Photo: Press
Want to kick off your weekend with some fresh sounds? Then you've come to the right place. Come on in and get ready to get down.
From reworks of old classics and rock giants returning, to controversial hip-hop diss anthems and chilled out summer tracks, it has been yet another huge week for brilliant new music.
Oh, you may or may not have heard, but Lady Gaga also released a song too - but that's more than enough about that. Wrap your ears around these bad boys...
Donna Summer 'Love Is In Control' (Chromeo and Oliver remix)
Just when you thought that the original Queen of Disco (RIP) couldn't get any more incredible, along come Chromeo and Oliver and pump one of her classics full of squelchy synths, phat bass and huge beats. The track is taken from a full remix album, Love To Love You Donna, complete with reworkings from the likes of Hot Chip and Giorgio Moroder. If this is a taste of what's to come, then we'll have some more please. Everyone report to the dancefloor.
Chet Faker featuring Kilo Kish 'Melt'
Following on from his 2012 EP release, Thinking In Textures, our favourite bearded Aussie finds himself experimenting more with his sound whilst maintaining the chilled out r&b sounds that brought him to international attention. The rain may be turning summer into a faded memory, so here's some aural sunshine to burn away the blues.
Nine Inch Nails 'Copy Of A'
Oof, welcome back Trent. Picking up from the brutal pumelling of recent single 'Came Back Haunted', this is another epic, sprawling and typically NIN number that features a gradual and repetetive trancey build-up with a dark intensity before an almighty rock crescendo. The repetitive rhythm of the track echo the lyrics' theme of a struggle for identity: "I am just a shadow of a shadow of a shadow, always trying to catch up with myself - I am just an echo of an echo of an echo - listening to someone's cry for help." This is going to sound HUGE at Reading and Leeds next week.
Big Sean featuring Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica, 'Control'
Here it is - the track that caused all of the fuss. Taking a pop at anyone worth their salt in the business (and Lindsay Lohan), Kendrick Lamar brings a little controversy to 'Control'. Media fuss aside, the tune mixes commercial beats with twisted, squealing vocal samples and straddles a fine, but glorious, line between mainstream and underground. Good stuff.
Ellie Goulding 'Hearts Without Chains'
Are there no limits to the constant stream of brilliance coming from the mind of our favourite pop pixie Ellie Goulding? Opening with a stripped back, gentle vocals and piano combo that slowly builds, this once again the sound of our Ellie working her way up to mega-super-stardom.
Katy Perry 'Roar'
Not only is this a smooth and rolling punch of uplifting stadium power-pop, that sees Perry squaring up to the world and moving away from the bubblegum nature of her Teenage Dream material, but it pisses all over 'Applause' by Lady Gaga from an almighty height. Not that it's a competition, but if it was, then Katy Perry massively wins, by loads.
John Mayer and Frank Ocean 'Wildfire'
It says quite a lot when a track so short and so simple can be one of our favourite songs of the week (and still way better than Lady Gaga's 'Applause'). Clocking in at just one minute and 27 seconds, 'Wildfire' is a fairly simple affair that sees Ocean gorgously crooning about a summer romance over some cool and refreshing but sparse guitar and strings. It makes for pretty lovely listening, especially for the the stunning line: "Back in Paris you told me that you were suicidal, it's not a vacation if I lose you to the Eiffel".
Babyshambles 'Picture Me In A Hospital'
When he's not selling odds, sods and fag butts in Camden for hundreds of pounds a pop, it seems that rag-tag Libertine has been back at the drawing board working on regaining the magic of his early days. A sweet swaying beat, sweet acoustic melody and some charming Doherty-isms to the lyrics mark another return to form. If there's more of this to come, then we say up the Shambles.
Prince 'Groovy Potential'
The best thing about the Purple One making his Twitter debut this week (other than the cliche move of showing us his dinner), was His Royal Badness unveiling this: a slick and smooth stream of slow hot lava that conjures up all kinds of images of Prince grooving as a lounge lizard up in Paisley Park.
VV Brown 'Apple'
Simply awesome, this. If there's a sexier way to strut your way into the weekend, then we'd love to hear it. Answers on a postcard.
