Can you believe that it’s July already?! We certainly can’t.
Here’s the July Mixtape – a testament to our love of Pop. Enjoy.
Tag: fresh new music
June Mixtape
Happy June! Here’s 20 songs we’ve been loving this past month.
April Mixtape
Better late than never, here’s 20 songs we’ve been loving, these past couple of months.
Music Monday – Volume Ninety Eight
Welcome back to Music Monday. We’ve been a little bit AWOL in the last few months and for that, we’re sorry! Music Monday blogs will now feature five tracks instead of ten to enable us to continue to bring you the best in new music. Enjoy these 5 massive tracks!
1) Mollie King – Back To You
Member of The Saturdays, Mollie King has delivered an incredible and triumphant debut solo single. ‘Back To You’ is a moody electropop track with an equally stunning cinematic video.
2) Usher – Crash
Usher at his most underrated is Usher at his best. Minimalist yet slick and catchy, this moody piece of R&B utilises Usher’s gorgeous and faultless falsetto over jittery percussion.
3) Sons of Sonix ft Melanie C – Numb
Ex member of the Spice Girls Melanie C once again proves her versatility and worth as a solo artist on this huge summer smash. This huge tropical house track is a collaboration with London production duo Sons of Sonix.
4) Christine and The Queens – Tilted
This simplistic yet effortlessly catchy artpop track is without a doubt one of the best tracks of 2016. It may have been around for a while but we haven’t had the opportunity to include it in a Music Monday edition yet so here it is!
5) Tieks FT Dan Harkna – Sunshine (Extended Mix)
This huge house track has earned a surge of popularity from its use in the new Fiat 500 TV advert. Repetitive, maybe but its house piano riffs and sturdy vocals make it a feel-good classic.
Music Monday – Volume Ninety Four
1) Nathan Sykes & G-Eazy– Give It Up
Ex member of The Wanted, Nathan Sykes returns with another brilliant single from his upcoming début album. Featuring rapper G-Eazy, ‘Give It Up‘ is a huge, catchy R&B track with funky guitar riffs and slick production.
2) Alesso featuring Nico & Vinz– I Wanna Know
Swedish producer Alesso returns with this huge club track. Featuring vocals from African-Norwegian duo Nico and Vinz, (best known for their number one smash ‘Am I Wrong’) it’s a low-key, chilled-out approach to club music through its avoidance of loud synths, instead utilising wailing guitars in a similar fashion to Robin Schulz’ remix of Mr Probz’ ‘Waves‘.
3) The Last Shadow Puppets – Miracle Aligner
Brilliant psychedelic rock track, featuring baroque-pop and experimental rock influences by British super-group The Last Shadow Puppets. The chorus avoids making a big deal out of itself, yet is effortlessly catchy.
4) All Saints – One Woman Man
Another dramatic and massive pop track from All Saints. Taken from their new album ‘Red Flag’, luscious harmonies soar over orchestral riffs and thunderous percussion.
5) Bry – Don’t Go Alone
Irish Singer-Songwriter/YouTube blogger Bry releases this euphoric pop-rock track, the first single from his début album.
6) Chelsea Lankes – Secret
Brilliant electro-pop track from Texas musician Chelsea Lankes. Sugary, almost-whispered vocals over distorted guitar riffs evolve into an infectiously catchy chorus.
7) Raye – Distraction
South-London singer-songwriter Raye returns with this massive R&B track comprised of electro-elements, hip-hop beats and sweeping strings. Both the track and her vocals are often reminiscent of Rihanna at her best.
8) Michael Franti & Spearhead– Crazy For You
Soulful and uplifting track comprised of funky guitar riffs and plenty of brass instrumentation. Brilliantly catchy.
9) Ben Watt – Fever Dream
Gentle and relaxing acoustic-based track by English singer-songwriter Ben Watt. Released ahead of his upcoming album with the same title, it is a collaboration with fellow musician Bernard Butler.
