New Music Friday - 04/04/2025

Albums (or really in this case an EP):

• Rachel Chinouriri - Little House

Singles:

• Alesso (feat. Becky Hill) - Surrender
• AURORA - The Flood
• Aly & AJ - Next To Nothing
• BABYMETAL (feat. Poppy) - from me to u
• Caity Baser - Running From Myself
• Carla Wehbe - OCD
  
• Cher Lloyd - Green Light
  
• Ciara - Ecstasy 
• Devon Cole - Play House
  
• daine - eighteen
• Ed Sheeran - Azizam
• HAIM - Everybody's trying to figure me out
• Jessie Murph - Gucci Mane
  
• Kaleen - Heart In Stereo
  
• Laufey - Silver Lining
• Miley Cyrus - End of the World
• Miley Cyrus - Prelude
  
• Miley Cyrus - Something Beautiful
• PinkPantheress - Tonight
• Sara Keys - On This Hill
  
• Sophie Powers - move with me
  
• The Marías - Back To Me
• The Marías - Nobody New
• Wet Leg - catch these fists
• Zoe Wees - Hello Again
  

Rachel Chinouriri - Little House

Can we talk about Isaac?: I don't really expect to like this EP majorly but let's see where we go. I remember not really liking this song too much, and I have the same reaction. It's the production style I don't really like here. It's really like indie pop rock or something. Not really my jam. It's fine I suppose, just not my thing. Maybe I like it slightly more than last listen though? Force me to listen to it like 300 more times and we might be talking. 6/10

23:42: My favourite time of night, how did she know! I'm not sure whether I do or don't like this more. I'm not sure what that sound is but I'm not sure I like it. Also, NO LA LA LA LA LA. HATE it. BAD. Definitely knocked my liking of this song down. I think it was maybe decent overall other than that. I'm not entirely sure how I feel. 6/10

Judas (Demo): Me when I'm a demo. Lady Gaga is marked safe, put it that way. It's a very "acoustic sad/emotional song". Which is not my thing majorly. It serves exactly that fairly well, but it's not for me. 6/10

Indigo: Same for this song really. I guess the end is a bit different? Although I'm not here for the vocals at the very end. I mean right before that with the production. But yeah, very repetitive, kinda boring song, and I was feeling it dragging on, I can't lie. 5/10

Overall Verdict: The EP feels somewhat disjointed to me. Like, half of it is indie pop rock (some parts better than others), then we go into mostly acoustic emotional song territory. I don't really see the vision. I guess the best I can say is that it's okay I guess? But I think the more I listen to Rachel, the more I just don't get the hype around her at all. She's like Sabrina Carpenter to me. Apparently everyone loves her, but I just don't see it myself, again and again.

Singles:

Alesso (feat. Becky Hill) - Surrender: Me when I'm another generic Becky Hill track. Like, if you like Becky Hill, you'll probably like it. It's not anything remotely new. It's fine I suppose? I feel like you could listen to any other Becky Hill track and get basically the same thing. It's a dance track and that's that. 6/10

AURORA - The Flood: I presume this is a track related to AURORA's album last year with the single cover having the same heart? It was one of my favourite albums of last year so I'm hoping this track delivers too. Unfortunately, I'm not sure this track is hitting the same as some of the ones last year. Not that it's bad, it's just...not super my style. It's a very pleasant listen though. But yeah, this definitely does not match up to most of the album for me. 6/10

Aly & AJ -  Next To Nothing: To think Aly & AJ had some great bops but I'm not here for the vibe they're going for with their next album. Guitars like that can be my enemy! This is also not really for me sadly. What happened to like, Sanctuary? It's a song that is merely fine. At least it didn't drag on too long. 5/10

BABYMETAL (feat. Poppy) - from me to u: This is what I expected a song like this would sound like. And I like it! Time for me to enter my pop metal era clearly! It's a bop. I'm not as much of a fan of the actual screaming but it comes with the territory. They sound good! The production is very interesting. Liked it more than I thought I would. 7/10

Caity Baser - Running From Myself: Why does this give kinda terrible commercial music? Like I could see that. Caity has always been an artist that I've found...bad, to put it mildly. This song doesn't break that rule. It's bad! Commercial vibes, and that chorus is not it. Sorry Caity, I'm running from your music! 4/10

Carla Wehbe - OCD: I'm always here for songs like this, even if I don't like them. Mental health conditions are often a lot. And I love artists writing about their personal experiences, even though it's often sadly so difficult. And honestly, this one is a bop, I can't lie. The lyrics are sad, but great song. 8/10

Cher Lloyd - Green Light: Move over Lorde, your time is over! Joking, obviously that would never happen. It's an alright pop song, nothing really special. I thought the chorus could hit but honestly, not quite. It kinda goes the wrong direction somewhat and some of the vocals and production are annoying rather than cunty. So it's merely alright. 6/10

Ciara - Ecstasy: Very much a R&B song. The genre is hit and miss for me generally, but I generally at least like most songs. This is one that I like, but not majorly. It's a nice listen! The background vocals are fun. The production is also just pleasant to listen to. 6/10 

daine - eighteen: daine is a name I haven't seen in a while but always wanted to get back into. They opened for Charli XCX once upon a time. Wasn't really a mega fan of the song at the start but it picks up eventually. I think from that point on it's a decent listen. It's fairly chill but more in the way I like. 7/10

