Saturday 7 October 2017

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 07/10/2017: Yaeji, Kelela, CHMBRS and more…


It’s all pop this week. Don’t worry, it’s mostly weird-ass pop. Music Related Junk isn’t selling out quite yet.

THE BEST:

 ‘Drink I’m Sippin On’ – Yaeji


I don’t understand a word this South Korean chick is singing, but I’m hooked. Over glossy synth swells and steady punches of distorted bass, Yaeji’s whispered rap-singing hypnotically pulls you in. The cool aesthetics in the video help. Not many people can pull off circular-rim glasses like that.

‘100◦’ – Zoology


Glitchy acoustic pop shouldn’t work. Glitch music is cold and digital, whilst acoustic music is warm and rustic. Nonetheless this enigmatic duo make it work – the cracks and fizzles seem to add to the fragility of the guitars, whilst also adding a dreamlike quality to the singer’s already gorgeous voice.

‘Rabbit Hole’ – CHMBRS


Halloween is round the corner. Where are all the creepy songs at? Enter CHMBRS. Set to a dark backdrop of pulsing synths and accompanied by freaky visuals set in a cage, this Aussie electropop artist’s new anxiety-fuelled song ‘Rabbit Hole’ is satisfyingly unsettling. It also succeeds at being pretty damn catchy.

 ‘Waitin’ – Kelela


Kelela has just dropped her debut album Take Me Apart - a gauntlet of futuristic r&b anthems. ‘Waitin’ is the third single from it and sounds like some sci-fi take on UK garage. I’m even getting Craig David vibes from her breathy inflections.

THE WORST:

‘Pray’ – Sam Smith


Sam Smith squanders his incredible voice yet again with another soulless soul track that could have been released fifteen years ago.