NEW MUSIC: Suvi - Find You

The latest in the long line of impressive female solo artists to hail from Sweden is Stockholm's Suvi, whose debut single "Find You" introduces her fragile but commanding voice. 

Suvi's feathery purrs sail regally over a brass heavy modern trip pop bonanza that her homeland peers MØ and Marlene wouldn't turn their noses up at. With the UK and US success of said singers, surely a 'Diplo x Suvi' collaboration isn't far off?

FOR FANS OF: MØ, Charli XCX, Marlene

- Joe Copplestone, 7.5.14

FIRST LISTEN!! Katy Perry - Prism

In a promo for Prism, we saw Katy Perry burning her iconic "California Girls" wig. A fairly bold commercial statement, given the colossal success of her consciously sickly sweet Teenage Dream record, but then the ultra-poppy "Roar" seemed like something of a back-track. Was the wig-burning just a red herring, an empty statement to cover up the fact that Prism is just in fact Teenage Dream Pt.2?

With Idolater kindly streaming the record in the days leading up to the release of Prism, I gave Katy Perry's third record a listen to see just how much Katy Perry has managed to shake off her teenage dreams, or whether she's still the same old California girl.

- TRACK BY TRACK -

ROAR
"Roar" is a rare thing. It's a song that's so immediate that you get sick of it very quickly, but then after constant exposure it grows on you again. A boomerang-grower of sorts. Totally feel good, would've fit on Teenage Dream perfectly. When the final chorus hits, it's a joyous ray of sunshine that only a Katy Perry song really manages to pull off.

LEGENDARY LOVERS

Awesome bhangra vibe to this one. Thanks to "Wide Awake", we know Katy can pull off a dark pop ballad, and "Legendary Lovers" is no exception. There's a hint of Florence and the Machine in the tribal pounding of the chorus.

BIRTHDAY
Disco guitars begin a song called "Birthday", and we're wondering when this 'dark' Katy is going to appear. No complaints though, as "Birthday" is catchy and Madonna-esque. A little bit anonymous, but good fun none the less. "It's time to bring out the big balloons, I'll get you in your birthday suit..." - Good to see she's still as subtle as ever.

WALKING ON AIR

Good ear for trends Katy! "Walking On Air" shamelessly ticks every early 90s rave revival box, and it strangely suits her. It sounds a BIT like Cher at times, but it has enough choppy samples to just about ensure it's the right side of cheesy.

UNCONDITIONALLY
Something for Teenage Dream Katy fans. After "Walking On Air", "Unconditionally" unfortunately comes off as filler. Despite Katy's trademark melodramatic yelping, it never quite grabs your interest on such an ambitious record.

DARK HORSE FT. JUICY J

The track that's caused the most buzz, the "Trap-pop" track, is actually relatively tame. The verses succeed in being relatively sexy and sleek thanks to Katy's breathy vocal, but the track never quite goes anywhere. "Dark Horse" is still too pop-cautious to really create the vibe it thinks it has. Saying this, in a club, this would probably be a different matter.

THIS IS HOW WE DO
A bit of a Skrillex edge to the production, and a late 90s R&B edge to the songwriting, and as much of a car-crash as this could've been it actually turns out to be a highlight of the record. Typically dorky Katy Perry lyrics, and like "Walking On Air", she sounds like she's genuinely having fun. Could've done without the "shout out" middle 8 however. Save it for the arena Katy.

INTERNATIONAL SMILE

A nu-disco sound on this one. Sounds like it was produced by the French Dr Luke, and it's gorgeous. Manages to be "lush" in a way that Katy never managed before, and it's another highlight. My god, even the keyboard solo works.

GHOST
Starts off promisingly with warm, bubbling synths, but it's ruined once it decides to go off on a techno tangent. It sounds like a Teenage Dream b-side. Shame, everything was going so well.