10) KAYTRANADA & Anderson Paak – Glowed Up
Canadian music producer Kaytranada teams up with Californian singer and rapper Anderson Paak on this alternative R&B/neo soul fusion. Utilising hip-hop and soul, it’s a chilled out track with a retro vibe.
Music Monday – Volume Ninety One
1) The 1975 – She’s American
Funky indie-rock ballad which mirrors work by INXS & Duran. Slamming percussion, frantic guitar riffs and skippy synthesiser sounds provide the song’s instrumentation as Matt Healy sings of cultural differences between him and his American girlfriend. It’s brilliantly catchy and very witty lyrically.
2) The 1975 – This Must Be My Dream
Perhaps the best song on The 1975’s new album. The band demonstrate their impeccable synchronicity through layering gospel melodies, silky vocals, slamming percussion, driving bass lines and snarling guitar riffs. It’s a throwback to the new-jack-swing era in the late eighties and early nineties bought to popularity through producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Teddy Riley through musicians such as Bobby Brown, Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson.
3) The 1975 – Paris
Beautiful and mellow electropop ballad which imitates Yazoo’s ‘Only You’ to a point just before being eligible for a lawsuit. Sparse guitars, dizzy synthesisers and a gorgeous honeyed ‘again and again’ refrain makes this another of the album’s strongest tracks.
4) The 1975 – I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it
A proficient, cleverly-created instrumental which punctuates the album beautifully. 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.
5) The 1975 – Loving Someone
Giggling synthesisers and hiphop beats form the backdrop as Matt Healy half-raps his best lyrics to date; a cultural observation on the impact pop culture and celebrity have on youth.
6) Gallant & Jhene Aiko – Skipping Stones
Chilled-out neosoul track which carries a retro vibe. Gallant’s incredible vocals flutter into a rich falsetto over brass instruments, driving bass lines and twinkling keyboards.
7) Joe & Jake – You’re Not Alone
Uplifting and euphoric pop-rock track which is this year’s UK Eurovision entry. Whilst criticised by many for its generic formula and chord structure, it’s a powerful and beautiful track.
8) Laurel – Life Worth Living
Moody alternative-pop track which avoids over-production, instead focussing on using organic, pure instruments.
9) Zayn – Like I Would
Catchy alt-R&B track featuring elastic synthesisers, synthetic percussion and a brilliantly sing-song chorus.
10) The Last Shadow Puppets – Everything You’ve Come to Expect
Quirky and brilliantly written track which utilised genres such as baroque pop, psychedelic pop and experimental rock.
Music Monday – Volume Ninety
1) Zayn – It’s You
We know this has been featured before but we’re including the studio version this time. Stunning downtempo R&B track which utilises a minimalistic feel. Zayn’s gentle flasetto soars over fluttering synths and wailing guitars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9Yvhblizmo
2) Bring me the Horizon – Follow You
Moody and powerful alternative-rock track with a huge chorus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uplb2OtGapc
3) Corrine Bailey Rae – Been To The Moon
Innovative neo-soul track which utilises jazzy guitars, twinkling keys and sonic elements. It’s electro verses evolve into a breezy chorus which mirror ’70’s soul.
4) NAO – Fool To Love
Another brilliant neo-soul/alt-R&B track from East Londoner Nao. Her vocals glide over industrious synthesisers and hip-hop beats, resulting in a chilled-out track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RX2xi2WSvo
5) Ratboy – Move
Brilliant hip-hop/indie rock fusion with an incessantly catchy chorus. It does remind us somewhat of another song, however… *ahem The Beastie Boys’ ‘Body Movin’…*
6) Riton – Rinse & Repeat
Punchy bass lines, house beats and Azaelia Banks-influenced vocals drive this huge club smash.
7) BB Diamond – Feeling
Reminiscent of 90’s house with synthetic piano riffs and sweet vocals, this disco influenced club track is both uplifting and brilliant.
