Normani
Motivation
She’s by far the best thing about sporadically average girl band Fifth Harmony, and Normani’s solo career has so far involved being the best thing about songs by the sporadically average Khalid and Sam Smith. But all that shit-or-get-off-the-pot scene-setting ends here with this buoyant, horn-laced, late-summer BBQ bop that nestles in the nook between Ariana Grande and 2006-era Beyoncé. It’s so good you initially miss the lyric “baby turn around let me give you innovation”, which – forgive me if I’m wrong – seems to be about pegging.
Cashmere Cat
Emotions
Reclusive Norwegian producer Magnus Høiberg, AKA Cashmere Cat, now has a new alter ego to hide behind in the shape of, ahem, Princess Catgirl. “She” appears on Emotions, a high-pitched glide across a glitching screensaver that initially feels like a joke but by about the 50th play starts to reassemble into something strangely human. Like the closing credits music to a video game about an existential crisis.
Katy Perry
Small Talk
Asked recently if there was a new album brewing – Small Talk is Perry’s second single of 2019, her first new music since Witness’s “purposeful pop” nearly upended her career – the nun-botherer said only “if there’s demand for a full body of work”. (More like lack-of-purpose pop, amiright?!) Anyway, I respect that: we’re all busy, sometimes a breezy ditty about awkward post-break-up chats you’ll mumble along to on the radio once is all we need.
Tkay Maidza ft JPEGMAFIA
Awake
Ah, so this is what insomnia sounds like. “Late night, probably awake,” raps Maidza informatively over a probably-not-going-to-help-let’s-be-honest beat that sounds like a migraine being tossed around an erupting volcano full of bees, before the haunted voice of JPEGMAFIA appears to chat about demons. Again, not hugely helpful. May I recommend reruns of Antiques Roadshow, a cup of chamomile tea around 10pm and some freshly washed bed linen. You’re welcome.
Lana Del Rey
Season of the Witch
Lana going full designer asthma attack over elegant strings on a cover of a song from the 1960s that mentions “beatniks”, taken from professional outcast Guillermo del Toro’s new horror film feels so on the nose it’s almost laughable that it exists at all. Nice but forgettable, like Wednesdays.
