Friday 28 June 2013

New Pop Roundup

Time for some new music in your life?  Of course it is!

CHVRCHES - Gun


We begin with an artist who just needs to hurry up and release an album already.  Gun is quite possibly the Glasgow band's best single to date, with singer Lauren Mayberry sweetly threatening "I will be a gun and it's you I'll come for" above trademark neon synths and beats.  This is UK electro-pop at its finest - rest assured their album will be an absolute must-listen on release.

5/5

Listen: Gun is released on July 14th.




Cyril Hahn - Perfect Form feat. Shy Girls


Vancouver's Cyril Hahn has become well known for his outstanding remixes - most notably Destiny's Child's Say My Name and Haim's Don't Save Me.  Perfect Form is his debut original single - a slice of ethereal, R&B-house that's perfect for a summer's evening: all husky vocals, glitchy beats and synths that glisten under the heat of the sun.

4/5

Listen: Perfect Form will be released on 9th September.




Echosmith - Cool Kids


LA hipsters sure are getting younger these days.  Echosmith comprise four siblings aged 14-20, whose sound mixes the youthful pop appeal of Taylor Swift with the Californian alternative cool of The Neighbourhood.  The result is incredibly polished indie with catchy melodies soaked in a nostalgia that belies their age.  These are the new cool kids.

4/5

Listen: Cool Kids features on the band's 'Summer Sampler', which you can download for free on their website.




Femme - Double Trouble


Bubbling basslines, staccato beats and a girlish vocal make up this woozy, alt-pop track from the south London vocalist and producer.  Double Trouble is the second part of her double A-side release alongside Educated, a sugary yet sultry track with an appropriate video.  An off-kilter delight.

4/5

Listen: Both Double Trouble and Educated are released on 22nd July.




Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop


Every day there are fresh rumours concerning Miley's relationship with Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth.  And since We Can't Stop hit the 'net, there are plenty more articles over its controversial (yet amusing) video that features a skull made of chips, Miley making out with a doll, and plenty of taxidermied animals amongst other bizarre imagery.  She's since been accused of exploiting black culture to seem cool, but DAYAM this gurl can twerk.

It's not as catchy as Party In The USA, but it's light-years away from her bubblegum roots.  Just one question: who exactly is Molly and why should we be dancing with her?

3/5

Listen: We Can't Stop is released on 4th August.




M.I.A - Bring The Noize


Paper Planes was inescapable on its release in 2008 and is by far M.I.A's biggest hit to date, but Bring The Noize is closer to her earlier material.  This is tightly focussed, beginning with an onslaught of vocals and stonkingly aggressive drums, before dropping into a huge chorus of frenzied beats and sub-bass.  It's clear that with forthcoming album 'Matangi', M.I.A will continue to be a pioneer in hip-hop.

4/5

Listen: Bring The Noize is available now.




Avicii - Wake Me Up


Swedish producer Avicii has already had a string of hits (especially the ubiquitous Levels) before his debut album has even been released.  Yet Wake Me Up is a slight change of style, with a country hook that sounds like a club remix of Mumford & Sons.  It's annoying as hell and therefore bound to top the charts.

2/5

Listen: Wake Me Up is released on September 8th, with the album 'Stop' due soon after




The Saturdays - Gentleman


Yes, between making babies and a flop television show, the girls are still making music.  Most of their output has been notably bland (especially recently), which is why Gentleman stands out as one of their best singles.  Off the wall production, insane lyrics ("milk the cow"?! "taste my rainbow"?!), a middle-eight rap that lists all the men the girls would like to bang, and an androgynous video that's unsubtly hiding various baby bumps.  It's a song that's full of personality - so bad it's awesome.

3/5

Listen: Gentleman is released on June 30th.




David Lynch - Are You Sure



Last month we were treated to Lynch's collaboration with Lykke Li, I'm Waiting Here.  Now we have Are You Sure, taken from his forthcoming album 'The Big Dream'.  Lynch is well known for his darkly disturbing filmmaking and his music is no different.  With its odd alien-like vocal and mournful guitar lines, Are You Sure has the exact amount of weirdness you'd expect.

3/5

Listen: 'The Big Dream' will be released on 15th July.




John Mayer - Paper Doll


It's fair to say that John Mayer is past his best.  Long gone are the glory days of 'Room For Squares' and 'Continuum'.  That said, Paper Doll is an improvement on the bore-fest that was 'Born and Raised', even if it hardly develops his sound beyond the usual guitar licks and laidback vocals.  Still, it's the bizarre video that is most likely to perk interest here...

2/5

Listen: Paper Doll is taken from the forthcoming album 'Paradise Valley' coming soon.