New Music Review #43

Another ten songs you need to hear!

Billionaire - Reasons to be Fearful

Set to a mid-tempo swagger ‘Reasons to be Fearful’ switches up lyrics about buying beer with the sort of thing you’d expect from the Daily Mail. It lacks a big chorus and shows its hand within the first minute but it’s a good mix of simple, evocative production and good lyrics. (6.5/10)

Blondie – Fun

Blondie are back with a new album (“Pollinator”) and this is the lead single ahead of it. Catchy, poppy and danceable this is just what you’d expect for and hope from the band, and they don’t disappoint with this strong first-cut. (7.5/10)

Brenda Veila – Trouble

Sometimes I get a song in my review list that immediately jumps out at me, and this is one of them. A very promising early single from a singer whose young age doesn’t correlate with the power of her voice, though some lyrics are a little clunky in parts. ‘Trouble’ boasts one of the most memorable choruses around at the moment and doesn’t spoil the party elsewhere in the song. Great. (7.5/10)

Callaghan and Vincent Duffy - I Don't Know How To Lose You

Callaghan has a really beautiful voice and once more is showcased well on this song. Lyrically and musically it’s quite slow and dark, and rather short, but it’s nicely put together and emotive. (7/10)

Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson – Symphony

Like Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of Me’, there are certain songs that are getting overplayed at the moment, and this is one of them. But if you can get over the overfamiliarity this feels like Clean Bandit back on form, a strong mix of classical influences with Larsson’s delicious vocals and some sweet, loveable lyrics. Very well done. (7/10)

Cornerstone – Northern Light

With a Fleetwood Mac-sounding rock riff this has a throwback sound to the seventies, held together with the fragile voice of the lead singer and the chunky guitars. It might lack a certain spark to make it a classic, but it’s a solid pop-rock number with a neat chorus. (6.5/10)

DJ Premier X Miguel - 2 Lovin U

Though the single does sound like they’ve stolen the bass riff from an Arctic Monkeys song this mix of smooth rnb vocals, throbbing bassline, DJ effects and general confidence make this a great punchy number that crosses genres and mashes them up into something very listenable. (7.5/10)

Don Elito feat. Nado – You Alright Yeah (Radio Edit)

Switching up between grime and rnb, this is a poppier sounding entry into both genres with a cheeky confidence in its lyrics, which swerve between and around the genre clichés. The verses perhaps last a little too long between choruses, but it’s a promising quirky little number that embraces its London slang. (6.5/10)

Elea Calvet – Lust

Delivered in a slurry fashion, ‘Lust’ is a warbly affair which is not usually something I enjoy, but there’s something likeable about the flow of the lyrics and music throughout the song, not so much a structure as a journey. Definitely a grower, but it’s not a song that fits comfortably into a particular box. (6.5/10)

Emeli Sandé - Highs & Lows

Emeli continues on strong form with another bouncy, up-tempo song that gets your foot tapping and your vocal chords into overdrive. Poppy, catchy and, to roll out another cliché, radio friendly. A great pop number. (7.5/10)