In 2009, Aberdeen trio, The Xcerts emerged onto the scene with debut album with 'In The Cold Wind We Smile'. The album was full of soaring yet offbeat alternative rock ballads with weird structures and frequent contrasts of loud and soft. They followed it up with 'Scatterbrain' which was even weirder. While the songs were bigger, grungier, angrier and overall more (I'm sorry) emo.

As idiosyncratic as they were, the albums are both great. They are not instant, though. Both take a lot of getting used to.

The Xcerts start 'There Is Only You' a lot like their past two albums with a short ambient intro track. After this though, the album just explodes.

The next three tracks show an unseen side of The Xcerts. While it is energetic like 'Scatterbrain''s titular track, the tracks are here are incredibly poppy, upbeat and incredibly catchy. They're songs to sing along and jump around to.

'There Is Only You' has MacLeod singing a slightly higher register than we are used to along with Coheed and Cambria style harmonies. The album is very rich produced by Dave Eringa and Paul Steel, including pianos, strings, synths, ahs and oohs and huge fuzzy guitars.

There are slight nods to past stuff, for example, ballad Kevin Costner and the title track which, like most track on 'Cold Wind' gets better with every play.

With 'There Is Only You', The Xcert have managed to create a fantastic pop album while not decending into cringeworthy cheese (like another 2014 Scottish rock album). Along with their clever yet personal lyrics, the character of the band is still very resonant due in part to Murray MacLeod's angsty vocals sung with a bratty Aberdonian accent. It's one of the albums of the year.

Unlike 'In The Cold Wind We Smile' and 'Scatterbrain', 'There Is Only You' is an album that can be recommended to near enough anyone. It is a fantastic introduction to the band for any new listeners to the band.

The real feat is that The Xcerts have now released three albums. All of them great and all of them completely different. They've also managed to this while retaining their identity. The difference between releases simply show the growth of the band.

 While Weezer are my favourite band, I don't count myself a proper Weezer fan. A proper Weezer fan goes on forums saying the band haven't done anything decent since 1996's 'Pinkerton'. What I am is a Weezer apologist. While songs such as 'I'm Your Daddy' and 'The Girl Got Hot' have made it very hard for me to defend the American quartet's recent releases, every album has at least a handful of great pop songs.

Although Rivers has said that 'Everything Will Be Alright In The End' would be an album their “fans” will enjoy and they'd stop pandering to the masses, he does so in the fucking lyrics of lead single, 'Back To The Shack'! It only comes across as cheesy. While the much maligned 'Pork and Beans' was as self-referential, 'Back To The Shack' does not have the melodies to back it up.

'Ain't Got Nobody' starts with a chugging distorted guitar not dissimilar to 'Hurley''s 'Trainwrecks'. There is a difference to this and 'Trainwrecks' and it's Ric Ocasek's (producer of Weezer's blue and green albums) rougher production. It is anthemic and exciting opener to the album.

'Eulogy For a Rock Band', a tribute to 'one of Weezer's forefathers is also one of the better tracks of the album. While the verses' lyrics don't seem to rhyme whatsoever, it can be overlooked with such a rich chorus, a great contrast to the minimalist verses.

There's a lot to be nostalgic about with 'EWBAITE'. The production, solos and falsetto sections really take you back to listening to 'Blue' or 'Maladroit' for the first time. Unlike past albums, this is definitely the same Weezer we know and love. The problem is that it's still a disappointing record.

While there's great moments here and there, it's plagued with missteps like 'Eulogy''s verses. 'Lonely Girl', for example, starts with, presumably, an incredibly catchy chorus. After a cool minor pre-chorus (or is it?), you're ready for it to come back in and for you to sing “My Lonely Girl” at the top of your lungs. However, it only comes back at the very end of the song.

The verses in 'The British Are Coming' have a really pretty melody sung in unison with the lead guitar but the song's title is such a weird lyric that it detracts from the rest of the song. This doesn't ruin the song but there are songs where that is the case. 'I've Had It Up To Here' (or 'Back To The Shack 2' as it could be named) has really funky falsetto verses (with noticeable input from co-writer Justin Hawkins) but is squandered by a shitty chorus. The same goes for 'Cleopatra' which has awkward irregular timing but still managed to be boring. 'Foolish Father' starts off really cool and dark but has the happiest, poppiest chorus on the album. It's not bad and the track becomes its own thing with a cool outro (the album's title being sung by a children's choir) but the verses are just so out of place with the rest of the track.

