Page 56 - WRY-Magazine-April-2024

REVIEWS > EDITOR’S PICKS

APR 2024 JACK SPILSBURY

Editor’s Picks: Charli XCX - Club Classics
Charli XCX is always one artist that will constantly be on heavy rotation from myself, with tracks from her previous album ‘CRASH’ the likes of ‘Beg
For You’, ‘Used To Know Me’ and ‘Lightning’ all being played from me on the daily. The singer-songwriter recently announced to the world her
upcoming sixth studio album ‘Brat’ and thus it’s no surprise that the promotional single ‘Club Classics’ is one I have found myself continuing to be
going back to this month.
TRACKS CHOSEN BY THE TEAM OF EXPERT WRITERS AT WERAVEYOU Constantly containing dance elements throughout her music, ‘Club Classics’ is no different with high levels of energy and hyperpop elements
at the forefront. Party girl lyricism is showcased in ‘Club Classics’ with the need to rave all night being heavily alluded to, and a verse that sends
nods to the late musical legend SOPHIE being a heartfelt touch. ‘Club Classics’ is out now and ‘Brat’ will be eagerly awaited from me, which drops
June 7th.

Cascada - What Hurts The Most
Anyone around my age will see the German singer-songwriter Cascada as a musical legend, right? And for this month for better or worse
I’ve been confiding myself in her incredible release ‘What Hurts The Most’. Releasing in November of 2007 as a part of her ‘Perfect Day’ album, I
remember vividly hearing this one for the first time on Clubland TV (A British dance-centric music video channel) and instantly being hooked.
‘What Hurts the Most’ is essentially a cover of a country track by Mark Wills released in 2003 however Cascada’s release incorporates euro-dance
elements with heavy hitting beats and sensational vocals from Cascada, if not some of the best we’ve seen from the vocalist. The final chorus
particularly is a true vocal spectacular with Cascada reaching all of the high notes. All in all the song is legendary, skyrocketing up global charts
RYAN FORD upon its release and still holding up today, recently passing 27 million streams on Spotify. If you have somehow missed ‘What Hurts The Most’ I
highly recommend you check it out.
Tom Westy - Without You (Terminal 1) ft. Julia Church
Even though it has already been out for a couple of weeks, my first pick for the month is undoubtedly set to soundtrack my summer. Infused with
signature balearic sounds, Tom Westy’s track with Julia Church strikes all the right notes with me, hence why I’ve had it on repeat recently. With
regards to the release of the track, I have followed the progress of it since he originally posted the idea on Instagram after putting it together in SAMANTHA REIS
an airport terminal. This genius melody has stuck with me ever since I heard it the first time, and with the addition of Julia Church (an artist who
has also featured on some of my favourite Tinlicker tracks recently), it couldn’t be more perfect.
Every now and then I feel we all come across a song that makes us think of summer, and this is one of those for me. It has all the ingredients of WhoMadeWho – Abu Simbel
a summer hit in its light and airy synths, its lyricism and easy-going arrangement. It’s no surprise to see that it has struck up so may streams in It’s not a new track, but it’s certainly a very special one for me. It’s been on my playlist ever since it was released, but I’ve been playing
such a short space of time, as Tom continues to flourish as a young, budding producer. it again recently to celebrate its three-year anniversary. Exactly three years ago, Danish band WhoMadeWho were asked to perform
an incredible live set for Cercle in the temples of Abu Simbel in Egypt. It was for this occasion that the trio created this melodic gem,
which they named after the place.
‘Abu Simbel’ is as mystical and grandiose as those temples in Egypt, with a beautiful melody. The lyrics ‘Only you keep me going’
translate into a melancholic yet uplifting message, like a heartfelt love letter. The vocals bring it to life in a sublime way, keeping the
Keinemusik, Alan Dixon - Thandaza ft. Arabic Piano
timbre high and whispery, as if it were all one sigh. The voice is undoubtedly the jewel of this track, set against a rich composition. The
The Afro House movement continues to surge in popularity as one of the viral electronic sub-genres right now. With that brings us lots of great
narrative is undulating, full of breaths that invite you to reflect. Or perhaps to dream about what those holidays will be like.
new music as artists look to display some of the best stylistic ideas within the remit of the genre. Keinemusik are pioneers of the moment and
have combined with Alan Dixon and Arabic Piano to create an Afro House masterpiece unlike any other. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to
it, I thoroughly recommend it, as this piece takes you on a journey.
I’m a sucker for a nice, laid-back house track, and ‘Thandaza’ gives me that and so much more with the many elements in its arrangement. In
particular, the piano melodies that float throughout are simply addictive, that and the intrinsic vocals that complement them from start to finish.
Moderat – More Love (Rampa, &ME Remix)
You can see how seamlessly that this record is going to slot into any Keinemusik set to provide us with some mesmeric moments behind the
Moderat is the electronic trio made up of Apparat and Modeselektor. Their name came back into the limelight in 2022 when they released their
decks. With no plans to see them any time soon, I’ll have to settle for streaming the life out of the track to create my own memories with such a
fourth studio album after a six-year hiatus. ‘More D4ta’ is made up of many quality tracks, including ‘More Love’, which received an incredible
special production.
