Chris Brown – “High End”
Stranger Things meets grounded rap in Chris Brown’s newest single “High End,” demonstrating an ominously successful mixing of sounds.
“High End” features a fresh collaboration among Chris Brown, Future, and Young Thug, serving as a single in promotion of Chris Brown’s upcoming studio album Heartbreak on a Full Moon. The single follows another called “Grass is Greener,” which was released in May of 2016. Between now and then, relatively little light has shone on what will be Brown’s eighth studio album. That is, not until “High End” was released, which is bound to arouse interest once again.
The single embodies a simple downbeat overlaid with a repeated, light techno melody, a sound reminiscent of Netflix megahit Stranger Things’ theme song. While the song conveys all of the luxuries experienced in the high life in its lyrics shared among the three artists, this underlying sound undercuts this meaning with a far more fascinating, Halloween-esque mystery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRn-ahb89QM
Louis Tomlinson – “Just Like You”
“Just Like You” illustrates what can result from the breakup of a boy band that will inevitably manifest in the career of at least one member—a horribly trite attempt to remain relevant with their previous fanbase. Louis Tomlinson is at the receiving end of this inadequacy, a previous member of the now-split One Direction, with his newest single, which features the artist shifting between roughly imitating Ed Sheeran’s style of innocent rap-singing and singing a desperately cheesy chorus about being a normal person “just like you.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy1mXllUk6o
Mabel – “Begging”
Up-and-coming British pop artist Mabel released her latest single “Begging” on Oct. 11, offering a more robust vocal quality to what would otherwise be the typical pop tune about a deteriorating relationship. Although communicating fairly unoriginal, overly repeated lyrics like “I wanna see you on your knees / Wanna see you begging,” Mabel’s rich vocals deepen the overall musical dynamic, creating a more unique fullness of sound.
Featured Image by RCA Records
I don’t know what you consider a “desperate attempt to stay relevant within their previous fan base,” but that is NOT true. Do your research; Louis is one of the more popular within the fandom.