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

NEW MUSIC: Betty Who - Slow Dancing EP

No sophomore slump here. Betty Who, the 21 year old Aussie synthpop sensation who's currently winning the hearts of all kinds of music fan worldwide, delivers the perfect kind of second EP - everything we loved about the first EP whilst showcasing more sides of Betty herself as well as countless pleasant surprises.

Slow Dancing, if this is at all possible, is more gleefully 80s than The Movement, stepping confidently out of the sharp Robyn mould, and injecting more life and even sex into proceedings. Check out the absurb but brilliant guitar solo in the funky Paula Abdul-meets-Katy-Perry/Soon-to-be-fan-favourite "Alone Again" and the sweet, burbling 80s Soul/R&B of irresistibly beautiful "Lovin' Start", surely perfect for the last dance at every 1980s prom ever.

Despite the slow-mo groove of "Lovin' Start", the EP's Slow Dancing title doesn't quite deliver what it suggests musically (thank god). However, lyrically and emotionally we hear Betty in a more confessional mood. Whilst previous songs like "High Society" and "Somebody Loves You" celebrated life and love, "Heartbreak Dream" laments a broken relationship, despite it's explosive pop exterior, and closer "Silas" is breathtaking and hypnotic; it's muffled guitar arpeggios and fragile, almost choral vocal could almost be mistaken for Daughter.

Yet to produce even one song that is anything less than show stopping, and now nine songs down the road, Betty Who could be well on her way to change the pop music world with one fell, debut album shaped, swoop. If she hasn't already.

FOR FANS OF: Robyn, Katy Perry, CHVRCHES

- Joe Copplestone, 16.04.14

NEW MUSIC - LIZ - Say U Would

Initially a baffling addition to the Mad Decent rosta when she released the silky but over-produced R&B slow jam "XTC" last year, LIZ is now probably one of the most promising young artists on Diplo's label.

Having made a name for herself by dabbling in an array of 90s R&B stylings, LIZ's "Say U Would" is by far her sexiest and most seductive track since "XTC". Sparse, blissful keys are kept afloat by a jumpy hip hop beat as LIZ speak-sings her way through the 'dear diary' verses, as her harmonious acrobatic voice on the chorus recalls Aaliyah. And to reach this level of comparison so early in her career, when Aaliyah is almost certainly a huge inspiration on LIZ, is quite an achievement.

What's so great about LIZ is that with any other artist, this kind of R&B would sound outright pastiche and the wrong side of novelty in 2014. However, with LIZ, it sounds as fresh as if we were hearing these sounds for the very first time.

You can download "Say U Would", and the rest of her Just Like You EP, for FREE below on SoundCloud. My guess is that this will be her last free release, so snap it up boys and girls.

FOR FANS OF: Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, Mariah Carey

- Joe Copplestone, 4.4.14

NEW MUSIC: Betty Who - Heartbreak Dream

Betty Who's formula for the perfect pop song lies somewhere between the sugary sweet teeny pop of Katy Perry and the bittersweet outsider-anthems of Robyn. But her secret ingredient, what makes her music so uplifting and life affirming, is something neither Katy or Robyn can quite grasp: Actual FAITH in love.

Katy Perry's view of love is 2 dimensional and idealistic. Of course, it has to be; this is stuff marketed at 13 year old girls who just want to hear that love is black and white: you fall in love, it's the best thing ever, and it you break up, it's sad, but you find someone else and all is well again. Robyn's view is much more complex, but definitely borders on cynical. Her songs advise going into every relationship with your past pain fresh in your mind, and are quick to warn that love is nothing if not painful.

Betty Who is 21, 8 years younger than Katy perry and 13 years younger than Robyn, yet she sounds like the only one of the three who sounds like they truly understand love. "Somebody Loves You" was her very own dictionary definition, "All Of You" is about surviving the tough times, and "Heartbreak Dream" is about not surviving them. Peter Thomas's production is utterly heartwrenching and euphoric as always, a glorious cacophony of clattering drums and ricocheting synths, and Betty Who's lyrics, though tragic, are sung triumphantly as if with strength and experience. Most of all, they are sung with the faith that there light at the end of the tunnel. 

And that's what makes Betty the true torch bearer for love in pop music 2014 - Katy ignored the problems, Robyn dwelled on them, but Betty allows them to make her strong. This would be almost unbearably beautiful as a ballad by the way Betty, just saying.

FOR FANS OF: Robyn, Katy Perry, Haim

- Joe Copplestone, 18.02.14

NEW MUSIC: Clean Bandit - Heart On Fire

If any group of music fans could possibly throw any criticism the way of "Rather Be", the spectacularly uplifting piano pop single by Clean Bandit, now in its fourth consecutive week at #1 in the UK charts, then it's the ravers. It was the chirpy All About She garage mix that made it onto many a pre drinking playlist, whilst the tame original stayed good friends with daytime radio.

