âJAGUARâ is a journey through the many different sides of Victoria MonĂŠt
by Raphael Cheong ⢠August 7, 2020
Best known for her contributions to Ariana Grandeâs â7 Ringsâ and âThank U, Nextâ, âJAGUARâ sees Victoria MonĂŠt more than ready to strike out on her own.
The 27-year-old has been steadily pumping out stellar R&B tunes for awhile now, most recently with the SG Lewis-produced âExperienceâ which also featured Khalid on vocals. âJAGUARâ is her first full-length project after four EPs released between 2014 and 2018.
Kicking things off on the album is the previously-released âMomentâ: a sensual, soul-influenced number with an equally steamy music video. And MonĂŠt is completely in charge here, telling her partner that âFuck a fantasy / this your motherfuckinâ momentâ. Itâs a confident beginning to the ride of âJAGUARâ, as she turns the male gaze on its head.
Itâs a tad strange to follow up the first track with an interlude, especially one as uneventful as âBig Bossâ, which might have made more sense if it were longer. As it is on the album, however, the chorus comes across as reductive, all the more so when measured against the other tracks here.
Thankfully, with third track âDiveâ, MonĂŠt gets back up to speed. The song, released in April this year, is without a doubt an album highlight. A patchwork of rapid-fire verses, tongue-in-cheek text painting and a majestic outro courtesy of some vintage horns. And MonĂŠt isnât coy about themes here: âDiveâ is about the ecstasy of oral pleasure.
We get another interlude next, this time with the funky âWe Might Even Be Falling In Loveâ which sets up the upbeat nucleus of the record. Title track âJaguarâ continues MonĂŠtâs brash, unabashed lyrics: âSupersonic pussycat / Just like a jaguar, silky black / So let me climb your wood like that / You gotâ nineâ times to comeâ hit thatâ. A shoo-in for inclusion on playlists of bedroom jams for sure.
It goes without saying that âExperienceâ is one of the recordâs best moments, if not the best moment. A groovy, rollerskates-ready song that fits in with discoâs re-emergence in 2020, yet somehow also manages to sound timeless. No surprise given that producer SG Lewis is also behind such gems as Dua Lipaâs Hallucinate and his own Chemicals.
âAss Like Thatâ heralds the albumâs third arc of more subdued, slow-burners. âGo There With Youâ is a gritty plea for make-up sex. âTouch Meâ is no-frills R&B, a sensual closer about queer romance: âGirl it's been too long / And when you rock them short nails, that's low key sentimentalâ. While not as layered and textured as the earlier parts of the album, these songs show MonĂŠtâs depth as an artist able to dig deep and deliver in many forms. No two songs on âJAGUARâ sound similar, and yet, they all fit well into the artistry of Victoria MonĂŠt.
In MonĂŠtâs own words, the Jaguar is symbolic of a figure not being âin the limelightâ, yet still remaining a force to be reckoned with. Her debut has certainly lived up to the notions of its namesake, differentiating MonĂŠt from her contemporaries with her more off-kilter interpretations of R&B. Like a jaguar from the shadows, Victoria Monet is here to stake a claim for R&B royalty, and she's got tricks up her sleeve.
Billie Eilishâs haunting âMy Futureâ is an ode to self-love
by Raphael Cheong ⢠July 31, 2020
The track, produced by FINNEAS, came about as a product of the Eilish siblingsâ time in quarantine.
Save for lending her vocals to the soundtrack of the upcoming Bond film, Billie Eilish has largely remained out of the spotlight in this year of the pandemic.
So when she announced earlier this week that she would be dropping a new tune on Thursday, people were quick to speculate what my future would be about. Would it be another scathing wake-up call about our climate in crisis? Or perhaps, furthering the discussions about body image that Eilish started earlier this year.
The song, as it turns out, is about neither of those things. Taking a page out of Christina Aguileraâs hit ballad Beautiful, Eilish sings about fake friends (âAnd you don't seem to notice I'm not hereâ) and placing oneself as a priority. âIâm in love / But not with anybody else / Just wanna get to know myself,â she declares. Itâs a moment of vulnerability thatâs made convincing with her soft, meandering voice.
And just when you think that the song is going to remain a ballad, the drums kick in at the halfway point to make for an upbeat, almost R&B affair, the likes of Sabrina Claudio and Alina Baraz. Itâs a nice continuation from her 2019 single, everything I wanted, that also allows her to deliver some great vocal runsânot exactly something weâve come to expect from the singer.
For all the twists and turns and jaw-dropping moments sheâs had with her craft, we can hardly wait to meet Billie Eilishâs future, too.
âFolkloreâ is proof that the old Taylor Swift is well and very much alive
by Raphael Cheong ⢠July 24, 2020
Surprise-released and going down the indie folk route, Taylor Swiftâs eighth album is a move away from everything weâve come to expect from the singer.
When Swift first announced sixteen hours ago that Folklore, her new album, would be available the next day, the internet went all sorts of wild. Not just because it seemed that this project would mark a return to her acoustic roots, but because Swift had never in the slightest attempted an album rollout in this manner. Sudden social media wipeouts, cryptic tweets fraught with symbolism, elaborate easter eggs. All these have almost become synonymous with the phrase âTaylor Swift albumâ over the years.
For these reasons, Folklore plays vastly different from all her previous projects, and lead single Cardigan does a great job of introducing listeners to the album. With imagery of vintage pianos and stardust, the song is representative of the sombre, introspective mood of Folklore, a sound that seemed uncertain for Swift to embrace having put out three albums that were characteristically pop.
