Welcome to Weekly Round-Up No. 38! This week we feature new singles by FANACY, VOXES and Christa V. And we review debut releases by St. Solaire, Mulàn, Suspects and Julia Clara. Enjoy the music!
FANACY – I Just Feel Like Dancing
If the title didn’t give it away, the first few bars will: this track is for dancing!! The new single by Sweden’s FANACY grabs back to classic female-vocal dancepop, with traces of Lady Gaga, Robyn and Bertine Zetlitz. And the breakdown is inspired by Abba (or Madonna’s “Hung Up”?!). But “I Just Feel Like Dancing” is not a copy-paste exercise, but a cohesive song that arose from FANACY’s mind which was (un)consciously filled with a melting pot of fantastic female dance tunes.
Mulàn – Night
Electronic pop music with an attitude! Mulàn‘s debut single is a funky, seductive electronica-fueled R&B song. As the title suggests, this is best listened to at night. The band Mulàn wants to stay a mystery, because it’s all about the music. And beautiful music it is, challenging you to imagine and experience more. Because according to the band, we need to realize how little we experience of our world, before we are open to see and hear the hidden.
St. Solaire – Morning Sun
Nearly a year performing together, Dutch band St. Solitaire release their debut single “Morning Sun”. The song has an accessible pop rock sound, reminiscent of Coldplay for example. And there is a little flair of folk making this a melancholic summer song. The track was produced by Peter Katis who worked with The National and Kurt Vile. A great first offering from a band that is going places. Mark our words.
VOXES – Snake Charmer
French psychedelic band VOXES return with a new EP called “Snake Charmer“. The EP contains four songs that make use of several intertwining themes and melodies, making this a concept EP. The sound is more synthesizer-based than previous work, but they don’t lose their psychedelic touch fortunately! The main single “Snake Charmer” is a synth-heavy psychedelic pop song with an irresistible groove, while “Desert In Your Eyes” is the club version for a hypnotic dance floor experience. Great stuff!
Julia Clara – Still Dancing
Apparently Sweden never runs out of amazing female singers! Julia Clara is another singer-songwriter writing excellent pop songs. Despite the title, “Still Dancing” is not a dance track. The ‘dancing’ refers to still dancing in heart and mind, a metaphor for not giving up. The song is dark but hopeful, and sounds like it is from distant, unexplored territory. Very dreamlike and imaginative.
Suspects – Cigarettes & Cheap Wine
Suspects are ‘4 guys making some music’ from Chelmsford, UK. Their first song “Cigarettes & Cheap Wine” is clearly underproduced and the sound quality is like what you expect from a demo. But wait! Despite the ‘demo’ quality, this young band is onto something! There is some excellent songwriting, with lyrics telling the story of heartbreak without regret. The melancholic guitar melody and sad vocals emphasize the mood of resignation. You can hear the band’s intentions and the way they want to go with their indierock sound. That makes this a great first single.
Christa Vi – Futureproof
With her new single Christa Vi is bringing her pop music to the dance floor. “Futureproof” has a sound somewhere between electropop and ’90s/’00s vocal house; the track has that familiar euphoric and hopeful sound that makes you dance instantly. The emotions are also reflected in the lyrics, as the song is about hope and determination in finding a new love that is worthwhile. Her debut album “Makeshift Happiness” will be released on the 25th of November.