The Drop: Your Guide To New Music Friday Featuring DallasK & Cloves

Mike Wass | February 2, 2018 5:29 pm
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I’m back for 2018! In case you’re new to the site/franchise, here’s the usual blurb:

Fridays can be overwhelming for pop fans. Every week you’re bombarded with a glut of new music, which can lead to ear candy falling through the cracks. I’m hoping to circumvent that tragic scenario with The Drop — a cheat sheet (of sorts) to get you through New Music Friday. By now, you’ve probably already heard Iggy Azalea and Quavo’s “Savior” and hopefully checked out Jennifer Lopez’s sexy banger “Us.” But that’s still just the tip of the iceberg.

Let’s start with a couple of bands that have recently upped their pop quotient. X Ambassadors are best known for rock anthems like “Renegades” and “Unsteady,” but the trio switch it up on “Don’t Stay” — a soulful pop moment with a monster chorus produced by (the ever-reliable) Ryan Tedder and Zach Skelton. It sounds like a hit. The same goes for Chvrches’ new single. “Get Out” is the handiwork of Greg Kurstin, who simultaneously beefs up the synth-pop outfit’s sound and brings out their inner pop gods.

Next up is a pair of (kind of) newcomers. DallasK has made a name for himself with a string of killer remixes, most recently an overhaul of Bebe Rexha’s “The Way I Are.” He steps into the spotlight on his own today with debut singles “All My Life” and “Self Control.” The former is an instantly catchy electro-anthem, while the latter is a little more introspective. He’s definitely One To Watch. That also applies to Sasha Sloan, who made the leap from songwriter to the stars (Camilla Cabello, Charli XCX etc.) to alt-pop star in 2017 with songs like “Ready Yet” and “Runaway.” She drops two new tracks as well — relatable, emo-pop moment “Normal” and the beautiful, stripped-back “Fall.”

If you’re looking for another female singer/songwriter, Josie Dunne makes a great first impression with “Old School” — a retro, Motown-channeling bop about an old-fashioned kind of love. The 21-year-old is signed to Atlantic and is off to a flying start. While Josie is still at the beginning of her journey, Aussie veteran Mia Dyson is prepping her 6th album. The lead single, “Fool,” is her best since 2012’s “Pistol.” A rollicking pop/rock song that falls somewhere between vintage John Mellencamp and Melissa Etheridge in pop mode, it’s very ’80s and very, very good.

Mia isn’t the only Australia blessing New Music Friday with new music. Cloves returns with her most accessible single to date. After going viral with “Don’t You Wait” in 2015, the soulful crooner has dropped a smattering of gems including the angry “Better Now” and rollicking “California Numb.” She now teams up with super producer Ariel Rechtshaid for “Bringing The House Down,” a mid-tempo ballad that dissects a passion-starved relationship. It’s only a matter of time before she enjoys a breakout hit… like Vance Joy’s “Riptide.” The curly-haired hitmaker continues to tease his sophomore LP, Nation Of Two, with “Saturday Sun” — a lovely, loved-up ditty that lingers long after the song ends.

How about a couple of bangers to get the weekend started? Electronic duo Peking Duk continues to churn out massive dance-pop singles at an alarming rate. Instead of their trademark female feature, the guys handle the vocal internally on “Wasted” and the ’80s-tinged club anthem is one of their very best. FRENSHIP pulls a similar trick on “Love Somebody.” The guys, who are best-known for Emily Warren-voiced hit “Capsize,” share a message of hope and inclusion on the instantly-catchy banger, which has every chance of becoming another streaming smash.

Let’s wind up with a couple of earworms. Why Don’t We is one of the leading contenders to fill the boy-band gap left by One Direction. They have the all the ingredients for global domination except a really good song — a situation they remedy with “Trust Fund Baby,” a major pop moment produced by Steve Mac & Yates. Less top 40-orientated, but every bit as catchy is LOVA’s “You Me And The Silence.” On the strength of this alone, the Swedish newcomer is destined to make serious waves before 2018 comes to an end. Listen to her excellent debut single in my playlist below.

What are you into this week? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!