V’s New Music Round-Up
Here are some of the best and biggest releases of the week
Hello and welcome! Tired of lip-syncing to the same old songs every week with your hairbrush? Need some new material to show off your lipsync assassin skills and live your musician fantasy? Then welcome to V’s new music round-up, where we tune you into some of the week’s biggest and best releases, whether they be singles or albums.
Here are this week’s top picks:
Life Support by Madison Beer
Madison Beer’s long-awaited debut album certainly lives up to all her previous releases and the popularity she had accrued. She maintains a mainstream approach to pop and R&B while taking significant risks when it comes to her production, knowing when to lay all in with heavy alterations and Lana Del Rey-esque smoky vocals and when to hold back and let her own voice take the spotlight.
“Spaceman” by Nick Jonas
The title track off his upcoming album, this spacey pop ballad encapsulates all of what Jonas felt throughout the past year. Referencing the pandemic and the 2020 Elections, Jonas sings about isolation and wanting to eventually get back to home base and connect, referring to his wife, Priyanka Chopra Jonas. It’s a cautious yet fruitful step towards solo stardom again for Jonas as he ventures into unfamiliar musical territory.
“80/20” and “Hazy” by Chloe x Halle
The release of Ungodly Hour’s Chrome Edition only serves to carry forward the precedent that Chloe x Halle have set for themselves. But what sets the two new tracks apart is their ability to diverge from the parent album’s style and offer a take on “Chloe x Halle take on 2020 music,” borrowing from sounds and melodies that have been prominent over the year and capably adapting it to their personal aesthetic.
“Only Wanna Be With You – Pokémon 25 Version” by Post Malone
In lieu of Pokémon’s upcoming 25th-anniversary celebrations, Malone released a cover of the popular Hootie and the Blowfish song, which he will also be performing on the Pokémon stage. A distinctly more of a modern pop-country take on the original, it’s the kind of song you would dedicate to your favorite starter Pokémon that accompanied you on your journey in the style of the anime.
“What They’ll Say About Us Reimagination” by FINNEAS and Until The Ribbon Breaks
FINNEAS’s reimagining of his track with Until The Ribbon Breaks takes on a whole new meaning, now set in the context of the BLM movement and fighting for change. Heavy instrumentation and massively produced vocals, vocodered to Daft Punk extremes (RIP), it’s a constant build from a hard-hitting version, one that belongs to a completely different musical universe from the original, which is a largely vulnerable piano-driven track.
“Big Boy” by PAYDAY
PAYDAY’s newest single in the run-up to her forthcoming EP is about a big girl feeling like a big boy and not caring what anyone has to say about that. Coupled with her signature quick wit, lyrical humor, and poppy production, “Big Boy” is a quick two-minute deep dive into everything PAYDAY has to offer by way of rapid-fire verse.
“Conceited” by Curtis Waters
Curtis Waters has always prided himself on being able to deliver a catchy hook and upbeat melody, which he delivers on his new track. A throwback to the early 2010s, steeped in the sound of early Justin Bieber and Taio Cruz, it embraces the cheesiness of smiley and sugary pop music, where a pristine package means not having to worry about your message.
“Cold” by Molina ft. Jonas Bjerre
Chilean-Danish Molina embraces non-conformity and fluidity on her new track. There’s no attempt to stick to a set key, there’s variations in the tempo, the music takes drastically different turns and paces. But all of them are done in a way that evokes confidence and polish, with a keen sense of experimentation. There’s really something to be said for finding your stamp in having no stamp at all.
“CURLED IN” by Jaguar Jonze
Right from the track’s opening, Jonze takes on the track’s power, assuming complete control over her narrative and voice. The rock sound and quiet badass vibe help her pull off that character, delivering a track that has a cinematic feel to it, particularly Kill Bill reminiscent.