Dua Lipa has released a new song, ‘Dance the Night’, which serves as the lead single to the soundtrack for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. Marking her first solo track since the release of the deluxe edition of Future Nostalgia in 2021, the song was produced by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, and the Picard Brothers. Check it out below.
The Barbie movie soundtrack features contributions from HAIM, Tame Impala, Charli XCX, Ice Spice, Lizzo, PinkPantheress, and more. The movie hits theaters on Friday, July 21, and the soundtrack arrives the same day. Since releasing Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa – who has an acting role in Barbie – has shared collaborations with Megan Thee Stallion and Calvin Harris & Young Thug.
Squid have released ‘The Blades’, the latest offering from their forthcoming record O Monolith. Following previous entries ‘Swing (In a Dream)’ and ‘Undergrowth’, the track arrives with an accompanying video directed by Kasper Häggström and starring You actor Charlotte Ritchie. Watch and listen below.
According to a press release, ‘The Blades’ is singer Ollie Judge’s favourite Squid song to date.“It’s a lot more vulnerable than stuff we’ve previously done, which can be quite a daunting thing,” he said. “Dan [Carey] and I were talking about vocal delivery and how it would be good to not completely let myself go, and not fall back on shouting because it’s more instantly gratifying. The end of the song is really soft and tender and I don’t think we’ve done something like that before.”
“On the surface it’s a song about police brutality with the last section kind of inspired by The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe, although I’ve never read the book, I’ve just seen The Simpsons’ spoof of it,” Judge added. “Narratively it follows a police helicopter pilot’s day, ending with him in bed hearing another pilot circling the skies as if he were taunting him. There’s a deeper meaning in there somewhere of my fear of ego, but I’m still working out which bit of the song that’s coming from.”
O Monolith is slated to arrive on June 9 via Warp Records.
Arlo Parks’ 2021 debut Collapsed in Sunbeams marked her as one the most resonant voices of her generation, capable of capturing our collective anxieties through uniquely poetic language and delicate, laidback melodies. But musically, there was room for growth. As a whole, it was a little too easy to get lost in its soothing sounds and intimate lyrical vignettes, her own presence sometimes drifting off into the background. Parks’ sophomore effort, My Soft Machine, takes significant steps in the right direction, punching up the production and allowing her to take more of an active role rather than being perpetually locked in that of a keen, empathetic observer. Without quite swinging for the fences, Parks communicates her sense of ambition by embracing more transparent and intentional songwriting, each choice meant to elevate the power of her words – and vulnerability.
Part of the freshness of My Soft Machine stems from Parks’ move to Los Angeles, a decision that ended up mirroring the way she approached the music. “I wanted to feel like it was coming from a completely new place,” she recently said. “I wanted to feel like it pushed the bounds of what I had done before.” On ‘I’m Sorry’, one of the more melancholy cuts on the album, the move to LA is part of a list of things – therapy, meditation, fucking the pain away – that have failed to take away the numbness, a state that’s easy to slip into when it masks itself as comfort. But Parks does step out of her comfort zone on My Soft Machine, first and foremost by bringing herself further into the fold. “I feel so much guilt that I could not guard more people from harm,” she admits on opener ‘Bruiseless’, a disarming confession from an artist whose work has been a balm for so many. As if overwhelmed by the pain that can so quickly accumulate between masses of people, she folds in glimpses of joy and childhood innocence before the song fades in just over a minute.
More so than her debut, the album navigates the thin line between joy and desperation in ways that are vivid and nuanced. On ‘Weightless’, just a few shards of affection are enough to propel the song forward, as Parks clings to the memory of a relationship grown sour (“Tethered to the person you could be/ Re-reading our texts from the strawberry days”). But joy doesn’t just come in bits and pieces or exist solely in the past; there’s a whole sea of it that Parks swims through on songs like ‘Impurities’, ‘Pegasus’, and ‘Dog Rose’, none of which sound quite like the other. With bright, dreamy instrumentation, ‘Dog Rose’ is lifted up by helpless devotion instead of drowning in it, while ‘Impurities’ basks in the warm glow of community. A guest appearance from Phoebe Bridgers is not a rarity these days, but it does so much to open up the song she’s featured in; their interweaving voices on ‘Pegasus’ give it a palpable quality, the softness of exchanged breaths more than just words.
