BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 14/01/2015: Kanye West, BadBadNotGood, Eddie Murphy and more...

Kanye West has teamed up with ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and Eddie Murphy is now doing reggae (as pictured above). 2015 is already shaping up to be an interesting year musically. Here are my favourite and least favourite tracks from the last week.

THE BEST

'Ray Gun' - BadBadNotGood ft. Ghostface Killah and Doom

Celebrated rappers, Ghostface Killah and Doom, jump on this track by Canadian instrumental jazz trio, BadBadNotGood, and the result is cinematic, badass Bond villain music - particularly the epic beat change towards the end. All I need whilst listening to this is a leather armchair and a Persian cat.

'Oh Jah Jah' – Eddie Murphy

Actor and comedian, Eddie Murphy - who also had a short-lived music career in the eighties releasing the cheesy guilty-pleasure-number 'Party All The Time' -  has now dropped this buoyant reggae song enititled 'Oh Jah Jah'. Unlike Snoop Lion, Eddie has confirmed that this isn't a move to Rastafarianism and that we could even expect experimentation with other genres: 'I can go right now and put out a country album. Or jazz' he told Rolling Stone. 

'Kraken' - M A R I N E


I have music blog, Drunken Werewolf, to thank for this find. All female indie pop group from London, M A R I N E, showcase some gorgeous folksy vocal harmonies on this track set to swaying tidal guitars. The chorus comes crashing in like a wave.

'Animal Fear' - Marika Hackman

Similar in vein to M A R I N E, London-based folk-pop solo artist Marika Hackman drops this new track set to appear on her upcoming LP, We Slep At Last. I've been really digging this girl's subtly twisted vibes. Relative to her previous singles, 'Animal Fear' is fairly bouncy, but the lyrics about smelling 'that animal fear' retain her signature dark side. The track also comes with gunshot sound effects.

'Only One' - Kanye West and Paul McCartney

This wildly unexpected collaboration works for several reasons. Firstly, Kanye casts aside the boastful rapping of his Yeezus album and instead delivers some truly heartfelt lyricism - albeit at the expense of shaky auto-tune but I can let it slide. Secondly, this track works because Macca isn't allowed near the mic (let's be honest, he can't sing any more). Instead, the pop icon provides some deeply soulful keys that give the track its intimacy. Like chili and chocolate, the initial concept of these two coming together at first seems bizarre, but try and you'll understand.

THE WORST

'Squeeze Me' - N.E.R.D

 With all of Pharrell's recent success it was only a matter of time before N.E.R.D reformed. Granted, this track was made to accompany the new Spongebob movie and suits its purpose, however as a song on its own its a flatulent, sterile-produced mess.