Song of the Week February 24th 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Song of the Week- Heartbreak Dream by BettyWho

In the world of modern pop music it can be hard to get a foot in the door, considering the fact that such heavyweights as Katy Perry and Lady Gaga are really monopolising the market. But if she plays her cards right, BettyWho might just be the next big star, particularly if her music remains of such a high calibre. Moving on from the release of her stellar E.P. The Movement, BettyWho has kicked off 2014 in style with the release of Heartbreak Dream, a glittery, massive synthpop tune that just commands your attention and which has that sense of being a hit single from the moment you hear it. Wrapped around a solid pop chorus that is supremely catchy, the song finds BettyWho telling this person of how they were once so great, but now things have gone awry and they are living in this dreamlike state of heartbreak. The melancholic essence of the song is nicely offset by the shimmering synths and booming beats, creating and 80’s inspired pop sound that is grand and gorgeous to listen to. To top it all off, we are given a vocal performance that rises and falls in just the right way and flows with this dreamy, passionate quality that puts you in a euphoric frame of mind as a listener. Creating strong pop tunes that still have heart and depth isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but BettyWho makes it seem like anyone can do it, and with more songs like this on the way it is only a matter of time before everyone knows this artists name.

Havana Brown- Flashing Lights Album Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Album- Flashing Lights

Artist- Havana Brown

When most artists come into the mainstream these days, they either tend to be singers in their own right, or DJ’s who get others to feature in their work. Havana Brown seems to be a lady of all trades, initially emerging as a DJ for Island Records Australia, before she emerged as a solo artist in her own right in 2011. But is Havana Brown’s music as a singer worthy of listening to, or should she just go back to her DJ roots?

Track 1- Warrior

Opening track Warrior is an up tempo electro pop number that finds Brown putting on a commanding persona, as she states that she is going to dance to the beat of her drum and be like a warrior. The song finds the singer in a state of cliché as she tries to sound like a forceful, strong person but just comes out with these statements that you can’t believe in. The song also lacks a really strong hook, with the vocal performance lacking charisma and at times just sounding like Brown is shouting at us. The lyrical sparseness and lack of vocal charm is only slightly salvaged by the production, which is slightly interesting with the squiggly electro beats. But the production also needs work, with the dubstep breakdown towards the end sounding incredibly annoying with the use of sirens, and just making the song feel like it is a remixed track trying to be a great club song but ultimately sounding unfinished and bland.

2/5

Track 2- We Run the Night (featuring Pitbull)

Currently Brown’s biggest selling single to date, We Run the Night is a fun dance pop track that is designed to be a stomping party track that you can just dance along to and go a bit crazy with. The song finds Brown focusing on telling us how she feels alive with this music, and when the evening comes she just go’s crazy to the point where she ‘runs’ the night. The lyrics are peppered with cliché, but the simple hook of the chorus is a bit catchier than the previous track. Vocally Brown comes across slightly blander on this occasion because the use of Auto Tune just makes her come across as robotic, but the presence of Pitbull provides a slightly feisty, hard hitting edge that sees the artist give one of his better featured performances. Producer Red One also does a good job with the production, focusing on this meld of thumping dance beats and cool post chorus breakdowns that don’t sound that original but which do the job of getting you wanting to dance.

3.5/5

Track 3- Big Banana (featuring R3hab and Prophet)

Brown takes a slightly different direction with Big Banana, a dance pop track that has a slightly tropical feel and which finds the singer in a sort of feminist mode. This is because Brown doesn’t just play the simple role of girl ready for a guy, but instead owns her sexuality and uses the sexual innuendo line of ‘big banana’ to objectify this guy. The concept is fun and flirtatious and although the lyrics could do with some work, the cheekiness of the song does kind of win you over. Brown also sounds better vocally as a sense of a fun loving personality shines through in the track. The only issue is the production, as the blend of light, shiny dance rhythms that have a summer vibe don’t quite meld as well with the more forceful post chorus beats as you would wish, whilst the presence of R3hab and Prophet feels like the song has just had a rapper added on so that it can be a single, rather than the two artists featured being relevant.

3/5

Track 4- Ba*Bing

Promotional single Ba*Bing grabs your attention pretty quickly with the smouldering style of the production, which utilises more of a house music sound with forceful, kind of dark sounding beats. The production is definitely the songs best asset, with producer Carl Ryden creating this tribal sound that keeps your attention and which makes for a more exciting dance track than the previous songs. The lyrics of the track find Brown in a confident mode as she exclaims of being a cyclone and seemingly wanting you to hear just how grand a person she is, and although the ‘ba bing’ hook shouldn’t work, it is quite irresistibly catchy. Vocally Brown is also strong, once again showing off a bit more personality, whilst the use of layering for the chorus adds a sultry and feisty edge to the singer’s persona, and really it is just hard to understand why this was positioned as a promotional single over some of the actual singles.

