Check out some of this week's newest tracks from jxdn, Scene Queen and Eloise!
Sober – jxdn
Drifting away from his pop-punk sound slightly (the influences of it are still there, don’t worry) for a more mature radio-friendly pop sound, jxdn is back with a new single titled Sober. As an avid pop-punk fan, I have to admit that I slightly miss the angst that was present on his debut album, but his confident vocals definitely suit the new direction that he appears to be taking with his music. This catchy pop tune has the potential to be a summer anthem thanks to the upbeat guitars that drive the song, so it may not be the best soundtrack to the cold nights of November, but Sober is a light-hearted, feel-good track that is pleasant to listen to. Gemma Cockrell
Pink Hotel – Scene Queen
The closing track of Scene Queen’s newest EP, BIMBOCORE VOL. 2, aims to leave you with an impression. Every chance she has, or even fabricated chances you wouldn’t view as musically or lyrically possible, Scene Queen drops inuendoes, diss tracks to the patriarchy and sexually-charged remarks. The overarching message of the song lays within the iconic line “I put the hoe in hotel”, which ultimately sets up the story of the entire song. One where Scene Queen rules a queer and glamourous version of a brothel, removed of stigma and wholly induced with fun, danceability, and even relatability. Even at the end of the song, Scene Queen chants “Gays with ADHD, listen to me…”, proclaiming herself as a positive voice for modern queer people who, perhaps, want music to take itself less seriously just as they want society to remove stigmas from all of these themes too. They’re unavoidable parts of life, so if they’re unavoidable, we may as well make them fun. Roxann Yus
Vanilla Tobacco – Eloise
An infatuation with sex. Vanilla Tobacco is Eloise’s newest single. Following from her previous two EP’s: This Thing Called Living and Somewhere In-Between, she seems to be moving towards a more modern style with catchy hooks, poppy drumbeats and record scratches dotted in and around. Moving away from the vintage feel that has defined her sound so far. This is one of her more relaxed songs, with a laid-back feel and positive theme. She tells a story of chemistry and romance between her and another character. The lyrics draw you in and briefly give life a rose-coloured tint. It has elements of raunchiness, “you leave love bruises on my thighs” contrasted by the sweetness of “give me a little kiss, on my nose”. Gorgeous harmonies engulf the listener in the dreamscape Eloise has created. The beautifully played piano part is delicate and sensitive to the rest of the music and is reminiscent of her jazz background, creating likeness between herself and artists such as Laufey, Joy Crookes, Celeste, and Sammy Rae. She ends the track with an elegant and effortless scat solo, with melodic lines that wouldn’t be out of place coming from the saxophone of Charlie Parker or trumpet of Chet Baker. I am very interested to see what Eloise releases next, how she develops as an artist and where her music will go. Sophie Kozlowska
PARANOIA – GARZI, ft. FEVER 333 and Point North
I’ll be honest: I’m not familiar with GARZI at all. But I have in fact endured many FEVER 333 and Point North phases. PARANOIA falls comfortably within the modern alt-rock scene, with similarities to DE’WAYNE’s newest album for example. It’s repetitive and punchy, just like I would describe a good punk-alt track. But that being said, it runs the risk of predictability too. In trying to avoid predictability, they’ve featured multiple artists to add different POVs to a rather simple track. FEVER 333 delivers just as we would expect: dynamic, punky, with an identifiable viewpoint and vocalisation. But without these features, the song would have little to no substance. I’m sure this song was designed and written for features, so I appreciate the stylistic choices nonetheless; however, I wish there was an extra kick somewhere in the song. Roxann Yus
Edited by Roxann Yus
Cover image courtesy of jxdn via Facebook.
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