Tag: pop

Lorde: “Solar Power”

Pop music artists face a constant battle – the need to foster their unfathomable popularity whilst trying to keep their artistic integrity. Many fail, almost unapologetically. Others manage to succeed, but rarely entirely on their own terms. So what the fuck do we make of Solar Power? It features glistening, sunny production and Lorde’s vocals are as crisp as ever. But the writing is… almost so cringeworthy that it’s hard to believe. We’re left with a mess from an artist who is used to being very tidy.

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Billie Eilish: “Happier Than Ever”

Artists don’t get much bigger than Billie Eilish. And like most pop music titans, it’s the whole “package” that Eilish has going for her – a distinct ethereal attractiveness; unattainable cool. All that makes it even more surprising how fascinating this album is. Gorgeous, warped production and sniping lyrics, all with Eilish snaking her way through the tracks in odd ways. For a 19 year-old who spends most of this album circling her insecurities, Eilish’s sound is as confident and elusive as any artist going around.

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Nilüfer Yanya: “Miss Universe” (Review)

The term ‘indie rock’ is thrown around a lot, often meaning everything and nothing, and often being associated with that horrible sameness and the image of a guitar-wielding quasi-weirdo trying very hard to be different-but-not-too-different. That’s part of the reason London-based artist Nilüfer Yanya is such a breath of fresh fucking air. How do you stand out in a sea of guitars? Whatever it is, Yanya’s cracked the code with a deep British cadence and a mastery of paranoid, head-spinning love ballads on her debut album Miss Universe. If you listen to one new artist in 2019, you should make it her.

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Ariana Grande: “Sweetener” (Review)

Ariana Grande, aka the Human Cupcake, is quite firmly America’s Popstar at the moment. But sometimes – especially with her latest singles – it’s been hard to tell whether she wants to be Disney-dream-girl or radio hit-chaser. If you thought of her as either, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by Sweetener. With a huge helping hand from Pharrell Williams, she’s crafted a sugary-sweet, constantly-exciting album that makes her sound like some sort of new-age Aaliyah.

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