Single Roundup: Feb. 11

Story posted February 11, 2019 in

Khalid - Talk

With the release of his debut album, American Dream, in 2017, Khalid became the symbol of the average American teenager in the 21st century. With his new single “Talk,” released Feb. 7, he begins to allow his music to mature as he has grown up from his high school persona. It’s a great experience for listeners who could relate to Khalid in 2017 and have likely grown with him into 2019.

“Talk” is a sample for his upcoming album which he described as being all about a blossoming relationship. In the song, he asks that his girlfriend take a moment to open up about their feelings in a way they never had before. It’s about tackling the first mature conversation in a relationship after the initial stages and beginning to answer the question: “what are we?”

For the single, Khalid paired with electronic duo group Disclosure, who helped to write and produce the track. While it hasn’t been revealed whether the group will be working with Khalid for the entire album, the song is enough to make audiences hopeful.

However, audiences can most likely anticipate a more mature version of his first album while still keeping the flavor that makes Khalid who he is. In “Talk,” there is still the ease of soft pop that listeners are familiar with. While it is his first collaboration with Disclosure, fans can rest assured that he hasn’t strayed very far from his roots.

– Jade Campos

EARTHGANG ft. Young Thug – Proud Of U 

Hip-hop duo EARTHGANG connect with fellow Atlanta rapper Young Thug on “Proud of U,” the second official single for their highly anticipated debut studio album, MirrorLand. As the track title suggests, EARTHGANG, comprised of Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot, join Young Thug to profess their admiration and gratitude for the women in their lives.

The up-tempo, melodic and spacey production from Johnny Venus highlights the chemistry between the two groups while perfectly blending their unique, experimental styles. Young Thug and EARTHGANG previously joined forces on J. Cole’s “KOD” tour in 2018. Around the three-minute mark of the song, Venus lays down an 808-heavy beat switch. This abrupt transition combined with the smooth flow of Doctur Dot immediately grasps your attention and leaves you wanting more. “Proud of U” follows the album’s lead single, “Stuck,” which was released in September of 2018. The LP will be released via J. Cole’s “Dreamville” label sometime this year. If this is a sign of what’s to come, EARTHGANG and Dreamville are in store for a loaded 2019.

– Matthew Black

Buddy ft. Kent Jamz, Bas, Guapdad 4000, J.I.D, Ari Lennox - Link Up 

Buddy, the hip-hop/R&B artist from Compton has teamed up with many collaborators on the smooth, rhythmic track, “Link Up,” where each feature delivers their own style mixed with the energetic beat.  “Link Up” is a bonus cut off of Buddy’s 2018 album, “Harlon & Alondra.” This song screams Dirty South, as the backing track is reminiscent of the funky style OutKast used on their earlier albums.

Bas provides the catchy refrain and each artist gets a verse, but two rappers stand above the rest, both in creativity and delivery. Guapdad 4000 provides a soulful verse with playful references to pop culture, such as “Match with the King of the Hill like Propane.” The best verse is delivered one of hip-hop’s rising stars, J.I.D. His unique vocal style brings his typical flow to the record, and his darker content. J.I.D. is keeping pace with Juice WRLD and Denzel Curry for the best of the rising stars. Buddy put together a strong track here, and if he continues to make music like this, the future will be bright.

– Owen Paiva 

Marina – Handmade Heaven

Formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds, the artist has returned with a new single for the first time in four years. Along with MARINA’s new name comes a new sound: one that is both upbeat and melancholy in its tone. MARINA’s voice is the crux of her music, and this single is no exception. “Handmade Heaven” has the best mixing of MARINA’s voice so far, with it almost sounding siren-like. With this new single and a new album on the horizon, MARINA is making quite an entrance as she prepares for her mainstream comeback. If the rest of the new album sounds like “Handmade Heaven,” then veteran fans and newcomers alike can anticipate a great piece that is well worth the four-year wait.

– Jack Grossman

Show Me The Body – Camp Orchestra

New York-based Hardcore trio Show Me The Body return with a new single alongside the album announcement of the upcoming “Dog Whistle.” Coming up with the likes of artists such as Ratking within the Letter Racer collective, Show Me The Body have motioned from the start that they are not here to provide just any typical sound. Drum, bass and electric banjo make up the instrumentation and through distortion, arpeggiating strings and aggressive vocals, the group shines through boldly.

On “Camp Orchestra,” the announced albums opener, Show Me The Body takes their time to build up to full volume. A smooth bassline alongside fluttering strings and faint rings throughout the background create tension for what’s to come. It draws to mind a heist scene within a movie, the protagonist is slowly getting away with his action until “the chase” occurs halfway through at the two-minute mark. When the words “Welcome to the orchestra” are finally uttered, the madness begins. It’s infectious head-banging material that only helps build toward the hype of the new release with the motif that “no work will set you free."

Dog Whistle will be their first “album” album since 2016’s Body War, as their 2017 project Corpus I, found itself acting more as a collaborative piece with a huge list of fellow underground New York artists such as Princess Nokia and Cities Aviv that didn’t really surface on tour. 

– Matthew Dunn

 

 

Jade Campos is a freshman majoring in print journalism. To contact her, email jmc7727@psu.edu.

Matthew Black is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email MatthewCBlack20@gmail.com.

Owen Paiva is a sophomore majoring in film/video. To contact him, email owenpaiva@sbcglobal.net.

Jack Grossman is a junior majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jackdgrossman@gmail.com.

Matthew Dunn is a junior majoring in print journalism. To contact him, email mzd5424@psu.edu.