Gemma Cockrell and Kiah Tooke
As the end of the academic year looms, Gemma and Kiah review the latest releases from hidingthehurt, Billie Eilish, Cavetown and bülow.
hidingthehurt – wait4me (Gemma):
hidingthehurt (Ollie Greenhalgh), who currently lives and studies in Nottingham, has released his new track wait4me. It is Greenhalgh’s sixth single of 2021.
The song’s instrumental begins with gentle guitar strums, reminiscent of the emo rap genre and artists such as Lil Peep. The track fuses these emo rap influences with the euphoric, glitchy and distorted sounds of hyperpop. Following the chorus, the bass drops and the track explodes into a flurry of synths and experimental sound effects reminiscent of artists like 100 Gecs.
hidingthehurt is a promising young talent in the UK hyperpop scene. He describes his combination of emo rap and hyperpop as “emo pop”, fusing the two unique and popular genres to forge his own path in the music industry. He has confessed that he wants to become “the UK’s biggest emo popstar”, and wait4me proves he has got what it takes.
Billie Eilish – Lost Cause (Gemma):
Billie Eilish has released her latest single Lost Cause, the fourth single from her upcoming second studio album ‘Happier Than Ever’. Fans predicted the title of the song when Eilish posted a selfie on her Instagram account with the caption “nothing but a lost cause”.
Much like Your Power, Lost Cause seems to be directed at her ex-boyfriend Brandon Quentin ‘Q’ Adams, as Eilish sings, “Thought you had your s**t together, but damn, I was wrong / You ain’t nothin’ but a lost cause.”
Eilish focuses on empowerment, most specifically female empowerment
Her former relationship seems to be a common theme of ‘Happier Than Ever’ based on the singles which have been released so far. On Lost Cause, Eilish focuses on empowerment, most specifically female empowerment, through both the lyrics and the accompanying music video which features Eilish and a group of her female friends.
Overall, in comparison to her debut album ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’, the sound of Lost Cause is slightly underwhelming. It is still a solid release from Eilish, but it lacks some of the edge of her debut. However, it is difficult to judge an album from a small selection of singles, and I am still highly anticipating ‘Happier Than Ever’.
Cavetown – Idea of Her (Kiah):
The first single of Cavetown’s new EP ‘Man’s Best Friend’, Idea of Her is a calming acoustic track that sets the tone for the rest of the EP. ‘Man’s Best Friend’ is Cavetown’s second EP which follows his 2020’s ‘Sleepyhead’ album and is one of his most comforting releases. Known for his bedroom pop sound, this new EP follows in the same style with its lo-fi sound.
Idea of Her’s lyrics detail the experience of unrequited love and confusion around being in love with someone. Layered acoustic guitars and a slow melody give the song a peaceful and intimate sound whilst also talking over more difficult feelings.
When discussing Idea of Her, Robin said “Over the past couple of years, I’ve written an embarrassing amount of songs about the same person. They always turn out to be the ones I’m most proud of, which probably speaks to the strength of the feelings this person evokes in me.”
Whilst the EP is only seven tracks long, a comforting and calming atmosphere is created which Idea of Her embodies, being a light and bittersweet song. Following the release of ‘Man’s Best Friend’, Cavetown has announced a 2021 UK tour to promote the EP.
bülow – Revolver (Kiah):
Canadian singer Megan Bülow has returned to release new single Revolver, an upbeat track that uses elements of electronic and alt pop. Revolver is the second single bülow has released this year, though the sound of the new track contrasts her previous single First Place with its vibrant and energetic sound.
The verses of Revolver contrast this with their simple sound
Revolver’s fast pace gives the chorus a powerful sound, the electronic layered vocals also contributing to the lively feel. The verses of Revolver contrast this with their simple sound, a discreet bass guitar paired with a rapid drum pattern. However, the song in parts feels slightly choppy due to the constant tempo change.
Revolver is an intentionally inspiring song, bülow shared “I want people to feel empowered listening to it. You are as powerful as you want to be. I don’t wake up every day feeling my most confident self. No one does.” The song’s lyrics discuss a powerful woman, inspiring confidence and assurance.
Revolver has a similar sound to bülow’s ‘Damaged Vol. 1 & 2’ EPs due to its electronic sound that she has been most associated with.
Gemma Cockrell and Kiah Tooke
Featured image courtesy of Nina via Flickr. Image license found here. No changes made to this image.
In-article image courtesy of Ben Jolley. No changes made to this image.
In-article image courtesy of @lemon.socks via instagram.com. No changes made to this image.
To listen to all of these tracks, check out the New Releases Roundup playlist on Spotify.
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