Wait, Beyoncé has released a new track and the world continues to rotate? To be fair, it’s actually Beyoncé collaborator Boots‘ first track from his upcoming album, and he has somehow managed to take the spotlight while Bey provides some absolutely ethereal sultry background vocals. Of course, I’m living for the bridge when she takes the driver’s seat, but honestly, Boots is holding his own here. And the track itself is fantastic- modern yet completely reverent to R&B’s musical genealogy. It sweeps into your ears, transitioning from romantic to ASTOUNDING. At minute 4 and from then on out, what Bey is doing with her voice is literally slaying- the unexpected jump right at 4:00 is the money. Enjoy this beautiful gift of music, and also, the proceeds are for a good cause.
Also, Boots is just on a role with amazing tracks (this debut is going to be…flawless).
Lady Gaga released her new video for G.U.Y. as part of an ‘epic’ 7 minute ARTPOP film on Saturday evening to a startlingly cotidian reception. For the most part no one is critically discussing the work itself, and instead a google search turns up aggregated new sources that simply state it was released, and gush over the predicted indulgence and “strangeness” of her newest visual production. It’s difficult to say if the work is a success. Is this lack of journalistic engagement the nail on the coffin of one of Pop’s most transfixing creations? Gaga’s career has been somewhat of an anomaly of late, and with a strange divide between her true experiences and the facade that we’ve all grown to understand, it’s an interesting direction for the ARTPOP conundrum.
G.U.Y. is Gaga’s first video release since August 19th’s rushed unveiling of the aptly prepared Applause, and the beginning of marketing and promotion for ARTPOP. Applause was an honest and revealing mantra from an artist whose career was built on the enigma of fame. It was also a phenomenal pop track, with incredible production and a stunning music video. There was a moment of excitement; a second of promise. But Applause was mostly unsuccessful, in comparison to Gaga’s previous sales records and contemporaries, and the single brought to light some disconcerting happenings in her career and within Haus of Gaga. Rumours circled about shady maneuvers to boost sales (especially in light of competing with Katy Perry’s unbelievably drab Roar).
Following Applause, Gaga began teasing tracks from ARTPOP. Among them the widely popular Do What U Want was teased on a Beats Headphones ad. It was brilliant product placement, for Beats and ARTPOP, and the ad itself made the song seem epic, intriguing, and poised for a commercial take over. But the release of Do What U Want was riddled with missteps. The song featured a controversial and tired artist (R.Kelly- whose latest record Black Panties exposed how entirely irrelevant he is), the video was never created, and the replacement of R.Kelly with Christina Aguilera read as desperate.
However, throughout this whole process, it’s important to remember that this is STILL Gaga. There are still amazing live performances, there are still gorgeous outfits, there are still fantastic pop songs. There was only one acoustic performance of Applause, and only one of Do What U Want, and both were absolutely mesmerizing and artful, a true iteration of the potential of ARTPOP.
Let’s get a little meta hipster by bypassing SXSW buzz and instead posting about Jenny from the Block’s new single, I Luh Ya PaPi. Why? Because it seems as though the Pitbull driven global dance craze domination that On The Floor started may be over, and she may actually be creating relevant Pop music again. Why is this track relevant? First of all let’s just get this out of the way- she’s taking her cues from Beyoncé. The song is full of silly culturally comestible phrases, accents, and melodies like sonic gifs for our brains (I can’t even wait for the video). The fact that Noel Fisher (aka Detail), who collaborated on Drunk In Love, produced the track was certainly a carefully planned decision, and a fantastic one at that. The unexpected and sort of anti-instinctive reversed synth arpeggio is exciting and edgy, the beat summer ready (I can just see the fire hydrants of Bushwick spewing water in 100 degree weather as this song blasts), and the hook is probably the most addictive thing you’ve heard all year (from anyone other than B of course). If it took Beyoncé’s groundbreaking release to force established female artists to reassess their choices, and in effect push top 40 Pop into a more interesting direction, then more power to her, and more power to someone smart enough to take the cue. So props JLO. You aren’t THE innovator, but you’re following suit and created something great.
The best two albums of the year are easily both the fifth & self-titled releases from the most iconic female ‘pop’ artists, Beyonce and St. Vincent (fifth if you count Annie Clark’s Byrne collab). Both are on the periphery of Pop, creating music that incorporates other genres, and inadvertently stretching Pop itself beyond where it was comfortable going, or any of us expected it to go. Thank god there are still innovative and intelligent women putting music out, given the disparate and disappointing releases from our other divas in 2013. Self-titling an album is not enough (don’t expect Shakira’s tenth album to slay), but there’s something so self affirming and ‘step outside of the present to recognize something iconic as it happens’ about the career high these albums have so meticulously become.
This week’s digest is packing some heavy punches. Kicking things off with Kelela’s stunning new track High, followed by Beyoncé producing/writing Boots and his second solo cut. Little Dragon premiered a track from their new album this week, and it is mind blowing. A few new artists are followed by a cover of Dreams and Chvrches taking on the Arctic Monkeys.
Boots is the man behind the stilettos on Beyoncé’s irresistible, innovative, career-shifting and now ubiquitous self-titled fifth studio album. He has writing and producing credits for Haunted, Heaven, and Blue as well as a writing credit on Jealous. Being a part of such a huge and well curated project, a high point in the career of one of the already most successful women of our time, and sharing writing and production credits with the likes of Timbaland and Justin Timberlake is in itself a huge accomplishment for a newcomer (PS he signed to Roc Nation in June). What’s even more intriguing about Boots is that the tracks he was involved with are some of the most abstract, innovative and insightful on the album, Haunted and Jealous being two of the most original to come from Beyoncé in a while. This elusive and business minded talent has already crafted some of the most accessibly innovative tracks in the pop canon and yet remains largely unknown. It seems as though Boots has plans to change that though as he has released his second solo track in a year. It’s pretty much as fantastic as you’d expect, given his credentials. Dust is a savory and indulgent slow weave through heavy and sparse bass, underlying at time abstract melodies that then morph into top notch pop vocal lines traversing sick drum & bass, with glimpses of detroit house influenced production. At times like as if SBTRKT produced James Blake with the voice of a 90s pop rock band. Check it out. Become a fan.
There’s no denying the way that Solange changed the scenery of R&B (in ways that the galavanting gents of the genre have merely attempted), and the entirely new niche audience she cultivated (unintentionally?) with her sultry and modern NeoSoul EP. Continue reading →
I’m no film critic, or Jazz Age historian, but I must say that Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby seemed to capture the true essence of the era- in its flaws. The decadent cinematography, the enamouring fashions, and the star-studded soundtrack are ironically exemplary of the no expenses spared attitude of the wealthy New Yorkers portrayed in the book and film. While the music and fashions were exciting and entertaining, especially within the astounding and opulent sets (the scene where the audience first meets Daisy is stunning), it seemed to mask the lack of true quality and could have probably been done better on a smaller budget (why all the big names?). Continue reading →
Here are some of my favorite tracks from what’s been floating around the internet this week. Astr really grabbed my attention as a brand new pop duo from Brooklyn who are serving post-modern pop in a delicious and dirty fashion. Continue reading →
Kaiotic Music 
