Tag: album review

Monthly Mixtape – April ’25

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Hey!
Hope you’re doing well and enjoying this glorious sunny weather, if you’re in the UK. It just makes everything feel that little bit brighter, doesn’t it?

I’m super excited to share these songs with you. It’s been another brilliant month of music, and the longlist was extensive. Going forward, I won’t be sharing the entire playlist—just the top 20 tracks I’ve been enjoying. That’s probably still quite a lot, but I couldn’t narrow it down any further!

I’m hoping there’s something here for everyone. Lots of Pop, of course, but also Soul, R&B, indie-pop, Country, and Folk.

I really, really appreciate every visit and read.

Love as always,
Marc

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Monthly Mixtape: September ’24

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Reading Time: 8 minutes

I’m a little late again (sorry!). Life is crazy.
This is a really special set of songs for me and I am really excited to share these with you.

These blog posts typically take around an hour to an hour and a half to write so as always, I REALLY appreiciate every read / scan / visit. It makes it all worthwhile.

You can see my Top 5 at the top for a quicker version or read the longlist below.

Let’s dive in!

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Katy Perry – Witness Review

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As one of the world’s biggest pop superstars and almost a decade into her career, Katy Perry’s ‘Witness’ should and could have been a Pop triumph and a fine addition into her impressive pop discography. Except, it isn’t.

Perry shot to fame after debut release ‘I Kissed A Girl‘ and subsequently released the ever-brilliant ‘One of The Boys’, a quirky pop-rock album which took a singer-songwriter approach. The follow up, ‘Teenage Dream’ witnessed her transition into bubblegum pop to become a global superstar and it’s this album that remains her best. ‘Prism’, the follow up, aimed for the same but demonstrated more maturity. It was a well-intentioned follow up and had its moments but failed to be endearing as ‘Teenage Dream’.

On ‘Witness’, as opposed to taking an innovative approach, Perry merely demonstrates that she has lost her identity. Gone is the bubblegum pop and in is a perplexing cacophony of dark and electropop. The opening title track is sturdy enough with its twinkly piano riffs and effervescent synthesizers but fails to make an impression similar to that of ‘Roar‘, ‘Teenage Dream‘, or ‘One of The Boys‘. From here, the album barely improves. It’s an album dependent on repeated Pop hooks over dissonant electropop but fails to make much of an impression and is instantly forgettable.

The album depends heavily on contemporary production: huge drops, autotune-drenched vocals and distant synthesizers yet it doesn’t pay off. It’s a chaotic mesh of commotion which lacks personality and any memorable tracks. It’s simply a rehash of the singles chart from the last six months. It’s no wonder that Perry has had to rely on wielding Taylor Swift slurs and that droll therapy session broadcasted all over the world.

Bizarrely, the album’s best moments are the mediocre singles. ‘Bon Appetit‘ is the closest to any of the effervescent, naughty pop featured on ‘Teenage Dream’ whilst ‘Chained To The Rhythm‘ remains the album’s highlight. The same cannot be said for the diabolical ‘Swish Swish‘, however which has all the cringe of a mum attempting to be ‘down-with-the-kidz’. Musically, it could have been a fine EDM track but is let down by its unwarranted Taylor Swift-berating lyrics.

The only other times that the album attempts to redeem itself is at the very end, first on the penultimate track ‘Pendulum‘, then on finale ‘Into Me You See‘. On the triumphant, gospel-tinged ‘Pendulum‘, Perry’s vocals glisten over irresistible piano riffs and a symphony of gospel vocals whilst ‘Into You See Me‘ is a delicate piano ballad in a similar vein to Teenage Dream’s ‘Not Like The Movies‘. Unfortunately, it’s too little, too late.

It’s unlikely that the Katy Perry known and loved by many has vanished forever but certainly indefinitely. Perhaps she should take note from Miley and return in two years with a fresh attitude and a belter of a single.

Rating: 2/5
Highlights: Chained To The Rhythm, Pendulum, Into Me You See

 

Take That – Wonderland Album Review

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After the arguably unexpected success of first album as a trio ‘III’ and three years later, Europe’s favourite boy man-band have returned with an intriguing and some-what confused new album.

