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: The Wild Wild - Alright

Judging by the success of The 1975, us Brits clearly have no problem with 80s pop rock, hair metal or glam rock influences in modern indie, and newcomers The Wild Wild take advantage of this fact wildly. 

"Alright" is an M83 sized chunk of synth-drenched rock melodrama, with sentiment-soaked pads and collosal Killers-sized hooks set to bring a fist pumping singalong to many a student union or drunken festival tent.

The band's eponymous debut EP, The Wild Wild, is out now on iTunes.

FOR FANS OF: The Killers, The 1975, M83

- Joe Copplestone, 7.4.14

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

NEW MUSIC: Frankmusik - By Nicole (Highlights)

Frankmusik is some kind of modern pop hero, and quite possibly the UK's guiding light for truly independent music. After a year of using social media to share his every move, emotion and frustration during the process of making this album, it would be a bummer if "By Nicole" was anything less than exceptional. Luckily it's more than exceptional.

I'm not here to review the album in detail, but I will tell you it's his most colourful, organic and human sounding effort yet. Whilst still being essentially electropop, live instruments pop up everywhere, weaving a delicate 3-dimensional tapestry that the "Do It In The A.M." Frank would never have considered. Take the lilting guitars on the verses of "Misdemeanor" and "These Streets" - gorgeous. And the double bass/marimba texture on the verses "Go"? Subtle but somehow breathtaking.

"Misdemeanor", "Go" and first single "These Streets" are my album highlights because they are the sound of an artist simultaneously at his artistic and commercial peak. Their big pop choruses could easily stand out on his exceptional debut Complete Me, with a warmth and maturity that Vince wasn't in touch with back when he recorded it. On "Misdemeanor", Frank talks of conquering his fear of getting older at one point, admitting "the future's a place I feel I don't belong", whilst "Go" could well be about the same girl from "Confusion Girl", but this time Vince is wiser, wryly encouraging Ms Confusion to "go and do what your friends say, they didn't like me anyway."

But best of all is "These Streets". It might not seem like an obvious first single, with its subtle, subdued "Black and Gold"-esque pulse, but placed at the very end of a focused, reflective and forward thinking album, it comes across as the perfect curtain call, or perhaps the perfect 'to be continued'. It's a break-up song, like so many of Vince's are, but when he says "strangers pass by where you were once there by my side", he shrugs it off with a sweet "I've got these streets". 

After 7 years of Vince singing mournful tales of 'what if?', and even one unconvincing (yet beautiful) track named "Final Song (To You)", this finally feels like the end of this chapter and the beginning of a new one for Vince, musically and lyrically. And judging by the raw, idea-crammed By Nicole, there is so much more new inspiration in him, growing by the second and bursting to be expressed.

Below is the one take video of "These Streets". It features nothing more than Vince standing under a bridge somewhere in London (on the route of the 152, if you pay attention), but I dare you not to fall slightly in love with this man whilst watching it.

FOR FANS OF: Sam Sparro, Bastille, The 1975

- Joe Copplestone, 28.04.14

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: 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