SOUND JUDGEMENT

THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES RATED AND REVIEWED

CLUB FUTURE NOSTALGIA

THREE years since Dua Lipa’s genreredefining New Rules topped the singles chart, she has pulled together a smorgasbord of collaborators, to put their own spin on tracks from last year’s Mercury-nominated Future Nostalgia.

Jacques Lu Cont works his magic on That Kind Of Woman, and she gets Horse Meat Disco in for Love Again, while Zach Witness and J-Pop producer Gen Hoshino both have a crack at Good In Bed.

The focus is on sustaining a groove, so diehard fans might find some tracks become a little anonymous in the process.

It’s all good clean fun, but inessential for all but the most dedicated fan.

SMILE – KATY PERRY

IN THE two years she’s been making Smile, Katy Perry has experienced enough major life events to pick and choose from an array of rich lyrical content she’s amassed, such as a spell of depression, her break-up and reconciliation with fiancé Orlando Bloom, and now pregnancy. All have a strong hold over the upbeat, poppy tracks that, in different circumstances would have been certified dancefloor classics.

While Smile isn’t 100% cohesive as an album, it’s a collection of singles that were made to be sure-fire number ones, and if they can’t pack a dance floor thanks to social distancing, they’ll have you singing along.

USE ME – PVRIS

USE Me is the album that sees PVRIS step out of the shadows, while retaining the darkness that has always surrounded them.

The band have come a long way from their metalcore beginnings, with their third full album completing the journey into stadium electropop.

They embrace pop fully on Stay Gold, Hallucinations and Wish You Well, while the title track has an alternate version featuring rising New Jersey rapper 070 Shake. 2020 may have been a washout for live music, but thanks to Use Me, we’ll always have PVRIS.