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Because we love music, and you love music, we thought we’d help you decide what to add to your playlist and what to skip this weekend with the 12 songs we’re listening to right now.
Aiden Grimshaw – Virtually Married
Aiden is back with ‘Virtually Married’, a slick, self-penned track that features simple percussion, warbling synths and Aiden’s irresistible vocal. Here his voice is as silky as, well, silk.
Like most of Aiden’s tracks, ‘Virtually Married’ is all about being in love with ‘the one’, and whilst this isn’t Aiden’s best track to date, it’s nice to know that he’s still producing music.
Maybe something more upbeat next time though?
https://soundcloud.com/aiden/aiden-grimshaw-virtually-married
Example – Whiskey Story
Example headlines his upcoming sixth studio album with ‘Whiskey Story’, his best song in years. Combining EDM, hip hop, and electronic swing, ‘Whiskey Story’ is pounding and completely addictive.
With bonkers imagery of a house party, with spot-on lyrics such as ‘I hear somebody leaving, somebody heaving / Somebody barely breathing’, Example truly paints an image of carnage – which is exactly what ‘Whiskey Story’ sounds like – pure, blissful carnage.
Name-checking Lorraine Kelly amidst a blend of singing and rapping, Example is back, baby. Hopefully the rest of the album will follow suit.
Nervo – The Other Boys (Feat. Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears & Nile Rodgers)
Pounding, camp, and unrelenting, Nervo’s latest cut brings together three big names in pop to produce a song worthy of Scissor Sisters’ discography, ‘The Other Boys’ is unapologetically camp. Well, we wouldn’t have Jake Shears any other way, right?
It is so good to hear Jake and Kylie finally team up on a track, because this is something many have wanted for a long time. Nile Rodgers brings about a bit of disco to accompany the soulful twangs from Kylie. This refreshing track should hit the top spot, but unfortunately it’ll probably go unnoticed.
Disclosure – Omen (Feat. Sam Smith)
In 2012 ‘Latch’ vaulted both Disclosure and Sam Smith into the spotlight, and three years later they’ve teamed up again on ‘Omen’. The production is on-point, naturally, and Smith’s vocal is as gorgeous as ever. His tones are greatly suited to the soulful beats which mark Disclosure as different from the general norm of the music charts nowadays.
If this doesn’t give both acts a number one, I’ll be very surprised. The clubs are going to lap this up.
Sam Sparro – Hands Up
Another year, another change in sound for Sam Sparro – but this one is a good one.
Here Sparro (who you’ll probably remember from the unforgettable ‘Black and Gold’) samples deep house, and boy does it sound good. Sparro’s vocal is sharp on the verses, and smoother on the chorus, and completely unique.
It’s good that he takes time in between releases, because his comeback music is often sublime. Many will only have heard ‘Black and Gold’ before, but ‘I Wish I Never Met You’ taken from Return to Paradise deserves a download.
The Black Eyed Peas – Yesterday
The Black Eyed Peas are back, sans Fergie, to celebrate their twentieth anniversary, and their comeback track blends both of their renown sounds: ‘Yesterday’ incorporates the hip hop roots of yesteryear, along with the electronic synths that dominated their latest two albums.
‘Yesterday’ isn’t lyrically great (but then, when have The Black Eyed Peas ever been acclaimed for their lyrics?), and the lack of Fergie is noticeable and a miss, but this track is still groovy.
The incorporation of brass shows that the group are experimenting with new sounds yet again. Hopefully they’ll have a new ‘I Gotta Feeling’ on the new album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElbL_MixCls
DELTΔ HEΔVY – Tremors
Incorporating a spoken word fright-fest, and revving beats, DELTΔ HEΔVY’s latest track isn’t likely to put the willies up you – far from it, in fact – but it’ll have you going completely off your nut on the dance floor regardless.
Yes, this isn’t as good as ‘Ghost‘ (but then, what is?) but it still deserves a listen if you’re into EDM or dubstep.
‘Tremors’ smartly focuses upon DELTΔ HEΔVY’s sound alone, without any singing vocals to detract from the sensationally in-your-face beats that characterise the band. And here they have it right: the production is flawless.
That said, listen to ‘Ghost’ too – you’ll fall in love.
Check back in a couple of weeks for an exclusive interview with DELTΔ HEΔVY as they prepare to release their debut album.
https://soundcloud.com/deltaheavy/tremors
Preditah – Supernaturally (Feat. Yasmin)
In what initially sounds as generic house music with a staple of the genre, vocalist Yasmin, Preditah’s latest rack ‘Supernaturally’ soon descends into one the best songs of the year. The drop here is addictive, and fundamentally that is what house music is all about.
‘Supernaturally’ needs to be heard for the drop alone; it begs the listener to get down and dirty.
https://soundcloud.com/preditah/supernaturally-feat-yasmin
David Zowie – House Every Weekend
‘House Every Weekend’ (or ‘Oust Every Weekend’, if you’ve seen a certain Facebook meme) is simplistic but addictive in the perfect complimentary blend.
You’ll have all heard this on the dance floor by now, but one can never hear this song enough. Lyrically, it’s repetitive, but rather than detract it amplifies the overall sound into what is sure to be a staple of house parties.
Years & Years – Ties
You’d be hard pressed to pick a standout from Years & Years’ debut Communion, but ‘Ties’ comes in close. Dark and dirty, Olly Alexander’s vocals are smooth enough to rival Sam Smith here, and the beat is thumping over a simplistic and repetitive chorus.
This is a track you’ll not be able to get out of your head. Alexander here is spine tingling in his deliverance, especially towards the end.
Jess Glynne – Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself
Continuing her trend of dance and house that has seen her dominate the charts this year, Jess Glynne’s latest track is another slice of excellence. She knows how to produce a stellar track: she marries irresistible production with riveting and smart lyrics that many listeners can empathise with.
Once more she’s discussing a broken heart, and once more we’re dancing along with her. She may cry when she laughs, but we dance when she sings.
Her debut, aptly titled I Cry When I Laugh, is sure to be the standout of the year.
MS MR – Wrong Victory
We’ve read many reviews of MS MR’s latest album, How Does It Feel, slating it for sounding too samey to their debut, but we couldn’t disagree more. They’ve amped up the sound to create a more upbeat album, but that’s not to say the heartfelt tracks aren’t there.
‘Wrong Victory’ is one such example, in which Lizzy Plapinger’s insatiable vocals give way to a rawness: ‘When your skin doesn’t feel like home / And I don’t want to break down and feel alone’.
Like their debut album, the lyrics cut deep, and resonate with the listener.