‘Wonderland’ is exactly what is says on the tin – it’s a flamboyant, dizzying album full of up-tempo Pop. But whereas ‘III’ was an amalgamation of Take That’s sound (the Pop-Rock of Beautiful World and The Circus, fused with the electropop of Progress and a fresh Pop sound) ‘Wonderland’ attempts a more brash, disco-pop/indie-pop sound. It’s more successful on some tracks more than others.

The album’s title track, which opens the album is arguably the best song present. Its oriental, simmering introduction evolves into a funky 1980’s themed track. Musically, its captures the spirit of material by The 1975, though its lyrical content makes it stop short. On similar levels of camp abundance, ‘Lucky Stars‘ is effortless pop perfection with its squeaky synthesizers whilst ‘And The Band Plays‘ relies on bizarre co-ordination between electronic instruments and a brass band. It’s all undoubtedly a lot of fun, though it does scream ‘Mid Life Crisis’.

Singles ‘Giants‘ and ‘New Day‘ are classic Take That and are sturdy tracks with soaring choruses. In fact, the album’s best moments are when the band relies on their well-known and well-loved sound. ‘Hope‘ is a stunning ballad in a similar vein to the band’s best ballads ‘Said It All‘ and ‘The Circus‘. ‘The Last Poet‘ lyrically returns the Take That boys back to the top of the game with the beautifully simple ‘For you I can’t find words’ whilst musically it matches the triumph of ‘The Circus’ and ‘III’ albums. Then there’s the electronic brilliance of ‘Every Revolution‘ which serves as ‘Affirmation‘ Part II. Donald’s vocals shine as always whilst dizzy synthesises soar in the background. It’s a lovely track, though one bound to be lost in the fun of the rest of the album.

The fact is, for any other band or artist, ‘Wonderland’ would be a triumph. But after years of solid pop albums, for a Take That album, it just stops short of being another classic. It’s a little too brash – a little too carefully plotted for arenas to stand on its own as a successful album. Then there’s the lyrics. Much of the album documents getting over unmentioned issues which is nice enough but it also feels a little half-arsed at times. ‘Every morning it is a brand new day’ is a nice enough lyric, though by the end of ‘New Day‘, one feels like telling Barlow ‘Tell me something I don’t know’. At times, the album feels over-brash, over-thought and over-produced. On many of the ballads, Barlow stands too close for comfort to the microphone, presumably to capture a raw sound, though it just sounds like he needs to take a step back.

For all its flaws, ‘Wonderland’ is not a bad album. Far from it, in fact. There’s plenty of substantial material here and is a fun listen. It just happens that it isn’t Take That’s best work.

Rating: 3/5
Highlights: Wonderland, Giants, Hope, The Last Poet, Every Revolution.

 

 

Harry Styles – Harry Styles Album Review

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Heartthrob, the ever-elusive, ex-boyband member and full-time indie kid Harry Styles has delivered a solid album of Beatle-esque Rock n Roll. From the gentle psychedelia of album book-ends ‘Meet Me in the Hallway‘ and ‘From The Dining Room Table‘ to the energetic and chaotic rock of ‘Carolina‘ and ‘Kiwi‘, it’s an album which avoids isolating Directioners but one which enables Styles to win a new legion of fans.

Strictly speaking, it’s not entirely an original album. ‘Carolina‘ is essentially ‘Stuck in the Middle with You‘, the stunning ballad ‘Two Ghosts‘ (reportedly about Taylor Swift) comes dangerously close to ripping off The Allman Brothers’ ‘Melissa‘, the acoustic ‘Sweet Creature‘ is The Beatles’ ‘Blackbird‘ and massive ballad ‘Sign of The Times‘ is basically Bowie. It’s evident that Styles has used his iTunes collection as a stimulus but this is hardly a criticism; it’s refreshing to hear him breathe his interests and passion into his own music.