performance from Rampa and &ME last year. This progressive gem was released via Keinemusik and I still enjoy revisiting it today. I think it fits
beautifully with these spring days, as a prelude to summer.
True to their nature, Rampa and &ME infuse ‘More Love’ with a dense tribal energy that materialises in several layers. It’s full of moments of
mystery and suspense that control intense and extremely emotional build-ups. The drums are very well distributed so as not to lose the rhythm,
but without drowning out the vocals. I think it’s a perfect track for dancing with your eyes closed at dawn or saying goodbye to the sun at sunset.
It’s another example of Rampa and &Me’s skills and captivating synergy. I’ll keep it on my playlist until the end of the summer.
OURANIOS SAVVA
Timmy Trumpet, Gabry Ponte - Mad World
No stranger to certified bangers, Timmy Trumpet has been blessing fans alike for quite some time now with each of his releases. Having only
recently witnessed the magic during a live performance at Omnia Las Vegas, I have been drawn back to one of his classics, and that is no other CREIGHTON BRANCH
than ‘Mad World.’ Taken from his homonymous debut album, ‘MAD WORLD,’ back in 2020, this epic collaboration alongside Italian DJ/Producer
Gabry Ponte always hits right in the feels, with its ever-so emotive lyrics, pairing perfectly with the most infectious and hard-hitting of drops. The
very first single from his album, that in fact brought his vision to life, ‘Mad World’ also pays homage to Michael Andrews and Gary Jules’ original ARMNHMR, Lights - Someone To Forget
hit, with Timmy Trumpet’s and Gabry Ponte’s rendition also arriving at a time where the global pandemic was at its peak, and in turn, portrayed I never get tired of these two. ARMNHMR is almost always in my rotation it’s just a matter of which song is getting the most love at the time,
a realistic vision of our world at that moment in time, something that was also captured through the official music video. A track that I will never and that happens to be ‘Someone To Forget.’ I consider it one of my top three favorite tracks from them with no hesitation. There are so many
get enough of, ‘Mad World’ represents life as we live it, and through the power of music, there will always be hope when facing struggles, from the moments that draw me into this one. My favorite part of this song is, by far, the beginning. I love emotional guitar intros, and anytime I hear one,
most minimal to the most significant. it’s hard for me not to love the song automatically. I’m also a big fan of the way Lights’ voice sounds, it is incredibly unique. The other key here is
the wonderful atmospheres that ARMNHMR put in this track. Even though they lay underneath everything when they get introduced, it causes this
intense emotion that rushes over you, and you’ll find yourself completely in awe. Not to mention, the hook is superb.
This is the epitome of a melodic bass song. It has great lead guitars, rhythm guitars, vocals, and drums and the lyric writing is very relatable. It is
everything you want in a vibey track, and it is one that I try to recommend to everybody. If you’re into melodic bass, there is no question you will
Tim Berg - Seek Bromance
love this one.
Arguably one of the most iconic tracks of our generation, ‘Seek Bromance’ holds a special place in my catalogue of absolute classics, and I am
pretty sure it does in yours too. Stepping back to the now quite distant 2010, a young up and coming DJ/Producer going by the name Tim Berg,
short for Tim Bergling, was about to get the huge breakout he deserved, by releasing first an instrumental version, and then further blessing us
Martin Garrix, Dubvision, Jaimes - Empty
all with the lyrical version that turned out to be ‘Seek Bromance.’ A showcase of his genius mind, Tim Berg, or better known as Avicii, would be
Has a collaboration with Martin Garrix and Dubvision ever leus astray before? No, and this time won’t be the case either. As part of his ‘IDEM’ EP
embarking on quite the journey within the dance scene, and what better way, than producing the first of many anthems that will remain in music
release, this song had been tested by Garrix for quite some time before it finally found its final footing, and it was worth the wait. Garrix is 100% my
history for generations and generations to come. A melodic masterpiece, ‘Seek Bromance’ has anyone hooked from start to finish, with each
favorite electronic artist, and out of all the songs he has put out in the last few years, this is one of his catchiest ones. There is not a part of the
musical element implemented in a manner that to this day captures the heart and soul of the listener. An indication towards what was in store,
writing aspect of ‘Empty’ that lacks, and I feel that Jaimes (who has had some major features in the last few months) was the perfect choice for
and despite the change in his musical direction as time progressed, Avicii left and continues to leave a lasting impact on me, and of course
the vocalist. It’s obvious that when Garrix and Dubvision are together, they create some of the best progressive melodies in the industry, and it’s
everyone that can relate to the raw emotion and endless possibilities that are presented on the daily within the realms of electronic music.
great to see them carrying the moment two years later after a highly successful slate of 2022 original releases.
It took about two listens of this track before I found myself constantly singing it, and that’s how I knew it was going to be a staple in my listening
rotation. And then, to seal the deal, Garrix used this track as his Ultra 2024 opener. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.
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