3.5/5 

Track 5- Naughty

Naughty treads back to more straightforward dance pop territory. Here we find the singer once again in a flirtatious frame of mind as she tells this person of how she knows what they want, and how she can do things for them because she is naughty too. The lyrics are slightly stronger and sell the message of naughtiness and flirtation well, but vocally Brown lets herself down through the use of Auto Tune. Because of the style of the vocals Brown just sounds more lifeless than naughty, and it just makes her come across more like an insecure vocalist. The simple quality of the dance pop production is nice but not very exciting, making it seem like the producers kind of didn’t give this track much attention.

2.5/5

Track 6- Flashing Lights

Title track Flashing Lights finds Brown teaming up with producer RedOne again for a song that is built upon passion. But this time round Brown and RedOne don’t deliver a typical dance pop style, but instead the song is embedded more in simple pop and disco groove. This sound is really interesting and brings a great sense of diversity to the record whilst still working within the album as a whole. The frenzied disco beats create a thumping, groovy sound that makes you just want to dance in a different way, whilst vocally Brown is at her best, as she fits into the sensual persona of the track brilliantly and utilises her voice to make the song sound passionate and airy. The use of vocal layering also adds to the songs catchiness, and with the sharp simplicity of the lyrics being equally catchy, this is a brilliant title track where you can believe in this idea of Brown looking for love on the dance floor and feeling this chemistry, with the only annoying bit being the vocal production in the bridge.

3.5/5

Track 7- Any1

Instead of moving on from the disco delights of the title track, Brown keeps in the same realms with Any1, a sensual party tune with a prominent disco edge. The song is a lyrically clichéd mess that simply finds Brown telling us to grab anyone and have a good time, because we are apparently party people. It is pretty much the epitome of typical pop lyrics, with Brown’s vocals doing little to get you interested in the song. This is because the singer’s voice just wears thin and feels too processed and lifeless. Legendary producer Darkchild does an okay job with the simmering beats of the production, but this sound also equally feels bland, and when the slightly harsher sound kicks in before the final chorus it just feels like a case of too little too late, with the song trying to edge towards being a full on club track but lacking the drive.

2/5

Track 8- Someone to Love

Brown takes us back to more of an anthemic dance pop sound with Someone to Love, a song that finds the singer playing the role of this girl who keeps making mistakes, but who just wants someone to love. The lyrics are a bit more focused and less clichéd here, but the chorus is definitely overkill in terms of the repetitive hook of ‘give me someone to love’. Furthermore, Brown ruins the songs lyrical appeal with her weak vocals, as she once again just comes across as too processed and bland, highlighting that she is just not a great vocalist and maybe shouldn’t be making this record. The simple pop style is refreshing after the disco tinged rhythms of the last couple of tracks, but the production also feels equally as grainy and unrefined as the vocals, giving us another song that could be great if a better artist had sung it.

2/5

Track 9- One More Time (featuring Cave Kings)

One More Time opens up with this rattling electric guitar riff that commands your attention, and the song finds the singer showing off a bit more emotion as she reminisces of a former love and asks for that person to be with her again for one more time. The lyrics pack more emotional weight and although the cliché is there it doesn’t feel completely annoying. Likewise Brown’s vocals are once again weak, but the singer comes across a little more passionate and isn’t as annoying as some of the previous tracks. Why producer Cave Kings needed to be featured on this track is a little lost on me considering he wasn’t credited on Warrior, but the production value is definitely great, bringing together that nice guitar riff and a sea of powerful dance beats that lack originality but which definitely do the trick in getting you in that frame of mind to just have a good time.

3.5/5

Track 10- No Tomorrow

Collaborating with Darkchild once again, No Tomorrow finds Brown lamenting a failed relationship as she forgets to remember that there is no future between her and this person. The concept is nice but once again the song lyrically fails, relying too much on repetition that becomes incredibly annoying. Vocally Brown keeps things simple and light with an airy performance that brings out the emotional intensity of the song quite nicely, whilst Darkchild’s vibrant production works equally well with rattling, dubstep esque beats and rumbling dance rhythms.

