Pop Smarts – August ’14

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It’s been a little quiet on the quality pop releases front this August, sure there have been new singles from the likes of Iggy Azalea, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Maroon 5; but they’re very much business as usual for all the acts involved. So this month on Pop Smarts we’re looking at the pop acts who are, or did something new in August.

Taylor Swift – Shake It Out

Despite some criticisms of racial stereotyping in the video, the return of T Swizzle with ‘Shake It Out’ is nothing short of brilliant. The track is the first from her soon to be released album 1989 and has the same sort of uplifting qualities that made Pharrell’s Happy such a massive hit. A triumphant return!

QT – Hey QT

The hyper-disney (or chipmunked) vocal’s are back in ‘vogue’ at the moment and whilst that can be really annoying, for QT’s childlike singing they really do fit. Given XL’s track record for unearthing stars, she is definitely one to watch.

Perfume Genius – Queen

This is the most ‘Pop’ track that Michael Hadreas AKA Perfume Genius has released to date. Apparently inspired by ‘gay panic,’ the song retains all of the awkward and uncomfortable truth of older tracks like ‘Mr Peterson’ whilst still sounding accessible.

Zella Day – East Of Eden

Imagine if Lana Del Rey decided to make music with Bastillesq/Imagine Dragons type choruses and you get the idea of what ZElla Day is all about.

Sophie – Lemonade

There’s a movement in London at the moment called ‘PC Music’ which is doing otherworldly, warped things to pop/r&b songs and Sophie’s (who is fact a middle-aged male producer) Lemonade is perhaps the best known track of the movement thus far. Sounding like some form of flubber inspired Niki Minaj track, this is what all the stars will sound like before too long.