The album does, however have one Weezer's best songs ever. 'Go Away', a duet with Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino, is so catchy and more importantly so Weezery. It has 'In The Garage' style underneath 'Don't You Want Me, Baby' style lyrics.

The thing with Weezer's lyrics, is there's no subtlety to them. While effective in Pinkerton in portaying multiple fuck ups with women, the lyrics in EWBAITE either seem too tongue-in-cheek (Back To The Shack, Ain't Got Nobody), overearnest (Eulogy For a Rock Band) or dishonest. Rivers is a married guy with a kid. Nobody is buying that he 'Ain't Got Nobody' or that he's been told to 'Go Away' by a girlfriend after screwing around.

While Ric Ocasek's production of 'Everything Will Be Alright In The End' is a welcome return to Weezer's sound, the songs are simply not there. I hope Weezer continue to work with Ocasek but write better songs like those on 'Hurley'.

It’s around about five o’clock in the morning and I’m at Edinburgh airport with my girlfriend. We’re in the gate waiting to board our flight to Dublin. 

The masses have already inexplicably begun queuing despite the fact that the plane doesn’t leave for another hour. We were zoned out in a zombified state of sleep on a couple seats nearby – myself flicking slowly through a magazine and taking none of it in, my other half staring deeply into an abyss of utter confusion that only kicks in over sleep-deprivation.

Why were we there? The same reason half the other people on the plane were. To make the trip to a spectacular show from a band at the forefront of their genre. We were off to see Biffy Clyro play a one-off show at what was effectively a giant castle in Dublin. 

What better reason to get up at five o'clock in the morning?

After some naptime on arrival, a stroll around Dublin, a tour of the Guinness factory and some extended sampling of that famous local brew, it was time to head to the spectacular Royal Hospital Kilmainham for the super showdown – with Little Matador and You Me At Six providing some top support to the outdoor show made all the more killer by the blue skies and shining sun.

The Scottish trio came on with a massive bang. Lights blaring, crowd roaring, signature toplessness intact. Let's get going.

‘Different People’, from latest album Opposites, was the opening track. A welcome intro to the set, starting slow, bursting into life and eventually exploding with a kickass chorus that set the tone pretty well for the slamming showcase to follow.

The set was formed from a variation of past and present that an audience of the band has come to expect. Biffy are wonderfully renowned for the quality of their back catalogue – the days of NME slating Blackened Sky now seem a laughable past – and after getting going with a few songs from Opposites and Only Revelations, Puzzle’s ‘Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies’ featured, followed by the likes of Blackened Sky’s ‘Justboy’ and Infinity Land favourite ‘Glitter and Trauma’.

A more surprising inclusion was ‘Questions and Answers’ from 2003 album The Vertigo of Bliss, but the song worked well in the set, slowing the pace after ‘Who’s Got a Match?’ to lead on to more recent success ‘Many of Horror’.

The passion of the band was powerful throughout the set - and essential to the success of the show. From ‘Whores’ and ‘Sounds Like Balloons’ to the wonderful ‘Woo Woo’ and ‘Black Chandelier’, the riffs were heavy, original, catchy as hell and executed ruggedly in a way that means you’re not just listening to a live set of studio recordings – you're listening to a performance packed with the passion and zeal that has driven the trio on to keep upping their game and setting the bar higher each time they take to the stage.

When the group played the heavy stuff, the crowd went wild, and so did the band. When they slowed it down for the likes of ‘The Thaw’, or for solo acoustic takes on ‘God & Satan’ and ‘Machines’ from Simon Neil, the audience turned choir to reverberate the words right back up to the stage.

It’s gigs like this that make it a shame that the whole process of the ‘encore’ is effectively ruined, because Biffy are exactly the kind of band that genuinely leave the audience desperate for more – the kind of band that would almost certainly command a rampant encore in the days when these things actually had to be earned.

Finishing off with ‘Stingin’ Belle’ and big-time anthem ‘Mountains’, it was a sensational overall performance from James and Ben Johnston alongside Simon Neil, who left the stage declaring: ‘thankyou, we’ve been Biffy fucking Clyro’. A jubilant statement to match what most of the audience will have been thinking at the time.