Vocally, Styles has never sounded better. From the growls of ‘She’s a good girl’ on ‘Carolina‘ and ‘She’s having your baby’ on ‘Kiwi‘ to the reverb-drenched vocals on ‘Sign of the Times‘ and ‘Woman‘, there’s no auto-tune in sight. His vocals are tender when required and more fierce on the heavier material. Similarly organic, the album generally avoids over-production and instead relies on quality songwriting, clear guitar strums, luscious layered vocals and rich string arrangements.

When things get a little too comfortable, the album is punctuated by a deceptive ethereal introduction to ‘Only Angel‘ which evolves into a hand-clapping, foot-stopping rock smash and the hip-hop inspired ‘Woman‘ – perhaps the album’s most intriguing moment.

It’s a solid album and at just ten tracks long, wisely adopts the quality over quantity approach.

Rating: 5/5
Highlights: ‘Carolina’, ‘Two Ghosts’, ‘Ever Since New York’, ‘Woman’.

 

Shura – Nothing’s Real Album Review

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It’s been over two years since Shura’s ‘Touch‘ became an internet sensation for its gentle, airy tones and simple, yet endearing video which featured her and her friends kissing, regardless of gender. Follow up tracks ‘Indecision‘ and ‘2Shy‘ simply amplified the buzz  which resulted in Shura (real name Alexandra Denton) being longlisted in the BBC’s Sound of 2015 poll and extensive airplay on Radio 1. It’s probably fair to say that demand for further material escalated quicker than Shura’s musical output which resulted in sporadic single releases and an eagerly awaited debut album. Finally, ‘Nothing’s Real’ has catapulted onto the music scene, however and brilliant it is too.

Musically, it’s fun and uplifting, mimicking 80’s synthpop yet its lyrics are more introspective and darker than the sugary melodies and uptempo tracks let on. Reviews consistently compare her work to ’80’s Madonna but it is unfair to box her into the confinements of this comparison. There are also moments of Janet Jackson, Blood Orange, Prince, Haim & Phil Collins scattered throughout but the album provides enough scope for her own distinct sound to shine through.

It’s undoubtedly Pop music, yet it’s not Pop music as that defined by global superstars such as Taylor Swift & Katy Perry. It’s more an off-centre, awkward Pop tinged with electro elements and far greater sincerity in its lyrical content than any Pop superstar could ever achieve.

For the most part, the album utilises gated percussion, shimmering synths and funk-influenced bass lines to mirror some of the best, catchiest Pop music of the ’80’s. This is the case on tracks such as ‘Indecision‘ (Shura’s ‘Holiday‘) and absolutely brilliant ‘Tongue Tied‘ (one of two tracks worked on by Pop mastermind Greg Kurstin and a track on which Patrice Rushen’s influence is clear) and rather space-y, sci-fi-influenced closing track ‘White Light‘. It’s deceptively catchy, however. Opening track ‘Nothing’s Real‘ could almost be placed in disco territory with its clinking percussion, strong riffs and catchy melodies, yet on closer inspection, the lyrics detail the more intimate matter of a panic attack. Much of the album follows suit – its uptempo music at odds with its awkward, realistic and relatable lyrical content detailing matters such as the end of a relationship, high school crushes and coming of age.

The uptempo fun continues on one of the 2016’s best Pop releases ‘What’s It Gonna Be‘? the other collaboration with Kurstin which still sounds as fresh and uplifting as on its first listen. Whilst mention of it fitting perfectly on a John Hughes movie soundtrack is becoming something of a cliche, this is certainly the case.

Elsewhere, the album is given time to breathe on gentler tracks. The analogue synthesizer sound present on ‘Touch‘ still forms part of its appeal with its breathy vocals and simple chord transition whilst the moody ‘Make It Up‘ feels as though it belongs on a Cyndi Lauper album. Then there’s the shimmering, summery ‘2Shy‘ which remains one of Shura’s best tracks. The awkwardness and shyness of the track (“Maybe I’m just 2Shy to say it, we could be more than friends…”) is somehow perfectly captured in its fizzy production and sweet vocals.

