Suddenly it feels like time is flying by, we are already in the third month of the year. It seems that since the Prime Minister’s announcement the time moves so much faster, maybe because we want it to be June already. Sadly, that is still three months away, but like I said, time moves fast. So, until we can enjoy going out to gigs, we still have to dance around in our living rooms for a little longer. We picked three absolute bangers for you this week, which you’ll hopefully enjoy.
Editor: Megan Hofman
No Rome ft. Charli XCX & The 1975 – Spinning (Dirty Hit)
Earlier this year the British singer and songwriter Charli XCX announced on Twitter that she is “v excited to be forming a supergroup” with Manila-born artist No Rome aka Guendoline Rome Viray Gomez and his labelmates The 1975 and now one month later, their collaboration pop-anthem ‘Spinning’ finally dropped. No Rome and The 1975 have already been working together in the past, the band featured on No Rome´s song ‘Narcissist’ in 2018 and has also co-produced ‘1:45 A.M.’. As for Charli XCX, it was her first time collaborating with either of them, but she described it as a cool experience since they “[…] all speak the same musical language in someway”. The song indeed blends their styles together in a unique and catchy way, creating a house-beat, synth-filled and autotuned bop that reminds of The 1975’s ‘TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME’-era. Lyrically, ‘Spinning’ is about going in circles with a significant other and realizing you cannot live with, nor without them – but at least you’re having a good time while doing so. According to No Rome, we should watch out for a music video to the song dropping in the near future as well.
https://www.instagram.com/no_rome/
https://www.instagram.com/charli_xcx/
https://www.instagram.com/the1975/
Words: Victoria Madzak
The Pale White – That Dress (AWAL Recordings)
The Newcastle band The Pale White released their new single ‘That Dress’ on Thursday, it’s the third single from their yet to be released debut album ‘Infinite Pleasure’. The band consists of brothers Adam and Jack Hope and their long-time friend Tom Booth and are packed with potential.
While only having released two EP’s they have already played big festivals like Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds Festival. Which is why we expect a lot from this band and boy do they deliver with their new single ‘That Dress’. It’s a song that is definitely going to do well during the live shows, full of energy and a dangerous sounding guitar. It reminds me off the latest Royal Blood releases, a prominent, dark sounding guitar and bass with quite simple vocals. Song’s like these that are built around the guitar parts just always hit different and seem to get the crowd going during live gigs, which I’m sure will happen with ‘That Dress’. The full album ‘Infinite Pleasure’ will be out on April 23rd.
https://www.instagram.com/thepalewhite/
Words: Megan Hofman
Kenny Beats & Denzel Curry – Unlocked 1.5 (Loma Vista Recordings)
Seven months before the original UNLOCKED project, Denzel Curry featured as the guest for the season finale of Kenny Beats’ freestyle YouTube show, ‘The Cave’. The highly rated episode debuted the effortless and hilarious synergy between the Florida rapper extraordinaire and the don’t-over-think-shit hip-hop producer.
Now, a year on from their breathless album that, at 17 minutes long, was as fun as it was short, the anticipated remix album (supposedly from the “evil copies” of Kenny and Denzel), UNLOCKED 1.5 is here.
With all new production and featured verses from a colourful roster of characters including Benny the Butcher, The Alchemist, Joey Bada$$ and Arlo Parks, the reimagining of 2020’s UNLOCKED is a wild and genius idea.
Seeing that Denzel’s vocals are subconsciously intertwined with the original beats, hearing them now partnered with completely different instrumentals is initially jarring and takes a few listens to adjust. This serves as a testament for the originality and individuality of the new arrangements. The featured producers have completely disassembled and recontextualised the original stems from UNLOCKED. The Alchemist, Robert Glasper and Charlie Heat are among LDN’s favourites who have transformed tonalities, structures and styles to create a fresh and exciting project in its own right.
Kenny being the sole producer for the original meant that UNLOCKED was naturally cohesive and stylistically consistent which, due to the collaborative concept, UNLOCKED 1.5 does not have the liberty of. However, bustling production talent makes for an exciting and unpredictable listen, regardless of a lacking sense of overall cohesion.
https://www.instagram.com/kennybeats/
https://www.instagram.com/denzelcurryph/
Words: Doug Philips
LDN Music Magazine 