Biffy certainly put on a performance that makes you remember what music should really be all about – the passion, the craze and the love of innovation.

It was a concert that leaves you pining for more, and buzzing for another session with the Biff.

                                                                                                                                          Stuart Kenny
                                                                                                                Photographs: Mairi Petticrew

While fans at folk, jazz and some indie concerts just want to hear live music played well, pop-punk gigs are definitely more of a two way street. Fans are there primarily to have a good time. The band can play their songs note perfect but if the rest of the crowd aren’t up for it, it can be sort of shit.

Decade were second on the Slam Dunk Scotland bill at the Liquid Room.  They played anthemic, grungey pop-punk with spot on harmonies with the highlight their new single, British Weather. Typical to such a support slot, the audience were happy to simply listen to their songs.

The next band were Neck Deep, which saw the audience become a lot livelier. The Welsh quintet had a great command over the audience getting them to sing, jump, point and mosh to their 10 song set. The success of their set may be due recent popularity; the energy of their music or the animation of lead singer who was singing to the audience as though the girl he was smiting was standing in the front row. The band were so popular that a large portion of the audience started chanting for an encore.

This encore request was unsuccessful, however, as Neck Deep had to make way for Hit The Lights. They definitely could have though as Hit The Lights hit the stage half an hour after Neck Deep’s set had ended. The band informed the crowd that British Airways had lost their instruments and guitarist, Omar Zehery was unable to travel the UK. They had to borrow instruments and lead singer, Nick Thompson, had to also fill in for guitar, which he did efficiently. Due to the problems, Hit The Lights only played four of their biggest and best hits to the Edinburgh crowd. Although the band were popular when the songs they played were released (all of which were at least six years old), the crowd did not seem as well versed with Hit The Lights as they were with Neck Deep due to the youthful nature of their genre. It'll be interesting to see whether Neck Deep are still as popular five years from now.

We Are The In Crowd played a great set involving tracks from their new album, Weird Kids, Best Intentions and from their debut EP, Guaranteed To Disagree. Most of the tracks had been released as singles making their set almost a greatest hits collection.

They started their set with ‘Long Live The Kids’. This worked as an effective opener with the steady intro acting as an introduction to the set. Once the song kicked off, the crowd became incredibly energetic. This energy remained as they played, gutsy single, ‘The Best Thing That Ever Happened’ and throughout the rest of the set. Unusually, during, ‘Kiss Me Again’, a section of the audience started a moshpit perhaps winning the award for ‘Softest Song People Have Ever Moshed To’. It was also nice to see We Are The In Crowd feeding off of the crowd’s enthusiasm.

The entire band were incredibly charismatic throughout the gig. Their energetic set featured jumps, spinning guitars also saw the group interact with the audience, pointing out the “Here we fucking go!” chants they always receive in Scotland and claiming that they brought it to America. Rather, than leaving the stage for their encore, they joked that the audience should just turn away then look back, which about half the crowd did. This may have been due to time constraints but was still refreshingly honest.

Before the gig, I had pegged We Are The In Crowd as a second rate Paramore. However, this evening proved that they're a very fun, charismatic pop band with a large number of great songs. Had I been with friends, chances are that I would have been involved in the various moshpits myself.

Monarchy – Living Without You (MK Letting Go Remix)     4/5

The modern master of the remix Marc Kinchen brings us back to the early 1990s with his latest work – a disco remix of Monarchy’s funky number.

Dark tones of robotic keyboard bounce up and down in a flowing melody that continues to circle throughout the four minute plus song but does not bore. Whereas often MK lets his backing beat take full charge of the tune, mixing in just a single word or line from the song which he is remixing, on this occasion he lets the full vocals of Ra Black sound out from around the minute mark in his edit.

With the lyrics still accompanying and complimenting the rhythm rather than driving it along though, this tune is all about that electronic backing. And it’s truly tantalising producing from the Detroit electronic artist.

The Pierces – Kings     3/5

Sisters Allison and Catherine Pierce return with their powerful new record Kings, the second single to be taken from their upcoming album Creation to be released in September.

A basic backbeat made up from guitar and keyboard work supplies the foundations for a fast flowing vocal melody from the Alabama-born siblings that carries the number. The verses are smart and maintain interest by rising and falling nicely in tone and power through the powerful vocals on offer.

