Review: Two years after her debut album Heaven & Hell, Albanian-American pop star Ava Max returns with her sophomore effort, Diamonds & Dancefloors. The clue's in the name as to the vibe Max is aiming for with this release, and lead single 'Maybe You're The Problem' sets the tone for a bright and bouncy strain of dance pop which will dig its claws in and have you humming along for the rest of the week. This is infectious, feel-good music of the highest order, and confirms what we already knew about Ava Max being an unstoppable force in the world of major label pop.
I Might Say Something Stupid (feat The 1975 & Jon Hopkins)
Talk Talk (feat Troye Sivan)
Von Dutch (feat Addison Rae - AG Cook remix)
Everything Is Romantic (feat Caroline Polachek)
Rewind (feat Bladee)
So I (feat AG Cook)
Girl, So Confusing (feat Lorde)
Apple (feat The Japanese House)
B2b (feat Tinashe)
Mean Girls (feat Julian Casablancas)
I Think About It All The Time (feat Bon Iver)
365 (feat Shygirl)
Guess (feat Billie Eilish)
Spring Breakers (feat Kesha)
Review: A compelling epilogue to the already legendary Brat, an exploration of sub-mainstream pop stardom, delving into anxieties around commercial success via tracks like 'Rewind' and 'Sympathy Is a Knife'. Musically, it's a diverse and experimental space, as Bon Iver, Jon Hopkins, The Japanese House and more take on remix duties, and although the songs are pushed into unexpected sonic territories the influence of a key producer remains clear. Glitchy electronica, pure pop moments and surprising combinations create a dynamic listening experience - the collaborations on tracks like '360' and 'Girl, So Confusing' are particularly effective.
Review: The fourth album from the English pop experimentalist was made over just six week in a "do-it-yourself" collaborative process with her fans. It is inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown and was executively produced by A. G. Cook and BJ Burton. Fans and critics alike fell immediately in love with the record which was also shortlisted for the 2020 Mercury Prize. Edgy experimental production and hooky pop songwriting have rarely collided as successfully as they do here, with plenty of hyper-energetic sounds and shimmering synths, bubblegum bass and mechanical motifs all making this as much an impromptu mixtape as a studio album. Truly, this is a work of its time.
Review: 'Brat' is Charlotte Emma Aitchison's sixth studio album as Charli XCX, the follow-up from her "sell-out era", 2022's 'Crash' which topped multiple charts and gave the British pop singer a newfound notoriety that she had long been deserving. A longtime collaborator with PC Music founder and Beyonce-credited producer A.G. Cook, whose production can be found in the album's latest double single 'Club Classics/B2b', Charli is returning to her roots of dance music and electronic pop - a far cry from the hazy alt-pop she launched her career with. Following the launch of 'Von dutch', the lead single produced by PC Music producer EASYFUN (aka Finn Keanne), Charli has gone on record saying that this is her best body of work - a title that once belonged to the cult classic mixtape 'Pop 2' - and it's easy to see why, the blaring synths and honed in club music focus is unlike anything anybody in the mainstream pop sphere is doing right now. Pressed on a translucent black vinyl, and coupled with one of the best album covers maybe of all time, it's never been a better time to be one of Charli's angels.
Review: Charli XCX's 'Pop 2', first released as a mixtape in 2017, marked the moment the singer departed from her conventional chart-pop sensibilities and began flirting with hyperpop. Her involvement in the genre was also arguably one of the first moments hyperpop formed a mirror image to Charli's movements, with collaborating artists like A.G. Cook, Tommy Cash, and Dorian Electra beginning to flirt with the regular old pop world. The result was a blurring of the lines between what was and wasn't 'it' (it didn't yet have the name), producing an interesting conundrum. Full of such chirpy, retrofuturistic, and ironically distorted bangers as 'Backseat', 'Porsche', and 'Delicious', Charli and fellow featurer's vocals (MO, Carly Rae Jepsen) are crisp enough to sound like digital knife-edges. This pink vinyl reissue is not one to miss.
Review: Charli XCX's Brat And It's The Same But There's Three More Songs So It's Not is the deluxe edition of her groundbreaking album Brat, now pressed on white vinyl. This edition highlights Charli's unique ability to merge avant-pop artistry with mainstream sensibilities and since its release on June 7, 2024, Brat has garnered widespread acclaim, earning a spot on the Mercury Prize 2024 shortlist and achieving Gold status in the UK with over 100,000 copies sold. The deluxe version coincides with Charli's first UK #1 single, 'Guess,' which is featured in this expanded release. Known for her relentless innovation in pop music. Her influence on modern pop - not to mention wider culture, as the massive viral Kamala Is Brat meme proved - and this release simply further cements her position as a trailblazer.
Review: Kelly Clarkson's latest and eighth studio album Meaning Of Life is a powerful statement for the longtime Nietzschean pop singer, being one of her first to be explicitly influenced by American soul and r&b. Aiming to bring back the vivacity of certain vocal greats like Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin - memories of whom are now crystallized into the American subconscious as intractable parts of the nation's history - Clarkson aims to summon a rejuvenated spirit for an otherwise divided, turbulent, bitter country.
Review: Foster The People return with their highly anticipated new album, Paradise State of Mind, marking their first release in three years. Produced by frontman Mark Foster alongside bandmate Isom Innis, with additional contributions from Paul Epworth, Jack PeNate, Chrome Sparks, and Asa Taccone, the album was crafted in studios across London and Los Angeles, including the iconic Studio Three at East West Studios, where The Beach Boys recorded Pet Sounds. Paradise State of Mind features standout tracks like 'Chasing Low Vibrations,' 'Take Me Back,' and the infectious lead single 'Lost In Space,' blending elements of psychedelia, space-age sounds, 80s anthems and dramatic disco strings. The track's official music video, directed by award-winning filmmaker Rupert Holler, has already made waves online.