With help from The Nationalâs Aaron Dessner, indie darling Bon Iver and frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff, the album harks back to the Taylor Swift of old. Exile, which Bon Iver also features on, is an immediate standout track: a combination of Swiftâs poetic lyrical mastery backed by piano and strings that were a mainstay on Swiftâs earlier works.
Having gotten a fair amount of flak for her songwriting on previous album Lover (who could forget âSpelling is funâ?), Folklore is Swiftâs declaration that sheâs still got the chops. My Tears Ricochet, which occupies the spot of Track 5, known for being the most personal track on her albums, also features some of Folkloreâs best lines. âWe gather here, we line up, weepin' in a sunlit room / And if I'm on fire,â you'llâ be made ofâ ashes, too,â she sings in the opening lines. Swiftâs breathy falsetto in the song calls to mind the similarly Jack Antonoff-produced Lover closer, Daylight. If anyone ever had doubts about âthe old Taylorâ being gone, perhaps sheâs just been hiding in plain sight all this while.
Songs like August and Betty are classic, country-pop Taylor Swift. With Bettyâs confessional, diary-like structure perhaps the closest we come to reliving the days of Swiftâs stellar Fearless and Speak Now. Where these songs were reduced to deep cuts on Reputation and Lover, on Folklore theyâre at the centre of its story.
But where the album shines most, and perhaps where Swift will be most lauded by critics, is for the new territory that she explores. Experimental tracks like Epiphany, Peace and Hoax are a breath of fresh air for the singer. On Peace, she sings about a love story in the public eye with her trademark lyricism: âBut I'm aâfire and I'llâkeep your brittle heart warm / If you cascade, ocean wave blues come.â Backed by sparse production in these songs, Swiftâs lyrics are what you focus your attention on. Itâs a good thing then, that sheâs a masterful storyteller, and these tales of folklore are not gone to waste.
By the time closer Hoax kicks in, you get a clear sense of what Swift is gunning for with this album. Itâs a pitch for Album of the Year for sure, but more than anything, itâs a pitch to soundtrack a season of summer spent home. At 16 songs, Folklore runs the risk of being bloated, in the same way that Lover was. Yet, Swiftâs priorities are different here. Sheâs in no hurry to go anywhere, and letâs be honest, neither are we. And for all the other hoaxes running wild in the world right now, Folklore certainly manages to rise above the noise to do what itâs here to do: tide us over this cruel summer.
On âUnder My Influenceâ, The Aces make a bid for pop excellence
by Raphael Cheong ⢠July 17, 2020
Moving away from the indie pop sound of their debut, the quartet touches on modern themes like queer love and loneliness, with a little help from some huge hooks.
When Kelly, the most recent single from the album dropped, fans were quick to take note of its subject matter. âMet a girl with a smile that I liked / And her name was Kelly,â lead singer Cristal Ramirez sings about falling in love with a girl, the first time the band ever openly broached the topic of sexuality.
Although two of its members are queer, the band shied away from the topic before. âIn the past, we understood that The Aces was representing all four of us, so we kept it a little more vague,â band member Alisa Ramirez reveals in an interview with Gay Times.
And it is this precise breaking free of former reticence that characterises much of their sophomore effort. Where on their sugary debut they were playing it nice, the girls are in for the kill this time around. Take the moody I Can Break Your Heart Too for instance. âMy life isn't always about you / I can break your heart too,â Cristal declares over a dizzying guitar loop.
While wearing their heart on their sleeves, the band also find themselves delivering some huge pop moments. Lead single Daydream is the sort of song youâd want to drive down the highway to, New Emotion is a disco-lite stomper and Can You Do bears a certain resemblance to Maroon 5â˛s smash Moves Like Jagger thatâs bent on getting you in the groove.
But perhaps the song that best represents The Acesâ status as a modern, millennial girl band is the tongue-in-cheek My Phone is Trying to Kill Me, which they wrote with hitmaker Justin Tranter (Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers, Gwen Stefani). Itâs a song about needing validation from someone you love that also doubles up as a commentary on our addiction to our screens.
The album takes a decidedly darker and more sombre turn by the halfway mark. Not Enough is an introspective tune about falling short of expectations. Thought of You talks about overcoming addiction: âI've had tooâ manyâ drinks / Kept bad company / Don'tâ remember her name / But know the feelingâ. The mix of catchier, upbeat songs and slower, darker ones helps maintain a balance, although the albumâs second half is undeniably weaker with tracks like Going Home sounding filler at best.
The ladies get their groove back, however, with closer Zillionaire, another bass-heavy, disco-influenced track about the riches of being in love. The chorus is the most instantly memorable one on the record and it wouldnât be a surprise if âAll the money in the world / Wouldn't matter to me, girl / You're the one that makes me feel like a zillionaireâ found its way into the world of TikTok somehow.
Placing themselves in a sweet spot between the sound of pop acts like Dua Lipa and Little Mix, and alternative acts like HAIM and King Princess, The Aces have crafted a polished, festival-ready album that puts them side by side with the heavyweights. Now, itâs time for the rest of the world to fall under their influence, too.
Ellie Goulding sings the blues a little brighter on her latest album, âBrightest Blueâ
by Raphael Cheong ⢠July 17, 2020
Arriving five years after her last album, Brightest Blue is Ellie Goulding at her most fully realised artistry.
