“Talk,” “Who Do You Love,” and More in New Singles

“Talk” – Khalid ft. Disclosure

Loved-up ’80s-esque synths usher in Khalid and Disclosure’s collab “Talk.” The track pulls from various genres to construct a beat that captures the essence of various love song tropes with a fresh and innovative spin. Khalid opens with the chorus of the song, laying the foundation for a low-stakes pop song with tons of replay value. Lacking in depth lyrically, the song does not claim to be anything more than a fun-loving potential hit.

A slow R&B clap beat courses throughout the song’s veins as Khalid’s smooth voice glides over the chorus that questions “Can’t we just talk? Can’t we just talk? / Talk about where we’re going.” Produced by Disclosure, twinkling flourishes loom around the easy-going lyrics. Disclosure does not attempt to overpower Khalid’s vocal strength with copious mixing on the track, resulting in a song that is palatable both lyrically and musically.  

With suggestive lyrics, such as “Penthouse view, left some flowers in the room / I’ll make sure I leave the door unlocked,” the 20-year-old singer deals with more mature romantic subjects than he has in past hits like “Location” or “Young Dumb & Broke” without including unnecessary shock value. In avoiding the raunchy or risqué , Khalid and Disclosure position the track as the perfect Valentine’s Day radio hit.

“Who Do You Love” – The Chainsmokers ft. 5 Seconds of Summer

Unlike “Talk,” The Chainsmokers’ “Who Do You Love” suffers from false depth and overproduction. The EDM duo garishly adorns a song about suspected cheating—5 Seconds of Summer’s Luke Hemmings sings “Found cigarettes in your Fendi coat / Even though you don’t smoke”—with obnoxious autotuning and cold, uninspired beat drops. Breakup songs are no stranger to the party environment—think The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” or Justin Bieber’s “Where Are Ü Now”—and it is clear that “Who Do You Love” lazily borrows from this strange niche of sad songs for parties without attempting to offer any semblance of originality.

“Super Cool” – Beck ft. Robyn and The Lonely Island

If “Baby Shark” is the “SICKO MODE” for babies, “Super Cool” is the elementary school version of “Adventure of a Lifetime.” Produced for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part soundtrack, the song borrows the irreverent sarcasm character of the movie and its title. Beck—who has had a busy year producing Cage The Elephant’s upcoming album and promoting his own Grammy-nominated album Colors—enlists the vocal talents of Robyn and the hilarity of Lonely Island, who recently secured a bold-font spot on Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival’s 2019 lineup. The busy beat and overly-optimistic lyrics are sure to serve as a light-hearted complement to the second installment of the popular franchise.

Featured Image by RCA Records