ELECTRA SUMMER 2016 ISSUE l £4.00
BABYMETAL
HOT HITS
THREE GIRLS TAKING OVER THE WORLD... WITH KAWAII METAL
THE ESSENTIAL SUMMER SONGS
Melanie
MARTINEZ THE RISE OF
CRY BABY
CONTENTS
ISSUE 1 // JUNE 2016
NEWS 3 ON TOUR The must-see upcoming tours headed to the UK
FEATURES 4 FEMME FATALE Catch up with Ariana Grande as she shows off her dangerous side 6 BABY ROCKERS This is one Japanese Idol group you don’t want to mess with 8 ON THE RADAR Luna Shadows is the name you’ll want to remember 10 SPOTLIGHT This issue we focus on rising superstar, Melanie Martinez, and the birth of Cry Baby 20 BLOCKBUSTER SOUNDTRACK The cinematic soundtracks you should be listening to this season
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REVIEWS 14 SUMMER HAZE The top songs for summer, rounded up for you - perfect for those lazy summer days 16 ALBUM REVIEWS The latest releases and our verdicts LIVE 18 LIVING IN THE MOMENT Reviews of the hottest summer gigs, fresh off the stage
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PHOTOGRAPHY ABOVE: EMILY SOTO // WARD ROBINSON // MATT BARNES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: MELISSA HAGGAR ART AND DESIGN DIRECTOR: MELISSA HAGGAR COPY EDITOR & FEATURES EDITOR & MUSIC EDITOR: MELISSA HAGGAR PHOTOGRAPHY: EMILY SOTO // WARD ROBINSON // LLOYD PURSALL // MATT BARNES
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ELECTRA CONTENTS
I’M WITH THE BAND WHO’S ON TOUR?
Catch up with your favourite headliners in this bumper edition! Get a piece of the action - experience them live. Selena Gomez Revival Tour UK DATES: Nov 4 - London, O2 Arena Nov 6 - Birmingham, Genting Arena Nov 8 - Dublin, 3Arena Nov 10 - Glasgow, SSE Hydro selenagomez.com/revivaltour
Melanie Martinez Cry Baby Tour UK DATES: Nov 21 - London, Eventim Apollo Nov 23 - Manchester, O2 Ritz Nov 24 - Birmingham, O2 Institute Nov 25, Bristol, O2 Academy Nov 27, Glasgow, 02 ABC Nov 28, Dublin, Olympia melaniemartinezmusic.com
Justin Bieber Purpose Tour UK DATES: Oct 11 - London, O2 Arena Oct 12 - London, O2 Arena Oct 14 - London, O2 Arena Oct 15 - London, O2 Arena Nov 28 - London, O2 Arena Nov 29 - London, O2 Arena ticketmaster.com
Jess Glynne UK Tour UK DATES: Nov 18 - Birmingham, Genting Arena Nov 20 - Liverpool, Echo Arena Nov 24 - Leeds, First Direct Arena Nov 27 - Brighton, Brighton Centre Nov 30 - London, O2 Arena ticketmaster.com
Birdy Beautiful Lies Tour UK DATES: Oct 19 - Cambridge, The Junction Oct 20 - London, Eventim Apollo Oct 21 - Southampton, O2 Guildhall Oct 23 - O2 Institute Birmingham Oct 28 - Glasgow, O2 ABC Oct 29 - Edinburgh, Corn Exchange officialbirdy.com
FEMME
FATALE
WE LOOK AT DANGEROUS WOMAN, ARIANA GRANDE’S MOST RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS: FROM ALBUM RELEASES, TO SNL - WHAT HAS THIS BAD GIRL BEEN GETTING UP TO?
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riana Grande has been quite the center of attention recently. Whether it be related to that donut incident or her hilarious impressions, Grande is always a common feature on mainstream media sites. But the singer has also destined to branch out into other forms of entertainment, taking on the popular role of SNL guest host, where she herself mocked the infamous ‘licking’ scandal, and performed several impressions as various singers under the guise of an intern - a skit that went viral within days.
