The king of grime is back. This week, Skepta released the first two tracks from his highly anticipated sophomore album, Ignorance is Bliss. The first of these, “Bullet from a Gun”, sees the MC on top lyrical form, spitting fast over a synthy, distorted instrumental and a classic grime percussive underscore. Fans of Skepta’s earlier, more introspective material rejoice: “Ace Hood Flow” Skepta is back, and he’s not messing around.

UK singer-songwriter Mahalia has a penchant for blending hip-hop and soft R&B to create an innovative and refreshing sound at a time where both genres are somewhat suffering from a degree of saturation. With hints of drum and bass and Mahalia’s ethereal vocals as ever hitting the bullseye, this track – taken from the singer’s EP “Seasons” – is one to listen to this weekend.

The compilation album that had everyone talking. HBO’s Game of Thrones went big this year with its soundtrack, with a star-studded album that includes this banger by ultimate dream team Travis Scott, SZA and The Weeknd. Aside from it being lovely to hear a bit of Abel singing again, this slaps hard overall: Westeros won’t know what’s hit ’em. Overall rating? Dracarys (Valyrian for “fire”). OK I know it’s literally “burn them” but allow me.

Love her or hate her, TayTay is back, with a single that almost pastiches her own stature within the pop industry, and music more generally. Released alongside colourful, fantastical visuals, the song is sugar-pop at its finest, an earworm that you are guaranteed to be hearing on car stereos, in bars and being hummed on the tube as spring draws to an end and summer befalls us. Other artists be warned; with Taylor back in the spotlight and on seemingly better form than ever, this is already threatening to be another summer of the Swift.

BANKS has always been an artist who occupies her own niche position in the industry, and she has – once again – come out with a sound that is fascinatingly complex, new and, crucially, catchy AF. Dark and incessant, techno-ey with pop strewn all over it, “Gimme” is a sultry neon-lit track, the perfect soundtrack to your Saturday night in whatever strobed abode you might find yourself in.

If there’s anyone who can keep up with the braggadocios lyricism and razor-sharp flow of Marshall Mathers, it’s Logic. On “Homicide”, the pair bounce off each other with an effervescence that stans of each artist will relish. Underpinned by a rough, DIY-sounding instrumental, the ragged rawness of each artist’s voice makes this a high-powered offering that rap lovers will spend ages learning the lyrics to. A surprise collaboration, but one that will perhaps be the start of a beautiful sequence of music.