As its title suggests, Nicki Minaj‘s fifth album is a sequel to her exuberant 2010 debut ‘Pink Friday’. At times, she makes the connection clear: ‘Pink Friday Girls’, a pop-rap banger that samples Cyndi Lauper‘s ’80s anthem ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, is so keen to recapture the giddy magic of ‘Super Bass’ that it name-checks the ‘Pink Friday’ hit. And when she raps “tried to play me but I shitted on ’em first” on ‘My Life’, it’s an unambiguous nod to ‘Did It On’em’, a scatalogical banger from that debut.

This time, though, Minaj raps about excremental revenge over a high-end sample from Blondie’s ‘Heart Of Glass’ – a reminder that she is now a major player, not the industrious upstart who stole the show on Kanye West‘s ‘Monster’. Minaj also underlines her “queen of rap” status with a brace of ferocious brag tracks. When she raps “I don’t fuck with horses since Christopher Reeves” on ‘Red Ruby Da Sleeze’, it’s not just a crass reference to the riding injury that left the Superman actor paralysed from the neck down, but also, presumably, a dismissal of a rap rival with an equine-themed name. A catty rhetorical question on the same track – “All them botched face photos, why would you post those?” – could be aimed at any number of tweakment-loving peers.

‘Pink Friday 2’ also contains celebrations of Minaj’s sexual prowess: a line about “vanilla ice cream comin’ down my ass cheeks” on ‘Pink Birthday’ has nothing to do with Häagen-Dazs. But what makes this album really compelling are more vulnerable moments like ‘Last Time I Saw You’, a pop-R&B gem on which she grapples with her father’s death, and the reggae-flecked album closer ‘Just the Memories’. “I ‘member when I was the girl that everybody doubted / when every label turned me down, and then they laughed about it,” Minaj raps. It’s a welcome reminder that her rise wasn’t without setbacks.

On the same track, she thanks her early collaborators Drake and Lil Wayne, both of whom make guest appearances elsewhere on the album. So, too, do Future, J.Cole and an uncredited SZA, who supplies a voice memo that opens the dancehall-flavoured ‘Needle’. Billie Eilish pops up too, courtesy of a sped-up sample from her 2018 single ‘When The Party’s Over’ that Minaj weaves into ‘Are You Gone Already?’ “You never got to meet Papa,” Minaj raps regretfully, addressing her young son who arrived shortly before her father was killed in a 2021 hit-and-run accident.

Comprising 22 tracks that unfold over 70 minutes, ‘Pink Friday 2’ is probably too long, but Minaj paces it sharply. The first half pings between lean, mean hip-hop tracks and melancholy midtempos, while the second half contains a smattering of pop-rap cuts including the Rick James-sampling ‘Super Freaky Girl’. Minaj’s ability to impose herself on an instantly familiar sample also drives ‘Everybody’, a frantic banger built on Junior Senior’s 2002 novelty hit ‘Move Your Body’. It’s the quirkiest moment on an album where Minaj is generally more restrained than in the past. Here, she doesn’t play around with alter-egos quite as freely as on ‘Pink Friday’.

Otherwise, though, ‘Pink Friday 2’ feels like a consolidation and refinement of everything Minaj can do – including dropping pop culture references that no other artist would think of. “Ducking ’em like Björk?” That’s surely a wink to the Icelandic musician’s infamous skirmish with a photographer. Thirteen years after ‘Pink Friday’, Nicki Minaj hasn’t lost her ability to catch us by surprise.

Details

• Release date: December 8, 2023
• Record label: Republic Records

The post Nicki Minaj – ‘Pink Friday 2’ review: blockbuster sequel lives up to the hype appeared first on NME.

When she began uploading music online in 2017, Tate McRae’s signature asset became her technical dance skills – which soon defined her in a crowded landscape. Even within the whirlpool of social media, the Calgary native stood out: at age 13, she came in third place on the reality competition series, So You Think You Can Dance; half a decade later, she began initiating her ascent towards the mainstream with zippy, radio-ready songs that contended with the friction between vulnerability and her uber-confident artist persona.