The chorus then offers a rising harmony which is barely original, and the repetition of this bracket becomes increasingly agitating as the song draws on. Good vocal work and songwriting without a distinctive edge.

Heart to Heart – Mentirosa     4/5

Heart to Heart have diverted from their previous punk-rock roots to take on a harsher, heavier tone in their music ahead of the release of their new album Dulce
– and it suits them well.

A plucked guitar twang opens up the number in intelligent manner, and this progresses nicely to introduce a heavier instrumental lay down and rough, fitting vocals before an anthemic if slightly predictable chorus.

The vocals really come into their own during the second verse as they begin to sound out over the strong instrumental backing. Breaks between chorus and verse are dealt with well so as to not invite on monotony too, with a cooled bridge leading on to subdued clean vocals late in the third verse to separate it from the previous offerings.

The lyrics could do with a little more depth and meaning but this is a neatly put together track that showcases some good work from the band.

Handguns – Sleep Deprived     2/5

American four-piece Handguns don’t hang around waiting to get their latest effort off to a quick start. Neat instrumental work heavy on riffs familiar to pop-punk play out over vocals shouting about the past woes of a lost relationship. Not much differentiating from genre conventions then, but the chorus is catchy and the chantable lyrics will work well on the live stage.

The tune is slowed down to acoustic pace for a few seconds late on before bursting back into that repeated chorus. It’s a number that will likely appease current fans and is capable of showcasing instrumental talent, but without a distinguishing selling point, it does leave you hoping that more unique efforts await when the band drop their upcoming album on 7 July.

★ RECORD OF THE WEEK ★

Kanye West – God Level (prod. By Hudson Mohawke)     4/5

Glasgow’s own Hudson Mohawke has been living the high life lately after leaving the land of Sub Club and Rubadub Records for the planes of Hawaii to turn producer for Kanye West.

Mohawke is now a full-time member of Kanye’s G.O.O.D music label, and he’s once again the producer behind the latest track to come forward from West. The track, entitled God Level, seems to be (an albeit pretty impressive) leftover, from the rapper’s coveted Yeezus, and debuted in the latest Adidas World Cup advert, featuring Lionel Messi & co.

Trap drums cue an exotic feel from the start that let you see why the track seemed appropriate for Adidas’ Rio de Janeiro-bound advertisement, all the while applying the unique obscurity found throughout Yeezus to the backing track.

This is a back beat which is continually prominent, be it right in your face and blasting your ear drums or simply smashing away in a slightly more subdued manner, but it sets the scene perfectly for Kanye to drop some traditionally Kanye lyrics.

As you can imagine, then, much of Kanye’s input here involves shouting out ‘God Level’ throughout the track around lyrics that play on the opening line (‘Provide a new coffin/You don’t see murder like this this often’) to combine with the backing to form an exhilaratingly, almost tenacious carnivalistic atmosphere.

An exciting, heavy listen coming soon to a motivational YouTube video near you.

                                                                                                                                        Stuart Kenny

Glasgow threesome PAWS made a lot of waves in 2012 with their debut album, 'Cokefloat'. The album was longlisted for Scottish Album of the Year and received a great deal of critical praise for its lo-fi pop-punk tracks with rich lyrical themes, like the recent death of frontman, Philip Taylor's mother.

PAWS start Youth Culture Forever starts just as sombre sounding like a stoned-off-their-tits Teenage Fanclub singing cheery lines as “Do you know what it's like? To sit there in stone watching your best friends die.”. These emotionally bare lyrics hidden behind the huge guitars and distorted vocals is another feather to PAWS' bow.

The album then speeds up with fun and instantly catchy tracks, 'Tongues', 'Someone New' and the colourfully titled 'Owl Talons Clutching At My Heart'. 'Cokefloat' drew a great deal of comparison to 90s bands like Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr., however, these tracks seem to have more in common with recent bands like The Cribs and The Vaccines. These tracks are incredibly fun and are among the best songs on the album.

The next two tracks have a very low lyric count. While the lyrical minimalism adds to, acoustic ballad, Alone's vulnerability, the elongated “Give up! Give u-u-u-u-up! Give up!” in 'Give Up' only really comes across as lazy songwriting. This unfortunately carries on through the album in Narcissist and Let's All Let Go.

