Macklemore & Ryan Lewis drop new single “Downtown.”

After dropping the sanguine “Growing Up,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis flip the script with a new track “Downtown” that goes in all in with an ’80s hip hop aesthetic — old school flow, stripped down funky percussion, ample cowbell, and even features from Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee, & Grandmaster Caz, all of whom are founding fathers of the genre.

Despite the record’s title, it is one part “Uptown Funk” mixed with one part “Thrift Shop,” although it abruptly blossoms into a anthemic bridge with floral trumpet lines and triumphant guitar that give off a distinct U2 vibe.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will perform “Downtown” at the MTV VMAs Sunday
night. Share your thoughts in the comments.