Allana Verde - Bad Side
'Bad Side' is a smooth, stripped RNB number with Verde's sweet vocals centre stage, with a catchy little bridge and chorus that build together to create a poppier centre. (6/10)
Coco - Up
Reveling in some of the more weirder elements of grime culture - singing about chicken take aways for instance - this is a bit more for fans of the genre, but outside of its repetitive chorus, shout outs to uber and mobile phone ringing sounds there's a fun attitude and vibe that has further reaches. (5/10)
Double S - Radio
We've featured several songs by Double S in the past and he continues to release some fun and quirky pop-grime crossovers, including 'Radio' which mixes a radio friendly more commercial chorus with some fast-paced and well written rap verses, and a dance-hall vibe here and there. (6/10)
Electric Six - Arrive Alive
The first cut from their upcoming 13th studio album 'How Dare You', 'Arrive Alive' is not the band's strongest lead single but its determined beat, quirky lyrics, breakdown and building conclusion work together well to make this a neat and surprisingly low-key number for the band. (6.5/10)
The Killers - Run For Cover
Sounding more like the Killers of old than, say, 'The Man', this is like a faster paced 'Just Another Girl' with an incredibly catchy beat, pace and lyrics. Throwing in references to 'Fake News' alongside a really singable chorus, this is a big balls-to-the-wall return for the band. Brilliant. (8/10)
Matinee - Empty
'Empty' is a surprisingly dark entry from the band that feels quite minimalistic at the start but grows as the song progresses and by the time it ends just after three minutes in a spark of electronics it's shown it's hand. 'Empty' is a song with some strong lyrics and a weirdly involving chorus and world view. (6.5/10)
Picturehouse - Cup of Life
With a slight nod to the sound of REM lead-singer Michael Stipe, 'Cup of Life' is another mid-tempo yet optimistic pop number from the band off their throwback album. It's difficult not to smile and feel a little uplifted when you put this on. (7.5/10)
Rosie Nimmo - Hold Up
'Hold Up' is a gentle, delightful little ballad that stripes back the production to simple piano and string, showcasing Nimmo's gorgeous voice in full. Simple but very good. (7/10)
Steal the City - Beating Heart
If you like your guitars crunchy and your pace fast and punky then 'Beating Heart' will do that for you. Like a rockier Foo Fighters looking back to their older sound this is a stomp-along number with the obligatory darker lyrics, guitar section and singable breakdown. (6/10)
Ta'shan - High
'High' is a smooth RnB number with cut back production and a strong Caribbean vibe from the lead singer. Lyrically it's not that high brow but its sweet, chill-out vibe makes it well worth a listen. (6/10)
