Browsing Tag

dance pop

Shea delivered sultry, dynamic and utterly unforgettable dancehall-infused pop with CARTERTHEBANDIT with ‘U Mine’

Posted on 28 November 2023

Shea’s latest hot and steamy RnB pop track, U Mine, is a rhythmic aphrodisiac that invites you to lose yourself in its intoxicating groove. Collaborating with Peckham’s own CARTERTHEBANDIT, the track is a masterful exhibition of raw synergy and explosive musical chemistry. Shea, with his background in theatre and performance, brings a performance to the track that’s both glittery and soulful, encapsulating the essence of his queer and devilishly evocative artistry.

Between CARTERTHEBANDIT’s fiery bars that add a palpable heat and the meticulously stylised production choices, which set the verses up like foreplay to tantalise and tease before erupting into the climactic choruses, U Mine is a red hot remedy for the heart, libido and soul.

U Mine not only sets the mood but embodies it, from the rhythmically charged beats to the intoxicating vocal deliveries. It’s a testament to Shea’s versatility as an artist who can hold his own alongside the gritty authenticity of a rapper like CARTERTHEBANDIT. This track stands as a shining example of what independent artists can achieve, echoing Shea’s accolades and experiences from his performances at Pride festivals to his recognition on BBC Introducing. It’s a song that captures the essence of a night out—sultry, dynamic, and utterly unforgettable.

Stream U Mine on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lana Oniel reached the pinnacle of cerebral electro-pop with her darkly ensnaring sophomore single, hypothalamus

Posted on 14 November 2023

After finding her fire in the City of Angels, Lana Oniel put the devil on her shoulder to release her darkly ensnaring sophomore single, hypothalamus, which reaches the pinnacle of cerebral electro-pop.

The moodily spectral release seductively defies the pop mould with a vocal delivery which finds a way to stylise histrionic eccentricity and a beat that consistently switches, never allowing you to feel complacent in the aesthetic. hypothalamus wasn’t orchestrated to entice you into comfort; Oniel efficaciously used her early years in musical theatre to confront her rapidly growing audience with an earworm which makes no bones about using its claws to sink into your synapses.

If you can imagine meeting Lady Gaga in a dark and nefarious dream soundtracked by Melleefresh and Chelsea Wolfe, you’ll get an idea of what awaits when you delve into this perfect follow-up to Oniel’s debut, Hard Just to Be.

Hypothalamus was officially released on November 2nd. Stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

DJ Homeboy & Kay Law brought hedonistic hypnotism to the dancefloor with their hit, 2 in 1

Posted on 7 November 2023

DJ Homeboy and Kay Law brought rhythmic hypnotism to the dancefloor with their collaboration on the high vibe, big beat hit, 2 in 1, which reimagines the 90s Europop sound as one that oscillates with an unapologetically infectious brand of hedonism that draws you right into the heat of the wanton lust.

The snappy backbeat and Afrobeat nuances keep the energy electrifying through the progressions which get catchier with every repeat listen for the way they bolster the earwormy vocal delivery from the Nigerian British singer-songwriter who can often be found genre-bending to contort her distinctively impassioned sonic signature.

We can’t wait to see the boundaries that Kay Law is set to break in 2024 and beyond after her hits have received plaudits and airplay from BBC Introducing in Summer 2022. Watch this space to see the major waves she brings down on the UK pop scene she’s destined to reign over.

2 in 1 was officially released on October 27; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Riley Rex took her staunch fanbase to ‘The Shadowy Place’ in her hyper-pop Halloween floor-filler

Posted on 6 October 2023

The dance-pop icon Riley Rex asserted her claim to the LA pop crown with her infectiously flawless Halloween hit, The Shadowy Place. It may just be the biggest Halloween hit since Kernkraft 400 delivered Zombie Nation in 1999. It at least stands up to the debauched decadence in Emerge by Fischerspooner while incorporating the contemporary magnetism of Dua Lipa, Ava Max, and Charli XCX.

By contrasting the dark lyrical themes with the hypersonic textures and upbeat pace in the polished production, Rex extended euphoria to those who need it most with The Shadowy Place, which breaks EDM pop boundaries in definitively sensuous style.

The single, which was written while she was enrolled on a course with One Republic’s Ryan Tedder, is a narration of the escapist ideation which consumes you when you’re stuck in a pit of anxiety and depression. The bass-driven electro-pop hit may not have what it takes to cure mental illness, but you couldn’t ask for a more potent sonic serotonin source.

The Shadowy Place hit the airwaves on October 6; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mara Liddle has unleashed her pretty in pink (tonal hues) pop earworm, All Over the Place

Posted on 29 September 2023

Mara Liddle has lived up to her legacy after laying down a solid foundation for her hyper pop queen supremacy in 2022 and being selected as one of BBC Introducing’s curation of Big in 2023 artists list.

With her latest single, All Over the Place, created in collaboration with JB Thomas, she unleashed an upbeat floor-filler of an exposition of coming-of-age anxiety in a digital age when everyone is watching, and no one is listening.

After Gen Z have routinely been dubbed as the ‘lost generation’, Mara Liddle and her pastel-hued pop productions are a guiding light towards a semblance of sanity and inner security. With a few 90s Euro pop embellishments to the earwormy hooks, the nostalgia will grip you as fervidly as the contemporary resonance in the lyrics.

