N-DUBZ – TIMELESS
Having initially found fame, and controversy, in the late noughties, N-Dubz are returning to recording after an 11-year hiatus that was broken by last year’s string of reunion gigs. In their heyday, the trio of Tulisa, Dappy and Fazer won four Mobo Awards and earned a Brit Award nomination – but are now celebrating a global record deal with EMI with the release of Timeless.
Their latest album showcases a degree of maturing songwriting, with topics such as mental health and unhealthy relationships explored, while maintaining their trademark style that helped them rise to prominence.
R&B-infused pop single February tells the tale of a relationship gone wrong, while The Ick laments people who brag about their wealth. Elsewhere, London offers an ode to their home city which is preferred to the likes of Tokyo, Toronto and New York.
Summer vibes are spread on Habibti which seems destined to become a club classic and The Lights continues to disperse a message of positivity – with the trio all proclaiming that they want to see “all of the lights”.
Although the length of Timeless proves to be its downfall, with several similar-sounding tracks, there are still enough strong songs to prove the comeback successful.
7/10
(Review by Alexander Hoggard)
CIAN DUCROT – VICTORY
Irish TikToker and singer/songwriter Cian Ducrot kick-starts his debut album with deeply personal title track Victory, which documents his experiences growing up.
The single is a standout song on the album but it makes for a confusing listen with Ducrot singing in his Irish accent during the verses before belting out the chorus with an American intonation, as he switches to a higher pitch.
Victory is comprised of numerous ballads, many of which are introduced with a medley of minor keys being played on the piano.
Other tracks feature an angelic sounding choir with single I’ll Be Waiting For You backed by a group of soulful singers, making for a very passionate sounding song about love.
Ducrot rose to fame on the online platform TikTok and has a legion of fans who listen to his songs.
His debut album features a couple of noteworthy singles (Victory, I’ll Be Waiting For You) which are sure to entice his TikTok viewers, but the rest of the album fails to make much of an impression.
5/10
(Review by Hannah Roberts)
GIRL RAY – PRESTIGE
North London’s Girl Ray are here with a soundtrack to the summer it doesn’t look as though we’re going to have.
Ever shape-shifting, they’ve transformed from their indie guitar debut, through the R&B follow-up to an exhilarating third album rooted in disco and early-1980s dancefloors.
Chic, Donna Summer, Abba, Madonna and Orange Juice’s trebly guitar are inspirations along with Pose, Ryan Murphy’s TV series set in the queer ballroom scene of 1980s New York City.
The brief Intro sets the scene, a car stops outside a club where you hear a snippet of music as the door opens.
This is a make-believe venue called Prestige which singer and songwriter Poppy Hankin conjured up as she wrote the album, and the music is first track True Love, which glides in on Chic bass and choppy guitar.
Up sees Hankin sing “it feels unreal, that you’d choose me as your one and only” with the song briefly slowing right down, before ending with some 80s yacht rock guitar and synths.
The lyrics never stray far from love and romance and drummer Iris McConnell and bassist Sophie Moss, who also featured on last year’s Legends Of Country album, keep the rhythms centred firmly on the dancefloor.
But penultimate track Space Song slows the pace right down before epic final song Give Me Your Love beings everything together.
Produced by Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard and Al Doyle, it stretches out to almost eight minutes of classic house and electro, a fitting finale to a joyous album.
8/10
(Review by Matthew George)
MILES KANE – ONE MAN BAND
Miles Kane’s new album, One Man Band, brings high energy from the opening notes which is carried over to the following 10 tracks.
The album opens with Troubled Son, a rocky tune with clear indie influences and a slight 90s vibe.
The Best is Yet to Come dives straight into Kane’s raspy vocals and begins with a heavy guitar beat and grows to a high-energy song.
The vibrancy continues with The Wonder, with the addition of a lusty undertone.
Midway through the album, Kane continues to lean on his signature style, but it begins to feel a little repetitive with songs like Baggio and Dumpster, despite them sounding like they would be crowd-pleasers.
Kane brings the attention back with Heal – a song with poignant lyrics touching on themes of mental health and friendship.
The closing track, Scared of Love, is an acoustic tune showing off Kane’s vocals and is unlike anything else on the album.
Overall, One Man Band is exactly what you would expect from a Kane album – it’s full of headbanging rock tunes with a clear 90s influence, but it is made even stronger by the final tracks, sure to capture listeners’ hearts.
9/10
(Review by Molly Powell)