LOVE ME

Another one of Katy's ballads-with-a-beat that I'm really not fond of, but it wins me over once the chorus hits. It has a pretty and understated melody sung majestically by Katy, and the steady rolling drums and Avicii-lite pianos make it subtly epic in a way that we've not seen Katy pull off before.

THIS MOMENT
Oh hi Robyn, I didn't know you were at the Prism party! Chill, the Swedish popstress is not featured, but the burbling bassline and jittery electro beat on "This Moment" are straight from Body Talk. Shame the track itself isn't anything special.

DOUBLE RAINBOW

More elements of Swedish pop on this one too, dare-I-say a hint of bands like MS MR and CHVRCHES. It's pleasant, but where a band like MS MR would keep things exciting with their raw energy, Katy's voice and the production are both just too polished on "Double Rainbow" to really pull this off.

BY THE GRACE OF GOD
It's a ballad, would you have guessed? There's not a lot to say about this, you could interchange this with "Pearl" on Teenage Dream and it would still fit. If you like Katy Perry ballads, you'll love this. It's very "Wide Awake".

SPIRITUAL (BONUS TRACK)

Katy goes a bit Massive Attack, and bloody hell it works. It's surprisingly UK trip-hop sounding, with another one of Katy's new found subtle vocals. It could've easily made the non deluxe Prism better by punctuating it's mid-end album semi-slump.

IT TAKES TWO (BONUS TRACK)
A throwback to One Of The Boys with it's piano and guitar singer/songwriter based approach, which is quite refreshing. It's not spectacular, but a nice reminder that Katy is more than just a pop singer, she's an artist.

CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES (BONUS TRACK)

Another epic Europop number, and probably stronger than its sound-siblings "Double Rainbow" and "This Moment" that actually made the record. Katy does a great job, but I'd actually love to hear Florence Welch sing this. Maybe it's time for Katy to start giving away some tunes?

- VERDICT -

The experimentation on Prism is it's greatest asset, and a risk that has been taken cautiously but not timidly. As a result, it's not only her best record but probably the best pop album by a major artist this year.

It's not without it's flaws. The album's phenomenal party hits are bunched together in the first half of the record, leaving the much subtler tracks exploring her spirituality to unfold one after another in the second half, until the record fades out with a whisper, when it began with a "Roar". The weaknesses in Prism are amplified by this emphasized duality, and a more diverse track order could've distracted.from this. At 13 tracks non-deluxe, a couple of tracks could've been omitted also.

I should probably make it clear I'm nit-picking at what is essentially the most exciting pop record in years. It manages to juggle a fair few sure-fire hits with an artistic progression that has eluded her peers such as Rihanna and Britney Spears. Bear in mind this is Katy's 3rd record, whilst Rihanna and Britney are each approaching their 8th, neither of them with much artistic integrity to show for it.

Prism may be a hit and miss record, and perhaps a little self-indulgent when compared to the tight-commercial-mindedness of Teenage Dream, but it gives us hope that Katy could still be going and evolving in 10, even 20 years. With Prism, Katy Perry has just taken her first step out of pop stardom towards potential pop legend status. It'll be a long road, so don't let us or yourself down Katy.

- Joe Copplestone, 19/10/13
@JoeCopplestone

Top 5 Tracks of August 2013.

5 - LADY GAGA - APPLAUSE

Although she cited a "pop emergency" for an excuse to release "Applause" earlier, we already know Gaga is an impatient popstress - let us not forget her rush releasing "Born This Way" in 2011. However, unlike that massively underwhelming comeback, "Applause" is surprisingly immediate. It suffers from all the usual immovable Gaga-isms - terrible annunciation, shameless european dance synths and a bizarre hammer house of horror vocal - but you can't argue with a chorus like this. The "A-R-T-P-O-P" hook at the end is brilliant too. "Applause" is definitely the right side of Gaga.

