Pop tracks are like buses – you wait for something decent
and then a load of tracks come at once. Here’s a mass catch up...
Years and Years – Shine
Y&Y just keep going from strength to strength. King is probably the song of the year so
far, but Shine is a more than worthy
follow up. Debut album ‘Communion’ is out next month, it could well be an album
of the year contender.
4/5
Listen: Shine will
feature on ‘Communion’ released on 10th July.
Britney Spears, Iggy Azalea – Pretty Girls
From one of the best acts of the year to the worst. This is
just dire, from the weak production, to the annoying chorus hook and the embarrassing
attempts at “acting” in the video. Please make it stop.
1/5
Listen: DON’T.
Leona Lewis – Fire Under My Feet
You split from your long term record label, what’s your next
step? Copy the best-selling artist of the decade of course. She sings it well,
but the comparisons to Adele are inescapable. Altogether now: “There’s a fire
starting in my heart…..”
2/5
Listen: Fire Under My
Feet is released on 28th June.
Alesha Dixon – The Way We Are
Here’s another artist making a return with some copycat material. At least Dixon is a little more current – this is basically Clean Bandit feat. Alesha Dixon, minus Clean Bandit. It’s fun, it’s summery, and she looks great in the video.
3/5
Listen: The Way We Are
is released on 21st June.
Rita Ora – Poison
And as we’re on a female pop run, here’s Rita Ora failing to
live up to the potential of her Calvin Harris collaboration I Will Never Let You Down. Well, you
have. Poison is a decent enough pop
jam, but its chorus is just too lumbering and forgettable.
2/5
Listen: Poison is
released on 28th June.
Miguel – Coffee
Let’s throw in a male. Coffee
will feature on Miguel’s forthcoming third album ‘Wildheart’, but it may as
well be an offcut from ‘Kaleidoscope Dream’. Presumably he’s spent all his
money on damages to the poor girl he kicked in the head last year (that will
never get old). Also, make sure you listen to the Wale-less version – his rap
verse is terrible.
3/5
Listen: Coffee is
available now. ‘Wildheart’ is released on 30th June.
Rudimental – Never Let You Go
Never Let You Go doesn’t
stray too far from the band’s formula, but it’s a more relaxed affair, the
usual heavy beats and horn stabs simmering beneath evocative synths. ‘We The
Generation’ will likely follow suit in its lack of sonic ambition, but you can
at least design your own album cover on the band’s website. More exciting is
the prospect of some new featured vocalists to look out for.
3/5
Listen: ‘We The Generation’ is released on 18th
September.
Lianne La Havas – Unstoppable
Also returning for Warner Music this year is Lianne La Havas,
fresh from her new friendship with Prince. Unstoppable
is a beautiful slice of orchestral sunshine – lazy, jazzy and with a
sumptuous vocal. Perfect for relaxing summer evenings.
4/5
Listen: Unstoppable is
taken from forthcoming album ‘Blood’ released on 31st July.
Adam Lambert – Underground
Ghost Town hasn’t
even been released yet, but Underground is
available as a pre-order bonus for forthcoming album ‘The Original High’. What
begins as a piano ballad soon morphs into a whirring, R&B-tinged jam. With material like this, there’s
no denying Lambert is soon to break into the UK mainstream in a very big way.
4/5
Listen: ‘The Original High’ is released on 16th
June.
Lion Babe – Wonder Woman
If you’re looking for sexy sounds and sexier hair, then Lion
Babe have you covered. Duo Jillian Hervey and Lucas Goodman have crafted a
soulful, fierce pop-funk track (produced by Pharrell Williams no less) that’s
so sexy it should come with contraception.
4/5
Listen: Wonder Woman is
available now.
Honne – Top To Toe
Honne are signed to Super Recordings, the same label that
launched AlunaGeorge and Bondax, but their take on soulful dance is a more
sombre and romantic affair than their label mates. Top To Toe epitomises their sound – a heartbreaking lyric
accompanied by warm, cinematic production. The full EP ‘Coastal Love’ is well
worth a listen.
4/5
Listen: ‘Coastal Love’ is available now.
Elliphant – Love Me Badder
Love Me Badder is
the most radio friendly of Elliphant’s output. The Swedish rapper has always
straddled Jamaican dancehall and pop, but this track launches her firmly into
the latter category with a big sing-along chorus, even if it’s missing the
sense of cool from her previous tracks.
3/5
Listen: Love Me Badder
is available now.
Aurora – Running With The Wolves
Continuing the Scandi theme, here’s Norway’s Aurora
delivering gothic Scandi-pop at its finest. Folk melodies, guitars and heavy
drums combine with a powerful electro chorus and a delicately lilting vocal.
One to watch.
4/5
Listen: Running With
The Wolves is available now.
Active Child – Never Far Away
With a new album on the way – ‘Mercy’ – a handful of new
tracks have emerged from Active Child, including the fragile 1999 and the hypnotic Stranger. Never Far Away is the best of the bunch though, with its smooth,
slinky R&B influence on his trademark crystalline sound and falsetto
vocals. Just wait for the guitar licks towards the end.
4/5
Listen: ‘Mercy’ is released on 16th June.
Tiger Town – Paper Note
Australia is delivering some brilliant pop music at the moment and this track from Sydney’s Tiger Town is a prime example. With a verse full of glittering electronic touches, it layers up the vocals and melodies towards a double chorus that’s as bright and joyful as you’d expect from a country of near perpetual sunshine.
4/5
Listen: Paper Note is
“coming soon”. Apparently.
Allie X – Catch
On first listen, Allie X’s work seems similar to Chvrches.
But that’s hardly an unfortunate comparison is it? Catch is a *cough* catchy electro-pop track that’s as
sparkly as its video is weird (very).
4/5
Listen: Catch is available
now.
Rixton – We All Want The Same Thing
Initially this new track from the Manchester boyband is fun
with its jangling guitars and falsetto vocals. Except, it doesn’t go anywhere.
Instead it repeats the same melodies and production ad nauseam for just under
four minutes. Inventive this isn’t.
2/5
Listen: We All Want
The Same Thing is released on 7th June.
MisterWives – Our Own House
This track from NYC indie-pop band MisterWives seems to
borrow heavily from all over the pop landscape: funk guitars, horn stabs, a
handclap breakdown, house pianos and more. The result, though, is a bold and
colourful pop song that’s so 2015 it hurts.
4/5
Listen: The band’s debut album, also called ‘Our Own House’,
is available now.
Sia – California Dreamin’
Only Sia could take such a well-known song and make it sound
this fresh. Taken from the soundtrack to the film San Andreas, the majestic, mournful, choir-backed opening is blown
wide-open, as huge as Sia’s vocal and, presumably, the disasters of the film.
4/5
Listen: The soundtrack to San Andreas is available now.
Loreen – Paper Light Revisited
Lastly, just in time for Eurovision week, Queen Loreen has released
a reworking of her new single Paper Light
that puts an almighty donk on it. Amazing.
4/5
Listen: Paper Light is
available now.