The group's speedily delivered new single "Heart On Fire" is quick to meet the demands placed heavily upon them. "Heart on Fire" is a garage-tastic Artful Dodger tribute at a tempo not dissimilar to high energy J-pop. The infectious and unadulterated joy running through the track's veins is fast becoming a Clean Bandit speciality, as are the light as a feather keys and distinctive string quartet flourishes. Elisabeth Troy does an admirable job of living up to Jess Glynne's vocal benchmark, delivering a juggernaut chorus that makes "Rather Be" seem like child's play.

FOR FANS OF: Artful Dodger, All About She, Gorgon City

- Joe Copplestone, 18.02.14

NEW MUSIC: Peter Thomas ft. Betty Who - All Of You

It's no secret that we love Betty Who here at GivePopAChance. A young woman with 4 solo tracks to her name, 2 of which appearing in our Top 10 of 2013, 1 of which ("Somebody Loves You") hitting our top spot by a country mile. So imagine our delight when as 2014 hits, Betty Who is once again dominating our iPods with the glorious "All Of You", a tale of volatile but passionate young love, on par with both "Somebody Loves You" and "High Society".

Of course, this is not a Betty Who solo gig, so most of the credit must go to LA producer Peter Thomas, whose goliath Madeon-esque production exudes as much effortless joy as Betty's song. It's a match made in EDM heaven. 

You can download a lower quality version of the song for free from SoundCloud below, but for anyone really wanted to appreciate this track the way it was meant to be heard, you can download a high quality version on iTunes now. No brainer.

FOR FANS OF: Madeon, The Knocks, Lenno

- Joe Copplestone, 8/1/14

#EatSleepRaveBlog - Drop Lamond, Eli & Fur x Davidian

DROP LAMOND - FEELING HIGH (FEAT. RUBY WOOD)

Despite the deep house side of the UK dance underground gradually becoming a little stale and over-saturated, it has nevertheless made way for the more joyous pastiche genre of 90s UK garage to make a full-on comeback. The debut EP of London's Drop Lamond, Breaking The Walls, is unashamadly sunny and seductive in a way that brings to mind Artful Dodger and Shanks & Bigfoot, whilst still sporting a future bass sheen. "Feeling High" is the sexiest track of the three, and it's Ruby Wood's blissful vocal that just about trips it into first place.

For a truly blissed out moment, skip to 3.33. Thank you Ruby.

Drop Lamond's Breaking The Walls EP is available to download now on iTunes.

ELI & FUR x DAVIDIAN - LET IT GO

London girl-girl DJ duo Eli & Fur created a minor blog stir with their phenomenal indie rave track "Sea of Stars" last year, and 21 year old Nottingham producer Davidian has been making some minor stirs of his own this year, especially with a deep and dirty house mix of "No Scrubs". The collaboration is slightly unexpected but entirely successful, with Davidian's feisty piano house riffs swimming in the reverb from Eli & Fur's ethereal vocals. A sudden drop into sparse garage bass territory is particularly delicious. Thank you Davidian.

You can download the track for free from Eli & Fur's SoundCloud below.

- Joe Copplestone, 29/11/13

@GivePopAChance

#Popdar - Sid Batham, Yasmin Green

SID BATHAM - ALL LIES
At the close of a year where soulful male vocalists finally got the UK's attention through some high profile, and at-the-time ambitious dance collaborations from Disclosure & Sam Smith, and Rudimental & John Newman, there is an inundation of impressive male vocal talent emerging, and about time. London's Sid Batham needs no feature spot to ease him in, as "All Lies" is a magnificent and melodramatic balls-to-the-wall debut effort, that has 90s Soul/R&B searing through it's veins.

"All Lies" is out now on iTunes.

FOR FANS OF: Maverick Sabre, John Newman, Sam Smith



YASMIN GREEN - INTO THE NIGHT
Whilst male vocalists are becoming more histronic and melodramatic in their quest for chart success, it seems that a subtle female vocal has more pull than a belty one as 2013 closes. London's husky voiced Yasmin Green's debut track "Into The Night" has the primitive drum machine and synth bass of Sade's "No Ordinary Love", but with the sexy, calming delivery that Jessie Ware brought to the style. The track passes by in a daze, and unlike Ware, Yasmin Green seems unaware of her own brilliance, and the vocal is delivered with refreshingly little pretense or melodrama. In an era where vocalists use melismatics rather than tone to express emotion, Yasmin's vocal style is simple, honest and effective. And rather fearless as a result.

You can download "Into The Night" for free from HERE.

FOR FANS OF: Jessie Ware, Sade