4 - THE SATURDAYS - DISCO LOVE
As successful as The Saturdays have been, they do have a tendency to release music as personality-less as their brand. Every song feels like it could be a debut single for any flash in the pan girl-group. It looks like they're trying to shake this anonymity by finding their "thing". However with new singles "Gentleman" and now "Disco Love", they seem to be settling on being the new Girls Aloud - quirky lyrics and genre-hopping. "Gentleman" was the a step too far down novelty lane, but "Disco Love" is surprisingly uplifting. And when you don't flinch at "it's Donna Summer all year long", you know they're onto something. 

3 - LUKE FINCHER - NO RESPONSE

It's quite a feat standing out from the hoards of soulful male singers from the US and UK - but Fincher has something special. The 17 year old blows them all out of the water in one incredible performance on "No Response". Over reverb-drenched Weeknd-esque R&B synths, Fincher hits notes with an effortless confidence and strength. Every tasteful melismatic flick and achingly tender note shimmers and captivates. And he absolutely kills the falsetto climax in the heart-stopping chorus.

2 - ICONA POP - GIRLFRIEND
Although almost identical to "I Love It", with any luck "Girlfriend" will be as big as their breakthrough hit. The key to the girl's success is their lack of glamour and ego, and this makes the simplicity and commerciality of their anthemic dancepop go from potentially tedious to charming, tongue-in-cheek and 'feel-good' in the most infectious sense. Even the track's most obvious sexually ambiguous undertones can be forgiven.

1 - TENSNAKE FT. FIORA - 58BPM
Finally released in its glorious 5 minute form, "58bpm" is a sensual slice of 80s soul heard through the future bass kaleidoscope... at 58 beats per minute. And it's the ultimate comedown anthem - perfect to soundtrack a reluctant end to the sunniest, most joyous summer in memory. The track is so daringly slow (indeed that's the main feature) that is seems suspended in mid-air, as a single warm chord lingers tentatively above a lurching beat, as Fiora's vocals seem to melt as the chorus hits. Sadly destined to be underrated, the track is nevertheless the most creative and spellbinding piece of music Tensnake has created to date.

EXS feat. Cassie Graves - In Motion [FREE DOWNLOAD]

After channelling Rudimental during a supernova on debut single "Sunshine", electronic duo EXS return with a similarly sunny disposition, but this time replacing euphoric drum & bass with 90s liquid garage vibes for second single, and free download no less, "In Motion".

Singer Cassie Graves is a million miles from her jazzy comfort zone on "In Motion", but her soulful, biting voice takes to its spiralling melody like an Eliza Doolittle-esque duck to Disclosure-esque waters.

Available for free download below via Soundcloud.

FOR FANS OF: Disclosure, Katy B, Jessie Ware

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

Party Tracks of the Week!

Diplo & GTA - Boy Oh Boy
#Dancehall #Moombahton #HipHop #FREEDOWNLOAD

Typically bonkers electronic dancehall from Diplo and his Mad Decent signing GTA, this Missy Elliott-sampling number begins with thunderous tribal dancehall that M.I.A. wouldn't turn her nose up at, before dissolving into brain-melting moombahton.



Misha B - Here's To Everything (Bimbo Jones Remix)
#Dance #Pop #House

A guilty pleasure party track for once. Misha B's relatively flaccid new single "Here's To Everything" suddenly soars euphorically under Bimbo Jones' watchful euro-dance eye. Best to forget the original and let this one tear up the dancefloors of gay clubs.



Major Lazer - Watch Out For This (Bumaye) (feat. Busy Signal, The Flexican & FS Green)
#Dancehall #Reggae #Moombahton 

It is a joy to have Major Lazer back on the scene, and with their dancehall-reggae-moombahton hybrid sound sounding fresher than ever. Party-loving, tropical and utterly rave-tastic, "Watch Out For This" lives up to its title.

TOP 10 TRACKS OF FEBRUARY 2013.

10
"Attracting Flies"
AlunaGeorge

GivePopAChance said...
"AlunaGeorge continue to elude genres whilst sounding effortlessly cool and current, and the crumbling beats and battering ram synths of "Attracting Flies" are no exception." READ MORE...