The album’s best track, however, is the gorgeous synthpop ballad ‘Kidz ‘N’ Stuff‘ which is reminiscent of Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis’s best work circa ‘Rhythm Nation’. ‘How can I not be everything you need?’ her syrupy, whispered vocals pine over twinkling synths, moody guitars and crashing percussion. It’s tender, it’s relatable and it’s a golden moment on the album which surprisingly escalates into an incredible, spine-tingling electro interlude into the Pop perfection of ‘Indecision‘.

The album employs the use of spaced-out-synths in other areas too. Eerie, psychedelic interludes, blanketed with audio clips lifted from private home movies [(I) and (II)] punctuate the album perfectly. Indeed, the album finishes in this manner on the gorgeous, de-tuned ‘311215‘. It’s an additional reminder of how personal the album is whilst also touching on one of its key themes – time.

Another of the album’s highlights is the new-wave influenced ‘What Happened To Us?’ which somehow straddles Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Gypsy‘ and Don Henley’s ‘Boys of Summer‘ simultaneously. It is perhaps the one song on the album which breaks from the programmed instrumentation and instead utilises a full band with wailing guitars, fierce percussion and a triumphant chorus. “I’m no child but I don’t feel grown up” Shura almost growls over its fierce instrumentation.

It’s an album unconfined by fillers or impersonal production by superstar producers where Shura herself is responsible for the album’s concept, creation and curation, often assisted by Athlete’s Joel Pott. Every track is killer and its production is tight yet captivating.

One of the the must-have albums of 2016.

Highlights: What’s It Gonna Be?, Touch, Kidz ‘N’ Stuff, Indecision, What Happened To Us?, 2Shy
Rating: 5/5

‘Nothing’s Real’ is available now on Polydor Records.

Raleigh Ritchie – You’re a Man Now, Boy Album Review

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If you aren’t already familiar with Raleigh Ritchie (real name Jacob Anderson) in terms of music, chances are you’ll have encountered him as an actor. He has developed a name for himself starring in various high-profile roles over the last four years including Omen in the film Adulthood, Grey Worm in Game of Thrones and Dean Thomas in Broadchurch. He is now in the process of building a whole new side-career for himself as a singer-songwriter, set off to a promising start by single ‘Stronger than Ever‘ which has become something of a staple as dramatic background music on reality television in addition to receiving much airplay on the likes of Radio 1.

‘This is no p***-take’, sings Anderson on ‘Never Been Better‘. Indeed, ‘You’re a Man Now, Boy’ is a determined and well-crafted album which avoids filler album tracks, resulting in an intriguing album from start to finish. It’s an album which explores the pertinent and stimulating themes of confusion, depression and vulnerability through the on-trend genre of alternative R&B. Threaded together by sweeping strings, brass instruments, simmering synthesisers and fierce live percussion, it’s dramatic, bold and powerful, delving into elements of  R&B, Soul, electronica and hip-hop.

The likes of ‘Stronger than Ever‘, ‘Bloodsport‘ and ‘Never Been Better‘ are explosive and emotive works which showcase Anderson at his best, featuring thunderous percussion and sweeping strings not dissimilar from Massive Attack’s ‘Unfinished Symphony‘. They are bold and soulful, breaking out from the norm yet remaining contemporary.

Elsewhere, the album possesses a lighter tone which punctuates the album nicely. Quirky and de-tuned synthesisers skip playfully on ‘The Greatest‘ and ‘A Moor‘ whilst Anderson’s love of hip-hop is evident on ‘Cowards‘, a buoyant track abundant with frolicking samples, programmed percussion and a gorgeous neo-soul middle-eight. Likewise ‘Young & Stupid‘ addresses the naivety and recklessness of youth through lyrics such as “I’ll be a star, I’ll be the boy who lived, Taking my car and driving it off the bridge” over hip-hop piano riffs. Then there’s the catchy dance-R&B of ‘Keep It Simple‘, a breezy collaboration with grime act Stormzy which provides some much-needed light relief.