Alone ends the upbeat danceable music on the past five tracks. The track features Taylor urging his subject not to commit suicide. So, yeah... there goes my buzz. The first two thirds of the track are sang and played alone by Philip Taylor with the band coming in on the third. A more satisfying release for the tension built up throughout the track may have been to play one chorus once the band had joined in.

PAWS return to their dancy catchy punk on the next three tracks. An Honest Romance would be a singalong anthem if only it were possible to decipher the chorus's lyrics. Narcissist and Let's All Go are fun but are perhaps too similar to Give Up.

'Great Bear', a short repetitive instrumental track which does very little for this writer, is followed by almost the title track 'YCF'. YCF is a another acoustic track played by Taylor which talk about returning to his home town which he does not look to kindly upon. The track displays wry lyricism with lines like “I know I said this in a song before but fuck it, life goes on.” It isn't clear whether the album's titular line is sarcastic or whether it's describing the feeling of youth more as a curse. It isn't a celebration of youth, anyway.

Album closer, 'Warcry' transitions from an very intimate solo performance from Taylor (throat clears and everything) to just fuck off riffage. As Taylor closes the second solo section with “Hear my warcry sui... cide”, waiting for the drop is incredibly exciting. Howevever, the track is 11 minutes long. After two minutes, the vocals have finished. After another three minutes of guitars with a tonne of delay and reverb on them playing over the same bass line, you just want the song to end. The track only comes across as self-indulgence.

Youth Culture Forever sets a balance between punky, insanely catchy pop and dreary solo tracks with grungy anthems opening and closing the album. It is a far more ambitious effort than it's predesson and, therefore, makes more false steps. However, the choruses are better than on 'Cokefloat', the lyrics are frequently brilliant and there a lot of interesting risks taken.

Oliver $ & Alex Metric – Hope     4/5

This song is catchy as hell. Looping vocals provide a hook that gets you interested in what’s coming right from the start, and after the kicking bass gets going 15 seconds in, it’s only a matter of time till things gradually start to take place.

Bouncy synths get involved on 30 seconds that jump and thump around the constant bass, and when the minute mark arrives, we’re treated to a rhythm that ties in 90s groove with twisting synth work to make up a beat that will work wonders on the dancefloor.

This beat sees the song through its duration, and will no doubt see many a club goer through a night of intensive shuffling. The tune dips and dives out of vocals and rhythms to stop it becoming too cyclical, and while it may be a bit abstract for regular home play, it’s sure to be a number well received in the clubs.

Deadmau5 – Avaritia     3/5                

Controversial Canadian electronic music maestro Deadmau5 returns with Avaritia ahead of his upcoming album release on 17 June.

A melodic electronic flow builds up slowly before bursting into life to introduce this song with a rhythm that wouldn’t be misplaced on Daft Punk’s Tron: Legacy Soundtrack. After fading out, this is replaced with a hypnotic looping bass beat, which thumps repetitively before the original soundings begin to work their way back in.

This thumping fuzz possibly goes on a little too long however. It may have worked well as a quick bridge to lay the way for a second piece of progression or as a canvas from which to introduce some lyrics, but rather it becomes slightly monotonous in the background as it proceeds for a substantial period of the track.

When the original beat does return in subdued style in the lead up to the reintroduction of a synth which proves catchy as hell, it works well. Unfortunately the gap between the good work proves too large for the track to really impress though.

The Story So Far – Navy Blue     2/5

A short and sweet track from Californian five-piece The Story So Far. A slow, inviting acoustic guitar opens the song to the untouched, roughly provided vocals from the wonderfully named Parker Cannon, but you can’t help but feel like if the vocals weren’t hiding behind the guitar work as much, this song would have been much more accessible.

Nevertheless, it’s a sentimental effort, and one that makes for easy listening from the pop-punk group that have been known to lay down much more in-your-face, upbeat efforts in the past.

Every artist needs their slower tracks though, and the vocals on this number do show that the band is still doing good work ahead of the upcoming release of their next EP, from which this single is taken. 

Despite this remark though, it’s a little hard not to pine for a big breakdown halfway through this song which could well have made this number a cult hit and a live favourite.

The 1975 – Robbers     3/5

A slow and steady riff starts off this single before the relaxed vocals begin. With the faded nature of the singing from Matthew Healey playing out over a looping bass, it’s really the instrumentals that drive the beginning of this number, although this does change when we pass the minute mark and Healey begins to impose on the track.