9
"So Close"
Kidnap Kid feat. Sinead Harnett

After a stunning yet mysterious debut on Disclosure's "Boiling", Sinead Harnett returns with a similarly subdued tune. The consistently tasteful Kidnap Kid drops subtle and unusual balearic chords, with just enough ambiance to still please his underground house fans, and Sinead's songwriting takes centre stage. Unlike the distant reverb-laden ad libs of "Boiling", the chorus of "So Close" is full of positive energy, uplifting and warm, and unlike on the Disclosure number, Sinead makes the track her own with her lullaby tones.



8
"XTC"
LIZ

GivePopAChance said...
"This will be, without doubt, a cheesy dated mess to many people, but it's an ultimate retro R&B guilty pleasure for me." READ MORE...



7
"Make A Little Room"
Al Lewis

In the wake of Ben Howard's sweep at the Brit's, it bodes well for a lot of folky British singer songwriters, but there are few as deserving as Welsh sweetheart Al Lewis. There are no awkward metaphors, no pretense, just classic, relate-able songwriting. The flecks of country in the upbeat tempo and cutesy female backing vocal only add to the charm of this modest, clean cut love song.



6
"Falling"
Haim

These girls are so 80s pop/rock that many bands would shy away from their gutsy vocal hooks, shamelessly funky basslines and twinkling synth, but their sheer Fleetwood Mac brand of cheese is to be admired if anything. Even the closing hook of "Never look back, never give up" is forgivable  as these girls stand by every overly confident hook they write and pull them off with panache. And god damn it, "Falling" is catchy.



5
"Sloe Gin"
Dream McClean

GivePopAChance said...
"Over a stumbling, drunken beat and head-swirling synth line, Essex rapper Dream McLean woozily tells partially-blacked out tales of "drinking sloe gin too fast"." READ MORE...



4
"London"
Official-O

So much goes on in the gorgeous yet harsh "London", that it's hard to pinpoint one particular sound Official-O, or "the artist known as Ofe" as his website cryptically states, was aiming for. The vocoders are straight from James Blake's debut, but Ofe's voice is from the Alex Clare school of gritty soul. Every sound, including the optimistic, sunny piano chords and thunderous drums and deafening wall of vocals at the climax, all form a perfect soundtrack to the hectic streets of London. And to anyone who's ever lived there, the sound is crazy but beautiful.



3
"Chocolate"
The 1975

The 1975 simply have to be the next big indie band. There's a level of rebelliousness that a lot of the pretty indie boys of 2012/2013 have eschewed in exchange for a more twee sound, and right from their anthemic lead single "The City", The 1975 have been anything but quaint or twee. These boys tell stories of fumblings in the backs of cars, being young and being stupid. "We're never gonna quit it, never gonna quit it no" yelps their (utterly gorgeous) lead singer, and guitars jump around in a gorgeous tapestry. The pulsing drum machine that is exposed towards the end of the song emphasizes the message even more. There's no point of being a mopey indie band when you can be one that lives for the party.



2
"Retrograde"
James Blake

GivePopAChance said...
"New single "Retrograde" is a total relief, a revelation and a triumphant sign that Blake is no mere BBC Sound-of-year flash in the pan. A seemingly complex acrobatic vocal hook becomes somehow unforgettable by the end of the song, and Blake's voice seems confident and utterly heartwarming." READ MORE...



1
"Metal and Dust"
London Grammar

When a track like London Grammar's (already song-of-the-year standard) "Hey Now" comes along, there's no doubt that there is something really special there. The question is, is it the band that's special or just the song? The Naked and Famous released the epic, heartwrenchingly perfect indie anthem "Young Blood" in 2009, but followed it with an album bogged down with almost exclusively uninspiring synth rock = THE SONG. On the other hand 80s goth-pop revivalists Hurts' released their seminal, timeless song "Wonderful Life" around the same time, and followed it with a benchmark album full of timeless songs; just look at "Stay" or "Blood Tears and Gold" = THE BAND.