3.5/5

Track 11- Last Night (Pitbull featuring Havana Brown & Afrojack)

Originally featuring on Pitbull album Global Warming, Last Night is your typical club track designed to get you throwing shapes at your party best. The track focuses on Pitbull and Brown playing lovers who had a good time last night. The song just makes Pitbull come across as a typical, egotistical rapper, whilst vocally Brown is reduced to the simple role of a girl who has just been brought in to sing the hook and doesn’t really do anything. Really the only thing going for the track is the squiggly beats and vibrant club sound, with Afrojack making a tune that is fun and light. However the production equally lacks originality, and the track doesn’t go as full throttle and get you excited to the level that it could.

3/5

Track 12- You’ll Be Mine (featuring R3hab)

Final track You’ll Be Mine is another track that featured on a previous record, this time on the singers When the Lights Go Out E.P. The song itself is a stomping dance number embedded in a lyrically clichéd message that goes nowhere. Here we find Brown telling this person of how she wants to be with them, and she will make them hers. It would be a sweet prospect if she didn’t repeat her intentions so much, coming across more like a crazy stalker than someone in the throes of love. Brown completely lacks charisma and passion within her vocal, and whilst the forceful dance beats are nice and fun, the sound is so typical of the genre that it means the song just loses any credibility.

2.5/5

Final Review

For a debut album Flashing Lights is not worth your money, having a lot more problems than positives. Whilst the dance production is vibrant and infectious for some songs, all too often the production style leans towards a bland, stereotypical club sound that is purely designed to be commercial and therefore lacks any appeal. Brown is a weak vocalist who tries to hide her issues behind an annoying sea of Auto Tune, and with the amount of lyrical clichés going on here, we are just given a record that buys into commercial aspects of the music industry and lacks validity and passion, making this an album that proves Havana Brown should have just stayed a DJ.

3.5/10

Best Track- Ba*Bing

Worst Track- Someone to Love

Katy B- Little Red Album Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Album- Little Red

Artist- Katy B

With the release of her debut album On a Mission, Katy B quickly became one of the rising stars of the UK music scene, gifting us with an array of club fuelled tracks that worked as the perfect soundtrack for getting ready for a night out. Yet when the album campaign ended and the singer started on a new record things arguably went quite quiet for the artist. But now Katy B is back and stronger than ever, having recently secured another top ten single. The singers sophomore set Little Red supposedly presents more of a mature outlook and a musical progression, but does Katy B still have the power to charm us in the way she did a couple of years ago?

Track 1- Next Thing

Opening track Next Thing starts the record off with a bang as Katy confidently tells us to keep our coats on, as she takes us to the next big hot spot and leaves others wanting more. The lyrics are catchy and simple with Katy showing off a greater level of confidence and a sense of maturity that comes with age. The vocal performance furthers this sense of maturity in terms of the singer’s smooth tone and icy cool vibe that she creates, whilst the confident style of the vocal sounds brilliant against the rumbling electro beats that are simple but effective, and which definitely makes you want to dance, with the songs only downfall being the slight annoyance that comes with the over repeating of the hook.

3.5/5

Track 2- 5 AM

Lead single 5 AM is a slinky slice of disco tinged dance music that finds the singer in a post party state of needing affection, as she searches for a one night stand. Lyrically the track veers into some poor territory with such ideas like love being like valium, but the overall concept and execution is intriguing. Vocally Katy definitely makes up for the lyrical choices, with the singer providing us with a wistful, light and smooth vocal performance that perfectly encapsulates that feeling of sensuality and coming down from a post party high. Keeping the dance floor rhythms quite simple with the stuttering house beats creates an equally as smooth sound for the track that makes it work well as both a potential club hit and a song you can just listen to on the radio and bop along to.

3.5/5

Track 3- Aaliyah (featuring Jessie Ware)

Originally featuring on the singers Danger E.P., Aaliyah is a fun house track that finds Katy teaming up with fellow British singer songwriter Jessie Ware. The song finds the two girls fighting for the love and affections of this DJ, with the song having a strong hook, whilst the essence of a passionate plea makes the song more impactful. Katy is smooth and exudes a sense of warmth within her vocal, whilst Ware perfectly compliments the singer, as her vocals are a bit deeper and slightly more wistful, working as a vocal that is very similar but that little bit different, which just creates a very dynamic tune. The bleeping electro house beats create a stomping dance ready vibrancy to the track that forces out the jealous tone a little bit more, and which creates a fun essence to the tune that marks it as a potential single.

