NEW MUSIC: Marnie - Reckless

Most female solo singers, particularly the British kind, are seemingly afraid of coming across anything less than sultry, mysterious and painfully alternative. And quite honestly they tend to blend together into one self-conscious mess. But then, occasionally, there are singers like London's Marnie who simply command attention and have no desire to fit in with the snooty nosed female crooners of 2014.

Marnie's debut single "Reckless" is an exhilarating drum and bass/pop crossover; her sound is both polished to perfection and simultaneously deliciously rough around the edges. Her young soulful voice both shimmers with emotion and stings like a bee, and the gritty bass drones and breakneck beats add depth what is essentially a perfect rebel-pop song at heart. "I want to run away" she triumphantly and effortlessly declares in the song's chorus, as the song's crushing beats and bass fight mercilessly to keep up.

"Reckless" is available for free download from her SoundCloud page.

FOR FANS OF: Katy B, Ayah Marar



- Joe Copplestone, 19.07.14

NEW MUSIC: Tanika - Bad 4 U

For anyone looking for a trashy new pop thrill, look no further than Tanika, and her explosive debut single "Bad 4 U". It bears similarities to Rita Ora's breakthrough single "RIP" in a number of ways, except Tanika takes all the risks that Rita should have when she released her lukewarm debut.

"RIP" revealed nothing more about Rita Ora than her sense of superiority over who she used to be (not especially insightful, but when you've got Jay-Z behind you, you're going to be a star). With "Bad 4 U", Tanika wears her shortcomings openly, and proudly, on her sleeve. Unafraid of treading on toes, Tanika yelps "I'm only gonna fuck with your life, I'm bad for you" on the powerhouse chorus, and her delivery turns a potentially dated dubstep throb into something fresh and exhilarating.

Mixing the youthful charm of Rita Ora, the seductive nastiness of Rihanna and the quirky credibility of Natalia Kills, Tanika might be bad for you, but eventually you won't be able to avoid her.

Her debut EP Fucking With My Heart, is out now on iTunes.

FOR FANS OF: Rita Ora, Rihanna, Natalia Kills

- Joe Copplestone, 30.04.14

Jessie J - Excuse My Rude (feat. Becky G)

Since we constantly watch her drift from style to style, both musically and in image, it sometimes baffles me as to what Jessie J's "thing" is. However, with the release of "Excuse My Rude", an album track from Jessie's upcoming sophomore effort, I'm encouraged by her return to her roots, and to a sound I most associate with her.

It's a sound that dates back to her debut single "Do It Like A Dude" - a dirty rock/soul/hip hop hybrid, which introduced us to a gutsy, tongue-in-cheek, yet slightly crazy singer called Jessie J. Maybe she came across a little try hard, but it was a fun and endearing personality and sound, and it's one that we see rehashed on the similarly brash and direct "Excuse My Rude".

Goofily phrased yet characterful verses unfold over slick Trappy beats, recalling some of the geeky charm and feisty delivery of Jessie's early days. It's unexpected drop into a soulful, lush chorus is a surprising move that Jessie shies away from in most of her other music. The vocal histrionics are shelved, and we hear a rare warm tone to her voice.

It's such a shame to see her new high profile singles -  "It's My Party" and "Wild" - beginning to further mould Jessie's identity as a 'pop diva'. It might please a chart-hungry American market, but it won't please her core fanbase. Mainly because it's not the sound of "Jessie J" - It's the sound of a British Katy Perry.

We can only hope that we see many more songs like "Excuse My Rude", "Do It Like A Dude" and "Who's Laughing Now" on her second record - songs that showcase her personality and, most importantly, her individuality. Otherwise, without the quirkiness and bite that she used to be known for, she's destined to lose all the credibility she earned in her early days as a rising singer/ songwriter.

Little Nikki - Where I'm Coming From

Jumping on the garage bandwagon seems like a fairly smart move for a young singer in 2013, and it also seems like a better idea to be a solo artist than a band. Two steps Little Nikki has smartly taken. Given the disintegration of SoundGirl, the last act Little Nikki was (prominently) part of, she brings a little bit of girl band sugar 'n' sheen to an ultra retro garage sound, one that stands out due to its tropical flourishes and unusual melodies. If her debut single "Intro Intro" showcased Nikki going hard, "Where I'm Coming From" shows her more sultry side, and an acrobatic vocal reminiscent of Katy B. The music's not far off either.

FOR FANS OF: Katy B, Rita Ora, Girls Aloud

Amelia Lily - Party Over

Every now and again I have to defend a pop song purely on its cheese merit. And "Party Over", the latest single from the not-quite-branded Amelia Lily, has a cheese distinction. DJ Fresh-tastic drum & bass lite, with jolly synth chords, lyrics pulled from a hat, and a yelpy vocal hook that has definitely been nicked from somewhere, but it's actually the best single she's released yet.

"You Bring Me Joy" was, for me, neither here nor there. It was bizarrely quite well received, though how some people managed to compare it to Robyn is beyond me. Maybe another singer could have made it emotional, but 18 year old blank canvas Amelia made it patently obvious that it was a song with 3 notes in it. "Shut Up And Give Me Whatever You Got" (*takes breath*) could well have been the wording to a question she asked Kelly Clarkson's songwriters. The flaccid electro-rock anthem has "whatever you got" written all over it.

In reality, the chirpy, gutsy Amelia is not perhaps as edgy as her management would have us believe. So "Party Over", with its fist-punching anonymity, ends up suiting her the best by a mile. It also sounds like its the most fun she's had since her first X Factor audition.

Whilst the public seem to want her to follow in the footsteps of powerhouse vocalists such as Clarkson and even Aguilera, the fact is, she's much more likely to succeed if she averts her focus to someone like Rita Ora. No pretense, no discernible personality, just the fun-loving face of vacuous party anthems. At 18, she's got plenty of time for the heavy-going stuff later on in her career. Party first, soulsearch later.

FOR FANS OF: Rita Ora, DJ Fresh, Ayah Marar