Moment – Indigo

“The intro on this… completely restored my faith in music.”

Tim: I don’t know if I’m in a bit of a funk at the moment, Tom, because I’ve listened to a good half dozen new tracks today and not a single one has done anything for me. The intro on this, however, completely restored my faith in music, so have a listen.

Tom: Restored your faith in music? That’s quite a…

Tom: …yep, okay, that’s fair.

Tim: A classic? No. But something that’ll get me sitting up and somewhat enthusiastic after a long day? Yeah, it’ll fit the bill for that nicely. It reminds me of a track that Bright Light Bright Light might come out with (or possibly did come out with, as some of it is a tad recognisable), and that’s certainly never a bad thing.

Tom: I was thinking more Miike Snow: those synths, and that wall-of-sound-esque style. Both are good comparisons to make.

Tim: I was slightly worried by those verses, that it might suddenly have lost its energy never to return, but of course it hadn’t. That chorus brought that sound back just as big and strong as before, and it’s thoroughly enjoyable. Good work.

Dolly Style – Bye Bye Bby Boo

“Some actual, modern pop influences.”

Tim: Two years ago, a couple of industry folk put together a Swedish J-pop group and tested them out at Melodifestivalen; right now, though, it’s safe to say we’ve developed somewhat. (And no, that’s not a typo in the title – no idea why.)

Tom: First thought on reading the artist name: “They’re still going?” First thought on hearing that intro: “They’re still going!”

Tim: They sure are, and making very decent music. We’re currently on our second Molly and third Polly (though the original Holly hasn’t gone anywhere), so while we had the same reaction with their last song, I suppose what I’m most surprised about is that they’ve actually kept it going – it’s certainly hard to predict any future directions.

Tom: This certainly isn’t bubblegum pop any more — it’s verging that way, of course, it has to be given the pastel colours and bows — but this has clearly got some actual, modern pop influences, and it’s so much better for it.

Tim: They’ve yet to release a full album, and given the revolving line up I’d imagine negotiations might be tricky, but if it stays like this I’d absolutely love to hear one. If not – well, just keep the singles coming, please.

Carly Rae Jepsen – Cut To The Feeling

“So much fun that it’s hard to keep your arms on.”

Tim: Bit of a backstory: this was going to be on the E•MO•TION: Side B album, but then got used in a film instead, but didn’t get released on its soundtrack album. The other day, the film got released on DVD, the song got ripped and put online, not entirely remotely legitimately. Because of this, (a) there are a few sound effects and a couple of lines of dialogue on top of it, and (b) I know posting this is ethically dubious at best, but BLOODY HELL.

UPDATE on May 25th: it’s finally been released! Here’s the proper audio:

Tim: I love Jeppo…

Tom: Is… is that a thing? I feel like that shouldn’t be a thing.

Tim: Don’t fight it, Tom, don’t fight it. I love her because she knows exactly who she is, and what music she wants to make. It’s joyous, playful unashamed pop music, not bothered with wanky concepts of credibility, but instead just all about so much fun that it’s hard to keep your arms on.

Tom: Yes! Now, I do reckon this starts to outstay its welcome a little. A drop down for the middle eight, or some of the other inventive stuff on the main album (I’m looking specifically at Let’s Get Lost there), would sort that nicely. But it’s still far ahead of most other pop acts — and let’s not forget, this was destined for the B-sides album. This’d be a single for most pop singers.

Tim: Right, because the song reinforces all this feeling so very, very much. Yes, there’s emotion in there (hell, it’s right in the lyrics), but mostly it’s just about fun. Lots and lots of massive fun. And I love that so much.

Harry Styles – Sign of the Times

“It’s Oasis with a falsetto, isn’t it?”

Tim: Zayn’s debut was pretty good, modern R’n’B; Louis’s took a while to get going but turned to good dance; Niall’s is best not mentioned. Fourth out is Harry, and you might want to strap in because you’ll be here a while.

Tim: Now, I didn’t hear it when it was first broadcast on Friday, but I did observe the Twitter reaction, which from my corner was distinctly unimpressed. And having heard it, it’s not hard to see why: it’s a good sixty per cent longer than it needs to be, it’s very slow and a bit dreary, and just isn’t the upbeat pop that we previously loved. And so I was quite surprised to discover that actually: I like this a lot.