Her impressions - the most notable one she does being of course, the pop icon, Christina Aguilera - have always garnered attention, and she regularly performs them on late night chat shows with Jimmy Kimmel. So what’s the next step up from a Christina Aguilera impression? Why, performing with the singer herself, of course! Yes, on The Voice, nonetheless, Grande took the stage for the Season 10 Finale with Aguilera to perform a duet, and blew the house down - slay girl! As if hosting, performances on major talent shows and singing weren’t enough, Grande also turned
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ELECTRA CATCH UP
her talents towards acting, scoring a major league role on Scream Queens, a parody of horror TV shows, starring alongside Emma Roberts. In her role as Chanel #2, Grande proved that she has the comedic flair down, whilst solidifying herself in television history with her iconic ‘text death’ scene, and still finding time to tweet about it. What a multi-tasker! This role opened up new doors for her, and allowed the perfect platform to promote herself, her brand, and her music to a wide audience, who could find interest in her music.
It comes as no surprise that all of these efforts, and her prominent presence on social media, would lead her to becoming one of TIME’s 100 most influential people in 2016. It’s safe to say, that in this digital age, Miss Grande is an indisputable queen, as her social media presence has increased dramatically since her debut on television. Grande’s YouTube account has over 10 million subscribers - an impressive feat for any young singer - and her music videos have been viewed more than 4 billion times; awe-inspiring. But perhaps more impressive is her Instagram account - which boasts more than 76 million followers, whilst her Twitter account has more than 39 million followers.
But what’s next for this dangerous woman? A dangerous album to boot. After all, a girl’s gotta work, and this gal knows how to make every second count. Not wasting an opportunity to promote her new material, her new album, Dangerous Woman, arrives after a strategic name change. Naturally, Grande set her sights for gold and began an effortless promotion tour. The Honeymoon Tour kicked off in 2015, whilst Grande took to Twitter to tweet an array of inspiration women quotes, connoting the theme of her album as a strong and empowered woman - that some may consider ‘dangerous’ in media. The jazzy, grind-tastic title track debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Grande the first person in the history of that chart to have the lead single from each of her first three albums debut in the top 10, scoring another record for the sweetheart singer. Upon its release, the album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and received critical acclaim for its strong themes of self-confidence and maturity - something Grande has stated she wanted to explore in this album. The singer is set to embark on a third world tour to promote the album later this year.
“It’s a little darker, sexier and more mature.”
Photography by Matt Barnes.
ELECTRA CATCH UP
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ROCK
OUT
kawaii STYLE THE JAPANESE IDOL MEGA GROUP, BABYMETAL, IS SET FOR WORLD DOMINATION - SO HOW COME YOU’VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF THEM? AND WHAT EXACTLY IS KAWAII METAL?
BABYMETAL. BMD FOX RECORDS.
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BABYMETAL. An intriguing name for a group, and the concept perhaps even more: a trio of ‘cutesy’ Japanese girls that happen to sing along (and rock out) to heavy metal music. But Su-metal (lead singer), Moametal, and Yuimetal are much more than that, and their music has had quite the dramatic effect on the world.
Certainly, Japanese idol bands do not function in the same way as mainstream U.S. or UK groups; these individuals are created by big idol companies designed to produce stars (think X-Factor bootcamp if it were more rigorous). Japanese groups have a whole different musical influence, and the clever and cutesy trio have theirs: Metallica. The phenomenon of BABYMETAL is not one to be understated. This is a group whose tour sells out all over the globe, and whose fans are every bit committed to rocking out along with the metal-heads as they are.
While the concept seems novel, the execution is anything but, and the group benefits from its strong instrumental roots and the stage presence of its singers; all three of them. While Sumetal does most of the main vocals (most likely due to her age of 18), Moametal and Yuimetal perform some impressive supporting vocals, and have become even more involved as they have grown older. It certainly begs the question as to what the trio could accomplish in five years, considering their rise to mainstream fame and growing popularity.