3.5/5

Track 4- Crying for No Reason

The singer’s most recent top ten, Crying for No Reason takes the record into ballad territory and slows the pace down from the dance floor grooves of the opening numbers. Here we find the singer telling us of how she brushes her problems aside, but burying her feelings just causes them to erupt in uncontrollable ways. The lyrics are astute and sophisticated and taps into the negative feelings that come with age, whilst vocally Katy sounds superb, bringing the right level of vulnerability and maturity to the track to just give the ballad a sophisticated sheen. Producer Geeneus does a great job with the overall sound of the track, exposing the emotional intensity amidst a sea of thumping drums and shimmering synths that increase the songs power but which doesn’t distract from the lyrics or the vocals, giving us a ballad that works in all areas.

4/5

Track 5- I Like You

Taking us back to more of a house driven, get you dancing sound, I Like You finds Katy simply declaring her feelings for this man and hoping that he feels the same way. The quality of simply relating your feelings is nice, but the lyrics of the song are a bit over repetitive and doesn’t show that development of maturity that the former tracks did. However vocally Katy is great, giving us quite a languid performance that features some great use of vocal layering and which brings out the sensuality of the lyrics very nicely. The house beats of the production are also fun in the way that they just keep you moving and never try to go into bland rave territory, making this another sophisticated track in terms of the production.

3.5/5

Track 6- All My Lovin

A quite powerful musical affair that takes a while to kick in, All My Lovin finds the singer telling this person that she is going to give them all her love and take him to a special place. The song lyrically could have done with some work, as Katy relies on some poor clichés and doesn’t make the song feel as emotionally intense as it could be. The vocal is also a bit grainy and feels like the singer is over reaching in some ways, lacking the polished sheen of the previous tracks. Really the production is the songs only saving grace, as producers Geeneus and Joker provide us a with a frenzied array of electro beats that create this wild intensity that is different from the other tracks and which brings a good dose of variety to the record.

2.5/5

Track 7- Tumbling Down

Opening with quirky electro tones that act as this cool base for the song, Tumbling Down finds the singer in a flirtatious mode as she goes for her man and finds herself tumbling down as she falls truly in love. Once again the lyrics are marred by cliché, but not to such an extent as the previous track, whilst the vocal performance is much stronger here as the singer really fits into this sensual role and uses the range of her voice to good effect, with the use of vocal layering once again working well. The bubbly, clicking beats of the production create a nice contrast to the smooth style of the vocals, making for another engaging track that you can sway along to, or which you can just listen to and chill.

3.5/5

Track 8- Everything

Everything finds Katy still in a kind of sensual mode, but here she also shows a bit more emotional depth. The track sees the singer telling this person of how she just wants to be there for them and make their life great. The lyrics are focused and catchy with a nice hook, but Katy definitely makes the song better with her powerful, layered vocal that feels sweet but strong and which just feels invested with true emotion. Production wise the song utilises some house beats and subtle synth notes for a smoky club sound that is slightly 90’s influenced, and which feels like a potential hit single.

4/5

Track 9- Play (featuring Sampha)

Teaming up with electronic singer-songwriter Sampha, Play is another fun dance track with more of a glittery synth texture to the production. What is fun about this track is the way that Katy and Sampha’s vocal’s work really well together and create this fun male female dynamic to the track, making the love based lyrics a bit more potent. Lyrically the song utilises the metaphor of music being like love and passion, as each artist asks the other to play their music and captivate them. The clunky synth beats create a vibrant tone for the song that both elevates the power of the vocals and also adds a cool layer of diversity to the record as a whole, with the song almost having an 80’s feel in its own way.

3.5/5

Track 10- Sapphire Blue

Situated as a moody dance track from the outset, Sapphire Blue finds Katy positioning herself as a woman captivated by this person’s beauty and persona, and she just wants to have this person and kiss them. The song taps into that feeling of catching someone’s eye on the dance floor and losing your inhibitions, whilst the whole message of the track is given gravitas by the singers airy vocal tone and the way that she liltingly sings the song. The clicky beats of the production and the stammering synths provide a simple if not totally engaging sound that doesn’t quite capture the sensuality of the song, but which still makes for a good dance track nonetheless.