A meaningful chorus follows before the looping bass again takes control of a track which relies on persistent drums and a cheeky background riff which only chips in on occasion. The more frequent recurrence of this riff could perhaps have benefited the record, which becomes increasingly bland as it draws to a close.

Solid vocal work and lyrics which tell a haunting love story should have taken more prominence than they do. This isn’t a bad record, but it could have been much more. 

Twin Atlantic – Heart and Soul     4/5

Glasgow rock group Twin Atlantic are back with a new single in the lead up to their third album Great Divide, and it’s a track that will grow on you uncontrollably until you simply can’t help but try out your best Sam McTrusty impression at near enough every opportunity you get.

Seriously, this song didn’t make the greatest impression on the JFC team when it first came out. Now we’re rocking around our respective flats yelling out the opening line like we’re going to drop dead if we stop it.

That catchy opening line (I switch the flick on the generator/So I can turn you on), comes on the back of some thumping instrumental work that gives McTrusty an anthemic introduction. The vocalist doesn’t hold back with his strong, signature sound flying out high over a number that bursts into life at the chorus. 

The Scottish rockers present us with a record full of resounding verses, smart guitar and drum work and a rhythm that is impossible to get out of your head. Good work Twin, and good to have you back.

Of Mice & Men – Would You Still Be There     4/5

There has been a lot of talk in the metal world about Of Mice & Men becoming a bit too commercialised and a little too soft for the hard-hitting fans that demand perfection from their genre.

This track is certainly not as heavy as the previous work from Austin Carlile & co. but it by no means shows signs of commercialisation from the Americans. Fighting guitar riffs play from the start before the lead guitar takes over to kick in with a killer riff that proves catchy as hell.

Clean vocals hang around the chorus and lurk in the background of verses that combine to make a very listenable track that maintains the heavy roots of the band. Instrumental work is bridged brilliantly and although the necessary breakdown is a little short, it keeps in tone with the radio-metal nature of the overall song.

★ RECORD OF THE WEEK ★

Jesse Glynne – Right Here     4/5

Impressive vocalist Jess Glynne has had massive charting success recently on electronic records including Clean Bandit’s smash hit Rather Be and house sensation My Love from Route 94, and the artist is now back with a debut track of her own as she looks to capitalise on the rise of house music currently captivating the country.

Her single Right Here is produced by British upcoming breakthrough act Gorgon City, so the singer was always bound to be off to a good start. A light backbeat serenades Glynne in the opening verse of the track, but while the pipes of the London singer float nicely over the melody serenading her lyrics, Gorgon City really steal the show on the single when their thumping bassline kicks in after 40 or so seconds.

A simple yet mouth-wateringly effective bassline moves up and down alongside a touch of brass, during the chorus, and when the subdued, funky backing returns during the chorus, the listener is really just left pining for another dose of that big bad bass at the chorus. 

Good work by Glynne here, but it is a little overshadowed by a fantastic turn out from the Gorgon City lads. Don’t be fulled though – Glynne can sing (check out her track Home for another great record), and she could well be heading for a lengthy spell in the charts.
                                                                                                                                        Stuart Kenny

Just For Culture bring you all the latest reviews from the world of music, as we tackle some single releases from the second week of May. Here's our breakdown of the latest singles out right now.

Claire – Broken Promise Land (Giorgio Moroder Remix)     3/5

Italian producer Moroder returns with a futuristic remix of Claire’s latest single. The remix begins with the artist’s vocals resounding over a slow, thumping beat accompanied by a distant synth and more prominent, bouncing electronic input. 

The opening verse flows nicely into the first chorus, which doesn’t differ much from the build up, before breaking the song down with some robotic male vocals that cement the ultramodern nature of the piece. These robotics deny the number the chance to take off into the more upbeat number that the second verse threatens to bring on, but ensure the unique nature of the remix remains. An electro effort worthy of critical praise for the intricacies, but unlikely to make for comfortable regular home listening.

Little Mix – Salute (Troyboi Remix)     4/5

The girl group spawned from X Factor hit back with another single, and when Troyboi takes hold of it the track travels in an entirely different direction. After some early vocal harmonies from the four-piece group, an absolutely massive bassline drops in big enough to blast your face off. Good work from the producer to lay down his marker on the track and turn it from a pop number into a grimey hip-hop track early on.

