Rita Ora - Anywhere
This is one of those songs with a sing-songy nursery rhyme melody, only exacerbated by that terrible "over the hills and far away..." line. It undermines any sense of cool the generic tropical dance-pop production is attempting, so the whole song just comes off as lame. She looks good in the Sex and the City inspired video though.
Taylor Swift - Gorgeous
Gorgeous seems to be aimed at the guy with the "indie record that's much cooler than mine". It sees Taylor in typically dorky mode, dumbstruck at how good looking some older guy is: a guy who drinks whiskey on ice, who makes her "sink and drown and die", who makes her furious because she can't have him. Along with the fizzing girlish production and "guess I'll just stumble back home to my cats" line, it's a song designed to make Swift seem like everybody else in quirky, comedy fashion. Except she's not - she's a popstar. Gorgeous just ends up coming off as forced, like the other songs in the 'Reputation' era. The album is going to be a terrible letdown isn't it?
Jessie Ware - Sam
Ware releases her third album 'Glasshouse' today, from which Sam is taken. A simple acoustic song co-written with Ed Sheeran that's an ode to her husband, it's intensely personal with brutally candid lyrics ("I've found a man far from my father"). Ware has developed into not only a mature songwriter, but a beautiful storyteller.
Fever Ray - To the Moon and Back
You know when you're just casually listening through NMF and you suddenly hear the lyrics "I want to run my fingers up your pussy"? It certainly makes you stop and listen. Then you realise this is the first release since 2009 from The Knife's Karin Dreijer under that alias, it's opening lyric "Hey, remember me?" not devoid of irony. As you might expect it's all playful, urgent synths beneath that unmistakable vocal - the sci-fi video is also all sorts of weird and amazing.
Liam Payne - Bedroom Floor
Call me insane, but I actually really like this. It's a muted take on dance-pop with a great lyrical hook, a decent falsetto vocal, and polished yet restrained production. Probably the best 1D alumni single since Pillowtalk.
Kelly Clarkson - Meaning of Life
What is the meaning of life? It's love, according to Kelly Clarkson. This sort of modern doo-wop song is the title track from her forthcoming album - an album that will likely be full of old fashioned pop songs that nonetheless show off her impressive vocals, but probably won't capture a younger audience.
Kygo feat. The Night Game - Kids In Love
I realise it's intensely unfashionable to like Kygo, but at least featuring US pop band The Night Game has forced the producer to change up his sound. It's still a dance track revolving around 'the drop', but The Night Game bring a sense of grandiose euphoria and some great vocals. There's not a tropical beat in earshot.
MGMT - Little Dark Age
MGMT's Electric Feel and Kids remain incredible songs that probably sum up the university years for people of a certain generation. The band are back with Little Dark Age after a number of identity changes in the last 10 years. As the name suggests, this takes the band to more of a goth-pop sound with brooding, pulsing synths. It's not particularly inventive though, lacking the vibrance and hooks of their earlier material.
Handsome - Late Night Ball Game
This is a stunner from Sydney-based Handsome. It's the story of someone coming out ("holding my breath at what you might say"): brooding, mysterious, dramatic and loaded with anxiety.