Itâs hard to believe that this same singer first burst onto the scene with 2010â˛s Starry Eyed, a shimmering, ethereal piece of electronic folk that cemented her status as one to watch. Hits like Lights and Anything Could Happen followed, and people were quick to pigeonhole Goulding into a box of dreamy electronica. So she went the other way with 2015â˛s Delirium, proving that she can hold her own in the pop landscape, too.
On this fourth album, Goulding switches up her sound once again. This time, sparse experimental production clears the way for her breathy, raspy vocals. Tracks like the dark How Deep Is Too Deep and the soulful New Heights show a great attention to detail in their craft, making for a layered experience.
Album highlight Love Iâm Given is almost begging to be the next single. Like a follow-up to Figure 8 from her 2012 album Halcyon, the song is a battle cry about turning pain into power. âAnd maybe I'm paying for the things I've done / And maybe I'm paying for the ones I've hurt / But I've been changing the love I'm given / I'm turning the page of my indecision,â she sings.
On first listen, the sombre Woman sounds like a potential miss. Kicking off with little more than a piano and sappy strings, Goulding sings about coming to terms with her womanhood and identity. But then the bridge kicks in and the song morphs into a power ballad of huge proportions.
The bouncy, futuristic Tides features some of the best production on the album, courtesy of Gouldingâs frequent collaborator Starsmith. âI wanna stay awake tonight / I wanna go against the tide / I wanna stay with you tonight,â Gouldingâs delivery on the chorus is almost delectably deadpan and mechanical.
The albumâs three interludes, Cyan, Ode To Myself and Wine Drunk lend Brightest Blue to being seen as a concept album of sorts. Cyan is a spoken word piece about overcoming tribulations with lines like âSometimes I had toâ trample with tears in my eyes / Over the things I knewâIâcouldn'tâhelp / Until I wasâstrong enough toâcarry them with me insteadâ. Start and the titular Brightest Blue play like an intro and outro for the album respectively, one laying the groundwork for the albumâs themes and the other ending things showing you can turn your blues into something brighter.
There is no doubt that Brightest Blue is Gouldingâs strongest body of work yet. Itâs packed from start to finish with solid yet experimental tracks that do justice both to Gouldingâs voice and her songwriting. Ditching the made-for-radio collaborations to the albumâs second side in favour of more playful, left-of-field tricks, Brightest Blue is Goulding finally singing her own tune instead of trying to fit into someone elseâs.
With her âMinorâ EP, Gracie Abrams proves that she is going places
by Raphael Cheong ⢠July 14, 2020
Featuring singles 21, Long Sleeves and I miss you, Iâm sorry, the seven-track EP is a polished debut collection that lets Abramsâ crystal clear vocals shine.
The 21-year-old, whose first ever set of live gigs was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has been steadily building her brand of poignant, diary-like songs ever since 2019â˛s Mean It. Almost all of her promotion has had to take place online, with performances like her cover of The 1975â˛s Somebody Else. Minor is the culmination of her work thus far; her official introduction to the world.
The project opens with Friend, a confessional song about the impossibility of maintaining a friendship after a breakup. Itâs reminiscent of the craft of artists such as Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers, the latter of which Abrams has listed as an inspiration.
Like Friend, most of Minor features similarly sparse production that puts her vocals and songwriting in the spotlight. On the quirkily titled tehe, she looks back on a relationship that went on for longer than it should have. Long Sleeves has guitars and strings that rise and fall with Abramsâ turbulent heartbreak. âFought till you tethered me / Swept under surfaces / Never enough of itâ, she sings.
While Abrams may not be breaking new ground with the themes on the album, Minor is a fresh, tender look at the feelings of youth. One that perhaps too often gets buried beneath songs of carnal activity and bodily pleasures. Itâs no wonder, then, that she has often been compared to predecessor Lorde, whose similarly introspective style characterised her ascent in the 2010s.
The comparison is almost inescapable on 21, which incidentally is produced by Lordeâs frequent collaborator Joel Little. The minimal, pulsating drumbeat is reminiscent of Littleâs work on Pure Heroine. And lyrics like âI see the look in your eye and I'm biting my tongue / You'd be the love of my life when I was youngâ scream house party, Melodrama Lorde.
Thereâs no doubt that Lordeâs early work helped pave the way for the âbedroom popâ singers of today, but itâs rare to see an artist be able to take from that and carve out something of her own â and Abrams has achieved just that. With Minor, sheâs shown that sheâs going places, and weâre hopping onboard for the ride.
With âWomen in Music Pt. IIIâ, HAIM is walking down a road of its own
by Raphael Cheong ⢠June 26, 2020
Itâs three for three for the sisters of HAIM as Women in Music Pt. III artfully blends their brand of pop rock together with embellishments of ska and disco.
Few artists have a celebrated, signature walk to their name the way that HAIM does. This goes back to their 2017 single Want You Back, where they coolly strutted down the streets of Los Angeles for a whole four minutes. In 2019, they recreated the routine for Women lead single Summer Girl. More recently, an Instagram post of theirs previewing the songs on the album had them walking, steps synchronised, to the beat of each track.
Like a metaphor for their output, the band is no longer walking the way they were years ago. Theyâre skipping down the street, removing articles of clothing one by one, involving strangers â all with a notably more carefree disposition than ever before.
