Song reviews

In her rather bleakly theatrical way, Tyra Jutai strikes out once more for our attention with her song “Nudes”. Her words have an edge sharpened to the point that most do not have and she therefore easily engages both heart and mind.

“One Eyed Snake” might sound like the title of a fun song but this is the world of Lush Puppy and this bouncy ball of angular social commentary manages to ricochet itself across the road into a world of looped anger. This is telling it like it is.

Another robust song from The Runaway Models, “Riot” throughs in enough anger and, dare I say it, political posture to add streetwise attitude to the growing number of reasons to listen to this local band. It’s a three minute song too. Sweet!

There is an organic quality to Kerry Hart’s voice that gives her song “Screaming Quietly” a depth that is far from fashionable in these synthetically enhanced days and that makes for a refreshing change. A song that, for a change, speaks sense rather than shouts silliness.

Ah, the state of the modern pop song comes to my attention once more. “Come Over” is a perfectly constructed song from Dagny and, with plenty of digital polish applied, she makes it one that will easily make the jump from the radio to your Spotify playlist.

Minimalist bedsit electronica meets with fairytale intent as Alexandra Lost take their song “Fleeting Dance” for a casual stroll through the shadows of the night before stopping the song dead in its tracks. I see the light.

Ever thought of chopping up a song into a mix of quirky bits and angular interludes? Land of Rubber Men clearly have and “Bored Beyond Belief (Sometimes)” provides the proof that you can do just that and still make a song that works.

Take some standard electro pop moves then add the kind of windswept sentiments that you would expect of a folk singer and you get “Crystalline” by Elisabeth Elektra. She’s not quite standard, that’s for sure.

I’m a sucker for harmonies, especially sentimental sibling ones, and the voices that intertwine and twist “Let Me Hold Your Hand” into a wistful enchantment are those of The Frampton Sisters. I feel the need to sigh and watch the sunset.

A song with undoubted mainstream appeal, “Stay” oozes enough confidence and melodramatic intent to thus make Mïrändä into a singer that many will wish to further investigate. A good song well done as they would have said back in the day.

I suppose that a song like “Hackney Smack Deal” would easily have become a Happy Mondays style anthem for the Subaru Impreza generation back in the day but, in the here and now, The Rec have given us an ironic, and invigorating, four minutes of social realism. Boom!

A glorious revitalisation of the glories of the heyday of synth pop and bedsit electronica, “Mirores” resonates with magic of human and computer in synergistic combination. Blessed be the words and music of Ani Glass.