Yet at some point on the journey to her 2022 major label debut ‘I Used To Think I Could Fly’, McRae’s gleaming pop sound slipped into autopilot. That record showed flashes of brilliance – lead single ‘She’s All I Wanna Be’ was revered for its emotional honesty, and quickly scaled the charts thanks to its ubiquity on TikTok – but otherwise felt uninspired. Its tracks were largely safe in their artistic choices, glossy and pleasant but not especially charismatic.

A bid for the big leagues, follow-up ‘Think Later’ is somewhat remarkable for its evolutions in McRae’s delivery and attitude. Her recent global hit, ‘Greedy’ – which remained atop the Spotify Viral 50 throughout the majority of November – has everything: real confidence, the trap-speckled beats of Ariana Grande’s ‘Thank U Next’ era and gymnastic melodies. The track also interpolates Nelly Furtado’s ‘Promiscuous’ – a flourish that would thrill any enthusiastic pop fan.

‘Think Later’ continues to position McRae as a much more versatile prospect. ‘Cut My Hair’ ventures into a rockier sound, a completely novel mode for the 20-year-old, and shares the energy of standout ‘Exes’. On the latter, backed by haunting laughter, McRae sends shots in every direction (“I don’t mean to be cold, but that’s how I get all my pride”) with the self-assurance of a young star currently holding court in the Gen Z pop arena.

These 14 tracks don’t roll along without any hiccups, however. As evidenced on the palatable ‘Messier’ or ‘Stay Done’, the middle section often lacks the spiky melodrama of the big, all-guns-blazing singles. The title track is a perfectly fine, if forgettable ballad, with a deep husk to McRae’s voice that will hopefully continue to grow in depth and power.

McRae is evidently still wrestling with her ambitions. ‘Think Later’, however, contains enough intrigue to suggest that this is the work of an artist finally honing their identity, dancing and sparkling all the way.

Details

• Release date: December 8
• Record label: RCA Records

The post Tate McRae – ‘Think Later’ review: an artist whose moment has arrived appeared first on NME.

KISS OF LIFE caused quite the buzz in the K-pop world earlier this year when they – or, more specifically, member Natty – dropped the pre-release track ‘Sugarcoat’. Many have tried to replicate the nostalgic charm of late-’90s and early-’00s R&B, but ‘Sugarcoat’ truly managed to capture that magic. The eponymous debut mini-album that followed, with the powerhouse title track ‘Shhh’ front and centre, showed us all just what KISS OF LIFE are capable of.

• READ MORE: Red Velvet – ‘Chill Kill’ review: deliciously dark, delightfully macabre

The girl group’s new sophomore mini-album, titled ‘Born to Be XX’, certainly has some gigantic shoes to fill after their debut exceeded all expectations. Over six tracks, KISS OF LIFE – completed by Julie, Belle and Haneul – use their new music to further flesh out their compelling, commanding and nostalgic R&B-laced pop sound – but after setting such a high bar for themselves, are the up-and-coming quartet able to outdo themselves?

Title track ‘Bad News’ is a groovy mid-tempo that blends elements of pop, hip-hop and rock, which makes this feel like the most natural evolution of the burgeoning band’s sound. The members multi-dimensional vocal performance is what truly elevates: from the vocalists’ impressive delivery of high notes and cooler baritone verses to Julie’s rap verses, KISS OF LIFE really sell the baddie personas they have embodied so far.

But ‘Nobody Knows’ and ‘TTG’ are where KISS OF LIFE really claim their pedestal as one of the most talented acts of this generation of K-pop. The former is a slick, upbeat slice of R&B that would fit beautifully among TLC’s classic ’90s output. ‘TTG’ continues to ride this smooth R&B wave, and blossoms into a graceful fusion when tropical house takes over in the chorus. Natty rightfully earns a personal spotlight on this track; her tone, earthy and buttery, was made for this, especially when complemented with Belle’s beautiful runs.

Wedged between those two high points is the fairly blasé ‘My 808’ – entirely palatable, but also entirely forgettable. The same can be said of the Belle co-wrote ‘Says It’, a sweet guitar ballad that doubles as this album’s obligatory fan-dedicated song. But if it’s memorable you’re looking for, ‘Gentleman’ hits the nail on the head with its eclectic reggae-inspired sound – at the same time, though, the song feels out of place on this mini-album.

