We all like music, and being students, we love free stuff just as much. Luckily for us, good things come in threes – we also like knowing about what’s up-and-coming before everyone else. So when Amazon introduced their New for 2014 section, with 17 free MP3 downloads of some of the biggest and best new names of 2014, I leapt at the chance to download and review them.
I’ve Told You Now - Sam Smith
With the Brits Critics Choice Award and the BBC’s Sound of 2014 already firmly under his belt, 2014 is sure to be Sam Smith’s year. Naughty Boy’s ‘La La La’, which he featured on last year, didn’t do him justice - when he’s solo, he’s mind-blowing. This song features on his EP ‘Nirvana’, and the slow, peaceful nature of the track allows you to soak up every last bit of his soulful, smooth vocals. For fans of: Tom Odell, James Morrison
This Song’s Not About You – Chloe Howl This catchy tune from 2014’s British teenager-of-the-moment Chloe Howl displays her edgy, raw voice perfectly. The lyrics leave a lot to be desired, with such gems as “Okay the fact is, you’re sexually attractive” slightly marring what would otherwise be a very satisfying song to follow her single ‘No Strings’, but with Howl having admitted to The Guardian that “All my songs are about being a bored teenager, ‘cos I am one”, I suppose it’s to be expected. I particularly admire the way that she remains angsty whilst maintaining an essentially upbeat tune - this is a song that’s particularly good to pump full volume through the speakers when you’re having a relationship crisis. For fans of: Lily Allen, Eliza Doolittle
Avant Gardener – Courtney Barnett This Melbourne-based guitarist and singer-songwriter is famed for writing rambling, surreal songs, and this track, from her debut album ‘The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas’, is no exception. Her blank sing-speak country-folk delivery, in a quirky yet matter-of-fact little song about an unemployed slacker doing some gardening and suffering an anaphylactic panic attack, displays her Australian drawl delightfully. It really is the closest I’ve heard to a song in a long while where I feel the singer is genuinely addressing the listener; even when she lists vegetables she plans to cultivate I’m captivated. It’s a searingly honest, sweet song, drifting like the persona she speaks of, with clever lines like "The paramedic thinks I'm clever 'cause I play guitar, I think she's clever 'cause she stops people dying" – despite the topic, it’s incredibly relaxing to listen to. For fans of: Neko Case, Kate Nash
Beloved (Danglo Remix) – Say Lou Lou This twin sister act of Elektra and Miranda Kilbey hails from both Australia and Sweden. Here the duo provides an interesting offering of melancholic ethereal pop. Its dreamy quality is promising, but I don’t think much of the remix, which swallows the track up into an undisguisable maze of reverb. My advice: listen to the original instead. For fans of: Tegan and Sara, The xx
Deeper (Acoustic Version) – Ella Eyre This 19 year-old Brit School graduate was the runner up of the BBC Sound of 2014 list, so people are expecting big things from her already, and so far she hasn’t disappointed. Having scored a number one last year singing lead on Rudimental’s ‘Waiting All Night’, and touring with them throughout 2013, this year she’s determined to make it on her own. In this song you can hear Eyre’s soul, Motown and pop influences being pulled together into one powerful number which shows off her impressive vocal skills. Within her lyrics she also manages to convey honest and relatable teenage drama full of emotion such as, as in ‘Deeper’, when someone says they love you and you aren’t ready to say it back. For fans of: Lourde, Emeli Sandé
Echelon (It’s My Way) - Angel Haze As I’m not the greatest fan of rap and hip-hop myself, I found this tune tricky to listen to. However, for those who enjoy the genre, the bouncy beats, repeat spins and sharp prose, do make for a vibrant, busy track. The lyrics touch upon Haze’s religious upbringing – she was a member of the Greater Apostolic Faith, until her family was threatened by a pastor of the faith - adding an interesting contextual element to the song and the personal insight which Haze so commonly includes in her lyrics. For fans of: Eminem, Azealia Banks, M.I.A
Fail For You – Luke Sital-Singh Radio 1’s Jen Long claims that she listens to this song five to ten times a day, and after listening to Luke Sital-Singh for the first time I must say I don’t blame her. This 25-year-old Londoner’s heartfelt melodic ode to love and commitment, with beautiful lines to savour like “I will be your victory”, is simply mesmerising. Sital-Singh’s tenor, with its continuous rise and fall and its unique quality, sitting somewhere between a murmur and a roar, captivates from the off. For fans of: Ben Howard, Bon Iver, Damien Rice
Dark Night - MØ This song, from the Danish songstress’s debut EP, ‘Bikini Daze’, has a refreshing couldn’t-care-less nonchalance about it which definitely gives it an extra edge against the stereotypical pop of today. She’s also clearly capable of captivating song-writing, with the dark pop which makes her music so atmospheric and appealing emphasised further in the heady gloom of her lyrics. This, intermingled with the drums and trumpets of ‘Dark Night’, demonstrates her confidence, and proves why people too should have confidence in her ability to go far this year. Her debut album ‘No Mythlogies to Follow’ is out in February, but sadly this track will not feature. For fans of: Lana Del Ray, Marina and the Diamonds, Grimes
Forgiven/Forgotten – Angel Olsen Missouri-born alternative country singer-songwriter and guitarist Angel Olsen garnered Pitchfork’s ‘Best New Track’ status with this wistful, yearning track from her third record, and second studio album, ‘Burn Your Fire For No Witness’. The normally acoustic singer has utilised the instruments on this track to match the explosive intensity of her voice, with the distortion and kick drum giving the grunge-pop number a satisfying burr. The lyrics have an openly honest air, with the refreshing chorus adding to the song’s strength: “I don’t know anything, I don’t know anything. But I love you”. It’s clear that she’s learnt from the past two records, to come back with something fresh whilst still retaining her indie darling persona. The warmth in her voice grows in power, all the way through from the fantastic intro to the abrupt finish, and you’ll be sad when it’s over. For fans of: Waxahatchee, Foxygen, Kurt Vile.