Tom: I can’t believe I’m agreeing with you here. I’m sure I’ve heard parts of this in other tracks, too, but honestly I don’t mind, because when the guitar kicked in and it went in for the big chorus, I actually sat up straight and thought “oh, wow”. It’s really good.

Tim: Isn’t it? One big thing going for it is that somehow it doesn’t feel five and a half minutes long – it feels right. Yes, it’s slow, and maybe if someone sped it up by 30% many people would be a lot happier; on the other hand, I wouldn’t be. What it put me in mind of, actually, and perhaps weirdly, is old Oasis – it doesn’t sound particularly like it, mind, but in terms of feeling, style and general mood, this could sit right on Be Here Now (average track length 6:19).

Tom: Huh. That is a weird comparison, but you’re right: those guitar slides sound a lot more familiar when you put it like that. And those guitar noodlings. And… actually, yeah, it’s Oasis with a falsetto, isn’t it? And that’s apparently okay.

Tim: There’s a relaxed feel to it, but also a defiant “this is my sound, I don’t care if you don’t like it.” It does, after all, take guts to bring out a track from 1997 in 2017, but I say good luck to him – after all, it may even make him “credible”.

Saturday Reject: Ella – Mama’s Boy

“About as appropriate for Eurovision as those Polish washerwomen were.”

Tim: Let’s head to Norway now, and one that got knocked out in the first round of voting; let’s just say that the Daily Mail would have had a field day.

Tom: Bloody hell, that’s… that’s good. It’s like a Little Boots track. In fact, it’s a lot like a Little Boots track. That’s probably why I like it.

Tim: I have a slightly different take on this, which is: God, I shouldn’t love this. It’s about as appropriate for Eurovision as those Polish washerwomen were, and we really shouldn’t have a sexually domineering woman shouting about sticking her finger right in your socket on primetime Saturday night TV, and yet something about this makes me love it.

Tom: I’ve got to take some marks away due to the old “second verse, same as the first” problem — it outstays its welcome even at three minutes, and that’s something you can’t say of… well, an actual Little Boots track. But despite all that, I can’t help but like this, and I’m not sure why.

Tim: For me there’s a number of possibilities: the unashamedness? Could be. The energy and the enthusiasm? Also an option. But mainly, I think it’s just a good song, with a great chorus. Everything else? That’s just a bonus.

Eric Odeen – I Don’t Really Dance

“Have some fun with it.”

Tim: I’ve a feeling the lyrics in this, off Norway, could take you either way; I’ll just say, have some fun with it.

Tom: Ah, the old “dance / chance” couplet. Yeah, it’s not exactly lyrical genius at any point, is it?

Tim: No, but none the less I really like it, for one reason alone: it’s just. so. happy. The music right from the get go is all up and jazzy and swingy, everyone in the video is clearly enjoying themselves, and it’s really rather infectious, particularly with that “nothing’s gonna stop us” line.

Tom: I can’t disagree: it’s really easy for something like this to come off as trite and overenthusiastic, but it does genuinely sound like a happy song — and he’s clearly a frontman that can make it work on video.

Tim: Kicking like Jackie Chan, swinging like Tarzan, and just generally being Elvis and Superman – who wouldn’t want all of that on a Great Bowling Day?

Tom: Literally none of those things are required for bowling.

Tim: True, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be welcome, and I’d be happy. Very happy indeed, in fact, just as much as this lot seem to be.

will.i.am – FIYAH

“Nope. No idea why.”

Tom: Normally, we wouldn’t cover a will.i.am track. It’s not our genre. But then, he doesn’t normally film a video on Coronation Street.

Tim: What?

Tim: Oh, right. Any idea…

Tom: Nope. No idea why. But then, that could apply to a lot of what will.i.am does.

Tim: Well, true. Bit of a shame he didn’t get any of the cast involved as well, really, but I guess you can’t have everything.

Tom: So first of all, let’s make it clear: he’s saying “so hot, need a fan in here”, not “so hot, need a fanny”. It’s the accent.