8) The Knocks – The Key
Catchy electro-track featuring elements of soul and rap. Comprised of funky bass lines, squeaky synths and slick vocals, this is underrated perfection.
9) The 1975 – If I Believe you
We’ve wanted to include lots of material from The 1975’s latest album for a while but we’re waiting for it to appear on Spotify! We had to include this track, however so here’s a recent live version which is loyal to the studio one. Stunning and accomplished biblical track on which Matt Healy searches for and beseeches a higher power to curb his loneliness. It channels Prince and D’angelo, utilising organic percussion, spine-tingling gospel choir vocals, eerie electro elements and an understated horn solo to create the best track The 1975 have ever done. [Read our review of their latest album here.]
10) Gallant – Bourborn
Stunning alt-R&B track from American singer-songwriter Christopher Gallant, under his stage name Bourborn. Syrupy vocals, including a stunning falsetto, coat dreamy 80’s-influenced synthpop instrumentation.
Music Monday – Volume Eighty Nine
1) Panic! At the Disco – Death of a Bachelor
Brilliant brass-infused tune which utilises a range of genres such as jazz, hip hop, EDM, trap and swing impeccably. Front-man Brendon Urie does his best imitation of Frank Sinatra amid hip hop beats, jittery synths and organic brass instruments.
2) The 1975 – Somebody Else
Powerful, emotive and raw song which lyrically tells of dealing with a past over moving onto somebody new. Gentle, tinkling synthesisers evolve into slamming ’80’s-influenced beats on this stunning love song. One of The 1975’s best ever songs.
3) Shura – Touch
Gentle and tentative synthpop track featuring fuzzy synths, pretty piano chords and ethereal vocals from Shura. Gorgeous.
4) Netsky ft Digital Farm Animals – Work It Out
Catchy EDM track with gospel vocals, fierce drum patterns and catchy piano riffs. Much in the same vein as Sigma’s ‘Nobody To Love’ two years ago in terms of repetition, catchiness and the use of piano riffs.
5) Gwen Stefani – Make Me Like You
Gwen Stefani resurrects her solo career with this catchy and funky disco-pop track. Chanelling The Cardigans’ ‘Lovefool’ and elements of Kylie, it’s one of Stefani’s best.
6) Zayn – It’s You
Gorgeous downtempo R&B ballad on which Zayn fully utilises his gorgeous feathery falsetto.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoB7c3miDrg
7) MUNA – Winterbreak
Dark electropop track featuring hollow beats, heavily processes vocals and gentle guitar riffs. Absolutely gorgeous.
8) All Tvvins – Unbelievable
Fierce electro-guitar track with a brilliant chorus and reverberating guitar riffs.
9) BJ The Chicago Kid & Kendrick Lamar – The New Cupid
Chilled out, retro inspired R&B/hiphop track with soulful guitar riffs and syrupy smooth vocals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heRre3KXLGY
10) The Knocks & Walk The Moon – Best for Last
Brilliant electronic infused track with catchy bass riffs and Nicholas Petricca’s smooth vocals.
Music Monday – Volume Eighty Five
1) Nate Ruess – Brightside
Quirky yet utterly beautiful pop song which makes full use of Ruess’ idiosyncratic vocals over a backdrop of jazzy piano chords, squeaky string sections and eerie music box sounds. Dreamy and magical.
2) One Direction – History
Bittersweet Pop track which serves as a perfect ‘goodbye’ (at least for now) to fans. Considered by many as an update of Toy Story classic ‘You’ve Got A Friend In Me’, acoustic guitar strums and a sing-along Chorus make this a perfect Pop anthem.
3) Rihanna & Drake- Work
Rihanna returns with this laid-back reggae-pop track, aided by Drake. It’s rhythmic and catchy with Rihanna’s heavily auto-tuned vocals sliding effortlessly over clever production.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/clips#p03grqg5
4) Ellie Goulding – Army
Stunning synthpop track in the same vein as material on Goulding’s debut ‘Lights’. Over jittery guitar samples, crashing percussion and simmering synths, Goulding sings of her best friend.