It comes as no surprise, then, that Women in Music Pt. III is also the most uninhibited the band as ever sounded. Ska-tinged opener Los Angeles instantly sets the mood: a breezy track about feeling out of place in oneâs hometown, laden with the saxophone â the first of more songs to come. Then, it transitions almost seamlessly into the buoyant single The Steps, which sees HAIM front the guitar like never before. And while the albumâs title declares its subject matter of female empowerment, this song makes it clear: âAnd every day I wake up and I make money for myself / And though we share a bed, you know that I don't need your helpâ.
Women in Music Pt. III is without a doubt the most experimental territory that HAIM has ventured. Standout tracks Up From a Dream and 3am see the band pull references from different directions. Dream is adorned with the occasional sound effect, a stomping track that would fit right in St. Vincentâs discography. 3am is quite the Frankenstein: part lo-fi, part funk, and even part hip-hop courtesy of the chops and screws that glide through the song. Itâs a refreshing change of sound for the band, and a counter against anyone who might ever have thought them to be a one-trick pop-rock pony.
The band has been compared to soft-rock icon Fleetwood Mac ever since their first album, and tracks like Leaning On You and Iâve Been Down truly bring the similarities to the surface. On Down, the band sings: âI think that we need to come togetherâ â a rally cry that couldnât have come at a better time in modern music. In these stripped back, acoustic moments is where their songwriting comes under the spotlight. Leaning sees them at their most raw: âWas I fearless at seventeen years old / Or was I faking it, I was just a kid leaving homeâ.
The electric guitar is picked up once again for the standard editionâs album closer FUBT, which builds up to a hard-hitting instrumental outro followed by the criminally underrated single Now Iâm in It. Itâs a downer that the albumâs first three singles were relegated to bonus tracks, and it would have been interesting to see where they would fit on the track list.
Still, HAIMâs risks with this third album have certainly paid off in many ways. Women in Music Pt. III is the band at their most diverse, toying with genres while still managing to retain the roots of their first two albums. Straddling the fine line between pop and rock and still managing to throw in elements from other genres, HAIM is gloriously walking down a road of its own.
Jessie Ware brings seduction to the disco on âWhatâs Your Pleasure?â
by Raphael Cheong ⢠June 26, 2020
On her fourth studio album, British singer Jessie Ware finally and fully embraces her flirtations with dance music.
Itâs undeniable that the 80s have had a grand comeback in this year alone. Weâve already had The Weekndâs dark and brooding After Hours, Dua Lipaâs throwback Future Nostalgia, Doja Catâs viral Say So and even Lady Gagaâs Chromatica had hints of the golden era.
Jessie Ware is the latest singer to add her name to that expanding list, as Whatâs Your Pleasure takes us on a lush journey straight to the disco. While Wareâs debut in 2010 was on the upbeat Nervous with SBTRKT, her subsequent output has mostly been soulful, subdued and minimalist balladry.
The first half of the album throws that out the window, exchanging it instead for seductive coos beckoning hedonistic escapades. Thereâs the Kylie-sounding title track that sees her tempt like never before:Â âI know the way to make you happy / I give you love, you give it back to me,â she sings over a dizzying bassline.
There is no shortage of flirty, tongue-in-cheek moments on the album. The delectably funky Ooh La La sees her tease: âOoh, la-la, open up the door, you know I like it / Ooh, la-la, chivalry was dead but you revived itâ. And on the flaming Step Into My Life, she talks about how âIt feels so right when you catch my eyes / Maybe for tonight, would you catch my body? / Don't be scared to touchâ. Itâs a sort of seduction that we donât get enough of in music these days.
But close your eyes, and some of the recordâs finest moments could almost make you feel like you were in another time. Soul Control calls to mind 80s synthpop in the vein of The Human League and Depeche Mode. Album highlight In Your Eyes sees her desirous vocals dancing atop a bed of orchestral arrangements and synthesisers, mixed to perfection.
In these string-filled moments we see traces of Wareâs old sound, breathy and quietly commanding. Adore You, the albumâs first single, plays like a remixed version of her earlier works. And Spotlight makes for the perfect opener, starting the show with an orchestra backing Wareâs rousing vocals.
With ninth track Read My Lips is where the record fizzles out a little. Itâs a slightly repetitive four minutes that feels too familiar. The Kill repeats the synths and strings formula from earlier to less success. Itâs a shame that both are decent songs in their own right, overshadowed by the rapturous moments that came before.
Closing track Remember Where You Are, however, is a charmer that Ware reveals she wrote in response to the political turmoils the world was going through in 2019. âThe heart of the city is on fire / Sun on the rise, the highs are gonnaâ fall / Butâ nothing is differentâ in my arms / So darling remember where you areâ she sings, backed by a choir as the album ends with strings the same way it began.
Whatâs Your Pleasure is Jessie Ware bringing her ultimate seduction to the dancefloor. A disco-heavy, string-backed striptease of an album that sees the singer hold close the sounds sheâs toyed with in the past. And while it could possibly have benefited from a bit more variation, itâs still an album fitting for the times, of longing for freedom and physicality with no holds barred.
The tender catharsis of Phoebe Bridgersâ âPunisherâ
by Raphael Cheong ⢠June 19, 2020
Moving away from the folk sounds that characterised much of her debut album, Bridgersâ long awaited follow-up is a sparse, atmospheric odyssey.
Starting with lead single Garden Song, an exploration of intimacy and growing up, Punisher at once finds itself in dreamy territory. The song carries the influence of British band The 1975, whom Bridgers recently collaborated with, by way of distorted background sounds atop a guitar melody.