Clarity – Foxes Foxes has been the name on everyone’s lips for years now, but she certainly deserves more recognition. This song is simply beautiful, and even better without the addition of Zedd, whose version you are likely to be more familiar with, in my opinion. Here in this live version her vocals are able to come through even more to showcase the moving lyrics in true splendid isolation. There’s a distinct purity to it; a subtlety which isn’t buried heavily under production flourishes like many female singers of today. For fans of: Gabrielle Aplin, Sia, Birdy
Weapon for Saturday – LOLO This Tennessee-born singer featured on Panic! At The Disco’s ‘Miss Jackson’, so if you recognise her vocals, this may well be why. This title track of her new album is slick and forceful, with lyrics to match: she ascertains that she ‘won’t go down without a fight’ and I truly believe her. Her brilliant vocal range shines through the edginess to create a wholly enjoyable new kind of pop. For fans of: The Noisettes, La Roux
Freeze (Tcts Remix) – Moko This New Cross soul singer who performed at Glastonbury last year masterfully uses vintage synths and samplers to manipulate a vibrant 90s soul and house feel. Her gospel-powered vocal blasts through this song, but the echoic remix is a bit off-putting at times. For fans of: Chase and Status, Jennifer Hudson
Budapest – George Ezra Having dropped out of university after one year at Bristol to pursue a music career, George Ezra scored fifth place in the BBC’s Sound of 2014 list, although in my eyes he should have topped the list. The soulful variations to the tone and depth in his voice, displayed perfectly in this track, is particularly remarkable when you consider that he is only 20 years-old. On ‘Budapest’ he certainly sounds way older and wiser than his years, with the old timey, Bob Dylan-esque vibe possibly having something to do with his love of fusing the old and the new, the American with the British. This duality makes a simple guitar-and-vocals track sound full of power and intrigue. For fans of: Michael Kiwanuka, Juan Zelada
Undiscovered – Laura Welsh Laura Welsh supported Ellie Goulding at her iTunes gig and has also done live dates with London Grammar, so it’s certain her days of being ‘Undiscovered’ are over. The hypnotically soulful voice of Welsh merges gracefully with the electro-pop sounds of this number, creating an entrancing song which proves that her Cold Front EP is a must-buy. For fans of: Jessie Ware, Florence and the Machine, Lissie
Compliment Your Soul – Dan Croll Having seen this up-and-coming 23- year-old from Staffordshire supporting Imagine Dragons, I can vouch for his live performance being just as good as this single recording, if not better - during his set he pointed out that this song made it onto the soundtrack for FIFA-14, and I can definitely see the appeal. This song, produced by Johan Hugo of The Very Best, is folkie electro-pop at its simplest, but it’s made exotic by the tricksy rhythms he encompasses. The instrumental horn section behind his palpable chorus, when combined with the heart-on-sleeve lyrics, is particularly fantastic. His full-length debut album ‘Sweet Disarray’ is soon to be released on March 10th, and I for one will be purchasing it. For fans of: Theo Katzman, Foals, Darwin Deez
Run (High Contrast Remix) – Joel Compass Joel Compass has written music with Rita Ora and Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts, and produced a track for John Legend – with names like that under his belt, it’s no wonder that he is hotly tipped to top the charts this year. This song has a part tribal, part garage beat, and when combined with Compass’ smooth vocals it creates a brilliantly fast-paced track. His Astronaut EP is a must for fans of atmospheric R&B. For fans of: The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, Miguel
Other Voices (Dave Sitek Version) – The Orwells These Chicago teens are currently supporting the Arctic Monkeys in America, and with their edgy brand of garage rock, it’s clear why they’ve been chosen. With the band having been described as “the best new live band in America”, I was expecting a lot from them, but whilst the song is undeniably enjoyable to listen to, at times the tune can feel annoyingly repetitive, and not in that clever hook kind of way. However, the more I listened to it, the more it grew on me, until I found myself knowing all the words and appreciating how greatly melodic the song actually is. They definitely shouldn’t be written off, as there’s a lot to redeem them; they’re evidently skilful instrumentalists for such a young band. For fans of: The Strokes, The Black Keys, Phoenix.
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