The album is closed perfectly with the tender ‘The Last Romance‘, a mellow R&B ballad which documents an ‘us against the world’ relationship over driving, barely audible percussion, soulful layered vocals and gliding keyboards.

Anderson’s vocals aren’t necessarily the most powerful, yet they are a perfect match for the rich and luscious soundscapes featured here and at times are blissfully soulful.

As the album comes to a close, it is evident that the album is worth far more than its #32 position in the UK album chart. It may not be perfect, but it’s sturdy, compelling and fantastically-written, addressing powerful themes through contemporary alternative-R&B. Most importantly, it is an album with soul and a personality – a rare feat in today’s music.

Rating: 4/5.
Highlights: Stronger than Ever, Bloodsport, Keep it Simple, Never Been Better, Cowards, The Last Romance.

‘You’re a Man Now, Boy’ is available now on Columbia Records.

Zayn – Mind of Mine Album Review

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The past year has been something of a roller-coaster for Zayn Malik. A year ago, he broke millions of fans’ hearts when he announced he would be leaving One Direction to pursue the life of a ‘normal 22 year old’. It later emerged that he had been secretly recording solo material and his animosity towards his boyband days was soon made crystal clear in numerous interviews in which he took multiple swipes at the band and their music.  A shock split with fiancée Perrie Edwards soon followed in addition to multiple venomous and highly publicised Twitter spats. Still, these potential career suicide-moments have been long forgotten since lead single ‘PILLOWTALK‘ rocketed in to the top of the charts of over a dozen countries.

As expected, ‘Mind of Mine’ is a world away from Malik’s One Direction days. Gone is the pop-punk and stadium-pop and in is alternative R&B, catchy dance-pop and elements of Soul. It’s slick, polished, consistent and mature with reverberating vocal samples, hip-hop beats and effect-drenched vocals scattered throughout. It’s a natural transition into R&B music similarly to Justin Timberlake’s début ‘Justified’ fourteen years ago.

‘Mind of Mine’ excels from start to finish with barely a blip. Overall, it possesses a moody and brooding tone with sexualized lyrics and a deeply-textured sound, resulting in a cohesive catalogue of material on which Malik revels in his newly-found freedom. Lead single ‘PILLOWTALK’ remains a stand-out track with its its thunderous percussion, reverberating synths, wailing guitars and Zayn’s sweeping vocals. The rest of the album follows suit with the sullen yet dreamy ‘dRuNk‘ featuring Malik’s multi-layered harmonies boasting ‘I’ve been drunk all summer’ over unsettled R&B percussion, summery synthesisers and weeping electric guitars. ‘rEaR vIeW‘ is similarly a sulky progressive R&B track with sparse production and a Timbaland-like chorus. Then there’s the beautifully haunting ‘iT’s YoU‘ – a gentle downtempo ballad on which Zayn’s stunning falsetto soars over jittering synths, a droning organ, hip-hop beats and crunching piano chords.

Just when things need shaking up a bit, the Beatle-esque piano chords of ‘fOoL fOr YoU‘ arrive. It’s a pleasant piano ballad on which Malik’s vocals really glisten and are relatively free of the over-production the rest of the album is laden with. The track mirrors The Beatles in both song-writing and production and it punctuates the album nicely.

Malik also refreshingly incorporates his cultural heritage into the album in the form of haunting interludes. The opening title-track features soaring Qawwali-influenced melodies over piano chords and clonking synthesiser arpeggios. Similarly, one of the album’s unexpected highlights is ‘fLoWer‘, a gorgeous acoustic interlude influenced by Malik’s upbringing as a British Pakistani Muslim. He executes his voice in Urdu, his father’s native language and warbles over eerie synthesisers and gentle acoustic guitars. It’s an innovative and utterly unique inclusion on an R&B album which works perfectly.