While consistent with KISS OF LIFE’s overall brand, ‘Born To Be XX’ is largely a mixed bag. While some songs – ‘Nobody Knows’ and ‘TTG’ – do reach that high first felt with ‘Sugarcoat’, others are unable to reach the yardstick the girl group set for themselves. Though, it is still early days for KISS OF LIFE, who are only barely four-months-old. This talented quartet have already shown what they can do, now all they need are the songs to match.

Details

• Release date: November 8, 2023
• Record label: S2 Entertainment

The post KISS OF LIFE – ‘Born to Be XX’: a diamond in the rough appeared first on NME.

2020’s lockdowns undoubtedly spawned a string of ambitious new musical projects, some more visionary than others – many of which have already met their inevitable demise. It’s by no means a new story, yet the latest offering from cult label Speedy Wunderground retells the tale with fresh energy. Birthed from an era of vacant streets and shuttered venues are O., a duo seemingly united in a desire to make as much noise as possible, with as few instruments.

On their debut EP ‘Slice’, drummer Tash Keary and baritone saxophonist Joseph Henwood overlap genres to make a record with one foot in the capital’s historic jazz bars and another in its underground venues south of the river. Scooping an eclectic mix of our most vibrant music scenes onto one EP, O. manage to expertly tread the line between the urgent energy of experimental rock and jazz improvisation.

With production from Dan Carey that carefully captures O.’s frenzied live energy, ‘Slice’ shines in its ability to deliver the unexpected. Moments of stillness ascend into weighty tension, before collapsing into sudden crescendos of volatile force. It’s in these moments that the project’s origin as a jam session comes into focus, and their strengths reveal themselves.

A consistent thread of urgency, emphasised by Keary’s frantic drumming, weaves itself throughout the four tracks, looping through the eerie, spy movie soundtrack-esque opening of ‘Moon’ to the dense reverb that underlines ‘Grouchy’. Best, though, is title track ‘Slice’, which somehow channels equal levels of chaotic darkness and clear joy. Elsewhere, ‘ATM’ teeters further into punk with its glitchy, otherworldly manipulation of Henwood’s sax, which is reimagined to exist in another realm from its original form.

Two artists with an undeniable synergy, O.’s debut is a statement that often feels menacing while also offering real moments of brightness and euphoria. It’s a sensory overload that’s as indebted to the unpredictable nature of live music as to its simple origins as a pandemic jam session.

Details

• Release date: November 24
• Record label: Speedy Wunderground

The post O. – ‘Slice’ EP review: two artists with an undeniable synergy appeared first on NME.

For a while, something had been amiss in Red Velvet’s charm – the tail-end of their contract renewals and a string of largely forgettable releases prompted conversations about the group’s direction for the future, which is why ‘Chill Kill’ is such a welcome reprieve. With their third studio album, Red Velvet have returned to what they do best – spinning chilling tales with flawless harmonies at the centre.

• READ MORE: EVERGLOW on their long hiatus: “We are trying to make it up to our fans”

While we will address the eponymous title track ‘Chill Kill’ in just a moment, let’s give due credit to the other tracks on the album. All of them collectively contribute to the group’s reputation for having the best B-sides in K-pop, which often overshadow the title track itself, if one might dare say.

‘Knock Knock’ opens with bone-chilling harmonies by the group, layered over what appears to be a sample of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’. Then, as sharp string and bass alternate, unfolds an Edgar Allan Poe-esque game of hide and seek. Propped up by imagery of desolate playgrounds and “deepening loneliness like the walking dead”, the group imagine running away from someone eerily resembling yourself. It’s all so perfectly reminiscent of the Red Velvet of yore that perhaps ‘Knock Knock’ should have been the album’s lead single.

The vivid storytelling on the album is, in fact, the best part. Between orchestral arrangements and retro swing rhythms, songs like ‘Nightmare’ resemble slices of time carved out of a Victorian gothic horror novel. The members’ clear, expansive voices spark imagery of a young woman walking down a dark, foggy London street, picking up the pace ever so slightly as the street lamps inexplicably start going out.

