As we head towards the tail-end of the year, here are six new
pop tracks you HAVE to hear…
Lady Gaga – Do What You Want (feat. R Kelly)
Yes the cover art is awful.
And yes R Kelly might be the last person you’d expect Gaga to
collaborate with. But Do What You Want, taken from the
forthcoming album ‘ARTPOP’, is a sexy, smooth R&B pop jam that successfully
marries the two artists’ styles. “Do
what you want with my body”, she implores over pulsating electro production, R
Kelly replying “I’ll do what I want, do what I want with your body”. As long as it doesn’t involve shoving that
ass in my face, you can do what you like.
4/5
Listen: Do What You
Want is available now.
Kelly Clarkson – Underneath The Tree
We’re still two months away from Christmas 2013, but this year’s
Christmas number one (probably) is already here. Underneath
The Tree is the lead single from Clarkson’s Christmas album ‘Wrapped In Red’
and it’s basically the new All I Want For
Christmas. Jingle bells, tubular
bells, a sing-along chorus, a sax solo…can you imagine wrapping up your
presents to any other soundtrack this year?
It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas….
4/5
Listen: Underneath The
Tree is released on October 28th.
Mausi – Body Language
And at the other end of the spectrum are Newcastle/Italy electro-pop group Mausi with a new track that brings back the sounds of the summer. Clipped beats, vibrant neon synths and even a spoken middle eight advising how to flirt make up a sexy pop track that brings a touch of sunshine to the autumn months.
4/5
Listen: Body Language is
available now as a free download on the band’s new mixtape ‘Autumn/Winter
Collection’.
Chlöe Howl – Paper Heart
Howl is one of the top pop prospects to emerge in 2013, Paper Heart following on from the
snarling No Strings (“you don’t even
know if I’m the right sex do you?”) and youthful stomper Rumour (“I’m just trying to work out how to be like myself”). For this track, the auburn beauty has cranked
up the fizzing synth factor whilst maintaining the biting tone of the lyrics: ”I’m
bored to death with you, I’m cutting the chord now darling”. The video, seemingly inspired by the myriad
proposal videos doing the rounds these days, sees Howl going to great lengths
to break up with her man. Ouch.
4/5
Listen: Paper Heart is
yet to receive an official release date.
Taylor Swift – Sweeter Than Fiction
Sweeter Than Fiction sounds
about as bad as the film it soundtracks – the Paul Potts inspired One Chance.
Like much of Swift’s output, this eschews her country roots for a
pop aesthetic, but it’s far less catchy than I Knew You Were Trouble or We
Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.
Instead, this is Swift on auto-pilot with vomit-inducing lyrics. Yet somehow I fear this song will be the
highlight of the film…
2/5
Listen: Sweeter Than
Fiction is available now.
Gala – Taste Of Me
Remember 90s classic Freed
From Desire? Well this is the very
same Gala, releasing a fairly serviceable club track complete with dubstep
breakdown. But what exactly does she taste of?
2/5
Listen: Taste Of Me is
released on November 25th.