Devon Cole - Play House: Not sure I'm here for this Play House. I'm anti this song. I don't want it. It's grating and annoying. Please end my suffering already. END IT 4/10 

Ed Sheeran - Azizam: Weird childish vocals in the background? I'm not sure I was here for the chant like vocals either. But once they went, the song got better. Honestly, it's a decent song, I enjoyed listening to it. Can't believe I'm saying that about Ed Sheeran! 7/10

Jessie Murph - Gucci Mane: This is a country song for sure. Can't relate to having a million bucks, but can relate to shitty men. Honestly, it's a good song. I enjoyed listening to it. 7/10

HAIM - Everybody's trying to figure me out: Me too HAIM, me too! I am very mysterious. I have a feeling I may like this less than the previous single. It's giving more of an acoustic vibe to it. It's an alright song but it's not really my favourite. Me when I think I'm going to die but I'm not going to die. I certainly won't die of being gagged by this song though. 6/10

Kaleen - Heart In Stereo: I got forced to listen to this so it better be good. And it sounds like it will be. It's not as good as We Will Rave for sure, but it's good. The chorus HITS with those synths. And maybe it lost it a bit? I don't know. How do I actually feel about this song? It's hard to tell exactly. I think I like it, that chorus does hit. Maybe what I'm feeling is that it's a bit too muted in places? But still, good song. Ending was way too abrupt though. 7/10

Laufey - Silver Lining: This is a pleasant listen! It's very chill and smooth, and I like how Laufey sounds. It's not my typical sound but I really do like it. Honestly, this style of jazz pop is really nice. I don't see myself gagging to get it back on all the time but it's a really really nice listen. Just a great song honestly. 8/10

Miley Cyrus - End of the World: The songs on this album are hopefully all going to transition into each other like this (this is the third song on the album, Something Beautiful is the second). It's good to see when artists intend for albums to be albums and not just a collection of songs. Okay yeah, this vibe is a bit different haha. Not really chill. Not sure I'm here for the layered vocals. Not sure I'm entirely here for this song generally? I very much appreciate the interesting artistry going into this album, but not sure this song is for me. It kinda gives me a Charli XCX Sucker era song somewhat. Other people are saying it's like ABBA? Well that could explain why I don't like it that much too. Okay weird quiet section, where are we going? Eh, nowhere that interesting. Intrigued to eventually find out what the next song sounds like, but I'll have to wait. 6/10

 

Miley Cyrus - Prelude: Me when I'm an album intro. Very interesting start though! The production build up and the talking vocals (with the vocal effects) are actually quite interesting. I like it. I really really like it as an intro to an album actually. Not sure why it was a single but whatever. Also, the ending? Is that WAR? Are those like machine guns and bombs and stuff? Or at the very least, it really sounds like it. But regardless, I think this is a really intriguing setup to an album. If I heard this, I'd want to try the rest out. 9/10

Miley Cyrus - Something Beautiful: Very nice transition into this song. Well, this is quite chill. I don't dislike it but I'm not majorly for it either? Damn, I got spoiled there's kinda a jumpscare in this song. I wonder what it is. OH wow okay I can see why that may catch people off guard. This is the song I'm more here for. THAT was a vibe SHIFT. Gaggery actually. Oh no, are we back to the chill stuff? I think I can appreciate the softer stuff when that's the switchup. I'm always here for a good switchup. I think regardless, this is going to be a VERY interesting Miley album. So I'm here for it. 7/10

PinkPantheress - Tonight: Woah, PinkPantheress releasing a song over 2 minutes is crazy. Interesting intro, but I'm intrigued by the production after that. It has a very familiar sound to it. It does give me similar vibes to previous PinkPantheress releases. It really strongly reminds me of something else too, but I'm not sure what it is. Is it getting louder or am I high? It's a decent song though. 7/10

Sara Keys - On This Hill: Me when I'm an acoustic sad song. I like the directionally challenged lyric though. It's a fine song otherwise. 6/10

Sophie Powers - move with me: I'm intrigued by this song. Okay, we're kinda electronic hyperpop-y type vibes I think? Kinda seems a bit similar to a PinkPantheress type of track. I enjoy the vocal distortions. They're fun. It's a good track generally. 7/10

The Marías - Back To Me: Interesting synths, but it's not screaming a song I'll like. Vocal distortions starting a new section of a song is fun, but the next part confirmed it's not really for me. It's too chill and almost too nothing for me. It's very much the chill bedroom dream stuff I'm not a mega fan of. It's a pleasant enough listen though. 6/10

The Marías - Nobody New: Kinda the same for this song honestly. It's the chill type of music I don't like too much. Well, that song kinda just happened. It was a pleasant listen but I somewhat forgot it happened. Won't be listening again! 6/10

Wet Leg - catch these fists: Okay, aggressive title! Or rather, not at all what I expected a song with this title to sound like, at least in the verses. I think Wet Leg may be another group of artists I just do not get. This is very much the definition of mediocre for me. Don't get it. Oh well, I'll still be listening to the album later this year 5/10

Zoe Wees - Hello Again: Well, those lyrics are relatable, yikes. Both from the perspective of my dad somewhat and an ex situationship of mine. And I like the sound of the song too, as well as Zoe too! It's like a midtempo power ballad type of song. I often eat them up. 8/10