“I’m your poet / I’m your pain,” say the group on ‘Bulldozer’, layering a challenge over powerful bass, as if testing your resolve to hold on during a wild ride. Elsewhere, on ‘Underwater’ – a strong contender for the best track on the album – we are baptised in an ocean of beats, complex harmonies and evocative depictions of being swept away by deep, uncharted waters. The all-encompassing treatment continues on ‘Iced Coffee’ and ‘One Kiss’, given how atmospheric and cinematic they are.

Heightening this tragedy are the lighter counterparts on the album, embodying the ‘hopeful’ nature of Red Velvet’s dual concept. The more uplifting tracks like ‘Wings’ and ‘Scenery’ can be considered more ‘red’ than ‘velvet’, but they create the ebb and flow that make the highs that much more impactful. ‘Will I Ever See You Again?’, however, deserves a special nod for making us feel like we’re witches joyously frolicking around a forest fire.

This brings us to the title track, ‘Chill Kill’, which is one of the weaker tracks on the album. After nearly four years without a quintessential ‘Velvet’ release, the teasers for ‘Chill Kill’ sent a jolt of anticipation through the fandom. With bloodied, bleak visuals reminiscent of The Handmaiden, ‘Chill Kill’ seemed to herald the end of a long night devoid of one of the best flavours of Red Velvet.

Even when it was described as a blend of “tragedy and hope” by Wendy, expectations were for a twisted version of hope rather than the sonic shift that was eventually presented. Suffice to say, ‘Chill Kill’ suffers from this switch up. Despite the strong start – where menacing synths and heavy beats build fear and excitement alike – the chorus is more a dampener than a catalyst. As it stands, the song is less a juxtaposition and more a clash between two opposing forces.

Red Velvet might have drawn us in with some duplicity – using deliciously dark teasers for a title track that turned out to be a disappointing sleight of hand – but we’ll willingly stay for the delightfully macabre B-sides. The nights are getting longer, the days are getting colder and Red Velvet are finally back with another thrillingly demonic album. It is, indeed, another ‘Chill Kill’ for this quintet.

Details

• Release date: November 13, 2023
• Record label: SM Entertainment

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The ‘acknowledgements’ section of Dolly Parton’s fabulous 1994 autobiography My Life and Other Unfinished Business runs to 10 whole pages, each one consisting of two neat columns. Among the hundreds of lucky folks included are “all my lovers and sweethearts” and – as if her place in Heaven weren’t assured – “all airline personnel”. The Queen of Country radiates positivity and gratitude.

Yet when she was invited into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year, Dolly initially declined, explaining: “I don’t feel that I have earned that right… This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock’n’roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do!” She thankfully had a change of heart and ripped it up at the hallowed Hall’s ceremony, slamming on a jewel-encrusted guitar and belting out beefy new tune ‘Rockin’’.

Now here’s the album itself: a whopping 30 rhinestone rockers. Dolly’s long been celebrated for her knack of bringing people together and the tracklist, which features nine originals amid covers of enormous anthems, groans with big-name collaborators. The surviving Beatles join a bombastic ‘Let It Be’, for God’s sake, proving that their tasteful ‘final’ single ‘Now and Then’ wasn’t the last word after all. Elsewhere, Dolly’s goddaughter Miley Cyrus helps to reimagine ‘Wrecking Ball’ as an ‘80s rock ballad.

So Dolly’s rock’n’roll pantheon is a broad church, with room for both The Police’s new-wave softie ‘Every Breath You Take’ (yes, Sting naturally turns up) and a jumbo-sized ‘We Are the Champions’. Her inclusiveness has drawn some heat lately, given that the unpleasant Kid Rock appears on the cocksure ‘Either Or’, a fact she’s defended with natural bonhomie: “I don’t condemn or criticise. I just accept and love.” Lizzo’s admittedly gorgeous flute trilling on ‘Stairway to Heaven’, meanwhile, must have seemed like a better idea before she was mired in her own controversy.