The dance-pop moments also work well, implemented best on ‘sHe‘ with its brilliantly catchy hook, slick production and buoyant production. It is miles away from the stadium pop-rock One Direction produced and is a steer in the right direction (pun not intended), reminiscent of some of Justin Bieber’s best moments on ‘Purpose’. Then there’s the soulful ‘tRuTh’, a track reminiscent of 70’s Soul with giggling synthesisers, a retro-guitar sound and distorted production. Featuring a brilliantly sunny chorus with sugary falsettos, it’s one of the album’s understated highlights.

Malik always had the advantage of having the strongest voice in One Direction and he exhibits his syrupy vocals perfectly on the album. His vocals are sturdy and powerful throughout, whilst his falsetto is his real gift, fluttering delicately over meticulously programmed instrumentals.

A bold and compelling album which validates Zayn’s transition into a credible recording artist.

Rating: 5/5.
Highlights: ‘PILLOWTALK’, ‘dRuNk’, ‘iT’s YoU’, ‘sHe’, ‘fLoWer’, ‘tRuTh’

‘Mind of Mine’ is available now on RCA Records.

The 1975 – I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it Album Review

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Almost three long years have passed since The 1975 sprung onto the music scene with their bold and well-received eponymous début album. Packaged with an aesthetic monochrome image, an abundance of 80’s influenced alt-rock, asymmetrical R&B and an ostentatious yet simultaneously endearing frontman – Matt Healy – The 1975 polarised critics and music lovers alike. Still, the band’s début album catapulted straight into number one in the UK album chart, their eclectic sound and unequivocal lyrics winning them a legion of fans all over the world.

The follow up to a platinum selling album was always going to arrive with weighted expectations but Healy’s recurrent boasting in interviews (‘The world needs this album’, he informed NME, prior to its release in self-praise Kanye West would be proud of) and a wealth of preceding publicity made ‘I like it when you sleep…’ one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year. From its ambitiously wordy title and hefty seventy five minute duration to its frequent genre-hopping, it’s an audacious album but one which ultimately pays off.

For their follow-up, the monochrome façade is replaced with a vivid pink, a sign of the band’s reinvention and their musical evolution. Lyrically, ‘I like it when you sleep…’ possesses a darker tone than its predecessor. Whilst the drug and sex references are still frequent, the rock and roll is less so. Understandably, the band have matured significantly since their previous work was written and this shows through its exploration of darker themes such as mental health, depression, death and loneliness. The album’s tone is far from melancholic, however as it is comprised of various genres, making it a compelling listen.

The 80’s-influenced indie rock present on their début extends onto ‘I like it when you sleep…’, channelling the flamboyance of the likes of INXS and Duran Duran but with far greater polished production. From the buoyant Bowie-esque ‘Love Me‘ with its squeaky synthesisers and quirky guitar riffs to the gentle ‘Change of Heart‘ with its synthetic vocal fragments and synthesisers fluttering over soft 808 percussion, The 1975 once again capture the brashness of 80’s music but with a 21st century spin. There’s also the brilliantly effervescent ‘She’s American‘ which wittily documents cultural differences with lyrics such as ‘And if she likes it ’cause we just don’t eat and we’re socially relevant, she’s American’ over twinkling synthesisers and funky guitar riffs provided by guitarist Adam Hann. The band’s musicianship and synchronicity are accentuated through the new-jack swing of ‘This Must Be My Dream‘ with its gospel melodies, silky vocals, slamming percussion, driving bass lines and snarling guitar riffs. The moody ‘Somebody Else‘ is aching with vulnerability and finds Healy pining for an ex-lover over swirling synths, a brilliant twitchy bassline provided by bassist Ross Macdonald and gated percussion. It also has the best bridge on the album on which Healy growls “Got someone you love? Get someone you need? F**k that get money, I can’t give you my soul ’cause we’re never alone” over juddering production. This is about as far as the John Hughes soundtrack alternatives go on this album however.