As always, it is the 25-year-oldâs precocious songwriting that forms the nucleus of much of the record, as with this line from Garden Song that invokes a sense of melancholic blur:
I'm at the movies, I don't remember what I'm seeing
The screen turns into a tidal wave
Then it's a dorm room, like a hedge maze
Where there are slightly more upbeat moments on Punisher, they are merely foils for heavy subject matter. Kyoto, the albumâs second single, is a chirpy indie rock number about her relationship with her father, as well as the imposter syndrome she experienced when in Japan. On Chinese Satellite, she questions her identity and sense of powerlessness:
I've been running around in circles
Pretending to be myself
Why would somebody do this on purpose
Whenâ theyâ could do somethingâ else?
Identity is a recurrent theme on Punisher. On the hauntingly soothing ballad Halloween, which features vocals from her Better Oblivion Community Centre bandmate Conor Oberst, Bridgers sings that âItâs Halloween, we can be anythingâ. On Savior Complex, she confronts her psychological shortcomings in a lush, string-filled number that takes its time to unravel itself.
At the end of the record, we get the very aptly titled I Know The End, in which she sings about a discordant world where Germany is Texas, complete with âBig bolts of lightning hanging lowâ as lightning sounds come in for some blink-and-you-miss-it text painting. The songâs outro is a true highlight of the album, as everything from clashing drums, horns, screams and growls get a part to play in the cacophony. Drawing from the title, itâs almost as if weâre witnessing the Punisher release their pent-up wrath. Yet it remains unclear what role Bridgers plays in it all: is she tormentor, or tormented?
Either way, as the album draws to a frightful, grandiose close, one thing is certain: catharsis is a dish best served cold.
With âUngodly Hourâ, Chloe x Halle prove that the kids are more than just alright
by Raphael Cheong ⢠June 12, 2020
Two years after their debut album, Chloe x Halle are back stronger and more assured than ever with Ungodly Hour.
Few artists have the esteem of being lauded by BeyoncĂŠ, and Chloe x Halle happen to be one of them.
The sisters, known for their ethereal, dreamy vocals, were discovered and signed to BeyoncĂŠâs Parkwood Entertainment label by the singer herself in 2015. Since then, theyâve gone on to release an EP, 2016â˛s Sugar Symphony; lent their voices to several soundtracks; and solidified themselves as ones to watch with their sparkling if slightly lengthy debut effort, The Kids Are Alright.
The year is 2020, and the R&B duo is ready for their next statement. Where their debut saw them affirm their peers while navigating their transition from childhood into womanhood, Ungodly Hour tackles more loaded themes like desire and infidelity.
Album opener Forgive Me and previously released Do It see them shed their pop influences for a slicker R&B/hip-hop sound as they keep their lovers teased. And while theyâve always had a cheeky touch to their lyrics, Tipsy is without a doubt the most savagery theyâve delivered: âYou're strumming on my heart strings, don't be dumb / if you love your little life then don't fuck upâ. Consider yourself warned.
Having been appraised by BeyoncĂŠ herself, youâd be hard-pressed to not draw similarities between the duo and the former Destinyâs Child member. Their rap/sung delivery on Tipsy, for one, immediately calls to mind BeyoncĂŠâs braggadocio on her tracks like Diva and Hold Up. But on title track Ungodly Hour is where Chloe x Halle truly step out of the shadows of their mentor. Produced by Disclosure, the song takes a page out of 90s R&B, making for a perfect blend between the gliding instrumental and the pairâs distinctive harmonies.
Elsewhere, Busy Boy sounds like a modern take on the sounds of TLC, whom Chloe x Halle have revealed they are inspired by. Donât Make It Harder On Me and Wonder What She Thinks Of Me provide the laid-back moments on the record. The former, a soul number replete with strings; the latter, a haunting ballad about a former flame moving on.
But just when you think that the album might be ending on a sombre note, in comes the confetti of ROYL, a bouncy, uplifting call for self-love. âYou ain't gotta let the world get to you / Why you lookin' in the mirror like that?â they trade verses on the track co-produced by maestro Boi-1da (Rihanna, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar). Itâs a fitting, celebratory closer for a body of work that has polished their previous sound while still playing to their vocal strengths.
That the album comes at a time of protests championing the Black Lives Matter movement is also all the more significant. Halle herself was previously the target of widespread racism, after it was announced that she would be playing Ariel in Disneyâs upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. And while they opted to push back the albumâs release by a week in solidarity of the lives lost, thereâs no questioning that theyâre moving full steam ahead now, using their voices as both light and weapon. And if anything, young figures like Chloe and Halle are proof that the kids are more than just alright.Â
âLove, Death & Dancingâ: a look inside Jack Garrattâs multi-instrumental mind
by Raphael Cheong ⢠June 12, 2020
Jack Garrattâs second studio album, split into four volumes, sees the multi-instrumentalist tackle hard-hitting issues of mental health and self-doubt.
To be selected as the criticsâ choice for the Brit Awards, win the coveted BBC âSound ofâ poll, release a debut album, then fade into relative obscurity might be the end of the road for some artists. But not Jack Garratt.
The 28-year-old, known for his electrifying live performances as a one-man band, released his debut Phase in 2016 to positive reviews. But upon wrapping up his tour for the album, Garratt found himself not quite knowing where to go next.
âIt screwed me over completely,â he told BBC in February about comparisons with previous winners like Adele, revealing that he had to scrap an entire album that he had made, opting instead to take four years away to heal himself.
