My round up of the new singles available for digital download this week.
Fuse ODG – ‘Million Pound Girl (Badder Than Bad)’
Fuse ODG certainly knows when he’s onto a winning sound as he returns with this seasonally different summer song ‘Million Pound Girl’ with vibes of his back catalogue so far. With a stronger Sean Paul sound than his last two releases, this is the least distinctive of his releases lacking in parts as it doesn’t have the killer singable chorus that ‘Azonto’ and ‘Antennae’ employed. But it’s still a perky number that will lighten the mood with its happy vibe and warm production, just structurally not as enjoyable. (6.5/10)
Watch the video
Sam Bailey – ‘Skyscraper’
Released just after the publication of last week’s review round-up, this is the track released by this year’s X Factor winner. Far superior to the croaky original by American Idol’s Demi Lovato, ‘Skyscraper’ is still a pretty bland choice of a cover, the least exciting of the past few years. Lyrically it does at least reflect the values of the television show and Bailey tackles it well, but it struggles to differentiate itself musically from the previous winner singles. A smooth, touching ballad sung by a confident and talented Bailey, but if it was sung by anyone else it wouldn’t really do much in the charts. A little too bland and struggles to progress at times, and too karaoke-like. (6.5/10)
Watch the video
Sub Focus feat. Yolanda Quartey – ‘Turn Back Time’
The sixth release from Sub Focus’ sixth album, ‘Turn Back Time’ is very much inspired by the 1990s and mixes that retro sound with a more modern dance vibe very well. Mostly instrumental, it’s not his most distinctive track or memorable on first listen, but it benefits from a very interesting production focus and holds your interest well for four minutes. With a catchy choral hook and a Basement Jaxx feel permeating through the record, it’s an enjoyable listen and become quite hooky quite quickly, and feels more exciting than some of the blander dance music we’ve heard recently. (7/10)
Watch the video
Travis Garland – ‘Motel Pool’ (EP)
And finally for this week on an expected quite week of releases, the EP’s title track is a relaxed but ultimately forgettable RnB ballad, headed up by Garland’s falsetto vocals. It’s a nice enough track with a neat R Kelly impersonation, but it lacks that powerful chorus to glue it all together, and the production doesn’t add anything. Dragging on too long without much direction, it’s not something I’ll be giving a few more spins. ‘Let Me Show You’ is more uptempo and different, but again feels like a knock off of bland boyband songs we’ve heard before, with shades of Justin Bieber. ‘An Education’ has a more interesting riff but, again, falls into a similar template and it’s not a good one. Fourth and final track ‘Mrs Garland’ at least has some more focus on production and is the best of the EP, incorporating a more Justin Timberlake vibe with shades of Michael Jackson, and a neat enough chorus, but again isn’t hugely earth shattering. (4/10)
Watch ‘Motel Pool’
Watch ‘Let Me Show You’
Watch ‘An Education’
Watch ‘Mrs Garland’
