Tuesday 26 August 2014

New Pop Roundup

You want some new music?  Of course you do...


Nicole Scherzinger - On The Rocks


Ok, it's not quite Boomerang, but On The Rocks is definitely at the bottom end of Scherzy's output.  It's a massive step down from Your Love, the whole chorus conceit is dreadful, and it's just a middling mid-tempo jam.  Shouldn't she be back on X Factor or something?

2/5

Listen: On The Rocks is released on October 12th.




Nicki Minaj - Anaconda


Let's face it, we're only here for the video.  The song itself is just a lazy sample and a bad rap with insightful lyrics like "where my fat ass big bitches in the club?"  As for the visuals, if you like ass, jungles, ass, fruit, ass, Drake and some more ass, then you'll probably find much to enjoy.

2/5

Listen: Anaconda is available now.




Rae Morris - Closer


Fans of Bombay Bicycle Club may recognise Morris as their sometimes collaborator, but her solo material is a total contrast.  Closer mixes tinkling piano and electronics with an R&B beat oddly reminiscent of Return Of The Mack.  The result is a very clever piece of pop songwriting, proving Morris is definitely one to watch in the coming months.

4/5

Listen: Closer is released on 22nd October.





Troye Sivan - Happy Little Pill


Though the baby-faced South-African born Troye Sivan has been making music for a little while, his recent EP 'TRXYE' is his first major label release.  Though he may look like a cross between La Roux's Elly Jackson and James Blake, his music is very different.  Happy Little Pill is the lead single from the EP: sombre R&B-pop with a suitably moody video to match.  The rest of the EP follows a similar template but it's a brilliant listen.  It also has a track called The Fault In Our Stars, though it's nothing to do with the recent film.

4/5

Listen: 'TRXYE' is available now.




Labrinth - Let It Be


Pop doesn't get much worse than Beneath Your Beautiful, but thankfully Labrinth is taking his career in a more experimental direction with his new material, of which Let It Be is the first example.  And no it's not a cover of The Beatles.  Instead he unleashes his soulful vocals over trumpet calls, electric guitars, robotic vocals and a stomping military beat.  It sounds weird, but somehow it works.

3/5

Listen: Let It Be is released on September 28th.




Pale - Silence


Silence is a fusion of electro, soul and R&B, with an 80s feel and some guitars thrown in for good measure.  Its smooth, melancholic atmosphere washes over the ears like silk, much like the rest of this London band's output.  Their new EP should be well worth a listen.

4/5

Listen: Silence is taken from forthcoming EP 'The Come Back' released on 8th September.





Say Lou Lou x Lindstrøm - Games For Girls


If you thought Swedish-Australian sisters Say Lou Lou only did dreamy sad-pop then you're mistaken.  This track has production from Norwegian space-disco producer Lindstrøm, who lends a bubbling, playful note to the sisters' vocals.  This should provide a nice change of pace when it features on their debut album due next year.

4/5

Listen: Games For Girls is released on 12th October.





Bastille - Bad News


Taken from their forthcoming EP 'Oblivion', Bad News is more akin to the remix work from Bastille's mixtapes - all hypnotic synths, electronic beats and processed vocals.  If the new EP is half as good as this track it'll be a vast improvement on debut album 'Bad Blood'.

4/5

Listen: 'Oblivion' is released on 7th September.