Basta and Daria Yanina – “Random”
Rapper Basta, real name Vasily Vakulenko, and singer Daria Yanina collaborated on the soundtrack for the film One, slated for release on June 9. The movie tells the remarkable story of Larisa Savitskaya, who survived a plane crash after plummeting five kilometers.
“We crafted the score for the film with Vadim Kupe, the music producer of Gazgolder,” explained Dmitry Suvorov, director of the film Odna. “Vasily saw portions of the project, felt a strong connection, and composed the final song from scratch. We then filmed a clip and staged a scene where the protagonists’ memories come alive. The result is incredibly moving.”
Famous BIG, Ty Dolla $ign and Bella Alubo – “GOAT”
To celebrate the late Notorious B.I.G.’s 50th birthday, the track “GOAT” was released, featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Bella Alubo. The production team included Kayo and Elliot Osagi. The track borrows its essence from Biggie’s “I Love The Dough” from the album Life After Death, reinterpreting it in a contemporary context.
Dabro – “Let’s Get Drunk”
The Dabro duo, Ivan and Mikhail Zasidkevich, issued a soulful piece titled “Let’s Get Drunk,” reflecting on memories, the prospect of new meetings, journeys, and strolls. This summer could bring another hit for the duo, following their earlier successes with songs like “Youth,” “Zero-zero o’clock,” and “The Whole District Will Hear.”
XXXTentacion & Ye – “True Love”
“True Love,” a collaboration between Kanye West and the late XXXTentacion, dropped on May 26 via Columbia Records. The track is expected to appear on the forthcoming Donda 2 album, which will stream on major platforms. Previously, the album was available only on Stem Player devices sold by West.
Ramil’ – “Don’t Call Me”
In “Don’t Call Me,” Ramil’ (Ramil Alimov) portrays a case of unrequited love. Viewers appreciated the captions in the video, noting the intentional ambiguity of his performance. The track quickly climbed VK Music charts and landed in the top 10 on Yandex.Music and Apple Music the day after its release.
Jasmine – “Tears of the Old”
With “Tears of the Old,” Jasmine invites listeners to bid farewell to the past and stride confidently into the future. The video reimagines the myth of tear containers called tear catchers and presents a fatal beauty who touched many hearts while collecting the tears of former loves.
Smile – “We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Will Bring”
In 2020, The Smile emerged from the collaboration of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner, releasing their debut album A Light for Attracting Attention. The songs “We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings,” “A Hairdryer,” and “The Same” feature abstract animated visuals. Artwork by Stanley Donwood with animation by Sabrina Nichols accompany the project.
Harry Styles – “Late Night Talk”
Harry Styles released his third solo album, Harry’s House, on May 20, with hits like “Late Night Talking” and “As It Was,” among others. In Russia, the album’s full streaming availability is restricted, though individual tracks can be found on YouTube.
Kendrick Lamar – “United in Sorrow”
Kendrick Lamar’s fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, arrived on May 13 and offers a personal exploration of family, identity, and global politics. The title track, “United in Grief,” weaves reflections on a long career, mental health, and fame, while others delve into wealth and responsibility. The album opens with a line referencing the passage of 1855 days since Lamar’s DAMN era, a detail that sparked social media conversations and trend-driven reactions on platforms like TikTok.
Arcade Fire – “Lightning I, II”
Arcade Fire’s five-year awaited album We revisits the band’s expansive sound, drawing a line to Yevgeny Zamyatin’s dystopian novel We. It marks Will Butler’s final contribution with the group and features ten tracks, including previously released “The Lightning I,” “The Lightning II,” and “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid).” A standout live moment came during an appearance on Saturday Night Live, where the band performed new material alongside familiar songs.