Kudu Blue - Shaded
Kudu Blue are a (now) four-piece band from Brighton. I can’t quite recall how I first stumbled across them last year, and yeah sure, I could go back and have a look at my post about their single ‘Vicinity’ but I’m totally not about cutting corners like that. Also, if I had, what would I have written here? Anyway, after a three song string of singles last year the quartet have done a similar thing for 2017 but they’ve smushed the three new songs together and called it an EP. It’s all the rage.
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DJ Cassidy feat Grace and Lil Yachty: Honor
So I know what you’re thinking, DJ Cassidy has released four underwhelming similar sounding songs, can he really be fifth time lucky? Well, the answer is yes. Yes he can. Although, I say this but I’m not sure how down to DJ Cassidy that is because honestly, Grace is the star of this show. In terms of instrumentation ‘Honor’ is stripped back right up until the first chorus, and even after that, it’s still the Australian vocalist doing the majority of the work. Grace’s voice is packed with attitude on every word she sings and it really shows on 'Honor’.
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Amir Miles: Bad Habits
Amir Miles is a 21 year old self-professed “independent alternative R&B artist” obviously from America. I personally really like songs that are just about normal standard things without the overuse of metaphors. ‘Bad Habits’ does this really well, summed up in the chorus where Amir Miles basically sleeps with the girl he’s having relations with’s friend whilst she does the same to him just so that they get a reaction out of each other.
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WENS: Bleed
‘Bleed’ is dark and moody and great to listen to when feeling even mildly emotional about a love interest of any kind. My current personal preferred love interest is one I am zero percent romantically involved with outside of my head. They are really fun to angrily lip sync the “don’t call me baby” hook at. I’m totally living for the harmonies on 'Bleed’s chorus too, I love it when solo artists harmonise with themselves on studio versions of things.
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Weslee: Gassed
Weslee actually originally put ‘Gassed’ out six months ago, which is some pretty poor form on everybody I know’s behalf seeing as blogs, radio, and Spotify alike didn’t start pushing this until about a month ago. I don’t know what happened then, but as usual I’m turning up drunk to a party that everybody else has probably already got a hangover from. I am and quite possibly forever will be gassed - in a good way.
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HANA2K: Jealousy
Now at the ripe old age of 17 Hana has returned as HANA2K and you know, I think she’s ready to hit the ground running. Her new single is called ‘Jealousy’ and although it’s not as immediately gripping as I found 'I Don’t Want To’, it has these super subtle infectious pop quirks that seep into your memory. As pop songs go, 'Jealousy’ is pretty stripped back but the production on Hana’s vocals is really smooth.
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Alexander Oscar: Ocean View
I realised but didn’t really notice that ‘Ocean View’ is a song entirely about sex, and I’ve honestly had some really mixed feelings about this since. But as songs purely about sex go, this one doesn’t come off as particularly seedy or cringeworthy at all. In fact 'Ocean View’ does all of this in such an effortless way that it Alexander Oscar pulls off a great pop/RnB debut with no trouble.
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Club Drive: Spare time
It’s not often that bands do a re-brand and retain songs from their previous iteration but I couldn’t be more pleased that ‘Spare Time’ has not fallen by the wayside. A true cut above the rest of their songs, 'Spare Time’ is not just a catchy pop-rock song, it’s a strutting-down-the-street soundtrack. The vocal melodies throughout this track are, I think, what gives it the edge.
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Astrid S: Breathe
I absolutely adore songs that sound like they’re born from real life experience, and that’s exactly what ‘Breathe’ sounds like. This really feels like Astrid S’ first potential hit and I am living for it. Not only is this an excellent pop song, but all of the references to air and the actions of breathing are a really cool lyrical touch - my personal favourite being, “if I could just inhale some chill”. I’ve seen a lot of people complaining about Astrid’s pronunciation of “astronaut” but imagine English literally not being your first language though.
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Portugal. The Man: Feel it still
Portugal. The Man’s eighth album Woodstock’s lead single is ‘Feel It Still’ and I wish that every band could opt for a comeback that goes this hard. It’s the instant setting of pace and sense of urgency, long before the vocals or brass section arrive, that’s enough to get anybody excited. Then this insanely infectious chorus hook appears and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard anything more sync-worthy - advertising companies will be being pitched 'Feel It Still’ for the rest of time.