But what makes BABYMETAL so appealing? Is it their energetic and enthusiastic performances? Or their own personal style combined with bubbly personalities? Or the music itself? There are no shortage of things to love about the group as a whole, even if the members itself admit to being “afraid” of hearing metal music for the first time. Oddly enough, this just makes them more loveable and endearing. Not to mention, the key to any artist’s success: relatability.
But what does every successful musical group need (aside from the music)? Style. And these girls have heaps of it. Co-ordination is key in this lineup.
entitled Babymetal, was released back in 2014, and contained their signature song ‘Gimme Chocolate!!’ - as well as several other classics, such as ‘Megitsune’ (one of their best) and ‘Ijime, Dame, Zettai’. Following up from this, the group released their second studio album, Metal Resistance (containing the surprisingly incredible anthems, ‘Karate’ and ‘Road of Resistance’). Not so surprisingly, upon its release in March, it was met with significantly positive reviews and skyrocketed to the tops of charts in Japan, the UK, Australia and the US - an incredible feat for such a young group. And not one to be understated.
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Truly, each member has their own subtle and unique style that ties in fittingly with the rest of the group’s signature colours (black, red and silver). Su-metal usually has a different torso styling or cover, and her hair in a ponytail, whilst Moametal has one ringlet pigtails and usually a tutu, and Yuimetal has multiple smaller ringlet pigtails and a tutu to match. Not to mention the girls all have their signature hand movements, signs and dances the group perform, much to an eager crowd’s delight. And let us not forget their allegiance to the ‘fox god’ (their version of the metal ‘rock out’ finger sign). All of this combines to form the striking BABYMETAL brand.
he future for the group is unclear; idol groups tend to have a short shelflife due to their mass creation, as audiences gradually grow tired of them. However, whether this will be the case for BABYMETAL is uncertain, as their image and music has already garnered them significant attention in not only the music world, but also on TV, in a documentary by BBC Three. More so, they were also featured in the popular online REACT series, which is broadcast on YouTube. It’s understandable, as the image of 3 young girls rocking out to metal music breaks certain stereotypes surrounding metal groups. You go girls.
Their first studio album, simply
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Their first studio album, simply entitled Babymetal, was released back in 2014, & contained their signature song ‘Gimme Chocolate!!’ - as well as several other classics, such as ‘Megitsune’ (one of their best) and ‘Ijime, Dame, Zettai’.
Whatever lurks in the distance for BABYMETAL, you can be certain that this ass-kicking trio isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Rock on.
ELECTRA NEW MUSIC GLOBAL
SHADOW SiREN
HYPNOTIC SINGER LUNA SHADOWS IS MAKING WAVES “My sound (is) the equivalent of wearing black at the beach - dark but upbeat.”
C
hances are when we say ‘Luna Shadows’, the images that are conjured resemble more “moonlight evenings” than “pop singer”, but nevertheless, this multi-instrumentalist is proving difficult to forget. The Los Angeles-based artist has risen to low-key prominence amongst online communities for her ethereal, care-free and artistically inspired music that she herself has labelled as “Echo Park Pop”, named after the idyllic location in Central L.A.
A forward-thinking woman, Shadows can usually be found writing, performing, recording, producing, engineering - and generally creating her instrinsically designed music, but has recently recruited indie producers Brad and Thom (The Naked and Famous) to assist her in this monumental ride. The end product, “made in garages and bedrooms under the palm
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trees of Echo Park” is a captivating current 3-track release, with the 4th on its way - and the possibility of an upcoming EP or album. You need only look at the illustrious ‘Hallelujah California’ to see why the singer is making such waves in the industry. With breezy vocals reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, and an emphasis on electro funk like Halsey, there is something particularly ear-catching about Shadows’ delivery and emphasis on the picturesque. The cascading beats open up to a more mature and
ELECTRA ON THE RADAR
enigmatic depth that draws you in with its atmospheric acoustics and siren-like vocals.
