I missed a week, so this
technically the best and worst tracks of the fortnight. Read more for my
opinion on the new Lil Nas X/Billie Ray Cyrus collaboration amongst other
tracks…
THE BEST:
‘Old Town Road’ – Lil Nas X ft. Billie Ray Cyrus
Usually I give new rappers with
Lil in their name a wide berth. I also hate country music, so as you can
imagine my expectations for this hip hop-crossover were fairly low. However,
given the controversy this track has created (there was absolute uproar after it
topped the country billboard charts), I felt like it was my duty as a music blogger
to check it out. The lyrics are definitely silly and I can see why they’ve
riled up country fans (especially lines like ‘riding on a tractor/ lean all in my bladder’ and ‘bull-riding and boobies/ cowboy hat from
Gucci’). However, I think people are taking this song way too seriously. The
chorus is addictive, the video is fun and Billie Ray Cyrus sounds badass on a
trap beat.
‘Drank The Rain’ – Monalia
Norwegian band Monalia deliver
this new hypnotic single ‘Drank the Rain’. Layers of atmospheric guitars are
slowly joined by building percussion as the song shifts from eerily melancholy
to euphorically epic. The beautiful vocals meanwhile keep the listener in a
trance. The band have dubbed their sound ‘mountain surf’ - if you want hear more, make sure to check out their new album So Much Better.
‘Particle & Wave’ – Hollowlove
Vancouver electro-pop duo Hollowlove
have wowed me with every single so far. This might just be their best work to
date. It crawls along to the accompaniment of building percussion and synths,
whilst the gloomy lyrics delve into the despair of loneliness with lines like: ‘sleep for the weekend that only ends to soon’.
It features some of Ryan’s most emotive vocals and Keith’s most creative
production. For more deep and groovy tunes, make sure to check out their new self-titled LP.
‘Speedboat’ - Denzel Curry
Denzel Curry is on fire. Taboo was
released barely five minutes ago and he’s already got another album lined up. ‘Speedboat’
is the second single – it features a beautiful piano-led trap beat and some
expectedly agile rapping. At first, I was confused as to why he was complaining
about his pet dog only reaching 21 – which I thought was an impressive age for
a canine – but then I realised he meant ‘dawg’ (most likely a reference to XXXTentacion).
‘Superhuman’ – Cache-Cache ft. Ross Kerr
‘Cache-cache’ is French for hide and seek, which is fitting given
how playful this Newcastle band’s sound is. The jazzy chord progressions have
an exciting unpredictability and remind me of some of Thundercat’s material. Ross Kerr meanwhile has incredible energy and manages to keep the song catchy in
spite of the quirky chords.
THE WORST:
‘Earfquake’ – Tyler, the Creator
I can’t tell if Tyler is
legitimately trying to be a soul singer now or if he’s back to trolling us. The
lovestruck lyrics are horribly hammy and Tyler’s voice is barely in key
(although it’s a lot less off-key than usual). I’m yet to listen to the new album, but this single has not filled me with much confidence.