Girl Crush
Radio Silence
Those two little ticks on WhatsApp have a lot to answer for, haven’t they? This supple, Carly Rae Jepsen-level sad-bop from British-Swedish duo Girl Crush is all about the complex web of emotions brought about by being ghosted, ie some no-mark suddenly not replying after a 2-for-1 cinema date and some flirty DMs. Eschewing anger in favour of a sigh and a “well it’s your loss” eye roll, the brilliant Radio Silence is the perfect revenge.
Chrystal ft Rozwell Fitzroy
Vibe
Trump. Brexit. Theresa May’s dancing. The return of Westlife. There is a lot to be royally pissed off about as 2018 wheezes to a close, but Bolton’s Chrystal is here to offer us a scintilla of hope. “As long as I’m alive, everything is fine,” she coos sweetly over an uplifting mix of rumbling bass, slippery synths and computer-game bleeps. By the close, however, she’s practically shouting “I just wanna vibe”, like she’s just remembered the existence of Jacob Rees-Mogg and her optimism is starting to waver.
These New Puritans
Into the Fire
The self-proclaimed “heretics of British music” return with the musical equivalent of a three-bird roast (or turducken if you’re reading this in the US and Canada). It’s basically a pretty piano ballad stuffed inside a Marilyn-Manson-circa-Beautiful People goth-rock stomper, which has then, in turn, been smooshed inside a spoken-word mood piece. Still, it’s probably the catchiest thing they’ve ever done.
Cheryl
Love Made Me Do It
Like most good pop stars, Just Cheryl knows how to bait the red-tops. Her solo debut, 2009’s Fight For This Love, fed into the drama around her first marriage; 2010’s Promise This referenced death shortly after her malaria scare; and 2014’s I Don’t Care commented on her hasty marriage to a French restaurateur. Now, after another much-publicised breakup, she’s back with a bolshy banger called No More Payne, sorry, Love Made Me Do It, all unapologetic shoulder shrugs and some fantastic swearing.
Otha
I’m on Top
It’s a niche sub-genre but “muted dance songs that sound as if they’re being piped in from a nearby club” is fast becoming a favourite. Like fellow soft shoe shuffler Yaeji, Norway’s Otha recognises that not everyone wants to actually get up off their sofas and, like, move. Sidenote: “I dance like a queen, and my dress is a dream” is a late contender for 2018’s best lyric.