The rest of the album is a testament to the band’s love of genre hopping, generating an album which isn’t musically cohesive but its content is of a quality that compensates for this, enabling fans to dip in and out as they please. They explore Prince-influenced R&B on the slick ‘UGH!‘, shoegazing through the angst of ‘Lostmyhead‘ and pop-disco on the fantastically catchy ‘The Sound‘. ‘The Ballad of Me and My Brain‘ flirts with grunge stadium rock featuring fantastically erratic drums from George Daniel and broken vocal fragments. Its playful lyrics tell of Healy’s quest to find his brain (likely in reference to a meltdown whilst on tour in 2014) searching in bars, on the train and in Sainsbury’s whilst sneakily making a reference to 2007 meltdown-Britney at the end.

Then there’s ‘Loving Someone‘ in which Healy does his best impersonation of Mike Skinner – half-rapping his social observations of how the media and celebrity culture shapes teenagers over hip-hop beats and clinking piano riffs. Lyrically, it’s one of Healy’s best, with lines such as ‘It’s better if we make them want the opposite sex’ and ‘I’m the Greek economy of cashing intellectual cheques’ emphasising his pensive nature and ability to give his music meaning – a rare occurrence in contemporary music.

The band throw a curve-ball on the biblical ‘If I Believe You‘ on which Healy searches for and beseeches a higher power to curb his loneliness. Perhaps the album’s best moment, it’s a sincere and dignified track which mirrors the likes of Prince and D’Angelo through layering eerie electronic elements, an understated horn solo and spine-tingling utilisation of a gospel choir over organic percussion. Its lyrical content is a paradox of its jazz-influenced gospel instrumentation but it works absolutely beautifully with a stunning climax where Healy’s effect-drenched vocals languish ‘If I’m lost, then how can I find myself?’

Elsewhere, the glossy, polished Pop records are punctuated by less commercial ambient music through glitchy instrumentals comprised of fragmented sounds, broken vocal samples and heavily processed electro elements in a similar fashion the band’s first EPs. ‘Please Be Naked‘ is a stunning piano-led instrumental evidently influenced by sigur rós and is a sign of what’s to follow on ‘Lostmyhead‘. The band excel at this most on the title track, ‘I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it‘, however. Pretty and melodic piano particles flutter over driving electronica whilst Healy’s lusciously layered vocals beg his lover not to leave. The track is lengthy at six minutes but is split into two parts, evolving into an uplifting and exquisitely beautiful house track. It’s likely to be the most overlooked track on the album but is a perfect reminder of Healy and Daniel’s impeccable ability to create and produce music.

The album begins to decelerate towards the end beginning with the mellow electropop of ‘Paris‘, a drug-fuelled interpretation of Yazoo’s ‘Only You‘ featuring sparse guitars and dizzy synthesisers. It’s another of the album’s highlights with a catchy, honeyed ‘again and again’ refrain. The final two tracks are stripped to the bare minimum and driven by an acoustic guitar,  ‘Nana‘ being a heartbreaking ode to Healy’s late grandparent and ‘She Lays Down‘ documenting his mother’s (TV personality and actress Denise Welch) battle with post-natal depression. It may not be the most uplifting finale to the album but its de-acceleration brings it to a perfect, gentle close.

One of the album’s fortes and its main source of cohesion is its lyrical content. Healy possesses a genuine talent as a lyricist, addressing heavy topics and destructive individuals in a playful, frank and witty manner and accurately addresses contemporary culture in candid fashion. He’s also a master of self-deprecation, whether its through labelling himself as ‘a sycophantic, prophetic, Socratic junkie wannabe’ on ‘The Sound‘ or as ‘a pain in woman’s clothes’ on ‘Paris‘. Even more impressive is his use of intertextuality through referencing and recycling the band’s previous lyrics and melodies.

It’s easy for ‘genuine music lovers’ to brand the band as a generic, derivative boyband who only appeal to teenage girls but one listen to ‘I like it when you sleep…’ is enough to dispel these criticisms. The musicality, the polysemic threads and comprehensive nature of the album proves The 1975 are the band of the moment. As Healy lashed out against uninspired Pop music last Autumn, he ranted “No one’s asking you to inspire a revolution, but inspire something.” And that’s exactly what ‘I like it when you sleep…’ does from beginning to end.