Ultimately, though, this is an album epitomised by ‘I Dreamed About Elvis’, a goofy new track on which country star Ronnie McDowell warbles through a hokey impression of the titular icon. The real King once nearly covered her classic ‘I Will Always Love You’, but Dolly reluctantly blocked it for business reasons. Now, in a joyful act of wish fulfilment, she and the impersonator briefly slip into a duet of the song. Despite the odd unfortunate guest, ‘Rockstar’ is as bursting with life and positivity as the woman who made it.

Details

• Release date: November 17, 2023
• Record label: Butterfly Records

The post Dolly Parton – ‘Rockstar’ review: Queen of Country throws up the Devil horns appeared first on NME.

“I’m blooming when you look at me,” Soojin sings in fragile wisps on the intro of her debut solo mini-album, ‘AGASSY’. “Hello my sunshine.” The resilience of flowers speak volumes; come rain or shine, they stand tall and retain their vibrancy – and Soojin herself is much the same. After leaving popular girl group (G)I-DLE under a cloud of controversy, the singer has largely spent the last two years away from the spotlight.

• READ MORE: ‘Castaway Diva’ review: ‘Survivor’ meets ‘Idol’ in this flawed yet likeable K-drama
  

‘AGASSY’, her first release since, masquerades as a lovelorn record that employs the poetic metaphors that have always surrounded flora, but look closer and you’ll find that written between its lines is a soft but stern statement of self-empowerment. Not only is it a testament to her strength in returning to what does best – making music and performing, as she sings on the record’s title track (“Love, love, I don’t know that kind of thing / I just dance”) – it is also a captivating love letter to herself.

On ‘Sunflower’, she depicts the giddiness of falling head first in love, comparing the experience of developing deep emotions for someone to a sunflower blooming within her: “The feeling becomes clearer / In short, dazed / You move more and more towards the sky / As the stories pile up / I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” While the song itself is rather pedestrian, its lyrics are remarkably strong. But the highlight here – and throughout the rest of the mini-album, is Soojin’s delivery, with her signature soprano tone.

On the other hand, the energetic, PinkPantheress-esque ‘TyTy’ plays to the strengths of her unique vocal tone. Twinkling synths skip beneath her wispy, layered falsettos as she takes control of the song’s quick flow. ‘TyTy’ is repetitive, catchy and on-trend in all the right places, but it’s on the hazy, dream-like ‘Sunset’ where Soojin truly finds her groove.

The lyricism on ‘Sunset’ is poetic and carefully written, as Soojin gracefully toes the line between clarity and ambiguity of what she really feels. There is a hint of hesitation, but Soojin delivers with a calm confidence. “Day or night / The light becomes clearer / As if mixing together the borderlines,” she sings in an alto register, evoking the intermediacy and transitional experience of watching the sun set beneath the horizon.

The K-pop idol ends the album on a rather melancholic note with the ominously titled ‘bloodredroses’. Her voice, now laced with more emotional weight, speaks to the pain she experiences where there was once love, because one cannot exist without the other. “Dry tears, thorns filled with painful memories / I bloomed among them / It’s fragrant, blood red roses,” laments Soojin.

‘bloodredroses’ comes across so intimate and personal that it feels like we’re taking a forbidden peak into her own diary, and that’s the exact reason why it stands out the most. Soojin bares her heart and soul on this record, acknowledging the trials and tribulations she had to weather, yet finds the space to accept that she has grown because and in spite of them. “I spread like flower petals bigger than these thorns / And embraced the blooming me / Be myself, a flower that will not withеr away.”

On ‘AGASSY’, Soojin embraces the sliver of light at the end of what must have seemed like a dark, endless tunnel. She wears her heart on her sleeve and that’s what gives it so much power. The mini-album – even if it tends to play it safe with run-of-the-mill production – underscores the potential Soojin has always held and puts it on display for the world to see once again.

Details

• Release date: March 24, 2023
• Record label: BRD Communications

The post Soojin – ‘AGASSY’ review: a captivating love letter to herself appeared first on NME.

