Each week on the FACT Singles Club, a selection of our writers work their way through the new music of the week gone by.
With the way individual tracks are now consumed, the idea of what constitutes a single has shifted dramatically in the last half a decade, and its for this reason that the songs reviewed across the next pages are a combination of 12″ vinyl releases, mixtape cuts, Soundcloud uploads and more. All are treated equally – well, most of the time. On the chopping block this week: Michael Jackson, Popcaan, Powell, Usher, and more.
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Usher – ‘Good Kisser’
John Twells: I can’t really argue with this, it’s far from Usher’s most inspiring vocal performance, but production wise it’s off the hook. Unashamedly MJ-influenced, but that little library music synthesizer blip just makes it. (6)
Joe Muggs: I almost gave this 0 points, until I realised I should probably switch the sexually troubled video off, then I realised that actually there’s a pretty good song (and great production and arrangement) going on. Now all I need to do is find a way of switching the lyrics off. And therapy to remove the memory of having seen *that* gesture. (5)
Kristan J. Caryl: Is he though? Probably not, unless he is kissing himself somewhere on the balls, because he sure does seem pleased with himself. (3)
William Skar: As samizdat blowie anthems go, this isn’t ‘Me & U’, but the 50% that sounds like something from Madlib’s Medicine Show series is great fun. Big brewers droop during the chorus, but it’s still the best Michael Jackson track released this week (6)
5
Michael Jackson – ‘Chicago’
Listen here.
William Skar: Some lovely Blue Steel synthwork on display here, but, as with so many life-after-death efforts, it’s too much of a Ctrl-C Ctrl-V job to really ring true. The second best Michael Jackson track released this week. (5)
Joe Muggs: Oh man, one of the great tragedies of our time, to fall so far from a place of such incendiary talent… but enough about Timbaland, we should focus on Jacko. Sorry, cheap shots aside, this is basically brilliant. Both parties on absolute top form. Like REALLY good. Two points docked for the whole “tortured paedo” thing. (7)
John Twells: Production from Stargate, Rodney Jerkins and Timbo? That must have been a fun studio session. It’s a shame they couldn’t save Jacko’s latter-era vocal awkwardness, though. It’s not totally awful, but has there ever been a posthumously produced record that’s been any good at all? (3)
Kristan J. Caryl: The nut-crunching angst of Jacko’s closely miked voice will never not be immediately recognisable, but there’s a certain oomph lacking from this that the King of Pop would surely have tried to resolve had he not drunk too much of that magic milk. (5)
5
Popcaan – ‘Love Yuh Bad’
Kristan J. Caryl: This is so annoying. (1)
William Skar: Afrobeats’ recent attack on the charts has really softened me to this sort of guileless come-away-with-me pop, and although Popcaan’s operating in a different field to Fuse ODG, this scratches a similar itch. Love that closing minute, when Dre Skull’s featherlight production really comes into its own. (7)
Joe Muggs: Well, it’s quite funny that dancehall is turning to really, really homosexual trance for its inspiration, but beyond the yuks this isn’t doing very much. (3)
John Twells: Dre Skull’s filter-y Mike Will-esque take on ragga production is welcome, and Popcaan’s vocal is packed with personality, but I can’t help but feels it needs an extra punch. Full disclaimer: that might just be my inner Midlander screaming out for gunshots and sirens. (6)
4.3
Shabazz Palaces – ‘They Come In Gold’
Kristan J. Caryl: Jesus, so is this! (1)
Joe Muggs: OK, I’d not bothered getting round to this guy because from all the descriptions I’d seen I thought it would be really clunky sub-Def Jux we-are-weird bore-rap. But actually this is quite out on its own, and soundwise is surprisingly light. Guess I should give the rest of his stuff a whirl, then? (6)
John Twells: I don’t know how well Shabazz Palaces tracks work on their own – for me their music is best consumed in album form, as it gives their bounty of ideas the time they need to marinate. This newie is expectedly impenetrable – all wordy and ethereal – but it’s hard to fuck with. If more music sounded this wonky I wouldn’t complain. (7)
William Skar: Like someone playing cat’s cradle with your axons. (8)
5.5
Akkord – ‘Continuum’
John Twells: I’m deeply suspicious of the jungle revival, but I’m realistic. It’s easy to write off anyone using an amen break or a reverberating emcee chant as a dull bandwagon jumper, but in amongst all the chaff there are occasionally a few good ideas. ‘Continuum’ wears its influences on its sleeve, but beefed up with some decidedly modern production smarts, it reminds me of the late ’90s, when dudes were happily dropping Autechre tracks in with Renegade Hardware jammers and nobody batted an eyelid. It’s not gonna please the purists but I approve. (8)
Joe Muggs: Oh, please let this be a reference to “the nuum” purely because of how completely outside of everything that is permitted “nuum” Synkro and Indigo are and how much it’ll razz up all the Dissesnsusites as a result. The tune is really great as far as it goes but it’s not really much more than a DJ tool is it? Bet it makes an amazing set starter. (6)
William Skar: I’ve yet to fully sign up to the Akkord project, but, although this sounds a little bit like it’s hovering on the back foot throughout, it’s done a decent job of turning me – chunky, playful when it needs to be, and cleverer than a lot of the jungl-ish tosh doing the rounds. (7)
Kristan J. Caryl: A year or so ago, before the likes of Special Request had revived, reinvented and ruled with his revisited amen breaks, this would have had a much bigger impact if you ask me. As it is, despite the moody atmospheres, you’d probably have to whack it up to +8 for anyone to really take note. (6)
6.8
Powell – ‘So We Went Electric’
Joe Muggs: He had me at “PSSSSSSSTHAAAPCHHHWCHHHWHHKWAAAHHHHWWCKKK”. Massive banger. (8)
William Skar: Electroclash of the titans. Oof-er of the week. (8)
Kristan J. Caryl: Crazier than a night on the crack pipe with Mayor Rob Ford. Music has the propensity to be genuinely shocking on a decreasingly frequent basis right now, so for that alone this is my pick of the week. (7)
John Twells: Clattering, churning so-called Club Music from Powell? You don’t have to tell me twice. It’s gross, grimy stuff and it very clearly fetishizes the ’80s industrial music that Powell’s been steering the Diagonal imprint towards over the last 12 months, but that’s not always a bad thing. Those drum sounds are a thing of beauty. (7)
7.5
Final scores:
Powell – ‘So We Went Electric’ (7.5)
Akkord – ‘Continuum’ (6.8)
Shabazz Palaces – ‘They Come In Gold’ (5.5)
Michael Jackson – ‘Chicago’ (5)
Usher – ‘Good Kisser’ (5)
Popcaan – ‘Love Yuh Bad’ (4.3)