5) Zayn – PILLOWTALK
Sexy and sultry alternative R&B track comprised of thunderous beats, eerie electro elements, broken vocal samples, wailing guitars and soaring melodies. It’s a far-cry from Zayn’s One Direction days and conveys a far greater depth of maturity, mostly through its sexual themes.
6) Lion Babe – Where Do We Go
Funky disco-themed neo soul track from New York City duo Lion Babe.
7) Taylor Swift – Out of the Woods
Dramatic synthpop track comprised of broken vocal samples, gated percussion and Swift’s almost whispered vocals. One of the highlights of Swift’s ‘1989’ album, it’s perhaps the best representation of the album, utilising scatty samples and ’80’s electro sounds.
8) Lawson – Money
Lawson return after a period of instability in terms of musical output. The release of the band’s second album has been repeatedly delayed but they are now preparing or its release in March. ‘Money’ is its lead single (excluding last year’s single ‘Roads’), a catchy pop-rock track in a similar vein to ‘When She Was Mine’ and ‘Brokenhearted’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGgFZufBB20
9) Dawin – Dessert
Catchy, jittery and squeaky pop track by American singer and producer Dawin featuring a rap from Silento.
10) Tom Parker – Lost In Your Love
Ex member of The Wanted Tom Parker impresses on this catchy house track which he has also produced.
Music Monday – Volume Eighty Three
1) Sia – Reaper
Australian songstress/hit songwriter Sia delivers a hot new Pop track co-written with none other but Mr Kanye West. Relatively jovial and laid back compared to Sia’s other works, this is a catchy chilled-out track with bizzarely, hospital-like beeping, rich harmonies and a seriously funky bass line.
2) Raleigh Ritchie & Stormzy – Keep it Simple
Raleigh Ritchie delivers another hit, this time aided with a rap from Stormzy. Warm synthesisers, Ritchie’s rich vocals and catchy dance beats carry this utterly brilliant R&B track.
3) Chairlift – Crying in Public
Cool, chilled-out synthpop track from American duo Chairlift. The care-free, minimalistic production and Caroline Polachek’s syrupy sweet vocals are perfect.
4) Birdy – Keeping Your Head Up
‘Keeping Your Head Up’ marks a significant musical departure for Birdy, best known for her haunting, heartfelt piano ballads. Channelling Foxes, ‘Keeping Your Head Up’ is a catchy dance-pop track full of hand claps, catchy piano riffs and an irresistibly catchy hook.
5) Frances – Borrowed Time
Co-written with Howard from Disclosure, this chilled-out house track mirrors 70’s Pop with lushly layered harmonies, rich gospel-like vocals and squeaky synthesisers. It’s a different side to Frances but one which works beautifully.
6) Dua Lipa – Be The One (Club Edit Remix)
Hot, idiosyncratic club record featuring a reggae-like bounce, clinking synths and a devilishly catchy chorus.
7) Prince – Baltimore
The King of Cool, Prince released ‘HitNRun Phase 2’ in December. This is its funky opening track featuring polished brass elements, raw acoustic guitar strums and a dirty rhythm, it’s Prince at his best.
8) Laura Mvula ft Nile Rodgers – Overcome
Chic legend Nile Rodgers lends his production to funky jazz/R&B fusion. Mvula’s pure, soulful vocals are perfect as always and lushly layered into a glorious wall of sound over Rodgers’ funky guitar riffs.
9) The 1975 – The Sound
The second single from The 1975’s upcoming second album ‘I Like it When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It’, ‘The Sound’ is a huge tropical-house influenced Pop track. Incessantly catchy with a brilliantly buoyant Chorus, it’s one of the funkiest and catchiest Pop tracks in a long time.
10) Allie X – Never Enough
Sultry electropop track with an insanely huge Chorus. Clearly influenced by 80’s Pop, it’s cool, brilliantly layered and an overall huge song.
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