As you might have already guessed by my placement of London Grammar at the top of both my January and February lists, you would be very accurate in guessing that London Grammar, two songs in, look like they belong to the latter category  "Metal and Dust" has all the sparkle that made "Hey Now" so spellbinding, the mesmerizing vocal, the sparse, perfect guitar parts, but whilst "Hey Now" was infused with a longing and melancholy, "Metal and Dust" replaces that with a fire and a passion. "We argue we don't fight, stay awake till the middle of the night" chants singer Hannah Reid, and the youth in the band shines through more here than on the drifting loneliness of "Hey Now".

Similarities between "Metal and Dust" and "Unfinished Sympathy" by Massive Attack can be made, but that is no mean feat, and by all means a huge compliment: the busy breakbeat that the track rides on, the majestic strings that envelop it, and not to mention the epic cut and paste vocal loop that cries out towards the end of the track. But once again, as with London Grammar's own "Hey Now", Massive Attack's "Unfinished Sympathy" was a sad song, one that had a lot of emotion wearing it down, whilst "Metal and Dust" soars, totally reinterpreting the sounds it has been influenced by. If London Grammar can demonstrate such maturity, such range and such depth and range of emotion, skill and meaning in just two songs, there can be no other prediction to be made: London Grammar's debut simply must be the album of the year.

Taylor Swift - 22

I'm 24 years old. I've noticed that there are few songs that revel in how great being in your mid twenties is, mainly because people in their mid twenties are often moaning how they would do anything to be a starry eyed teen again. Ladytron once sang "everyone loves you when you're 17, when you're 21, you're no fun". Cheers guys.

But the truth is, partying in your twenties is pretty great. You (should) have a better idea of your alcohol limits, you dance better than you did when you were 18 and you've grown wise to club culture, and most importantly, fitting in seems less important by far than it did when you were an eager, nervous 18 year old.

So here is 22 year old Taylor Swift, singing about how perfect it is to be 22, arguably the age when you truly stop being a teenager. Making fun of hipsters, "ditching the whole scene", finally feeling comfortable to be oneself. Taylor sings about being "happy, free, confused and lonely in the best way"; a pretty accurate description of someone coming of age. And let's face it, that doesn't happen at 18. It happens at 22.

The song itself is, in line with a lot of her "Red" album, closer to Avril Lavigne pop than to the country anthems of yore, but the hooks are irresistible, the chorus is insanely moreish, and Taylor's voice is twangy and gutsy, and it's quite simply the perfect song for her.

Dear Prudence - Coming Apart Again (FREE DOWNLOAD)

Following in the footsteps of Charli XCX and Haim, Dear Prudence takes the baton for gothic, female fronted pop and takes it to a heavy, epic place. Lead singer, the glamorously named Madeleine Poncia, has a Kate Nash twang to her voice, but this is no punk rock wannabe. On the triumphantly bittersweet chorus, her voice soars as a wall of guitar attempts to pound the track into the ground. It's full of melancholic cliches ("is this the end of always and forever?") but when its delivered with such finesse and glorious melodrama, Dear Prudence have a hall pass to milk melancholia for all its worth.

Download the track for free HERE.

For fans of: Charli XCX, Haim, The Horrors

WEEKEND MINIMIX - 10/08

For my first weekly weekend minimix, I've gone for some straight up dance, with a few alternative frills along the way ;)

Tracklisting:
1.  Phonat - Set Me Free 
2.  TEED - Tapes and Money 
3.  Eli & Fur - Sea of Stars 
4.  Bright Light x2 - Disco Moment (Fear of Tigers Mix) 
5.  Miami Horror - Sometimes (Shazam Mix) 
6.  Icona Pop - I Love It

DANCE AND ENJOY!


 WEEKEND MINIMIX 10/08/12 by JoeCopplestone