This week we learnt that Rihanna's album is not done, Kanye's album might be a year away and we didn't hear anything from Frank Ocean once again. It's been a depressing bordering on morbid week because of these selfish time-wasters but it's weeks like these that you need to remember the good things in life: Sia, Janet Jackson, Drake and Future. See, you feel better now, don't you?
Sia
Alive
Sia's forthcoming album is called This Is Acting and it's a collection of songs she's written for other people that were for one reason or another not used. This one, Alive was written with Adele and Tobias Jesso Jr. for Adele's next album which she didn't use, signalling she's probably lost her mind. It's a massive, stomping ballad that Sia tackles with bravery sending her vocals to places you didn't know existed.
Janet Jackson
BurnItUp (Feat. Missy Elliot)
Please tell me one person in the biz over 40 who can slay as hard as Janet Jackson is right now? The first single No Sleeep off her forthcoming album Unbreakable was an understated but brilliant return and this newie BurnItUp with Missy Elliot is a certified banger. The two of them are OGs and together they've made an absolute dancefloor stormer. It sounds like it was conceived in the early 2000s but produced in 2015 which is exactly where they need to be. This is the biggest hit Janet's produced in a very long time.
Wet
Weak
Brooklyn trio Wet are absolute heartbreakers - you should know that from their previous outputs. Weak is their latest single and it brings more of that emotion with a chorus that hits you right in the heart. "All I ask of you is baby please don't leave me," vocalist Kelly Zutrau sings with such a sonic hush that you could hear a pin if it dropped in the studio. It's a gorgeous song and is a really impressive sign of things to come on their debut album Don't You.
GUM
Anesthetized Lesson
This was a nice surprise this week - a new single Anesthetized Lesson by Tame Impala and POND's Jay Watson who's making music under the name GUM. This track is a sonic, funky trip complete with outer-space synths and reverb soaked guitar riffs. He channels Prince in the verses and takes cues from Tame Impala of old in the verses. It's taken from his album Glamorous Damage which is due to hit stores IRL and URL on 13th November.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/spinningtopmusic/gum-anesthetized-lesson[/soundcloud]
BOYSLASHFRIEND
UP2U (Feat. GETOVERHER)
Singer Shan Poo, who goes by BOYSLASHFRIEND, released a 10-track R&B album this week and we really did consider letting it take up this entire article. However, we had to choose just one so we settled on UP2U produced by hyper-electronic producer Joseph Marinetti. The whole record is full of well conceived, superbly produced R&B but this one really pushes the boundaries. It's got a PC Music-type sugar high but it's weighted by Poo's effortlessly soulful vocals. Super interesting stuff, plucked from an album full of exciting sonic textures.
CHVRCHES
What Do U Mean? (Justin Bieber Cover)
Guys, it's ok you're allowed to like Bieber now - everybody's saying it so it must be true. Thank goodness because we've decided that What Do U Mean? is quite a banger and so have Glasgow trio CHVRCHES. They admitted to BBC's Radio 1 that they've had quite the backflip on their opinions of the Biebs and they even went as far as to cover his latest hit. Well, we're now going to let you know that it's ok to like CHVRCHES' version of a Bieber song because it's a dazzling cover and frontwoman Lauren Mayberry is a saint. Their second album Every Open Eye is out today and we're currently penning a think-piece to let you know if it's ok or not to like it. Stay tuned*.
*We're not actually, just go out and drop your cash on it now - it's great.
SG Lewis
Shivers (Honne Remix)
We're loving Honne's Coastal Love EP and we're also big fans of SG Lewis' Shivers EP so it makes total sense that we're enamoured by Honne's remix of SG Lewis' Shivers. The British duo trade the atmospheric electronics of the original for a more groove-based instrumental reminiscent of their own work. It plods along with glistening keys, making the vocals sound even more soulful than on the brilliant original.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/pmrrecords/sg-lewis-shivers-honne-remix[/soundcloud]
Lao Ra
Jesus Made Me Bad
Jesus gets a pretty bad wrap on this phenomenal debut single by Bogotá artist Lao Ra Jesus Made Me Bad but in many ways he's done us all a favour. If he made Ra bad then he's the guy who makes this song so full of badass attitude, the likes of which we haven't seen since M.I.A. The track is general channels Diplo-era M.I.A, cruising with island-vibes and then slamming us with a gutsy chorus. The best debut we've heard this week. Easily.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/laoramusica/jesusmademebad[/soundcloud]
The Weeknd
The Hills (RL Grime Remix)
Flames. Flames everywhere when RL Grime dropped his remix of The Weeknd's The Hills. The track is shooting up the charts everywhere despite the fact it came out a. very. long. time. ago. But RL Grime has added an extra, je ne sais quoi, to the track. It feels weightier, more aggressive and ready to soundtrack your Summer of clubbing. Perfection.
Sable
Like You (Girl) (Feat. Floria)
We waxed lyrical about Brisbane R&B artist Floria just yesterday and here he is one again, this time teaming up with Sable. Sable hasn't previously dabbled in the R&B world really and while he doesn't enter the world completely on Like You (Girl), it's the first time one of his tracks has felt specifically soulful. Floria adds a certain weightiness and reality to the song. If One & Only was superhuman then this one is Sable tapping into real-life human.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/future/sable-like-you-girl-ft-floria[/soundcloud]
Also, to be honest we forgot about Drake and Future's What A Time To Be Alive which is stupid given how much of a big deal with was but you can hear it here and you should. We probs forgot because we've spun it 300 times and it now feels like we've had it since 2009.