‘Cherry’ follows this similar structure but is far more vibrant and serene, whilst ‘Cry Wolf’ is fast on its way to becoming an anthem in its own right.
Indeed, Shadows’ personal style is representative of her lyrical content and musical vibe - it’s a bit pop-gothchic, with an emphasis on chunky platform footwear not disimilar to Charli XCX. But of course, this is off-set by an adherence to pastel palettes for the body of her outfits.
These ensembles that Shadows wears are very indicative of her musical content, which is often tinged with melancholy statements and expressions, wrapped up in a saddening romantic bow. Truly, these few first examples of Shadows’ music suggest that she has the hallmarks of a star, but can she make the dream a reality?
Photography by Ward Robinson.
ELECTRA ON THE RADAR
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TAKE A TRIP INSIDE THE DOLLHOUSE WITH
Melanie
WITH HER TWO-TONE COLOURED HAIR, INFANTILE OUTFITS AND BIZARRE BABY NECKLACES, MELANIE MARTINEZ STANDS OUT FROM THE CROWD - AND SO DOES HER MUSIC.
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f we were to tell you that Melanie Martinez was a competitor on The Voice you’d probably assume she had dipped back into obscurity – especially if we told you she was eliminated in week 5 – but you’d be wrong. Martinez didn’t stop there and instead chose to pursue her passions and thus, Cry Baby was born. Martinez’s musical stylings are similar to that of Marina and the Diamonds – both in tone and layering – and the album is representative of this, evoking fond Electra Heart memories, whilst her vocal styling is more similar to that of Halsey. But Martinez possesses a star quality of her own, and her album feels entirely personal from beginning to end, and not just a mere rehashing of what someone else has done before.
instrumentals and sinister lyrics; an effective way to have your thoughts easily digested by listeners. Overall, Cry Baby is an experimental pop album at its core, and utterly committed to its core theming of infancy, complete with samples of crying, liquid pouring, and soap sounds, which adds unique acoustic elements.
‘Dollhouse’ and ‘Cry Baby’ are some of the most intriguing songs on the album, incorporating thoughtprovoking lyrics, upbeat pop tempos, and catchy choruses. Drawing on her childhood nickname, the latter
whilst ‘Pity Party’ is a misfit’s anthem for every generation. ‘Tag you’re it’ combines dark concepts like sexual assault with childhood games to emphasize the ingrained nature of entitlement to women’s bodies, and it works. Song ‘Mad Hatter’ takes the Alice in Wonderland motif to a new level and runs away with it down the rabbit hole, marking another triumph for Martinez. Whilst Cry Baby stays true to its conceptual idea, some tracks – when lined up with the other absolutely artistic
“The character is Cry Baby and Cry Baby is actually me.”
ike Diamandis, Martinez’s music is no fun-house, and behind every door is a disturbing musical surprise waiting just for you, in the best possible way. The sickly sweet theming continues throughout the album, with Martinez offering up track after track of candy-coated
10 ELECTRA SPOTLIGHT
shows the amount of attentiveness and commitment Martinez has to the construction of her childlike persona. The electropop artist has put her all into this kiddie creation, bringing it to life in such vibrant and creative ways. ‘Carousel’ – featured on American Horror Story: Freak Show – is a fairground for the ears; spectacular and breath-taking,
creations on the album – fall short. ‘Pacify Her’ is just average, whilst ‘Alphabet Boy’ wanders into bizarre territory, but you can’t say it isn’t captivating. When you’re aiming for an ambitious album like this one, you’re bound to have a few fatalities.
MARTINEZ “I COLLECT VINTAGE TOYS FROM THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES, AND WHEN YOU GO TO MY APARTMENT IT’S LITERALLY BABY PINK WALLS IN THE LIVING ROOM AND ASTROTURF AS THE CARPET.” However, Cry Baby’s juxtaposition of sugary superficial sounds and harrowing, heartfelt lyrics give the album its edge above competitors in the alt-pop scene and Martinez’s cotton candy creation is as delicious as it looks on the cover. Overall, the 13-track album is a combination of pure ambition and imagination.
base always willing to click and comment on her videos - her most recent ‘Alphabet Boy’ has reached over 8 million views in a matter of days.
