After posting last month's Top Tracks feature so late, I promised myself that I would get the November article out much sooner. Well, since today is the last of the month, I've just managed to keep that promise. But, before you take a look, be sure to check back here some time in December for my upcoming Top 10 Albums of 2019 list. It's going to be a big one! Until then, read on to find out what you should be listening to as we inch closer to the end of the decade...
Dua Lipa - Don't Start Now
The perfect comeback track for one of the biggest artists in pop, Dua Lipa has unsurprisingly stuck with the infectiously catchy dance-pop sound which brought her huge success last year through collaborations with Calvin Harris and Silk City. 'Don't Start Now' is in many ways familiar territory for Lipa, especially with the lyrics about thriving in the aftermath of a break-up, yet the undeniable groove and funky chorus bassline also feel refreshingly different to anything the vocalist has released to date and helped me quickly grow to love this song. Dua Lipa's second full-length album was already one of my most anticipated releases for 2020, but this first glimpse of new material has left me even more eager for new Dua.
Bring Me the Horizon - Ludens
Not content to rest on their laurels after the smash success of their UK No. 1 album Amo earlier this year, BMTH have returned sooner than expected with another banger. Recorded for the soundtrack to the upcoming video game 'Death Stranding', 'Ludens' sees Oli Sykes and co. sticking with the genre-bending sound they honed on Amo. The band's ability to craft some of the most unique and forward-thinking music in rock today is again displayed here in all its electronica-tinged glory, whilst the colossal breakdown tastefully harkens back to the band's metalcore roots. Ludens easily stands toe-to-toe with anything Bring Me the Horizon have put out in the last year or so and is another strong case for the band's status as one of the best of this decade.
Billie Eilish - everything I wanted
Billie Eilish's first new single since releasing her world-beating debut album in March is a somber yet ethereal piano ballad and a pertinent reflection on the mental pressures involved with achieving such huge fame and acclaim over a relatively short time. The sparse instrumentation puts Eilish's restrained and vulnerable vocals front and centre as she sings of finding emotional support amidst isolation and despair. Anyone who knows Eilish primarily for pop hits like 'Bad Guy' or 'You Should See Me in a Crown' may well be surprised by the change of pace and mood here, but the results are hugely effective and further display the extent of the star's talents.
Where Oceans Burn - Shadow//Self
As much as I love writing about some of the biggest names in rock and pop, I also want this blog to be a place to spotlight new artists. With that said, Where Oceans Burn are a Manchester-based metalcore outfit, formed in 2018, who have just released their second single, 'Shadow//Self'. The track is fairly standard for the genre, with crushing, down-tuned riffs and a good mix of clean and harsh vocals, all of which come off well. However, it is the high production quality of the track which really impresses, belying the band's youth and inexperience. Where Oceans Burn have clearly put a lot of time and effort in to crafting this track and it shows. Recommended for fans of Architects, Northlane, and Currents.
Ozzy Osbourne - Under the Graveyard
It's pretty surreal to think that in 2019, at the age of 70 and fifty years on from beginning his career with Black Sabbath, metal icon Ozzy Osbourne not only collaborated with one of the biggest names in music with his guest spot on the recent Post Malone album, but is also gearing up to release his first solo record in almost a decade. 'Under the Graveyard' was the first taste of new material offered up by the Prince of Darkness and its a welcome return to form. Equal parts somber and triumphant, the song contrasts a downbeat, acoustic verse with a bombastic chorus, tied together with Osbourne's trademark gothic lyrics. While it certainly isn't the most original or inventive song I've spotlighted this month, 'Under the Graveyard' is quintessential Ozzy and is mandatory listening for metalheads everywhere.
That's all for now! I won't be posting a December Top Tracks article next month, as any time I have for writing will be taken up by working on my list of the best albums of the year! I can't wait to share that with you, so be sure to check back next month and follow me on Twitter (@realdannymoore) to stay updated.
Thanks for reading!
-Danny
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