Welcome to the second installment of New(ish) Music Tuesday of 2016! New(ish) Music Tuesdays is our semi-regular feature in which our writers talk about the songs that they can’t get enough of. This week, we got new music from former One Direction singer Zayn Malik, a brand new Drake single and much more.
Amber Mack’s picks
Zayn Malik – “Pillowtalk”
Zayn Malik debuted his first solo single, “Pillowtalk,” this past weekend and it seems like he is walking down a more urban road musically. The sound is different from 1D, but it’s definitely a good start to his career. The production has an R&B vibe even though the chorus sounds a bit popish, but it works. Zayn on his own sounds raw and the lyrics are more explicit but it’s fitting with his vocal style. “Pillowtalk” is a good start to his solo career and I can’t wait to hear more.
Wet – “Deadwater”
Wet has released their first full-length major label album, Don’t You, and my favorite track happens to be sitting at spot number two with Deadwater. An R&B-tinged track that reminds me of that ’90s pop era, Deadwater is smooth and Kelly Zutrau’s voice is light and airy with an emotional urgency and connection that is heard in the chorus. This song pulls at my heart strings while relaxing me at the same time.
Ryan Gibbs’ picks
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Suede – “Like Kids”
A blast of glammy power pop, this single from Suede’s new album, Night Thoughts, showcases the band’s talents for melody and chiming guitars. “Like Kids” isn’t quite the guitar anthem they would have made in the ’90s, but it shows that the band isn’t willing to rest on their laurels and is willing to try something just a little different, while still exhibiting the classic Suede sound. Of all the Britpop bands, Suede are the only one who seem to have come back stronger than they left us.
Iggy Pop with Josh Homme – “Break Into Your Heart”
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A dusty selection from Iggy Pop’s forthcoming Post Pop Depression sees the icon tackle the desert rock sound of his collaborator and producer Josh Homme. Iggy’s vocal delivery is a little more alive on this one than the low croon he affected on first single “Gardenia.” The song is especially driven by the impressively tight drumming of Arctic Monkeys’ Matt Helders, long that band’s secret weapon. Iggy’s late career albums normally don’t get the kind of high profile this one has gotten, but if this song is any indicator, the attention is well deserved.
Jon Winkler’s picks
Drake – “Summer Sixteen”
NOTE: This is song is an Apple Music exclusive. Click here to listen.
The six God is coming back. The latest single released on OVO Sound Radio this past Sunday is another brag rap piece with Drake stating how he’s gonna dominate 2016. “Summer Sixteen” has Drake recapping his awesome 2015 with nods to “Hotline Bling” (“Then I hit ’em with the Hotline/Chris Breezy with the dance moves/Mo-G with the dance moves/Jimi Hendrix with the solo”), hanging’ out with Steph Curry (“Golden State runnin’ practice at my house”), having a pool measuring contest with Kanye (“And look man, Ye’s pool is nice mine’s just bigger is what I’m saying) and not even sweating being put in second place by the president of the United States (“Tell Obama that my verses are just like the whips that he in/They bulletproof”). Of course the big draw of the song is Drake taking more shots at poor Meek Mill, who was literally right below Drake in a hotel when “Back to Back” dropped. (“I let the diss record drop, you was staying right below me n***a/We must have played it a hundred times, you was going to bed.”) Regardless of Meek’s recent actions, Drake still feels untouched by the whole scenario (“Why would I put on a vest I expect you to aim for the head/I coulda killed you the first time”). It takes a certain kind of testicular fortitude to brag like this, but such is the work of the artists formerly known as Jimmy Brooks. Now we wait for Views From the 6 with baited breath.
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Marcus Marr & Chet Faker – “The Trouble with Us”
For those like me who enjoy dance music that sounds like it was made with actual instruments (i.e. Friendly Fires, Hot Chip, The Rapture, LCD Soundsystem), it seems harder to find EDM with a sense of true soul or funk to it. Fortunately, Marcus Marr and Chet Faker (haha) have found a way to get funk out of turntables. Marr, a British DJ, and Faker, an Australian electronica artist, collaborated on an EP this past December titled Work and have been pushing “The Trouble With Us” as the big single. It’s easy to see why, with the song’s infectious bass groove and booming drums. The bass and guitar tracks are chopped up surprisingly well, with drums only in the chorus to build anticipation for the song. It’s a thick dance number that hopefully leads to a full-length album
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