But what is the appeal of Martinez, aside from her sickly sweet, slightly scary music? Well, she’s certainly an individual cookie. Not one to shy away from expressing her love of
“Working on this album has been very emotional and super personal.” The eccentric New York-born singer has had quite the rise to fame after her memorable
performances on Adam Levine’s team on the voice, but the release of Cry Baby seems to have elevated her to cult status, especially on Social Media, such as Twitter, and YouTube. Here, she has a dedicated fan
vintage toys or adult baby dresses, she often visits vintage charity shops to search for the perfect additions to her collection. Cry Baby is out now.
ELECTRA SPOTLIGHT
Photography by Emily Soto.
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from CRY BABY TO POP SUPERSTAR WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE SINGER?
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erhaps it is this what is most appealing: the crossover of the old and new. Martinez’s ‘Cry Baby’ persona is heavily styled on those nostalgic and innocent childlike mentality and style, with pastels and fun glitter being a key feature. But there is also the emphasis on the mature, the complex, and the often hard-to-speak of emotions that many people go through - all cleverly expressed with every overelaborate outfit or poignant lyric
that Martinez utters. The joke is life and we’re all a part of it. But with all this success, what is next on the playing table for the singer? Well, according to herself, if she were to create another album, she’d want to follow the same ‘concept album’ idea, but perhaps expand this with exploring the life of a neighbor of Cry Baby, if not the persona herself. So this well means we could be set for a greater insight into this little dollhouse world Martinez has created in the
near future.
Of course, this songstress is currently embarking on a tour across the U.S. and the rest of the world, kicking off the Euro leg of her tour in October, later this year. Set to play at the Eventim Apollo in London, on November 21, this will surely keep the singer busy in the coming months. The Tour is set to conclude in Dublin, Ireland on November 28.
“CRY BABY IS A GIRL IN A TOWN AND NOW THAT I’VE TOLD HER STORY, I’M NEXT GOING TO TALK ABOUT HER NEIGHBOR. I STILL WANT IT TO BE CONNECTED IN SOME WAY.”
UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT A COMPLETE PROFILE
From Melanie Martinez’s Instagram: @littlebodybigheart
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Name: Melanie Martinez
Discography: Cry Baby (2015)
Born: Long Island, New York, U.S.
Obsessions: Vintage Toy sounds
Age: 21
Latest music release: ‘Alphabet Boy’ Music Video
Years Active: 2012-Present
Influences: Marina and the Diamonds, Regina Spektor, Lesley Gore, Old school hip-hop
Current Status: On U.S. leg of tour
Music style: Electro-pop with a creepy twist
ELECTRA SPOTLIGHT
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Sum
SMA
WHAT’S HOT TH THESE SCO WHATEVER YOU’RE UP TO THIS SUMMER, THES
Joy Crookes ‘New Manhattan’
Selena Gomez ‘Hands to Myself’ Fareoh Remix
Allie X ‘Too Much To Dream’
This smooth summer song from Crookes will have you in a dreamy daze; great for afternoon chill outs.
This remix of the addictive Selena Gomez song will have you dancing to yourself.
You can never have too much to dream on those long summer days, and this is the perfect accompaniment.
KLOE ‘Teenage Craze’
DNCE ‘Cake By The Ocean’
Dua Lipa ‘Hotter Than Hell’
Kloe knows how to deliver those lazy summer hazes in bite size portions, kick back with her teenage craze.
Who doesn’t love cake by the ocean? Let N. Jonas slice away your worries with this naughty number.
Dua Lipa knows your like your summer hot and this track is absolutely on fire ladies, it’s time to assemble!
