Reyna
7’11
A woozy, groovy little number from the Milwaukee sister duo – kind of Charli XCX meets Saint Etienne – with a Spanish chorus that will make you feel clever if you understand Spanish. According to singer Vic Banuelos, this song is “a reminder that you can want something really bad, and try really hard, but maybe it’s just not on the cards and that’s OK. Dance it out.” Expect to see Boris Johnson dancing any day now.
Ariana Grande
Positions
Ariana seems to be doing an “anti-Craig David” by meeting the parents before anything sexy occurs – “Boy, I’m tryna meet your mama on a Sunday / Then make a lotta love on a Monday.” I’m intrigued by what the rest of the week in this courtship would look like: maybe Ariana should check if Wetherspoons still does its Curry Club on Thursday.
Finneas
Can’t Wait to Be Dead
Doomed, possibly for ever, to be known as “Billie Eilish’s older brother and co-writer” (especially if people keep mentioning it in articles), Finneas steps away from the amorphous, alluring pop of his collaborator and takes a soft-rock stroll so squarely down the middle of the road he may well be Tarmacked by now. Although “Somebody’s ripping you off / Trying to sell you good news / You know we’re still gonna lose” feels very 2020.
Hot Chip ft Jarvis Cocker
Straight to the Morning
Imagine if Pet Shop Boys in their pomp had asked David Byrne to collaborate: good, no? Then forget that and just imagine Hot Chip asking Jarvis Cocker to appear on one of their tracks, because that is what’s actually happened. This both bangs and bops along, and doesn’t even ask permission to get your foot tapping … which is rude, really.
Slow Weather
Great White Male
If you tell people that you’re really into indie, but in fact Embrace are one of your favourite bands and you always have Radio 2 Drivetime on in the car, this one’s for you. Don’t listen to it while driving, though; it’s like Ambien in music form, only slightly lifted by the guitar break. Open the windows to let in some fresh air and plough on till the next services.
