It’s been a bit of a show of girl power in music this week and I’m loving it. From Kesha’s announcement of her first full-length album in five years to Lucy Rose’s beautiful vocal-centric LP, the variety of records which showcase strong females is in abundance – and, to top it off, HAIM has released a new album too. It’s time for your weekly round-up of all of the things you should be listening to (or not – you don’t have to listen to me) so grab your morning beverage of choice and read some words about the selected things below.
Kesha – ‘Praying’
A painful, extended legal battle with ex-producer Dr. Luke has kept Kesha out of the spotlight until now. With the announcement of Rainbow, her first full-length album in five years, comes first single ‘Praying’. Showcasing a softer side of the artist, who became famous from pop anthems like ‘TiK ToK’ and ‘Blah Blah Blah’, it definitely feels like Kesha has used the time she’s been unable to release records to find a new musical direction. The compelling piano ballad is a goosebump-inducing single which charts betrayal and redemption, with Kesha saying the track was “about coming to feel empathy for someone else even if they hurt you or scare you”. It is hard to detach Kesha’s private life over the past couple of years from how she has come to produce this track and that’s okay. ‘Praying’ brings the artist back to the forefront of listeners’ minds and, with features on the upcoming album lined up from the likes of Eagles Of Death Metal and Dolly Parton, are we maybe seeing a move away from her previous life as a pop princess?
HAIM – Something To Tell You
The sisters’ debut album Days Are Gone is one I always find myself coming back to again and again and after a four-year hiatus, HAIM’s new one seems to offer that also. Maintaining the sleek retro feel synonymous with the trio, Something To Tell You remains resolute in sticking to the band’s roots. Bursting back onto the scene in April with ‘Right Now’, which was dubbed a “promising omen” for the rest of the album, three months later the remainder of the album seems to fulfil this prophesy. ‘Want You Back‘ is my new ‘Falling’ and I’m ready to keep coming back to this one for another four years.
Zedd & Liam Payne – ‘Get Low’
After the excitement of an album full of summer anthems from dance legend Calvin Harris last week, it’s hard to get pumped about the new collaboration between Zedd and Liam Payne. Payne’s recent solo debut ‘Strip That Down’ was a bit like Marmite (and I hate Marmite) and, although I don’t have anything against Zedd, ‘Get Low’ feels like one of those summer tracks I’m always a bit unsure about for the duration of the holidays. In short, it’s a bit forgettable.
Wolf Alice – ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’
The second single to be released from the band’s upcoming album Visions Of A Lifetime, ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ differs massively from the raw and intense ‘Yuk Foo‘, which I must admit scared me a little on the first listen. This sees a return of the light, ethereal tone which avid listeners of Wolf Alice have previously prescribed to. Boding well for the forthcoming album, the track sees a combination of synth instrumental and Ellie Rowsell’s haunting vocals to create a “light and sweet track”, mirroring the fragility of My Love Is Cool. Check out our review of the single here.
Tom Misch – ‘South of the River’
Put this one on for funky feel-good times.
Selected Other Releases
Albums
Blind Guardian – Live Beyond The Spheres
Broken Social Scene – Hug Of Thunder
CAZZETTE – Time
Chronixx – Chronology
Lucy Rose – Something’s Changing
Melvins – A Walk With Love And Death
Public Service Broadcasting – Every Valley
Sivu – Sweet Sweet Silent
Sundara Karma – Youth is Only Ever Fun in Retrospect
The Doppelgangaz – Dopp Hopp
The Last Dinosaur – The Nothing
This Is The Kit – Moonshine Freeze
Singles
AlunaGeorge – ‘Turn Up The Love’
Aminé – ‘Blinds’
Arcade Hearts – ‘Honey’
Charlie Sloth feat. Donae’o and Konshens – ‘Walk Away’
Coldplay – ‘A L I E N S’
Cut Copy – ‘Airborne’
Dizzee Rascal – ‘Wot U Gonna Do?’
dodie – ‘6/10’
Flyte – ‘Cathy Come Home’
Four Tet – ‘Two Thousand and Seventeen’
French Montana feat. Pharrell Williams – ‘Bring Dem Things’
Ghostpoet – ‘Freakshow’
Goldwash – ‘Why Hide It’
Henry Jamison – ‘The Wilds’
HONNE – ‘Just Dance’
James Hype feat. Kelli-Leigh – ‘More Than Friends’
Jennifer Lopez feat. Gente De Zona – ‘Ni Tú Ni Yo’
Joey Bada$$ – ‘Love Is Only A Feeling’
Kele Okereke – ‘Streets Been Talkin”
Klangkarussell – ‘Circuits’
Kojo Funds feat. Kranium – ‘My Wish’
Mahalia – ‘Sober’
Marc E. Bassy feat. Kyle – ‘Plot Twist’
MJ Cole feat. Bruno Major – ‘Shelter’
Moksi & Chace feat. Rose Quay – ‘Dream’
Motez feat. Anthony & Cleopatra – ‘The Future’
Mura Masa feat. Bonzai – ‘Nuggets’
Mura Masa feat. Tom Tripp – ‘helpline’
Rhye – ‘Please’
Set Mo feat. Woodes – ‘I Belong Here’
Shy Luv – ‘First Fires’
Skepta – ‘Hypocrisy’
Smerz – ‘Oh my my’
TAPZ – ‘Shadow’
Tchami feat. Luke James – ‘World To Me’
Tentendo – ‘One Stop Shop’
The XCERTS – ‘Feels Like Falling in Love’
Tom Speight – ‘Old Flame’
Toddla T feat. Andrea Martin – ‘Magnet’
Willie J Healey – ‘People and Their Dogs’
This Week In Records: Playlist Edition
Follow our shiny Spotify playlist and all this musical newness will be right there in time for breakfast every Friday morning.
