This is essentially a song about doing it with your hand. "I wanna f-, but I'm broken hearted," sings Demi Lovato, "T-t-touch but I got nobody, so I do it solo." Clean Bandit always deliver, though, and Solo is no exception. The tropical production is a bit 2017 but the trademark strings are timeless.
Worth a listen.
Christine and the Queens feat. DâM-FunK - Girlfriend
She's shortened her name to Chris for this return, signalling the new album's exploration of machismo. Effortless funk production (alongside American funk artist DâM-FunK) ensure this remains as smooth and danceable as her previous hits, now with a heady dose of sweat and sunshine.
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Camila Cabello & Pharrell Williams - Sangria Wine
Another artist this week aiming for song of the summer. Sangria basically is wine, but here Cabello's stirring up a new dance. Sexy Cuban rhythms have become her default mode, but with Latin music so popular this is guaranteed to rise up the charts.
Worth a listen.
Betty Who - Taste
Betty Who is still slaving away for that smash hit. Taste marks a change in direction: gone are the fizzing synths and empowering lyrics and in their place are breathless melodies, sensual rhythms and sharp syncopations, all delivered with a knowing wink. It's intoxicating.
Worth a listen.
Lykke Li - utopia
This wistful ballad was shared on Mother's Day with a video of childhood footage, an ode to the dreams of mothers after her own mother died last year and her son was born the year before. It doesn't quite have the same raw impact as the heartbreak of 2014's 'I Never Learn', but it's a beautiful song nonetheless.
Worth a listen.
Backstreet Boys - Don't Go Breaking My Heart
Yes that's right, THE Backstreet Boys are back. You might expect an ageing boyband to deliver a boring ballad (and that's how this track begins), but this is a driving 80s synth-pop jam with falsetto vocals and a heavy snare beat. Backstreet is well and truly back.
Worth a listen.
Britt Rion - Hide
This track, from the New Zealand dream pop songstress, has everything. Thumping beats, ethereal vocals, a screaming guitar solo and eventually a full rave breakdown. But it's so expertly put together, the way it layers up towards a banging climax that's pure euphoria. Definitely a young talent to keep an eye on.
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