Urban, soul and dance
Solange - Losing you
Soulful stuff by Solange, to be perpetuously dubbed as "Beyoncé's younger, cooler, hipper, more underground sister". Yeah right, as if.
Jessie Ware - If you're never gonna move/Sweet talk/Imagine it was us
Continuing my Jessie Ware worship of the last few posts, here's three tracks:
Something interesting about "If you're never gonna move": this track was originally called "110%" and has already been a single in some countries. But there were some legal issues with the sample they used. So they just used another sample that sounds exactly alike and renamed the track.
"Sweet talk" hasn't been a single in Belgium yet, and I'm crossing my fingers it will soon be. This is a tasty slice of soul-pop perfection right here. There was a video for this song on youtube, but it seems to have disappeared a couple of weeks ago. But it'll probably reappear sooner or later.
This bonus track for the deluxe edition of the album 'Devotion' however, proves that even Jessie can't always hit the bullseye, and should probably steer away from cheesy disco tracks and stick to collaborating with dance producers.
Duke Dumont feat. A*M*E - Need U (100%)
Nice little song with a statement for all the couples out there.
Psy - Gentleman
Inevitably less popular (+300M youtube views still isn't half bad) follow-up by our favourite Korean. Geeky dance moves, funny video, catchy song, you can't say they didn't try hard to replicate the success of "Gangnam style".
Drake - Started from the bottom
The eerie piano melody is what makes this track by the Canadian rapper/singer work.
Empire Of The Sun - Alive
Solid comeback single by the Australian duo. I still like the flamboyant costumes, Luke Steele's outfit reminds me of the swan/ice dude from Saint Seiya, so that's cool. I too want a headpiece like that.
Charles Bradley - Strictly reserved for you
Perpetuously dubbed as "the former James Brown imitator". Or you could also call him "the Afro-American Seasick Steve", in the sense that Charles also went through some tough times and only emerged with his musical career in his sixties.
Wankelmut & Emma Louise - My head is a jungle
I have nothing really I want to add here, and even Wikipedia has no mention of the DJ that goes by the name Wankelmut, so yeah...
Gorgon City - We used to be real
My mom hears the chorus as "we used to be rich", but that's probably just a common female Freudian slip.
AlunaGeorge - Attracting flies
Can't really tell what this is about lyrically, but the video features a lot of fairytale characters.
Robin Thicke Feat T.I. & Pharrell - Blurred lines
Whereas "Suit and tie" sounded a little overwrought, this comes across as effortless. Will Robin Thicke finally emerge to the front stage with this one? A little bird told me there are actually two versions of the music video. You decide which one you like best!
Daft Punk - Get lucky
Is 2013 going to be Pharell's comeback year? A lot of people seem to be slightly disappointed in the new Daft Punk record, whereas I'm still pondering why they really had their hopes up in the first place anyway. Some bad-ass helmets to be seen in this video.
Other
Float Fall - Someday
Who'd have thought the ultimate song to facilitate a friendzoning (or even a breakup) mission would come from a Belgian band? As if "someday you'll understand the reason you can't be my man" wasn't enough for a stab in the heart, the incredibly patronising "someday you'll smile" just serves to twist the knife even more. Whoa! Apart from that, it's hard not to see the 'The XX' blueprint here.
The Recorders - Purple and gold
Not too much tracks from my home country this time around, but there's something about the eerie synth in the debut single by this band from our capital.
The 1975 - Chocolate
Staccato melody meets staccato vocals. Pretty much the same recipe as Haim, but with a different result.
The Strokes - Happy ending
Still not entirely won over by Julian Casablancas' vocal register on the new album.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
So Karen O. dyed her hair blonde, and wears cowboy-themed outfits nowadays. That and even the gospel choir can't deflect attention from the fact that there's not a whole lot going on here.
Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
Speaking of bands that have totally lost it, Vampire Weekend takes refuge in vocoder experiments in attempt to keep things interesting on their new album. They fail miserably.
Biffy Clyro - Black chandelier
Good power ballad by the Scottish three-piece, that never shies away from some topless action on stage.
The Cat Empire - Brighter than gold
This Australian band has been going at it for over ten years, and are now finally breaking through, mostly thanks to the jubilant trumpet sections of this track.
Bastille - Pompeii
Definitely aiming for a big and pompous sound, this is Bastille from the UK.
Savages - She will
Probably my fave of the last couple of weeks. It's not hard to fathom which frontman comes to mind when seeing the moves of the singer on stage, but musically, this hits all the right spots. There's something brooding, plus this all female band plays the part and they do really try to look like they really mean it.
Peace - Follow baby
This UK band made a concoction of bits and pieces they borrowed from the back catalogue of English (and American) music of the nineties, and the result isn't half bad. I'm definitely hearing a My Bloody Valentine riff, feeling a Radiohead vibe, and seeing a Suede-influenced look on this track and in this video.
Big Deal - In your car
If The Raveonettes had been into the nineties and synths, they probably would've sounded like this British duo.
