An array of singles were up for review this week, so here is the five we felt needed comment. Be it words of praise, disappointment or perhaps unwarranted attack. They still be words. And they be below.
*Single Of The Week*
Vitalic – Poison Lips
‘Poison Lips’ comes on like a strong dose of ultra layered disco-pop, with gossamer synths and a pulsating bass line riding beneath the subtleties of vocalist Brigitte. From the early 90’s synth stylings to the beat-skipped vocal effects, the track is flawless without ever trying to unnecessarily up the ante. Vitalic has expanded on the finest moments of ‘OK Cowboy’, and the type of intensifying complexities that stamped tracks like ‘The Past’ and ‘La Rock 01’.
Trevor Loveys – Organ Grinder
There is something about this organ sample, and it’s tones of a horror b-movie graveyard scene, that, when twinned with a 4/4 beat, just infests the ears in a relentless melodic assault. Made famous by iconic songwriter/producer Giorgio Moroder (on Children Of The Mission’s ‘Tears’), it’s been thrown into songs by Swollen Members, RZA and most notably DJ Shadow on the famed ‘Organ Donor’. This single release marks the turn of Herve’s Cheap Thrills label to deliver a modern reshaping, with Trevor Loveys as their remixer-du-jour. Loveys has injected the song with an aggressive Fake Blood-esque bouncing electro bass and atypical build up and drop, but with that sample ebbing and flowing throughout, it becomes hauntingly addictive. Check Herve’s ‘Big B Morgan’ remix if you wish to hear it through the ears of a sugar rushed child frothing from the mouth.
Leona Lewis – Happy
There is something about (becoming somewhat of a catchphrase) female power ballads that just… totally does it for me. You know? The type of singing that looks like each lyric is quite violently possessing the very body delivering them unto your unworthy luggs. Looking back at the likes of Sinead O’Connor, Bangles and, of course, Shakespeare’s Sister with ‘Stay’, it’s definitely been a while since we had a real mainstream, radio-friendly pop ballad, with the isolated vocals and marching drum beat, that at least attempted to go for the emotional jugular. Leona’s new single is accompanied with a video, which I believe is meant to be a tear-jerker, but I just can’t stop noticing Leona’s laddish and eager mannerisms when checking out her new olive skinned love interest, she really does give him some hefty up-down looks. Like that person you know that always holds eye contact for just that moment too long, leaving you feeling awkward and your soul violated. See times 0.32, 1.21 and 1.40 for reference.
N-Dubz – I Need You
N-Dubz don’t need you. They don’t need me either. All they need is god awful commercial radio to keep spurting their over produced, lyrically inept garble. I don’t like his hat either. Maybe I have something personal against Dappy. But surely actual fans of UK hip-hop are recoiling that N-Dubz, once underground stars of pirate radio and Channel U, are now spitting out saccharine young love clichés that could make usually inanimate fridge magnets vomit on the floor. And when they aren’t spitting out truly ground-breaking lyrical originality like “trying to find you is like a needle in a haystack”, they enjoy a bit of recreational misogyny, “Met a pretty young lady, should I say bitch”, that feels almost like a Flight Of The Conchords UK hip-hop parody (think ‘Motherflippin’).
Baby Monster – Ultra Violence & Beethoven
Listen On Myspace
Oregon duo Baby Monster release their debut single ‘Ultra Violence…’ through the increasingly adept London label 50 Bones Records (Little Boots, The Virgins, We Have Band, Primary 1, Mickey Gang). The echoing MGMT vocals are similar, yes, but pleasing enough to be overlooked for said affinity. The hook of this tune is most definitely within the beefy synths that whir behind the duo’s vocals, dissipating for the stargazing soundscape of the chorus, before returning with each drop of that four to the floor drum beat.
Athlete – Black Swan Song
Watch on Youtube
This brave experimental step into balearic nu-rave has served well for Athlete… You wish. Yes ‘Black Swan Song’ is same old Athlete, brought out of the closet to be aired, like when the inhabitants of a retirement home are taken for their daily walk. Lets face it, since ‘Wires’ they have struggled to strike a chord with any sort of sound that doesn’t revolve around gentle crooning, warm melodies and lyrics that manage to just babble and drivel until the song is over. An example of this would be the stuff I would write if I needed to reach a word limit on this. Luckily, I don’t.