And Love, Death & Dancing is the culmination of that time away. Opener Time, first released in February, addresses Garrattâs reason for taking a break. âYou're overthinking, in a rut and terrified / Of givingâ inâ to who youâ are and losing your mind,â he tells himself. The song retains the layered, synth-filled production of his debut, together with his rousing tenor.
Mara, the second track on the âVolume 1âł collection released alongside Time, is an introspective conversation with his inner voices. The songâs namesake is a spirit of temptation in the Buddhist belief.
But the album is not all doom and gloom. Better, the most upbeat track on the record, puts the âdancingâ in its title. Containing a bizarrely effective sample of the âHey, I think youâre really coolâ vine, the song is Garrattâs forray into the genre of dance pop. âIâll sit back helplessly and watch the world descend / Into chaos curated by suited men,â he laments about the state of the world with a lyric that holds even more weight given the events of the past month.
Garrattâs brand of synth-folk is apparent in most of the album. Doctor Please is a synth-fueled cry for help in oneâs lowest moments, with an almost Sheeran-ian delivery, both lyrically and vocally. Old Enough is reminiscent of Phase standouts Weathered and Surprise Yourself. âWe should be old enough to get things started,â he sings while backed by a choir of synths, electric guitars and pianos.
Where the album falters is with tracks like Mend A Heart and Anyone that see Garratt break away from his formula. The former comes across as bland, Top 40 fodder. The latter, though with a chorus that hits like a sucker punch, finds itself to be uneven in contrast to the rest of the album.
The end result: a somewhat fluctuant effort that loses steam in its second half, but still retains Garrattâs signature sound and confessional songwriting, tackling important topics of mental health that many male singers stray away from. He might still be in the process of solidifying his sound, but Love, Death & Dancing shows that Garratt is still very much on track. Garrattâs performances have always helped sell his songs, and we can hardly wait to be able to watch him at work as a one-man band again.
Itâs Pride Month, and thereâs no better way to celebrate than to dive into the discography of these out and proud, LGBTQ+ artists.
1. FHAT
Serving slick, funk-inspired jams, FHAT is a queer pop duo born in Berlin and based in America. Packinâ is all sorts of addictive with a bass line straight out of the 70s â a lovechild between heyday Timberlake and Make Me Feel Janelle Monae that will have you hooked. To make things even better, theyâve absolutely got it going with their visuals, too.
2. Gia Woods
It sure takes nerve to come out to the world through a pop song, and thatâs precisely what Gia Woods did back in 2015. Now, the Persian singer is gearing up to release her debut EP, CUT SEASON, and newly-dropped Naive is the latest teaser. âSweet misery / loves company / Iâm kinda / darling donât be naive,â she coos, Gwen Stefani-style, over a gritty beat.
3. Isaac Dunbar
At just 17 years of age, the Massachusetts native is without a doubt one of the youngest rising queer acts of today. And itâs easy to see why Dunbar, who also produces his own music, has been pegged as one to watch. makeup drawer is a powerful statement that sees him embrace his identity, no holds barred, with a style that sits somewhere between contemporaries like Conan Gray and Billie Eilish.
4. Michael Medrano
On first listen, Michael Medranoâs Fluids sounds like a lost tape from The Fame era Lady Gaga. Fun, flirtatious and unabashedly queer, the song is begging to be blasted at Pride parties everywhere â not now, but soon enough. The American singerâs recent releases have really seen him coming into his own with his sound, strapped with tongue in cheek lyrics, always.
5. Raveena
Pairing her delicate voice with ethereal soundscapes, R&B singer Raveena waxes lyrical about spirituality and femininity with such finesse, itâs unbelievable that sheâs still an up-and-comer. Often incorporating references to her Indian heritage in her music, Stronger is a quiet declaration of her embracing feminine power. âI was so naive to think a man could be stronger than me,â she sings over a dreamy instrumental.
6. Left At London
Confessional, gut-punching lyrics take centre stage in the works of Left at London, a non-binary trans artist who goes by she/her pronouns. Blacknwhite is a genre-bending patchwork that starts off as an emo/punk track, evolving into something more R&B at the halfway mark.
7. Arlo Parks
Writing extensively both about her sexuality and mental health struggles, Arlo Parks is a 19-year-old singer hailing from South London. Black Dog is a poetic dive into a world seen through the lens of depression. âIt's so cruel / what your mind can do for no reasonâ is already one of the yearâs best lyrics, from an artist more than ready to break out.
For a music companion to help you dance through this month, here's a playlist of songs of all sorts, all by LGBTQ+ artists. Happy Pride! â¤ď¸
Keiynan Lonsdale is a liberated force of nature on Rainbow Boy
by Raphael Cheong ⢠May 29, 2020
The world first got its mainstream glimpse of Keiynan Lonsdale with his role in the coming-of-age film Love Simon, but in reality, the 28-year-old actor, dancer and singer-songwriterâs career goes way back.
Shuffling between acting and dancing gigs from an early age, Lonsdale captured hearts with his role as Bram in the film. And the actor became a queer icon himself with his refusal to be boxed into any one category of sexuality â a theme that runs through much of his debut album Rainbow Boy.
Opening with the anthemic We Are The Children, Lonsdale coos with his silky falsetto in a dream-like sequence before drums and beats kick in. âCause we deserve to love / We deserve to trust / We deserve to live our lives / Cause we are the children,â he sings. Much like his character Kid Flash on The CWâs The Flash, Rainbow Boy is a world-saving superhero, just dressed in rainbows instead of lightning.