An extraordinary album which pushes the boundaries through experimentation, sharp lyrics and unashamedly brilliant Pop music.

  • Rating: 5/5.
  • Highlights: ‘She’s American‘, ‘If I Believe You‘, ‘Somebody Else‘, ‘Loving Someone‘, ‘The Sound‘, ‘This Must Be My Dream‘, ‘Paris‘.

‘I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it’ is available now on Dirty Hit/Polydor records.

Rihanna – Anti Album Review

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Artists are often wary of the potential ‘difficult second album’, being unsure of which musical direction to take and fearing not meeting the public’s expectations. In Rihanna’s case, it was to become the difficult eighth album. Throughout its construction, ‘Anti’ was plagued with issues regarding creative control, during which a great wealth of material was recorded and subsequently scrapped. Three successful singles were released in 2015; none of which are present on the album. Kanye West was once executive producer; Rihanna herself ended up assuming the role. What began as a short hiatus extended into a lengthy break for Rihanna as the release of ‘Anti’ became increasingly delayed and arguably, one of the most highly anticipated albums in years.

The finished product is a significant departure from the club bangers and massive Pop smashes Rihanna has become known for. It’s a moody and sullen affair, (not too dissimilar from 2009’s ‘Rated R‘) more a soundtrack for the aftermath of the party or the early-morning come-down than the party itself. This isn’t a criticism, however, it’s a powerful and compelling listen from start to finish.

Opener ‘Consideration’ is a dub-styled track with lo-fi elements, sparse production and Rihanna’s almost yodel-like vocals. The minimalistic production is a thread which is present throughout the remainder of the album, its simmering, dark tones resulting in a dark but enthralling album. ‘Needed Me’ is much in the same vein, comprised of unstable beats, tremulous synthesisers and eerie vocal samples. Lead single ‘Work’, a collaboration with Drake is a jittery reggae-influenced affair with mumbled, almost incomprehensible vocals whilst ‘Woo’ is abundant with furious distorted electric guitars and auto-tune soaked vocals.

The down-tempo softer moments also work well. ‘James Joint’ is a minute-long melodic soul interlude whilst ‘Yeah I Said It’ is a sulky soul ballad with mesmeric production. The inclusion of “Same Ol’ Mistakes”, an unexpected cover of Australian rock band Tame Impala’s ‘New Person, Same Old Mistakes’ is an unconventional move but one which pays off. It’s a more or less carbon copy of the original both in its delivery and production but is in-fitting with the moody, psychedelic nature of the album.

The second half of the album is reserved for ballads. From the pretty and acoustic-driven ‘Never Ending’ to the Soul infused, waltz-like ‘Love on the Brain’, it’s a peculiar turn in direction but largely works nicely until ‘Higher’, on which Rihanna wails like a banshee in a style not too dissimilar to Sia. Thankfully the track is only two minutes and avoids putting too much strain on the listeners’ ears (and Rihanna’s vocals…)

Whilst ‘Anti’ is certainly a change in direction, elements of Rihanna’s signature sound are still littered throughout. ‘Desperado’ is a classic Rihanna track, dark and broody on which, stuttering beats, moody piano chords and Rihanna’s purred vocals result in an intoxicating R&B hit. Likewise, ‘Kiss it Better’, heavily influenced by progressive R&B and rock elements is one of the album’s highlights.

Closing track ‘Close to You’ is a stunning ballad and a fitting reminder of Rihanna’s impeccable ability to deliver heartfelt R&B ballads. Built of nothing more than gentle piano chords and Rihanna’s syrupy vocals, it’s perhaps her best and most emotive ballad of her career.

Its mixed response from critics and fans alike is justified. It’s a somewhat confused and indecisive album, mirroring its conception. Despite this however, its dark and disturbing tone and eclectic approach makes it a captivating album and one of Rihanna’s best.

  • Rating: 4/5.
  • Highlights: ‘Kiss it Better’, ‘Work’, ‘Desperado’, ‘Same Ol’ Mistakes’ and ‘Close to You’.

‘Anti’ is available now on Roc Nation records.