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Palm ‘Club
Turn up the this banger a can sway Palmistry at
Zara La ‘Lush
All about the sun? This colo take you to p essential for
mmer
ASH
HIS SUMMER? ORCHERS! SE SONGS ARE SURE TO MAKE YOU SIZZLE...
mistry b Aso’
e volume on and you too it out with t Club Aso.
arsson h Life’
e life in the ourful jam will paradise - an your playlist!
Nina Nesbitt ‘Chewing Gum’ Get sassy for summer with Nesbitt’s ‘Chewing Gum’ and shake off all the negative vibes.
Ariana Grande ‘Be Alright’ Have a Grande summer with Ariana, and take comfort with ‘Be Alright’, this sultry 90s throwback.
Clean Bandit ft. Louisa Johnson ‘Tears’
Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign ‘Work From Home’
Flex those vocals chords prepare to sing (and rave) along to this summer smash.
The five best gal pals have delivered with this sexy song - work it girl!
The Chainsmokers ft. Daya (W&W Remix) ‘Don’t Let Me Down’
Bebe Rexha ft. Nicki Minaj ‘No Broken Hearts’
Floor-filler alert! Get ready to go wild with this triumphant party remix.
New name on the street, Bebe Rexha + Nicki Minaj? Sign us up! This is epic.
ELECTRA TOP PICKS
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Album Revie Fifth Harmony 7/27
Syco Music/ Epic Records
In their sophomore effort, the 5-piece shine brightest when they are in their element on rambunctious summer smash ‘The Life’ and countrydance anthem, ‘Write On Me’. These showcase the soul and harmonious nature of the band, whilst utilising the charismatic quintet’s best vocal abilities. Channelling the old school R&B vibes, the group opts for smooth, simmering songs ‘I Lied’ and ‘Gonna Get Better’, which are reasonably satisfying and benefit from sultry and cool vocals. But it is not all smooth-sailing and the relatively average ‘Squeeze’ and ‘Dope’ bring the group back down; it’s pristine pop at its worst, and delves into grating territory with cheesy ‘doo be doo’ vocal harmonies. 7/27 manages to redeem itself for the most part with its more soulful additions, that illuminate the powerful dynamic between each of the 5 members, both vocally and spiritually.
There’s more personality here than meets the eye, and the group are in their zone when they are doing what they do best: making catchy, confident anthems.
Ariana Grande Dangerous Woman
Nick Jonas Last Year Was Complicated
Grande is back with a decidedly more risqué and adventurous album; a deviation from her previous work and musical styling. Indeed, in this deluxe ensemble, Grande gives it her everything (sorry, couldn’t resist) and turns to a multitude of musical genres to draw inspiration from (dance, pop, reggae, soul, funk, R&B).
Having evolved since his Jonas Brothers’ days, Nick Jonas serves up third popr&b mashup album, recruiting populart artists like Tove Lo, Ty Dolla $ign and Big Sean for this particular ride. On tracks where Jonas utilises his captivating falsetto to full effect where he truly shines., and ‘Close’ is an example of this, being and satisfying; almost like a colourful daydream.
Republic Records
Floor-filler ‘Side to Side’ is a reggae pop banger that illuminates Grande’s signature vocals (with thanks to Minaj’s impressive rap), whilst ‘Be Alright’ is a cool and effortlessly smooth 90s R&B gem. Similar successes can be found on disco-dance delight, ‘Into You’, and self-assured and confident ‘Touch It’, which demonstrateds that Grande has truly matured and grown as an artist. Ultimately, Grande proves that she is a one-woman force to be reckoned with, and explores outside of her comfort zone in this versatile and experimental album. Switching between soulful songs and pop-tastic hits, the accomplished singer highlights that she can mix it up and still achieve success for the most part.
16 ELECTRA REVIEWS
Island/ Safehouse Records
There is an overarching theme of heartbreak and growth that intertwines the tracks on LYWC, but this is underpinned with a party atmosphere; from the deep bass beats to upbeat tempos, this is a heartbreak meant to be invigorating, not depressing.