At the core of The Kid Laroi‘s debut album there’s just a single question: “do you remember the first time when…?” It is a pointedly vague and open-ended one, but it looms large on ‘The First Time’. On ‘Strangers 2’, there’s a spoken word snippet from ‘Stay’ collaborator Justin Bieber on being introduced to his eventual wife Hailey Baldwin when they were just teenagers. Later on ‘You Never Forget Your First Time’, there’s a reflection from his brother on the emotions felt when The Kid Laroi’s global success moved the whole family from Australia to LA; another responder discusses the loss of a family member and how it conceded with him finding out he was to be a father.

It’s little surprise that the 20 year-old has taken this opportunity to reflect, and encourage his young audience to look back. Born Charlton Howard – his recording name is a nod to his Kamilaroi heritage – the rapper found early success in his native Australia when he was 14 and formed a close relationship with the late Juice WRLD prior to his passing in 2019. He’s since upped sticks across the world, had a global smash with 2021’s ‘Stay’, a Number One mixtape in the US (2020’s ‘Fuck Love’) and appeared on the Barbie soundtrack earlier this summer.

Frustratingly, Howard feels like the person who’s afraid to answer that question earnestly. ‘The First Time’ is essentially a break-up album, a bitter one as toxic as the relationship he was in. ‘Where Do You Sleep?’ plainly states in its opening lines: “Out of respect, I’ll keep you nameless / But everybody knows this ’bout you, I can’t fake it” and revels in spite: “You hate the attention that I get, hate that I’m famous” he wails; on ‘Deserve You’, he boasts about spending “half a million dollars on love / How can you not feel for me?”. This continues, relentlessly, across 20 tracks, and is surprising given he disavowed the 2021 ‘Fuck Love 3’ project as “immature” and “a heat of the moment statement”.

‘The First Time’, however, is an undeniably well-made album. Howard toes the line between on-trend pop-rap with gnarlier elements: there’s hints of Dominic Fike in the rock-nodding ‘What Just Happened’ and ‘Love Again’. His latest mega-hit ‘Too Much’, featuring BTS’s Jung Kook and Central Cee owes a debt of gratitude to The Weeknd’s ‘Starboy’, while ‘Sorry’ uses chopped-up soul samples to good use even if the soured lyrics – about, yes, money and his ex – are tedious. ‘What Went Wrong?’ is stuffed with memorable melodies, though ‘Where Does Your Spirit Go?’ wastes the legwork through a pitchy chorus.

It’s not until ‘Kids Are Growing Up’ the album’s 20th and final track, that Howard attempts to reflect on anything but heartbreak and fame. He speaks on his journey from rap stan to star, the toll it has taken on his family and those closest to him, his eyes now wide open to the trials of adult life: “You would never admit the problems that you had,” he remembers, but “now I got my own problems and understand”. It feels like an emotional breakthrough for Howard, but it comes just a little too late

Details

• Release date: November 10, 2023
• Record label: Columbia Records

The post The Kid Laroi – ‘The First Time’ review: rapper reflects on his rapid rise appeared first on NME.

“I don’t care about the beats, I care about the pen,” PinkPantheress told NME back in February. It’s very telling of her ethos; one that skyrocketed the musician to fame, leaving behind an entire wave of imitators grasping at the fringes of Pink’s genius. Since posting her debut single ‘Break It Off’ online in early 2021, Pink has proved time and time again that she’s Britain’s most singular new talent, and her full-length debut ‘Heaven Knows’ is proof. How has she managed to do it?

• READ MORE: PinkPantheress: “I don’t care about the beats, I care about the pen”

Listen to the creativity that floods this record. Pink speaks on subjects that other artists wouldn’t think to touch, and does so with flair. Writing about wealth can easily mutate into champagne problems, but on ‘Mosquito’, Pink singles out the anxieties of maintaining security: “I had prayed out loud / And lord you answered me too early”. On ‘Feelings’, she unpacks how imposter syndrome can manifest for a rising popstar: “I realise that I’m peaking too early.” These aren’t necessarily the most relatable emotions, but Pink communicates the unique challenges of her world through a doe-eyed, girl-next-door perspective.

Pink has always been a private character, one who doesn’t even like people knowing her birth name; it makes sense that there are moments of remove on ‘Heaven Knows’ that allow her imagination to flourish. ‘Feel Complete’ depicts a fictional account of alcoholism with a pounding drum groove is paired with a cooing, 90s’-style R&B flourish. ‘Ophelia’ and its harp solo shrouds the song in a surreal atmosphere – complete with a killer narrative twist.