After the bassline has calmed down, it’s a more standard hip-hop backing that accompanies Little Mix through the remainder of the song. The fast paced nature of the chorus works well with the instrumental work laid down by Troyboi, who manufactures a song that wouldn’t look out of place in the back catalogue of Destiny’s Child. This is one to be played on big speakers in a room with slamming acoustics.

Seinabo Say – Hard Time     2/5

Faded vocals start this off in a melodic, looping chant. The vocals soon grow in power as the introductory build up is met by a strong, repetitive backing formed through keyboard and bass. After a minute or so of what feels like build up, a smooth guitar interlude brings us back to the build up before the piece finally seems to move up a notch with around a minute left on the timer. A final hook from Seinabo Say as the end draws near allows a penultimate push off into a satisfactory and memorable ending, but it does feel as though it is too little, too late for this track.

Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This     2/5

The spectacular vocals of Paloma Faith play out over a subdued big band backing for the first verse of this track, which transforms into somewhat of a whiny love number as it hits the chorus. The song feels like it should be playing in a movie montage as a character who has recently wronged his true love stares out a rainy window, regretting his actions and remembering the good times he had with said romantic interest. A solid track from Paloma, but nothing new and nothing particularly encapsulating. The vocals get repetitive as the eponymous lyric continues to pop up, and this does indeed feel like more of a soundtrack song than a charting hit.

CHVRCHES – We Sink     4/5

The latest single to come from CHVRCHES recently released and highly acclaimed album The Bones of What You Believe, the backing track for We Sink would not have looked out of place if providing the soundtrack to a chase sequence in the Tron series. A futuristic, fast-moving and upbeat electro beat jangles and jives around behind cool vocals from lead vocalist Lauren Mayberry. 

The backing stays strong throughout as it dips and dives into different levels of electronic elation, and the vocals on top are spread out nicely enough not to give the reader the chance to get bored of the bouncy sound. Good work from the Scottish breakthrough act.

★ RECORD OF THE WEEK ★

Oliver Heldens X Becky Hill – Gecko (Overdrive)             5/5

The day that many were dreading had arrived – Oliver Heldens has released the vocal mix of Gecko, the slamming progressive electronic track that has dominated the past year in EDM from the summer festival fields to the mountainous heights of La Folie Douce in the Alps. 

The track flows with an electronic twang reminiscent of Tchami’s innovative future house genre and twerks around so unpredictably that it would seem as though no vocals could ever be introduced without compromising the unique beauty of the track. This, however, proves to be distinctly untrue.

The Voice singer and regular Rudimental feature Becky Hill was the one charged with singing on the track, and the manner in which she takes power over the build up and drops without taking away from the backing is truly impressive. Right from her entrance, Hill‘s distinctive vocals travel well as the record jumps, while also seemingly guiding the song through its various ups and downs. A great choice of vocalist by Oliver Heldens, who alongside the wonderful Becky Hill achieves what many doubted would be a possible. 

Expect to hear this go into overdrive in clubs and on the radio over the next few months.
                                                                                                                                        Stuart Kenny

You Me At Six are back with Fresh Start Fever, the latest single to be released from their much anticipated fourth studio album ‘Cavalier Youth’.

Following on from lead single Lived A Lie, the most commercially successful single release from the band thus far, Fresh Start Fever jumps immediately into fast moving verse emphasising vocal qualities over subdued guitars and restrained drums.

This verse leads into the hooking refrain, keeping the tempo high and building nicely to the kick in at the chorus, where fans are greeted by the chant-friendly lyrics: “And it’s a fresh start fever/ who would want to be here. Welcome to the future/ dream a little bigger.”

Neatly controlled guitar riffs and symbol work continues to impress between choruses and refrains, while the overall tone of the track feels built upon, or rather matured from, the the likes of previous work Loverboy and ‘Hold Me Down’ track The Consequence.

A pressing, urgent feel comes from the instrumental effort throughout, no more so than when the impressive pre-chorus enters late on, giving a sublime lead up to the exiting chorus.

An addictive number overall that shows a fresh fluidity and retains enough elements from the wonderful Sinners Never Sleep template to keep fans excited for 27 January.