Saturday 13 October 2018

New Music Friday 12/10

Little Mix feat. Nicki Minaj - Woman Like Me

Little Mix feat. Nicki Minaj - Woman Like Me

No one can touch them. Other girlbands have been and gone, split up and disappeared into obscurity, but Little Mix just keep ploughing on as a solid foursome. Perhaps the key to their success is that they've rarely set trends but have just built upon those set by others. Woman Like Me is no different. Feisty delivery, lilting reggae rhythms, Nicki Minaj rap feature. It would be a great single, if it hadn't already been done two years ago by Ariana Grande in Side To Side.

Worth a listen.



ALMA - Cowboy

ALMA - Cowboy

After a string of singles and EPs, Finland's Alma is still exploring and defining her sound. The debut album, though, is due next year and Cowboy is its lead single. The Americana feel, lyrics depicting her move to L.A., and the song title together feel a little on the nose, but it does retain the thumping beats and catchy hooks we're used to.

Worth a listen.



Maggie Rogers - Light On

Maggie Rogers - Light On

It's been two years since Maggie Rogers rose to fame in a viral video in which, as a college student, her work was critiqued by Pharrell Williams. Light On, her latest single, looks back at those two years in a love letter to her fans. "Would you believe me now if I told you I got caught up in a wave?" she astutely questions in the opening lyric, before a chorus aimed at her fans that explores the fragility of fame: "if you're gone for good, then I'm ok with that." The production swells with cinematic grandeur and tiny details alike - her album early next year should be a consolidation of her talents.

Worth a listen.



KWAYE - Paralyzed

KWAYE - Paralyzed

The Zimbabwean-London singer KWAYE was picked up by a music exec in an Uber and impressed with his unique electro-funk. But Paralyzed is the singer's most arresting track yet - a stunning R&B ballad that pairs vulnerable falsetto with stark production. The lyrics explore the fear of acceptance, of being judged by those we love, portrayed beautifully in the song's black and white video. It's as heartbreaking as it is empowering.

Add to playlist.



Little Dragon - Lover Chanting

Little Dragon - Lover Chanting

Lover Chanting is the title track from the Swedish group's forthcoming EP, a track that's almost comforting in its familiarity. The house beats snap and bounce like rubber bands and singer Yukimi Nagano's enchanting vocal curls around the melodies - sounds we've come to immediately associate with Little Dragon. A solid inclusion to the group's ever-growing oeuvre.

Worth a listen.



Sia - I'm Still Here

Sia - I'm Still Here

Oh look, Sia has released another anthemic ballad with indistinguishable lyrics and a soaring vocal. This might be her forté, but it fails to rise to the levels of Chandelier, Diamonds or Alive. And yet, she's still here...

Don't bother.



Áine Cahill - Water Into Wine

Áine Cahill - Water Into Wine

Irish singer Áine Cahill is quickly finding a niche in gothic-soul, pairing a huge vocal with dark, menacing synth production. It worked for breakout hit Blood Diamonds, which developed from the more traditional sounding previous tracks Angels & Demons and Plastic, and it works for Water Into Wine. All melismatic vocals, clipped beats and richly layered production, this is a swirling, evocative release.

Worth a listen.