made you love me” by Ariana Grande
“Favorite” by Kennedy Ryon
“How Sweet” by Sylo
“Mine” by Aaron Page
“High” by Nia Smith
“white to a wedding” by Saint Harison
“UDD (U Don’t Deserve)” by Miriah Renee
“Okayyy” by Latto & Doja Cat
“Rabbit Mode” by Freddie Gibbs
“Flowers” by AJ McLean and Ty Dolla $ign
“Drank” by Jae Lynx
“Like a Porsche” by Yaeknows
“Kitten Heels” by Sunnitharapper, The Kitten Gurlz
“think about u” by Noah Davis
“May Flowers” by See.Francis featuring Crystal Caines, Crystal Caines
“STANLEY” by Lyfe Harris
“Game Time” by Future, Tyla, FIFA Sound
“Overly Blessed” by Mustard, Levian
“BubbleGum” by Chika
“Pressure” by Leah Writes, Ease The Don & RATED TG
Listening Room
“Handle” by Ravyn Lenae
Ravyn Lenae is officially back, setting the stage for her highly anticipated third album, Blue Island. The lead single, “Handle,” is an immediate standout that completely flips the script on what we expect from modern R&B.
Music journalists are already captivated by the bold new direction. Stereogum described the track as pulsing with “big, glossy ‘80s power-pop energy — think Prince, Madonna, or Cyndi Lauper.” The review highlighted the song’s brilliant production, noting that “industrial-strength drum claps collide with cascading guitar melodies and brass-knuckled riffs, creating a thrilling kind of chaos.”
Lenae herself views this era as a definitive breakthrough. Speaking on the upcoming album, she shared: “’Blue Island’ is a point of arrival, and feeling set in my ways and in who I am, and feeling free of any of those preconceived notions about Blackness or what I had to be in the past. So I think now it’s fun to challenge the idea of what R&B is supposed to sound like, what pop is supposed to sound like… and really say ‘f all of that’ and do my own thing.”
Ready for the next wave of music to jump off the page and into your headphones? A massive curation refresh is about to touch down on Audiomack.
Whether you’re waiting to get lost in the upcoming melodic currents of Liquid Vibes, bracing for the next batch of heavy-hitters on The A-List, or preparing for your next reset with The Check In, the new rotation is almost here. Plus, keep your ear to the ground—we’re getting ready to spotlight a fresh roster of trailblazing voices shaping the culture over on PRISM.
Whatever energy you plan on channeling next, your future soundtrack is currently loading. Tap in, get ready, and stay connected so you don’t miss a drop.