Review: Fred Again's latest album Actual Life 3: January 1 - September 9 2022 is the third installment in a series of albums by the British artist which has received positive reviews from music critics and been praised for its experimental sound and emotional depth. The LP features songs that document his personal experiences and thoughts over a period of time. His musical style can be described as a blend of electronic, dance and pop with introspective and emotive lyrics, often incorporating samples from various sources, including personal recordings to create a unique and eclectic sound. The album features collaborations with various artists, such as Kieren Hebden, Jamie XX and Skrillex, among others.
Review: Three months after rapper turned singer Lizzo's major label debut first appeared on CD and digital download, Atlantic has decided to offer up a deluxe vinyl edition of the well-received set featuring three bonus tracks. Prior to release, Lizzo admitted she wanted to become "this generation's Aretha Franklin"; while she's not at the late soul legend's standard just yet, there's enough on "Cuz I Love You" to suggest that she's going in the right direction. Her vocals are variously confident, powerful, strutting and tender, with the accompanying backing tracks mixing hip-hop and R&B style beats with raucous guitars, bombastic basslines, Daft Punk style synth stabs (think "Robot Rock" and "Technologic") and occasional nods towards more pastoral, semi-acoustic sounds. Above all, though, the album is funky, forthright and hugely entertaining.
Review: Lizzo is a three tie Grammy winner who after much build up finally drops this long awaited new long player. Her last album, the multi-Platinum selling, top-10 debut album, CUZ I LOVE YOU came back in 2019 and since then Lizzo has cemented her place as one of the most in demand live music performers in the game. This recorded has been proceeded by lead single 'About Damn Time', which leant on disco's colourful rhythms and some fresh cosmic melodies, while most recently Lizzo has partnered with Logitech as the face of their 2022 campaign Defy Logic.
Review: Dainty but global pop star Bruno Mars is a veteran of many chart hits and loveable party singles but can also pen a solid album. This one was his multi-platinum sophomore and it came laden with jams like 'When I Was Your Man' and 'Locked Out of Heaven' along with fan favourites such as 'Treasure' and 'Gorilla.' They all showcasing Mars' versatility and across the record, he blends r&b, pop, reggae, rock, disco, funk and soul. The dynamic production lineup includes talents such as Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker, Emile Haynie, Diplo, Supa Dups and The Smeezingtons who all add their own touch to Mars' fine pop artistry and ability to seamlessly explore a wide range of styles to make for a fun collection of high-energy music.
Review: Following her successful Trilogy tour, which spanned the US, UK, and Europe, Melanie Martinez has reissued her 2019 K-12 album on some mad pink and milky clear vinyl. It was a gold-selling record that also charted in the Top 10 and includes hits like 'Teacher's Pet' and 'High School Sweethearts'. Both are irresistible pop ditties that sit amongst many other seriously catchy and well polished sounds such as 'Wheels On The Bus and 'Show & Tell'. A wonderfully feel good record.
Review: Melanie Martinez has achieved a lot since breaking through in 2015 with her debut album CRY BABY. 2019's K-12 was a landmark project for the then-24-year-old singer-songwriter, and now she returns with her bold, highly anticipated follow-up, PORTALS. With a savvy handle on teasing her projects through her socials, Martinez has drawn her fans into the world of this new album around themes of rebirth, growing embryos and eggs incubating in forests. Ambitious and rigorous in its 360 presentation, this is another step on for one of the most intriguing artists of her generation - the huge impact of the release is absolutely guaranteed.
Review: American singer and songwriter Janelle Monae dropped her second album The Electric Lady back in 2013 and it was a fine follow-up to the critically acclaimed debut she broke through with in 2010. Critics again fawned over its songwriting and progressive soul style with influences of hip-hop, gospel, jazz, rock, pop and reggae. Dystopic cyborg concepts again defined the album with genre experience and plainspoken words exploring plenty of personal and emotional territory with guest appearances from high-profile names such as Miguel, Erykah Badu, Solange and Prince.
Review: Australian singer-songwriter Sia - formerly the voice of chill maestros Zero 7 - is a real pop gem who directed and co-wrote the musical film Music. She penned 10 new tunes for the occasion, with the best of them making the cut here next to songs inspired by the film such as the Dua-Lipa co-written 'Saved My Life.' Largely pop in style with undercurrents of electropop, reggae, EDM and R&B, these are accessible songs that bounce with joy and exuberance. The title track in all its sweeping cinematic glory will likely be the standout for many.
Review: Sia's Everyday Is Christmas brings a fresh take to the holiday music scene with a mix of festive cheer and pop creativity. The album shines in moments of joy and playfulness, particularly with tracks like 'Santa's Coming for Us', which is upbeat, catchy, and perfect for getting into the holiday spirit. The lively rhythm and fun chorus make it one of the standout songs that can easily become a seasonal favorite. 'Underneath the Mistletoe' is another highlight, showcasing Sia's impressive vocal range and delivering a more emotional, heartfelt vibe that feels both modern and timeless. It's one of the stronger ballads on the album, allowing her voice to take centre stage without the distraction of heavy production. While tracks like 'Puppies Are Forever' may feel whimsical and geared toward a younger audience, they add a playful touch that can be enjoyable in the right context. The album overall strikes a balance between upbeat holiday anthems and softer, reflective moments, like 'Snowman', which brings a quieter, more sentimental tone. Everyday Is Christmas is a refreshing mix of fun and festive charm, with enough variety to appeal to listeners of all ages.
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