So March is at an end, and the year is flying by, but with it have come some great releases in the world of music. Countless albums have been announced for the coming months and some of my favourite artists have resurfaced, paving the way for a great Summer full of great tunes. I’m going to keep this post similar to my February version and only mention three artists in depth, but I can’t publish this without first recommending the new songs from Kasabian, Gorillaz and Marika Hackman, whom I would’ve gone far more into detail about because I love her newest song ‘Boyfriend’ if it wasn’t for the extremely recent release of..
Kendrick Lamar- HUMBLE
This song appeared on YouTube today and I couldn’t click quick enough. First things first, Kendrick is the greatest rapper alive right now in my opinion. Everything he does is gold and this song is no exception. The song is so satirical and clever; the music video has such attention to detail that when he raps about artists ‘faking it’ the audio goes out of sync with the video for a second, imitating the many artists that lip sync badly. It’s a blink and you’ll miss it moment but it’s perfection. Many ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ fans may wish Kendrick stood with his abstract themes and political messages of that album on this new record, but as good as the album was, change is better. This is an advance in his music which still steers away from the typical ‘money, drugs, hoes’ rap, has something interesting to say, and does so in a great musical manner. I’m a massive fan and can’t wait for an album. *Rumour has it the album is coming next month but no confirmed dates yet!*
Lorde- Green Light + Liability
When I first heard Green Light I thought ‘hmm this isn’t the Lorde I’ve listened and loved’ but it was a real grower. The poppiness was off-putting at first, but as with Kendrick, it’s a positive change. The song is really well produced and when sitting next to a track off ‘Pure Heroine’ it sounds more multi-dimensional and interesting. There’s more to it, and the hook is undeniably catchy. With Lorde you aren’t investing in a band, you’re investing in a person- more specifically- a voice. And her voice is trademark Lorde, on point as ever. And Liability showcases this voice even more. It shows a side of Lorde we didn’t see in PH, an album she used to declare her comfort in herself no matter what others think. But this song shows sensitivity and vulnerability and is a perfect being set just with a piano.
Alt-J- 3ww + In Cold Blood
When 3ww dropped I waited patiently through the instrumental opening and it all paid off when the lead singers voice eventually shone through. I’m so pleased Alt-J have continued experimenting with their sound and not just churned out more of the same. The song does away with conventional song structure, with no place for a chorus, and instead builds steadily. The vocalist of Wolf Alice features and the female voice really adds a great layer to a song which already swirls around the air as you listen to it. In Cold Blood is slightly more conventional, although the structure of the song is still abstract. The interesting thing is, these songs are both so experimental and a significant development for the band, but yet still so obviously Alt-J and I love that about them. They’ve almost crafted their own genre, and they’re certainly niche. I can’t wait to see them play the new songs live!
Thanks for reading!
