- 5 Songs You Need To Hear This Weekend - 2 August, 2013
- 5 Songs You Need To Hear This Weekend - 26 July, 2013
- 5 Songs You Need To Hear This Weekend - 19 July, 2013
FIVE SONGS YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT
1- Mutya Keisha Siobhan – FlatLine
At last, a year after the announcement of the return of the original Sugababes, Mutya Keisha Siobhan (perhaps named to prevent any lineup changes) finally release their debut single, all over again. They promised a return to the sound of their debut album, One Touch, focusing, as they once did on stripped back vocals and harmonizing over the over-produced electro-pop sounds of later tracks like ‘Red Dress’ and ‘Get Sexy’. This song delivers on all its promises but brings it right forward to a new era, with musical hints of Bastille and vocal similarities to Haim, ‘Flatline’ is everything that’s happening right now. They have reminded us just why their vocals gave them the foundations to be the biggest girlband of the decade in an era that was defined by tonnes of them.
2- Tinie Tempah ft.2 Chainz – Trampoline
Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu, better known as the UK’s pint-sized rapper, Tinie Tempah, returns this week with the initial release from his upcoming sophomore album, Demonstration. While ‘Trampoline’ is already taking flack from critics for its poor lyrical content, personally I’m of the opinion that sometimes a song can just be an unashamed club banger. This one is just that, with its off the wall, distorted baseline, the lyrics “Shake Shake Shake Shake Shake Shake Tambourine, Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Trampoline”, can be forgiven for their ease to master even under the influence of a few shandys.
3- Static Revenger ft. Dev – Turn The World On
Rapper, Dev returns this week without the need for her catchphrase “It’s The Cataraaaacs”, as for a change she’s worked with LA producer and remixer, Static Revenger on ‘Turn The World On’. You may be familiar with Static Revenger for his 2010 hit ‘I Like That’ with our very own Luciana, which this track very roughly resembles with its fast-paced energy and snappy vocal delivery.
4- Priyanka Chopra ft. Pitbull – Exotic
Former Miss World and Bollywood star, Priyanka Chopra must be the envy of every girl as the jack of all trades turns her hand to a pop career, and who better to get her started than rent-a-rapper, Mr World Wide, yes, Pitbull. It picks up on every hallmark of a Pitbull hit, with its incoherent rapping and RedOne electro-pop production. It’s Priyanka herself that brings the heat on ‘Exotic’, proving there’s nothing this girl can’t turn her hand to. Sickening isn’t it!
5- Mike Posner – The Way It Used To Be
US singer-songwriter, Mike Posner finally returns with the second single from his upcoming album, Pages. It should be good considering it’s taken 2 years to follow up the album’s first single, ‘Looks Like Sex’. While he’s been busy featuring on hits for everyone from Cher Lloyd to Avicii, he appears to have kept an ear to the ground for what will hope to be an even bigger hit for him than 2010’s ‘Cooler Than Me’. This is a soothing breezy track that feels like something Owl City might have come back with. Vocally it’s nice enough, though hardly challenging and all in all, it stays just about on the right side of Glee.
Shane’s Retro Pick
Beverley Knight – Gold
Beverley Knight has long been one of my favourite vocalists in music, with her incredible range and passion in everything that she sings. She also comes across as not only very likeable but a very thoughtful lyricist. ‘Gold’ is a particular favourite of mine, for the strength its lyrics bring to the listener, “I’m Gold baby, catch me in the slipstreams, passing by the fools who just don’t know”. The warmth and encouragement the song brings those bereaving a lost relationship is incredible and very clever, allowing the listener to feel special in being that gold that has slipped through the fingers of someone that hasn’t been able to see how precious they really are. I, myself am both lucky and smug enough to mention that Beverley’s words offer less inspiration to me since being caught in my boyfriend’s own golden net some time ago.
