This week in the best new pop music, artists offered up sunny tunes just in time for this summer’s first heatwave. Ellie Goulding teamed up with Lauv for a simmering single, Disclosure tapped two rappers for a raucous tune, and Christine And The Queens shared a soaring ballad.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.
Ellie Goulding — “Slow Grenade” Feat. Lauv
Any project where Ellie Goulding teams up with breakout musician Lauv is sure to make Uproxx’s best new pop list. Arriving on her upcoming double record Brightest Blue, “Slow Grenade” sees the two singers reflecting on a slowly imploding relationship over a buoyant beat.
Disclosure — “My High” Feat. Aminé and Slowthai
After ushering in a new era with a handful of upbeat tracks, Disclosure shares “My High” as the second single off their forthcoming album Energy. Speaking about the track in a statement, Disclosure gushed about their collaborators: “We always wanted to work with rappers, we just didn’t know any and we had no means of contacting them… there aren’t a lot of rappers in Reigate. Writing ‘My High’ with Aminé was a lot a fun, he’s hilarious and may as well be a comedian.”
Christine And The Queens — “Eyes Of A Child”
Written to be included in the Amazon Prime series Hanna, Christine And The Queens pivots from her signature synths for the somber ballad “Eyes Of A Child.” Over a resonating piano, Christine’s soaring vocals are at the forefront of the single as she croons a moving tale.
Gus Dapperton — “Post Humorous”
Gus Dapperton’s “Post Humorous” arrived as the lead single off his upcoming sophomore record Orca. The track features Dapperton’s signature jaunty instrumentals juxtaposed against poignant lyrics which narrates mourning an unexpected death in early childhood. “I’m a huge advocate for putting myself in vulnerable positions in my music,” Dappertain said but admits that confronting these feelings “was a chance to be open that I was afraid of. It was cathartic to put these emotions into music.”
Rina Sawayama — “Dance In The Dark”
As part of Spotify’s Single Series that celebrated Pride month, Rina Sawayama gave a moving cover of a track from Lady Gaga’s 2009 sophomore album The Fame Monster. Sawayama transformed Gaga’s overlooked number “Dance In The Dark” from a pulsating track to an electro-pop ballad. Using her emotive vocals to color the song, Sawayama crooned a rendition of “Dance In The Dark” over wailing guitars and metallic synths.
Honne — “La La La That’s How It Goes”
London duo Honne shared their 14-track mixtape No Song Without You this week. Along with it came the carefree track “La La La That’s How It Goes.” Over a breezy melody, Honne sing of relying on loved ones for support.
Amy Allen — “Queen Of Silver Linings”
After years of co-writing popular songs for major pop stars like Harry Styles and Selena Gomez, Amy Allen makes her major-label debut with the soulful single “Queen Of Silver Linings.” About the emotive ballad, Allen said: “We thought of two characters — the Queen of Silver Linings, who holds onto love at all costs and wants to fix things, even if it’s not in her best interests to do so — and the King of Good Intentions, who means well but continues to let her down. As a Queen of Silver Linings myself, I realized that the message isn’t one of hopelessness. I believe there’s quite a power in having the guts to shamelessly fight for something you wholeheartedly believe in.”
Ingrid Andress — “Waste Of Lime”
Following her strong debut effort Lady Like earlier this year, Ingrid Address returns with the playful single “Waste Of Lime.” Inspired by the Beach Boys’ track “Kokomo,” Andress delivers tongue-in-cheek lyrics which is the singer’s way of aiming a subtle middle finger at an unreliable partner.
Maisie Peters — “Sad Girl Summer”
UK singer/songwriter Maisie Peters had a breakout 2019 when she was featured on the Birds Of Prey soundtrack after only releasing her second EP. Now the singer is ready to continue her success into 2020 with “Sad Girl Summer,” an irresistibly catchy number. About the single, Peters said: “I wrote ‘Sad Girl Summer’ at the beginning of summer 2019, which ironically went on to be one of the best summers of my life! The song is all about letting go of things and people that aren’t worth your precious time and energy, and celebrating the people in your life that are.”
Baker Grace — “Up All Night”
Following an EP and a handful of singles, 19-year-old musician Baker Grace returns with the lush track “Up All Night.” Produced by Cautious Clay, the single is a reflection on preemptive judgment. “Everybody has a story and I think it’s important to take the time to understand each other and become more compassionate, so we can learn, grow, and heal together,” Grace said about the track.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
