Louis Tomlinson feat. Bebe Rexha & Digital Farm Animals - Back To You
Now signed to Sony and developing his own record label, Tomlinson is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Simon Cowell. To his credit, his choice of collaborators here is savvy: Digital Farm Animals, the British DJ/producer who co-wrote Dua Lipa's Be The One; Bebe Rexha, the rising American pop singer. Yet that doesn't change the fact Back To You is a boring, forgettable song chosen by someone with zero taste. If you're gonna make it in the industry you sure as hell need a hit - and this isn't it.
Vera Blue - Lady Powers
This totally should've been on the soundtrack to Wonder Woman. Instead, it's taken from the Australian singer's second album 'Perennial' but still has something of a superhero theme. "I'm not gonna beg for your respect," she sings in the chorus over menacing, pulsing synths, "I shouldn't have to use my lady, lady, lady, lady powers". BAM. POW.
PRETTYMUCH - Would You Mind
Touted as the new One Direction, PRETTYMUCH are the next boyband to be put together by Simon Cowell. They've so far spent their time putting up covers on Instagram, seemingly impressing people with their ability to sing in harmony, dance and play instruments - as if no other boyband in history as managed such a feat. Still, unlike his other bands, these lot are from the US and Canada rather than the UK, so their sound is a throwback to the 90s heyday of Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC and New Kids On The Block. Perhaps they can appeal to older fans as much as the tweens. The name is awful though.
KStewart - Sex 4 Breakfast
Clearly the 90s are in, then. The London singer is yet to have a proper hit, but the hand claps, funk bass and whirring synths of this track have old school appeal. No matter how much "extra cream" she offers though, Prince's Breakfast Can Wait is a more subtle, mature take on the same theme.
Ghosted feat. Kamille - Get Some
And here's another not so subtle sex jam. "When you call and I'm horny," this electro-ballad begins, the cooing autotuned vocals belying its desperation. Then in the chorus: "I don't need no candelight, you just need to fuck me right, guess I ain't the loving kind, I just need to get some." That's honest at least.
WSTRN feat. Alkaline - Txtin'
The addictive In2 was released way back in 2015 and although the London collective have released a handful of singles since then, none of them have quite hit the mark in the same way. Txtin' though is their best track since that debut, featuring dancehall artist Alkaline for some extra clout. It doesn't quite have a strong enough hook, but rhythmically it's infectious.
Lykke Li - Unchained Melody
Considering the Swede's third album 'I Never Learn' was a gut-wrenching, visceral depiction of heartbreak, you can trust her to deliver an incredibly haunting version of this classic. It's a song she's sung many times live, but now we have a proper studio version to enjoy. Backed solely by piano, her raw vocal really brings out the pain of the lyrics, while her repetition of "to the sea" and "wait for me" roll on achingly for eternity.
