Where's the excitement? Where's the hook? Where's the Britney comeback we've been promised for the best part of a decade? And where the hell are her clothes?
Katy Perry - Rise
The queen of uplifting pop anthems, who else could release a song for the Rio Olympics? It's not her best, with its muted beat and lack of a truly brilliant, sing-along chorus, but it's certainly functional. More than that, the video features plenty of footage of London 2012, perhaps the last time this country could be described as "Great" on the world stage.
Snakehips & ZAYN - Cruel
Besides a load of remixes, Snakehips are best known for their 2015 track All My Friends. ZAYN you already know, of course. Together, Cruel is all snappy beats, choppy synth samples and smooth vocals - the best of both artists. A surprise release and potentially a surprise hit.
Justice - Safe and Sound
The French act's first release in five years, Safe and Sound brings the same hard-edged future disco they're known for. That means funk bass, spacey synths and layered vocals. The problem is this track just doesn't go anywhere after the first minute, ultimately lacking impact for all its euphoric sounds. And didn't Daft Punk do this better a couple of years back?
Tinashe - Superlove
Superlove is a more uptempo bop than we're used to from Tinashe, but it retains her sexy vocals. With production from The-Dream (Rihanna's Umbrella and Beyoncé's Single Ladies amongst others) and his right-hand man Tricky Stewart, this is the sort of R&B pop-crossover track that will bring Tinashe the chart success she deserves.
Banks - Fuck With Myself
Dark, sensual music + twisted video = the sexiest track of the year so far.
AlunaGeorge - Mean What I Mean
The London duo are on a roll at the moment in the lead-up to their forthcoming album. Mean What I Mean is standard fare for them, with a slick take on dancehall flavours and infectious syncopated rhythms. That is until you hear...
Lao Ra - Drum Machine
Drum Machine is the follow up to Lao Ra's debut release Jesus Made Me Bad and twists the tropical vibes and dancehall feel so popular at the moment into something edgier but no less enthralling. She's definitely giving AlunaGeorge a run for their money.