3.5/5

Track 11- Emotions

With Emotions Katy once again veers into some lyrical cliché that doesn’t quite capture you in the way the other songs did. However the deepness of the emotion within the track does command your attention, and with a solid chorus and the building up of the vocal and production, this is definitely a strong track. Here we find Katy telling this person of the way they make her feel, and she asks them to feel this emotion with her. The simplicity of the chorus means that it can get stuck in your head quite easily, whilst vocally Katy is on superb form, as she shows both control and power. The softness of the verses really compliment the forceful quality of the chorus, and this vocal style is also nicely elevated by the similar style of the production, which builds from a very subdued style to   some stomping rhythms that elevate the emotional intensity. The song smartly straddles the line of typical balladry and typical club song, making this another track that would work well as a single.

3.5/5

Track 12- Still

Final track Still ends finishes off the record in a sombre state as Katy goes deep with her emotions and asks questions about a former relationship, with this person still being on her mind a lot. The passion of the lyrics is made stronger by the singer’s airy tone that brings out the delicacy of the song beautifully, whilst Katy also sounds like a really powerful vocalist at the same time. Producer’s Geeneus and Fraser T Smith do a great job with the production in giving us a soft but epic dance sound with glittering synths and commanding beats, with the military style of the bridge allowing for the final chorus to have that extra emotional kick.

3.5/5

Final Review

Little Red is definitely an album that has been worth the wait. What is appealing for me about the record is that the singer has had a bit more of a mature makeover and brings more emotional depth to her work, but that doesn’t mean the fun of her debut is completely gone. The dance production is grand with a great mix of synths and breakstep beats, whilst vocally Katy sounds stronger and wiser. The odd cliché sometimes hinders the work, but ultimately Katy gives us lyrical pieces that are catchy and thoughtful at the same time. Little Red is a sophomore album that shows smart dance music at its best, and which definitely shows great artistic improvement from an already stellar artist.

8/10

Best Track- Crying For No Reason

Worst Track- All My Lovin

Song of the Week February 17th 2014

Song of the Week- Heart on Fire by Clean Bandit featuring Elisabeth Troy, from the album New Eyes

When I heard the stellar song that is Rather Be, I really got on board with Clean Bandit as a group and fell in love with their musical style. Whilst that song currently continues to dominate the UK charts and make waves in international markets, the group have gifted fans with the track Heart on Fire, available if you pre-order the groups debut album. As far as a follow up song goes it was always going to be hard to top Rather Be, but the group almost come close with Heart on Fire, a vibrant track that is fun and powerful in its own right. Lyrically the song finds guest vocalist Elisabeth Troy being captivated by this guy and telling him of how he has set her heart on fire. Once again the group create a song with some lyrical depth but which is also irresistibly catchy, with the hook being so good it just will inevitably get stuck in your head. Troy is another awesome guest vocalist for the group, with her smooth, RnB and soul tinged tone creating an extra layer of passion and depth to the track. Finally the group make the song a complete package with the stellar production, once again infusing a mixture of classical sensibilities with deep house beats, creating this signature style that is just fun and innovative and which sort of commands you to dance. The group also go one step further in utilising pan pipes within the track and actually making it sound good, once again showing there eclectic musical tastes and skill in turning out a feel good track that just feels completely original. If this is an indication of the quality of their music, then New Eyes looks set to be an album packed with a plethora of hit singles.

Song of the Week February 10th 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Song of the Week- I Want It All by Karmin, from the album Pulses

Truth be told when I first heard Karmin’s latest single I Want It All I thought the group had gone a little downhill, as the song didn’t quite capture my attention. Yet on subsequent listens the song has quickly become one of those tunes that I struggle to get out of my head. Lyrically the song focuses on singer Amy Heidemann singing of how this person gets her excited and how she just wants one more night with them, because she wants it all. The lyrics are simple but catchy with an easily accessible chorus, but the strongest part of the song definitely has to be the ‘da da da’ hook that underpins the song and which keeps you interested in the track the whole way through. Whilst the disco and funk tinged sound is a current trend at the moment, the song doesn’t feel like the group are just selling out to follow a trend, instead having a thoroughly sophisticated edge that is vibrant and fun to listen to. The songs disco pop sound also acts as the perfect production for Heidemann’s smooth vocals, which convey this sense of equal parts warm and sweet with equal parts flirty and confident to great effect. What’s more, the song also marks a nice variation in the group’s typical style in that the track lacks any rapping from Heidemann. But this isn’t a bad thing, as whilst Heidemann’s rapping is slick and fun, she also has a strong, charismatic voice, and so this song shows a different side of the group and perhaps highlights that their upcoming album Pulses will be filled with diversity. I Want It All isn’t what you would normally expect from Karmin, but it is really fun and just becomes catchier with every listen, and I just hope that the group keep this level of sophisticated, slick music going with the rest of their album.