There’s also plenty of moments where Pink challenges her own sound, one that has previously seen her pigeonholed into a ‘Y2K meets drum ‘n’ bass’ label tirelessly. There’s organs, tablas, drill bass slides, and rock-inspired drums on ‘Heaven Knows’, all of which suggest a commitment to artistry that will continue beyond this debut. Yet, equally, these instrumentals can be so evocative and imaginative that it’s difficult for guest features to find their feet. In itself, that’s a testament to Pink’s individual flow and production style, but it does a disservice to several songs on the album.

The starry, breakbeat-inflected ‘Nice To Meet You’ has one of the best choruses on ‘Heaven Knows’: “I pray that I’ll die before my baby / I’ll take a risk if anyone tries to touch my baby”) – yet Central Cee’s monotone delivery feels mismatched and lacklustre against Pink’s effortless charisma. Moreover, on opener ‘Another Life’, Pink squeezes in church organs, jungle beats and a squealing guitar solo, but Rema’s flow stalls the fluid movement of the song.

But ultimately, what makes ‘Heaven Knows’ such a compelling debut is its ability to create British wistfulness. The emotions and sounds are familiar enough to pull you in, and peculiar enough to make you stay. Heaven knows the boundaries of Pink’s talent to come.

Details

• Release date: November 10
• Record label: Warner Records UK

The post PinkPantheress – ‘Heaven Knows’ review: the blueprint for the future of British pop appeared first on NME.

‘Quarter Life Crisis’, as its title suggests, is an album about existential confusion. Its creator, Baby Queen (born Arabella Latham) has spent three years writing about the disconnect between her schedule as a fast-rising artist – from major festival appearances to a recent cameo in Netflix’s Heartstopper – and returning to her personal life in between, over adrenaline-jolted melodies. It hasn’t always been a smooth-sailing journey: during the pandemic, Latham signed a major label deal – but it took place over Zoom. “I’ve been waiting for this my whole life, and I was like, ‘What an anti-climax,’” she recalled to GQ last year.

In her songwriting, Latham revisits her previous challenges in an attempt to forge a fresh start. She is an artist who feels emotions deeply, but will also analyse her own destructive behaviours as well as her personal wins. After moving to London from Durban, South Africa at 18, and becoming involved in the city’s underground scene, she came out as queer and has since sought to articulate the liberation of that experience via both humour and vulnerability. This juxtaposition persists here: “The only man I find attractive is the Grim Reaper”, the now 26-year-old sings on ‘Love Killer’; the gauzy ‘Dream Girl’, meanwhile, details the emotional paralysis of crushing on a girl with a boyfriend.

‘Quarter Life Crisis’ moves between moods that translate to bright, Day Glo colours (‘Kid Genius’) or dark goth accents (‘Die Alone’). But the former can often turn grating; ‘We Can Be Anything’’s message of naïve optimism recalls the self-empowerment anthems that dominated pop radio in the early 2010s. There’s obvious appeal, however, in how Latham’s fanbase might feel somewhat comforted by her words – and that matters, to an extent.

It’s a divide that exemplifies this album, and leaves you wondering whether an audience beyond Latham’s own longtime followers will find something to connect with. Her earlier material, primarily the remarkable single ‘Dover Beach’, had a blockbuster quality in the way it layered heartache, lust and sadness with sublime confidence. Here, beyond the hard-hitting highlight ‘I Can’t Get My Shit Together’, Latham insists on pining for lost youth: “I am still a little kid,” she repeats on ‘Grow Up’.

A desire to offload these growing pains at length means Latham loses the exuberant personality that defined her 2021 mixtape ‘The Yearbook’. She often reiterates points that have already been made, and rushes emotional revelations towards an easy exit instead of keeping her gaze fixed forward. “How can I focus on the future when I’m one foot in the past?,” she asks on the title track. The question almost feels too apt.

Details

• Release date: November 10
• Record label: Polydor

The post Baby Queen – ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ review: caught between the past and the future appeared first on NME.