Music

Tunes of the Week (2)

11 December 2015

By Oisin

New releases and Grammy nominations make up this week’s ‘Tunes of the Week’.

‘Back To Back’ – Drake

Given its Grammy Nomination, I thought it would be suitable to put a diss track here. Originally released as Drake’s second diss to Meek Mill within a week, ‘Back to Back’ climbed up the charts and is now a club staple. Drake’s wordplay, catchy beat, and ruthless delivery were enough to beat Meek Mill down, and now he is receiving a Grammy for his efforts – could Meek’s loss get much worse?

‘Sorry (EZY Lima Remix)’ – Justin Beiber, covered by Taylor Buono

The internet has been flooded with Justin Bieber remixes, following the recent release of his latest album, Purpose. EZY Lima’s remix is one of the few that stand out. EZY Lima is an up-and-coming female producer from Germany, and tends to use song covers to create her remixes, with her ‘Sorry’ remix being no different. Taylor Buono’s sweet vocals are blended with ethereal synths making Bieber’s song completely her own.

‘American Money’ – BØRNS

‘American Money’ is the fourth track off BØRNS’s debut album Dopamine, which was released in October. BØRNS feels like a mixture of MGMT, Lorde, and Lana Del Ray: offering glam-pop, electro and swooping falsetto harmonies that are all kept together by solid drum beats. ‘American Money’ feels slightly bittersweet, as if there is a deeper meaning hidden somewhere in the music, submerged beneath the layers of synths.

‘Borders’ – M.I.A

M.I.A continues to tackle the refugee crisis through her music. ‘Borders’ is the first track from M.I.A since July and she doesn’t hold back as she berates modern society for its indifference. M.I.A is not afraid to be political, and she has the skill to tackle such a complex problem within a song. According to M.I.A’s label, ‘Borders’ and ‘Swords’ are part of “a truly global and characteristically DIY MIA project. The two pieces will ultimately come together in a larger body of work that explores the concept of Borders, an element of which will be a full-length album and film experience entitled Matahdatah.” It is refreshing to see an artist use their platform to speak for those who are refused a voice.

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