Not one to shy away from singing about his sexuality, Gay Street Fighter and Rainbow Dragon, both released as singles prior to the albumâs release, are fresh, humourous takes on the subject matter. âEverybodyâs just a little bit gay,â he smirks on the former track over a lavishly funky beat courtesy of producer Louis Futon.
The theatrical Destiny Road is an immediate standout from the album. At just over two minutes long, the song expertly shows off Lonsdaleâs ability to jump between the genres as it starts off as a ballad, takes the hip-hop road, and ends as a lush R&B tune.
Elsewhere, Rhythm & Music and White Noise see the singer dance to the beats of funk and doo-wop. I Confess My Love, Mirror and Chocolate are a seamless trio of R&B tracks that see him reach Gallant and Moses Sumney levels of ethereality with his falsetto. Closer On My Wave is a buoyant way to end off the album: a tribal-inspired track that sees him bid a lover goodbye.
Lonsdale sounds like no other artist on the radio right now. A voice for the queer children of the world fighting to be seen and heard. Rainbow Boy, unlike most debut albums, is not an artist in the midst of finding his sound. At once colourful and confessional, the album is Lonsdale liberated, and as he sings in Rainbow Dragon, his time to shine indeed. đ
On Chromatica, Gaga makes a return to the dance floor where it all first started
by Raphael Cheong ⢠May 29, 2020
Paws up, armour ready, itâs time for a trip to the land of Chromatica.
To say that Lady Gaga has been a cultural juggernaut would be a grand understatement. The now 34-year-old first had her big break in 2008 with her debut album The Fame, which still retains its legacy to this day. With her theatrical sound and over the top looks, Gaga became an instant pop culture icon.
In the 12 years since then, Gaga has found herself in a much different landscape. Sheâs done everything from activism to ARTPOP. Sheâs shown that she can sit with the greats of jazz. Channel her freak flag in a Ryan Murphy fantasy. More recently, the world embraced her renaissance with her role in Bradley Cooperâs remake of A Star is Born â one that saw her nominated for an Oscar, no less.
And on Chromatica, her 16-track, sixth studio album which drops today, Gaga finds solace on the dance floor once again. Just like all those years ago where she sang âJust dance, gonna be okayâ, Gagaâs new rally cry to bring on the rain, a shtick as it is for some, could not have come at a more appropriate time.
Our first introduction into the world of Chromatica is through the strings of opener Chromatica I. Lush and epic like a movie soundtrack, it transitions seamlessly into Alice, which is Gagaâs proclamation to âkeep looking for wonderlandâ despite the struggles in her way. Itâs a strong track, replete with French House influences.
Stupid Love, our first taste of the album in February, follows suit. Criticised by some upon its release for being uninventive, the song makes greater sense on the albumâs first arc as Gaga goes from looking for the light to embracing love. Then on Rain On Me, sheâs ready for the storm. The albumâs second single, released a week ago, is already one of 2020â˛s finest pop offerings, and it feels right as rain.
The dance floor empowerment continues with Free Woman. âThis is my dancefloor I fought for / A heart, that's what I'm livin' forâ â the lyrics, teased by Gaga in her interview with Zane Lowe, see her reclaiming her individuality over a summer-ready beat. Itâs a tad reductive, but her commanding vocals save the day here. Fun Tonight, the last song of the first arc, is reminiscent of Born This Way stand-out The Edge of Glory. Though upbeat on first listen, itâs really a heartbreaking reflection of Gagaâs struggles with her mental health.
Next comes the âmomentâ that has gotten fans talking â the shift from the strings of Chromatica II to the throbbing beats of 911 is truly something else. And where Chromatica I was an introduction to the modern Gaga, Chromatica II is a return to the Mother Monster of old. 911 sounds like a mix of Monster and Starstruck, while Plastic Dollâs stuttering immediately calls to mind Poker Face. Where the album falters slightly is with Sour Candy, a much-hyped collaboration with Blackpink that simmers without quite getting the chance to take off like some other songs on the record.
The next two songs, Enigma and Replay, are definitive album highlights. Enigma is signature Gaga: a rousing three minutes of submission that sees her throw caution to the wind. Replay is that disco anthem we all came here looking for. Switching between different styles of dance pop, producer Bloodpopâs versatility is a true delight on this album.
The final arc of Chromatica features less of a commonality between its constituents than the earlier ones. Sine From Above is an epic piece of electronica featuring Elton John on vocals. 1000 Doves is less effective, and without a doubt the least characteristically Gaga song on the album. But with album closer Babylon following itâs almost as if the singer is declaring: she can do whatever she wants. âStrut it out, walk a mile / Serve it, ancient-city style / Talk it out, babble on / Battle for your life, Babylonâ â itâs goofy, unabashed Gaga at her very best, unaffected by leaks and naysayers alike.
Chromatica is a triumphant return to form for Gaga, managing to sound current while incorporating odes to the old Gaga that we first fell in love with. Having flirted with a range of genres over the years, Chromatica is proof that she can still do dance-pop, and do it well. The album comes at a strange time where raves and concerts no longer exist, but if she can somehow turn her pain into a party, whatâs stopping Mother Monster from turning the tide in her favour?
Ambitious, long-drawn and rewarding: The 1975 return with the second part of Music for Cars
by Sabrena Kadir ⢠May 22, 2020
If there was one thing the loud, punk anthem, People, should have clued us about, it was that Notes on a Conditional Form would be nothing like The 1975âs usual sound.
