Greetings readers,
It’s the end of June already! We’re officially over halfway through 2016 (does a perfect impression of the shocked emoji after coming to that realisation.) I can’t believe how quickly this year is whizzing by; we’re already in the middle of Summer – though it feels like should remind the weather gods of this fact – and it seems like we haven’t been out of jumpers and winter jackets for five minutes… because in truth, we haven’t.
But, aside from this runaway train of a year and the non-existent British summer, as it is the end of the month I’m going to be sharing with you the songs that I’ve been listening to non-stop these past few weeks. Enjoy!
The LaFontaines – Pon de Floor
I’ve been obsessed with this song ever since I saw The LaFontaines supporting The Summer Set on the UK leg of their ‘Stories For Monday’ tour. This stylish remix of Major Lazer’s ‘Pon de Floor’, seamlessly blends the band’s Scottish-tinged rap/rock with the dance style chorus – getting the crowd jumping along like crazed Jack-in-a-boxes. It’s such a fun song to dance to and I’m surprised the guys are yet to release their version of this track (because they definitely need to!)
PS. I love vocalist Kerr Okan’s ‘Yeah, man’ at the end of this video :).
The LaFontaines – Shark in the Water
Another one from The LaFontaines that I’ve been listening to is ‘Shark in the Water’; again, a re-worked cover, this time of Indie/pop singer-songwriter VV Brown’s track of the same name. Opening with the insanely addictive sing-along hook – which will for sure have crowd’s screaming along with their hands in the air – the song instantly has an entirely different and darker feel. The addition of Ker Okan’s almost aggressive, yet tuneful, Scottish rap vocals also set it apart from the original, so much so that you’d be forgiven for thinking it was entirely their song from the off.
Ariana Grande – Leave Me Lonely
I’ve never really listened to any of Ariana Grande’s music before, so I didn’t actually know of this song until I listened to a cover version posted online by popular beauty vlogger Gabriella Lindley (AKA Velvet Gh0st,) featuring fellow YouTuber/musician Hobbie Stuart. I thought I’d listen to both versions to compare the two, as I really loved the cover, and ‘pleasantly surprised’ doesn’t even cover my reaction. Taken from Grande’s ‘Dangerous Woman’ album, released in May this year, the almost-ballad also features vocals from household name Macy Gray. The darker, brooding nature of the song is different to anything we’ve heard from Grande so far (that I’m aware of) and arguably is the most real; it has a much more relatable feel rather than something that’s drowned in a danceable beat. The uncluttered instrumental is a great fit for the tone of the song and also shifts all focus onto Grande’s truly stellar, R’n’B-tinged, powerhouse vocals. It makes me want to listen to the rest of the album to see if the other tracks are as great as this one.
Against The Current – Chasing Ghosts
I’ve fallen in love with pop/rock band Against The Current this month! ‘Chasing Ghosts’, taken from their recently released debut album ‘In Our Bones’, shows a softer side to the band that fans haven’t really seen previously. The ethereal-sounding ballad feels very intimate from the get-go; combining subdued verses with a crashing chorus and emotionally honest lyrics. Chrissy Costanza’s vocals are mesmerising; her powerful, almost husky, tone captivating – and keeping – your attention throughout. Definitely one of my favourite songs on the album.
Against The Current – Blood Like Gasoline
Another one from ATC but, contrastingly to ‘Chasing Ghosts’, ‘Blood Like Gasoline’ has a much darker rock sound coupled with a heavier, explosive chorus. Again, Chrissy Costanza’s captivating vocals tie everything together as she hits every note flawlessly; the scattering of higher notes in certain places creating a beautiful effect.
As always thank you for reading and I hope that I inspired you to give these tracks a listen if you hadn’t heard of them before (or even if you have!) I usually post blogs once a week so, if you like what I’ve written and want to keep up to date, feel free to come and join me on:
🙂
Sophie Brown. 