All Over the Place will be available to stream from September 29; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jay Hofman unveiled an enrapturing self-deprecating indie electro-pop earworm with I Can’t Sing

Posted on 14 September 2023

Thankfully, the title of Jay Hofman’s latest single, I Can’t Sing, isn’t a disclaimer for the dire vocal performance that will defile your ears as soon as you hit play. Instead, the self-deprecatingly sweet funked-up indie electro-pop hit shares a dilemma that every non-muso diehard romantic will have been stung by, the compulsion to write and sing a love song despite a discernible lack of musical talent.

Maybe ironically, maybe entirely purposefully, the Polish singer-songwriter who is currently residing in the UK crafted the kind of love song that everyone who is lucky enough to be head over heels will want to put on a playlist for the objects of their desire. By switching between rap-style spoken word verses and auto-tuned harmonies in the chorus, even if there was weight to the claim that Hofman can’t sing, it would never have soured the soundscape that is as electrifying as a Daft Punk hit.

I Can’t Sing debuted on September 8th; fall in love with it via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Gemma Felicity ignited 00s pop nostalgia with ‘Come Back to Me’

Posted on 4 August 2023
Gemma Felicity

Gemma Felicity ignited early 00s pop nostalgia with her latest single, Come Back to Me, which is set to drop on the 4th of August.The muted and choked-up guitars at the start of the single set the tone for a hair-raising feat of pop-punk. But the London-based singer-songwriter chose to run through with a moody slice of synth-pop with reverb-heavy keys and a danceable melody beneath her viscerally soulful vocal lines that will spark an evocative fire between your synapses as you lose yourself in the adrenalizingly progressive single that will leave you simultaneously wanting to hit the dance floor and wanting to drunk text your ex.

Following a mystery illness that left her physically and mentally drained, the songwriter studied for her Masters in Music Performance in Leeds before dropping her first singles, This Place and Better Without You, in 2022. Her upcoming EP was penned to explore her unhealthy romantic relationships and her journey back to herself and self-sourced peace. Keep tuned for it.

Check out Come Back to Me on Spotify and iTunes via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get Your Romantic Flashback Fix with Oliver Sullivan’s Latest Summery Slice of Dance Pop, High Above, ft Jetason

Posted on 31 July 2023

Oliver Sullivan transcended high-vibe dance pop with this latest single, High Above, featuring Jetason, which was inexplicably crafted to place you on a plateau of pure sonic bliss.

With retro synthwave spliced into the progressive EDM pop hit, there’s an aural glimmering of nostalgia, allowing the single to whisk you back through the decades for a panoramic romantic flashback that will take the gloss off your old Polaroids.

High Above is the 6th single penned and released by the Swiss-born artist, who has perceptibly honed his craft to a Grammy-worthy degree. Ahead of the release, Sullivan had clocked up over 200,000 listeners on Spotify. Something tells us that with Jetason on his side, who flew from Nashville to Zurich to work on the mix, plenty more listeners are going to be tuning into his warm melodicism.

If Jetason’s soul-permeable harmonies sound familiar, that will be due to his previous work with other icons, including Armin van Buuren and Martin Garrix. Together, they’re the epitome of a collaborative power duo.

High Above will be officially released on July 28th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rev yourself up with the adrenalized volition in Matt’s Keys pop-rock amalgam, Let’s Go

Posted on 28 July 2023

Any fans of The Pretty Reckless will find just as much anthemic fire in the latest pop-rock hit, Let’s Go, from the songwriter Matt’s Keys. With no compromise to the intimacy of the lyrics or the power in the vocals, Let’s Go is a moving single, in pretty much every respect.

Rev yourself up with the adrenalized volition in the pop-punk spliced dance track that uses overdriven guitars to cause friction against the ascending piano chords and frenetic hyper-pop beats that will keep a firm hold on your rhythmic pulses until the outro.

Let’s Go is the ultimate playlist staple to put on repeat when you need the inspiration and permission to live life to the fullest, whether that’s by hitting the dancefloor instead of staying home with the cat or putting your heart on the line instead of keeping it behind lock and key.

Let’s Go was officially released on July 21; hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alen Chicco delivered the ultimate debauched dance-pop anthem with ‘killer on this beat’

Posted on 26 July 2023

Ru Paul may reign Glamazon supreme, but if anyone has what it takes to snatch that crown, it is Alen Chicco with his electrifyingly debauched dance-pop anthem, killer on this beat, taken from his sophomore EP, UNCONTROLLABLE. With bass-drenched harsh techno breaks built to death drop to around the sticky-sweet pop melodies, the progressive dance hit, ironically given the name, has what it takes to make any dancefloor come alive.

The Lithuanian singer-songwriter has been dubbed one of the most controversial artists in his country for his tendency to smash through the hegemonic mould with his edgy hook-rife pop hits and flawlessly fierce drag aesthetic, which he introduced to his home country by appearing on X Factor.

He made history as the first Lithuanian drag act to step onto the stage, and clearly, he’s not done with his entries into the history books with his iconic influence that has endured through his music career, which kicked off in 2018 when he launched his debut single.

Stream killer on this beat on Spotify.

Follow Alen Chicco via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast