“We don’t have to go without, without, without”
This is a voice I’ve been missing. Famed for his collaborations with SBTRKT, Jessie Ware and Drake its about time Sampha had his moment in the sun and released his debut solo effort. His vocals are soothing and beautiful as always and help to bring together the disjointed acoustic and electronic sounds beneath them.
“Oh I can see right through, see right through you”
From the man that brought us ‘Coma Cat’, one of the best house records of the last five years, here comes another just in time for the heatwave thats just hit us. Rightly named as Pete Tong’s Essential New Tune last week, its clear that this will be lighting up terrace parties the world over this summer.
“When the lights turned down, they don’t know what they heard / Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world”
The first offering from her re-packaged album ‘Halycon Days’ due for release in August is everything you’d want from Ellie Goulding. It’s catchy, its light and her vocal range as always sounds spot on. With a chorus that sounds like it could be at home in a Disney soundtrack, it verges on cheesy in places, but try not to over think it and you’ll fall in love.
“Remember baby / We’re like a pack of cards / The king and queen of hearts / All fall down”
Produced by the man behind two of my favourite pop songs of the last twelve months (Solange’s ‘Losing You’ and Sky Ferreira’s ‘Everything Is Embarrassing’), Dev Hynes, I can’t deny that ‘Flatline’ is a solid pop song. Hearing the vocals of Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan reunited in perfect harmony is nothing but stunning too, but is this everything I’d hoped for after endless teasers, an incredible cover of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Swimming Pools (Drank)’ and the king of pop production on board? I’m not certain. Is it a perfect way to maintain my excitement for a comeback album a little longer though? Definitely.
“You talk me up and count me down / Our symphony has lost its sound”
Summer may be abit hit and miss of late, but if the sun was shining, this chilled and sultry house offering from Duke Dumont would be the perfect accompaniment. With flawless vocals provided by MNEK this will be providing many first listen goosebumps, guaranteed.
SOUND MOUND 