It’s weekly
round-up time, where I bring you the best of indie electronica featuring male
whimpering.
THE BEST:
'Lite Spots' - Kaytranada
Haitan-Canadian
producer Kaytranada has only gone and dropped another sparkly banger, and this
time it's accompanied by a feelgood video in which the musician teaches a
Japanese robot how to dance (Kay has some moves – although he doesn’t teach the
robot how to do the robot, which is absolutely devastating).
'Stranger' - Axton Frick
It's stylised ＡＸＴＯＮ ＦＲＩＣＫ, for all you vaporwave aesthetic lovers; although I wouldn’t strictly call this song vaporwave – it’s more polished than that. Dreamy vocals echo out from across the void, to the accompaniment of some groovy scuffling percussion and warm synth washes. I CALL IT ANTI-POST-NEO-VAPOR-CORE-WAVE.
'Daydreaming' - Radiohead
I must say I
do prefer Thom when he’s singing rather than whimpering, but the pianos are so
gorgeous that he could be blowing raspberries over the top and I’d still be
hypnotised. Also, as evident from the video, it seems Willie Nelson has risen
from the dead and joined the band – WHY WASN’T THAT IN THE NEWS?
'I Need A Forest Fire' - James Blake ft.
Bon Iver
I told you there was a lot of male whimpering this week – although James Blake and Bon Iver are probably the kings of tasteful male whimpering. I mean they actually make it sound emotional (men have emotions, what?) to the point that it’s hauntingly so.
'Can’t Stop The Feeling' - Justin Timberlake
'Can’t Stop The Feeling' - Justin Timberlake
This is
Justin’s answer to Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ – an upbeat funky anthem that sees the
singer maturing past his ‘sexy back’ phase, creating a dance anthem that all
the family can enjoy. It’s the kind of adorable song you can’t help but fall
for, and I have total faith that the radio will overplay it.
THE WORST:
'4 Million' - Riff Raff
Riff Raff
seems to be slowly losing his sense of satire. The thought that he might
actually become a serious rapper is about as disconcerting as Donald Trump actually
becoming president.