While Jonas secures success with rambunctious ‘Voodoo’ and ear candy ‘Champagne Problems’, he complicates business by throwing in some truly randoms efforts, like the collab with Ty on ‘Bacon’, which is utterly bizarre and misguided. Jonas has all the ingredients of a good pop star, but LYWS proves that he needs to take steps towards breaking his comfort zone, in order to achieve something monumentarily memorable.
Babymetal Metal Resistance
Syco Music/ Epic Records
Exploding onto the music scene with their hard-core metal and cheery personalities, Babymetal is back with their second studio effort, Metal Resistance. For the most part, the group do resist falling into idol tropes, although ‘No Rain, No Rainbow’ fails this particular test. Fortunately, the group has plenty of groundbreaking material and enough energy to cover this slight misstep. Stand-out track, ‘Karate’ is a triumphant journey through self-empowerment, while ‘Meta Taro’ is a fusion between war cries and heavy metal. It’s like the French Revolution on steroids, and it works. ‘From Dusk to Dawn’ obliterates comfort zones by switching up the tempos into a slow-mo metal mind warp, a welcome change from the hardcore nature of the previous tracks.
While there is plenty of juicy material to get your teeth in to and probably enough to satiate even the heaviest metal lovers - you can’t help but feeling like you want more. The group has the potential to branch out into something monstrously global, all they need to do is take that opportunity, and Metal Resistance is a step in the right drection.
ews
ELECTRA mix Sia This is Acting, Monkey Puzzle/ RCA
A ‘reject’ album, compiled of songs that other singers didn’t want, for whatever reason, This is Acting is all about Sia playing different roles. In some songs this is quite literal, as she puts on slight accents and adjusts her vocal delivery to give a convincing performance as
that star – ‘Move Your Body’ is a prime example of this, as Sia puts on an uncanny Shakira impersonation that the Colombian would be proud of. Elsewhere, we are trated to unexpected gems like ‘Cheap Thrills’, an exotic EDM mash-up that is very ‘Pon De Replay’, ‘Alive’, a powerful anthem that stretches Sia’s vocals to their limits, ‘Unstoppable’, an invigorating delight that is a cheat-sheet for how to make the perfect pop song, and ‘House On Fire’ which is passionate simplicity. almost like parody, and far from her most personable album, it is rather clever in the way which it manipulates songs written other singers and gives them the ‘Sia effect’.
WANT TO SWITCH IT UP? DISCOVER SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH OUR FAVE PICKS THIS MONTH
BAT FOR LASHES The Bride Parlophone
Foxes All I Need
Sign of The Times/ Epic/ RCA
Southampton sweetheart Louisa Rose Allen (Foxes) has come a long way since her ‘Youth’ days, and her latest music shows a more vulnerable and emotional side to the singer as she strays away from pristine, glossy pop. All I Need is a far more serious take on her life and her heartbreak, showcasing the darker sides of relationships in devious ‘Devil Side’, a dramatic and edgy ballad that breaks the formula the singer has so dutifully followed before. The raw emotion continues on ‘Scar’, a meaningful song where we get to hear Foxes’ impressive voice crack and waiver. There is plenty of variety in Allen’s intriguing album, and the calypso-esque ‘Cruel’ is a tropical tune that is a clear
stand-out, while ‘Feet Don’t Fail Me Now’ shakes things up with a jazzy banger complete with rhythmic clapping and piano beats that make you want to get up and dance. Rather than sticking to what works for her, Allen takes noticeable risks – some pay off, s o m e don’t – especially with ‘Wicked Love’ and ‘Money’. Despite this, Allen has managed to create a new album that, for the most part, has ‘all you need’. Photography: Lloyd Pursall
AGAINST THE CURRENT In Our Bones Fueled By Ramen
IGGY AZALEA Digital Distortion Def Jam
RED VELVET The Velvet S.M. Entertainment
ELECTRA REVIEWS
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