We’re in the height of Summer and I’ve got a selection of songs that are going to help you cool your heels or raise the heat just a little more. With amazing new music from Robyn’s latest musical adventure and the return of bubblegum pop in full swing, here are the songs and videos you need in your life this week.
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Florence + The Machine – Queen of Peace & Love and Lost
Woah now Miss. Welch. Another epic music video and this time it’s two for the price of one for the double A-Side release of ‘Queen of Peace’ and ‘Love and Lost’. Her third album has been a visual one, and it’s also been quite the melodramatic one too, thanks to director Vincent Haycock. Set on the Scottish isle of Easdale, the video explores themes of male brutality, loss of innocence and struggle. It’s quite the visual feast and, while many are calling it pretentious, I like the fact that there are artists that push themselves to create a thought out measured spectacle through their work.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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Hayden James – Something About You (ODESZA remix)
ODESZA are proving themselves to be quite the experts when it comes to creating chilled out euphoric twists on popular and unknown tracks. This week, they gave Hayden James’ ‘Something About You’ one hell of a rework, turning it from house to heaven. Trust me. Play this when driving along the coast, through the countryside, across vast expanses of desert… basically anywhere that gives you the space to ‘breathe’. Wonderful.
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Robyn & La Bagatelle Magique – Set Me Free
From chilled heaven to peace & love on the dance floor from the faultless Robyn and her new project La Bagatelle Magique. On the YouTube link, the band tell us the songs is about ‘being afraid and trying not to be afraid of being afraid’. We all know that feeling far too well. With it’s house come jungle sound and reassuring vocals from Robyn, this ode to inner strength will be killer on the dance floors this late Summer and Autumn. I can see it now, people singing it out at the top of their lungs with their best friends in a frenzy of sweat and love. Brilliant.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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Liz – When I Rule the World
Imagine Gwen Stefani collaborating with the Venga Boys and asking Diplo to make it sound edgy and citing the likes of the Spice Girls and early Britney as their style inspiration… and that’s what you get from Liz. A girl power anthem that brings bubblegum pop right on back to the masses. While it might take a while for this style to break the commercial market, there’s no denying that they are on to something good. The internet is alive with a creative group called PC Music and it looks like their sound and aesthetics are slowly creeping into the mainstream. Things are going to go pop people.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face
Love is a drug and for The Weeknd it leaves him with the inability to feel his face. Poor chap. The classy video was directed by Grant Singer and he gives The Weeknd one hell of a finale, in which we see the singer on stage, bursting into flames. It’s the most pop we have heard the artist to date, giving us a sign that his upcoming second album ‘Beauty Behind the Madness’ and I can’t wait to hear more. The song was written by The Weeknd and produced by Max Martin, the man responsible for the biggest hits of Katy Perry. Britney Spears, Pink, Taylor Swift, Kesha, Usher and the list goes on.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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Disclosure – Omen ft Sam Smith
Yes please! A video for the latest collaboration from Disclosure and Sam Smith, whose song ‘Latch’ helped launch both of their careers all over the world. This time around, Sam Smith belts out with more confidence than ever and the beat is oh so damn delicious. The video sees the singer in a hot hot club with guys and girls dancing together… with clothes, with occasional references to the fallen and the devil appearing. It’s sexy, slick, subtle and spot on. Love it.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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Chet Faker – 1998 ft Banks
And finally, we have a rework of Chet Faker’s brilliant track 1998 featuring the stunningly sensual Banks. The track was originally released last year as a promotional single and given a nice little video too, but clearly Faker felt it was time to dust the chilled dance song a dusting down and got Banks on the track. Listen and love.