Panama - It's Not Over

I was a bit dubious about this album, as when I googled the band, I was linked to a heavy metal band... not really my cup of tea. Turns out I was on the completely wrong band, and luckily this Panama is a lot better. Perhaps the album is a little repetitive in places, especially on some songs, but overall it's a fantastic chilled-out listen. I really enjoyed it, and I think they could go onto big things.

Put together the electronic sound of 80s pop and a modern summer anthem and you’ll probably have the sound of Australian five-piece Panama.  Creating a sound that sounds both retro and current simultaneously is a hard feat, but Panama seem to have it spot on, with songs that wouldn’t sound out of place in the coolest clubs then and now.

From the opening synths of Heartbeat, you’re taken to a place where the sun is shining and the alcohol is free flowing.  Though the melody seems simple on first listens, it’s actually packed with layers of synths, keys, drumbeats that mould perfectly together and complement the layered vocals.  Magic, the first single from the EP, sounds like something we might expect from the likes of Friendly Fires, and a song you might listen to the morning after the night before.  More synth focused than Heartbeat, the vocals, however good they are, seem to take a backseat for this track, the complex and hypnotising music speaking for itself.

One Piece brings up the tempo, this is the track that really makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time – in a good way of course.  Listen once, and there’s no doubt you’ll be singing “It brings us back together/one piece at a time” for days.  Along with title track It’s Not Over, it’s one of the rare songs on the EP that brings variety with the melody, with small breaks in the main melody to break up the song.  Ending on a high, We Have Love is an upbeat, happy track that really sums up what Panama seem to be about – fun, dancing and 80s.

You can smell the cocktails and feel the sun with every song on this EP – perfect for forgetting those winter blues.  If you need to relieve the disco years or are bored with looking at the dreary November skies, whack this on.  You’ll be on the beach in no time. 

4/5

M83 - Steve McQueen

I fell in love with Midnight City last year

( just in case you've been living under a rock for the past year)


and luckily for me, their new single is even better. Can't fault it, so I'll let the review do the talking. Get listening.

M83 has quickly established himself as someone who isn’t afraid to push the boundaries to create music that is inspiring and daring, but has undeniably gained critical success.  Steve McQueen is no exception, initially sounding like part two of former massive hit Midnight City (if you haven’t heard it, I’m guessing you’ve been sleeping for the past year).  Laden with mesmerising synths and big drumbeats, building into a massive track with so much to give, it’s hard to take it all in with just one listen.  Not that this is a bad thing, since it leaves you wanting more with every listen.  The vocals are layered to perfection, and are enhanced by the instrumentals, rather than being lost in them.

Overall, M83 has done it again.  Steve McQueen is a gloriously uplifting track, screaming of creativity and ambition.  As everyone seems to be saying, their time in the spotlight is coming.

5/5

Leona Lewis - Glassheart

I was all ready to attack this album, really not being a Leona Lewis fan myself - Bleeding Love is one of my least favourite songs of the last few years. However, I was pleasantly surprised by her latest album. I didn't like it QUITE as much as Mumford & Sons' album, but it was still much better than I thought. 

These days, it’s rare that someone can actually develop a long-lasting successful career from winning the X Factor – think Steve Brookstein  and Matt Cardle. Luckily for London-born Leona Lewis, she seems to have overcome this ‘X Factor Curse’ and has managed to create a outstanding music career for herself. Since winning in 2006, she has gone on to win an Ivor Novello, two MOBOs, an MTV Video Music Award, three World Music Awards to name but a few. The list really is endless, especially if you add in all the award nominations she also received. With her ever-powerful voice continuing to grow, Leona Lewis is going from strength to strength.

Leona seems to take a new turn for this album, evident from opening track Trouble, a completely different sound to previous hits. Faster paced and a more complex and dark beat, clearly Leona’s sound has progressed for the better, while still showing off her mezzo-soprano voice brilliantly. The lyrics seem to be personal too, as she sings “I’m a whole lot of trouble/We’re in a whole lot of trouble”. This album opener sets the theme for the majority of the album, with Come Alive and Shake You Up, a particularly old-school pop nugget, following suit and showing a more upbeat, dance-y and perhaps darker side to Leona’s music. It’s refreshing to see this new direction, as not only are they good tracks, but it shows how much variety she is capable of. Glassheart brings perhaps the biggest shock of the album, as it unlike anything we’ve ever heard from the usually down-tempo singer, with elements of dubstep as well as dance, a hook of “and I love you with my glassheart,” and an infectious beat that draws you in.

Of course the album incorporates the classic Leona Lewis songs we’ve come to know and love. From Stop the Clocks to Un Love Me to the beautiful and serene album closer Fingerprint, these tracks are the ones that really showcase how good her voice really is. Fireflies is a particularly highlight, as it’s completely calming and one of those ‘feel-good’ tracks that can always put a smile on your face. From the piano opening, to the addictive “Fire/It’s only fire” through what sounds like an amazing gospel choir, this track fits the album like a glove.

Leona Lewis has outdone herself with this new offering, challenging herself to try new styles and succeeding. Perhaps not an outstanding album of 2012, but a triumph for Lewis none the less. Most definitely worth a listen, at least.

3/5

Everything Everything - Cough Cough

I've always been a bit on/off about Everything Everything, although I've definitely been a fan for the most part. I had to listen to this new offering a couple of times, but now I constantly have it on repeat. I can almost guarantee it will be stuck in your head for days to come.

Nominated for two Ivor Novello awards and shortlisted for Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize, Everything Everything have made a name for themselves in the music world. Not wanting to follow any specific genre, and with one of the most eclectic influences lists ever seen, ranging from Nirvana to R. Kelly, the band simply make the music they want to make.
Cough Cough follows a string of successful hits, including MY KZ,UR BF and Photoshop Handsome. Characterised by an infectious drumbeat and fast vocals, cough cough is the recipe for the perfect fun indie hit. The track keeps you on your toes, switching between fast-paced and the slightly more chilled sections,  giving you a breather from all the dancing that you’ll no doubt be doing. As well as all this, the main hook of “I’m coming alive/I’m happening now,” is sure to turn into a chant at their live shows, which won’t be a bad thing.

Get ready to have this on repeat all day and all night. You have been warned.


4/5