Tim: Ahhh, okay that makes a bit more sense.

Tom: There are bits of a good track in here.

Tim: You sure about that? I’m sure as hell not hearing them.

Tom: That introduction’s great. The chorus hook would be a decent base to build an actual chorus on. There’s not much else in here for me, at least, but I’ll admit we’re well outside what we normally cover.

Tim: Yes…yes we are. And I’m happy to keep it as an exception.

Amy Macdonald – Never Too Late

“I realised, hang on, this is actually quite good.”

Tim: We’ve featured Amy Macdonald once before, when you said you thought she was Swedish based her voice and music; I thought that too with this one, but nope, turns out she’s just as Scottish as she was in 2012.

Tim: And that’s quite a ballad. As it landed on my new music playlist, I wondered what was going on, because it does take some time before much happens. But when it does, as it grows, well that really makes it worth listening to.

Tom: I’ll be honest with you: about half way through the first verse, I tabbed away and got distracted by other things on the internet. It wasn’t until the first chorus that I realised, hang on, this is actually quite good.

Tim: And that actually doesn’t surprise me, because it does take a while. What I particularly like here, though, is that in so, so many similar songs we’d have a drop down after the first chorus and start again with the building, but here there’s no sign of that – we keep the string backing we’ve earned along the way, and keep growing.

Tom: And there’s a lot to be said for that as a style, particularly with a chorus like this one.

Tim: Yes, there’s no big drop, and yes, it could get going a little bit sooner. But it’s a bit like that video of the cockatoos: it just keeps getting better throughout, and I like that.

Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson – Symphony

“I’m not convinced.”

Tim: I’ll be honest with you, Tom: I’ve not been much of a fan of Zara’s music since (and I’m aware of how hipster wankerish this’ll make me sound) she got big. That’s mostly because there was a slight genre shift, little more heavy, almost drum & bass-y; Clean Bandit, on the other hand, is typically very much not that.

Tom: True, but I’ll be honest, I’ve not been a fan of Clean Bandit. Rockabye left me entirely cold — despite managing to be number one for a spectacularly long time.

Tim: Fair enough. But the question is: what would that combination, along with a track called Symphony, do for me?

Tim: Quite a bit, it seems.

Tom: Synchronising the orchestral video with the definitely not orchestral audio is a clever touch — although I do now want to hear what it sounded like in that concert hall. I’m not convinced by the track itself, though: like a lot of Clean Bandit’s stuff, it’s well put together but doesn’t contain anything that makes me… well, anything that makes me like it.

Tim: I disagree – he’s pulling Zara in a bit, and so we’ve got some melody, we’ve got some instruments, all of the bits that have been missing from recent tracks, and all of which combine with her lovely vocal to make everything I want in a Zara Larsson track, from before she got corrupted by the evil American music scene.

Tom: Harsh.

Tim: True. Artists change, I know that, and I know I need to accept it. But sometimes, I really really wish they wouldn’t, you know?

Galantis – Rich Boy

“This can be summed up quickly: it’s a bit of a mess.”

Tim: GIG DROP: I saw Galantis on Saturday night, and as I write this on Sunday afternoon I am still on something of a high from it as it was the best gig I’ve been to in a long long time. Here is their current track.

Tim: This can be summed up quickly: it’s a bit of a mess.

Tom: Yep. By one minute in, it’s pretty much shot its bolt; it’s just doomed to repeat those sections twice, and squeeze a middle eight in there somewhere.

Tim: It doesn’t really ever settle down into one particular groove, but instead flits from style to style – the vocal is regular in some parts, distorted upwards for others and way down low for others. Musically it can just about squeeze into the broad tropical spectrum, but it’s pushing at the edges each and every way trying to get out and jumping around in between. Video reinforces this, veering between typical lyric video, standard filmed stuff, cartoons, pictures flashing around. Utter mess.

Tom: Full marks to the designer for putting all that together, though; that’s a lot of effort and time for a lyric video.

Tim: And yet despite all that: it works. For all the messiness, it’s got a good tune, a decent chorus, and is still pretty catchy. So many reasons that this shouldn’t work, and yet it does. It’s good.