Granted, this album is the follow up effort to 2018âs A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, both of which form the singular âMusic for Carsâ era and thus bear notable similarities to each other topically.
Yet, at the same time, Notes feels so much like a sonic departure worlds away from their discographyâitâs confusing at best on a cursory listen, but reveals more to unpack with each repeated play.
The months preceding the release of this oft-delayed project gave us eight album cuts, including the disjointed, anxiety-themed track, Frail State of Mind and the stripped-down acoustic Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America.
With all those singles out, Notes still runs nearly 80 minutes over 22 songs. Itâs a slow-burn after the introductory, five-minute long Greta Thunberg sound piece and Matty screaming in our ears on People.Â
Then weâre straight into two instrumentalsâa magical, Disney-esque tune that is The End (Music for Cars), followed by Streaming. The latter warrants little to talk about, apart from having it lead into the subdued, lazy groove of the next album cut, The Birthday Party, a âdigital detoxâ soundtrack with a slight country twang. Itâs dreamy and ethereal in both its tune and accompanying visual, with a whole bunch of memes peppered throughout the video, but the lyrics are anything but.
Where the album finally picks up, and where I find myself the most immersed is when references to their older works are being sprinkled throughout the new material. Roadkill takes us back to the hallmark track of their opus: 2013âs Robbers, off their eponymous debut project (âIf you don't eat, then you'll never grow / If you don't shoot, then you'll never knowâ). Nothing Revealed / Everything Denied, bears the stylisation of How To Draw / Petrichor, and clarifies lyrics from Love It if We Made It (that Matty never f*cked in a car, I was lying), both from A Brief Inquiry. Iâd position this particular one as the album's standout track, with a gospel choir as backup in the chorus, distorted vocals (whose voice is that on the bridge?), and the interpolation of subtle hip-hop beats. On paper, it spells nothing but confusion in terms of its arrangement and elements, yet it has quickly become a fan-favourite, and rightfully so. This oneâs my personal pick of the bunch, no surprise there.
Not far off from the albumâs crown jewel, we have Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy). Itâs an easy listen over a steady, relaxed beat. Shiny Collarbone incorporates dancehall elements, Playing On My Mind seems like it would fit right into the dream-like trance of I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It, and Having No Head is a 6 minute long half-and-half of piano instrumental and mellowed out bass.
Closing the album are tracks Donât Worry and Guys, and they are worth every ounce of sap. The former is written and performed by Mattyâs dad, Tim Healy, and oddly enough the heavy autotune on this one works. The latter is an ode to friendship and an absolute tearjerker, ending off the lengthy project with Matty paying homage to his three main men (âThe moment that we started a band / Was the best thing that ever happenedâ).Â
Notes was definitely a journey to get through, and at certain points came close to feeling a tad bit protracted with the melding of genres, experimentation and lengthy instrumentals. Unlike their last three albums, a lack of overall cohesiveness was what was missing. But make no mistake about it, at no point did the songs feel boring at all. Iâm going to be cradling this collection closely for the months to come, and for what itâs worth, no one likes predictability anyway.
Carly Rae Jepsen keeps the pop gems coming with Dedicated Side B
by Raphael Cheong ⢠May 21, 2020
When an artistâs âSide Bâ material is just as good as their regular releases, you know theyâre doing something right.
Having built anticipation for a Side B companion to her 2019 studio album Dedicated, Carly Rae Jepsen decided to bless us once and for all with its surprise release today.
Dedicated Side B, at twelve tracks long, follows Carlyâs tradition of releasing a compilation of songs that didnât make the final cut on her albums. In 2016, she dropped the Side B of her cult classic, Emotion, giving the world the gem of a song that was Cry.
In 2020, sheâs done it again, and the result is a polished body of work that could most certainly stand its ground as an album of its own.
On opener This Love Isnât Crazy, she reassures herself and her lover about the weight their emotions hold, by way of a euphoric track that instantly begs you to get grooving.
Second track Window slows the tempo a few notches but still keeps the playful flirtation that Carly has come to be known for. âKeep a window for me open / open for me always / please don't lock the doorâ: Miss Jepsen wants it, and she wants you to know.
This Is What They Say, coming in at the midway mark, is a definite high point of the album. Calling to mind Montell Jordanâs This Is How We Do It, the song is undoubtedly the catchiest and most memorable of the album. The 8-bit intro. That bridge. How did this song not make it onto Dedicated?
Summer Love seems to be a quintessential Carly Rae Jepsen song title, and Iâm actually surprised she hasnât released a song with that name yet. With her breathy falsetto, the cowbells and those Mark Ronson strings, this one fits so well in the 80s revival that weâve been seeing in 2020.
Comeback, featuring Bleachers, is a mid-tempo ballad with traces of Jack Antonoff all over it, some parts reminiscent of his recent work on Taylor Swiftâs album. Album closer Now I Donât Hate California After All is another tender Taylor-esque moment, with hints of her Imogen Heap co-write, Clean.
No one could have anticipated that Dedicatedâs Side B would come at twelve tracks long, let alone have moments that outshine its original album. Where on Dedicated she seemed at times to be holding herself back, Side B sees a more untethered side to Carly, one where she lets go of the reins and embraces her Emotion. The result: a brilliant pop album, and telling proof that Miss Jepsen deserves more than just her status as a cult icon.
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