On My Soft Machine, Parks draws from a more disparate palette that does wonders for her sound, even if she could lean into it a little more. The obvious influence of Elliott Smith and Frank Ocean now mesh with more unexpected and less fashionable reference points like the Smashing Pumpkins and Deftones that fuel highlight ‘Devotion’, whose fiery production is worthy of a line like “Flood me with your nervous love.” This dynamism extends to ‘Blades’, a deceptively upbeat song that paints a more destructive picture of devotion, as if to dance it away. The chorus of ‘Puppy’ calls back to Collapsed in Sunbeams‘ ‘Hurt’, with “Just know it won’t hurt so much forever” now becoming “I know some things don’t get easier/ I know some things hurt forever.” On paper, it seems like a regression, but it’s a testament to an artist learning to be present with – rather than trying to accurately represent – everything that’s entangled in her experience, including discomfort. In contrast to the silky R&B that encased that song, she even throws in a My Bloody Valentine-inspired synth that sends the song flying in another direction. It’s a tight balancing act and a bit of a risk, but it’s the result of Parks simply trusting her gut. After all, you don’t get to control how the truth washes over you; you can only choose how to project it.
The soundtrack for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie Movie has been announced. As Rolling Stone reports, Barbie: The Album is executive produced by Mark Ronson and features Tame Impala, HAIM, Charli XCX, Ice Spice, Lizzo, Nicki Minaj, Pink Pantheress, Khalid, Ava Max, Dominic Fike, Karol G, and more. Ryan Gosling, who plays Ken in the movie, is also on the soundtrack, as is Dua Lipa, who stars as a blue-haired mermaid Barbie. Dua Lipa’s ‘Dance the Night’ will be the lead single, and it’s out tonight. According to the announcement, more artists will be revealed nearer the album’s release. Check out the soundtrack’s poster and a new trailer for the film below.
Foo Fighters have released another single from But Here We Are, their first album since longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins died suddenly last year. ‘Show Me How’, which follows previous cuts ‘Rescued’ and ‘Under You’, features a guest vocal appearance from Violet Grohl. Check it out below.
But Here We Are, the follow-up to 2021’s Medicine at Midnight, comes out next Friday, June 2 via Roswell Records/Columbia Records.
Big Thief guitarist Buck Meek has announced a new album, Haunted Mountain. The follow-up to 2021’s Two Saviors will arrive on August 25 via his new label home, 4AD. Today, Meek has shared the LP’s lead single and title track, which was co-written with Jolie Holland, who co-wrote five of the album’s 11 tracks. “It’s about being humbled by the thing you’re drawing power from only at which point an actual, fair relationship begins,” Meek said in a statement. Check out the song’s Riley Engemoen-directed video below.
Along with his longtime backing band — Adam Brisbin (guitar), Austin Vaughn (drums), and Mat Davidson (pedal steel, bass) – Meek is joined on Haunted Mountain by bassist Ken Woodward and Meek’s brother Dylan on piano and synths. The album is produced by Davidson and mixed by Adrian Olsen.
“The music here is an expression of a group,” Meek added of the album. “I asked for the job because I felt strongly that we shouldn’t bring in someone from outside the band. Otherwise, the only personal desire I had was that we be able to explore space, that we let the music open up and slow down in contrast to previous records – not in terms of tempo but rather overall movement, information between the beats.”
Haunted Mountain Cover Artwork:
Haunted Mountain Tracklist:
1. Mood Ring
2. Haunted Mountain
3. Paradise
4. Cyclades
5. Secret Side
6. Didn’t Know You Then
7. Undae Dunes
8. Where You’re Coming From
9. Lullabies
10. Lagrimas
11. The Rainbow
Tina Turner, the legendary singer-songwriter known as the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” has died. “Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock’n Roll’ has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland,” her family said in a statement Wednesday (May 24). “With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”
Born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee, Turner grew up singing in her church choir as a young girl. She spent most of her childhood and teenage years living with her grandparents, and worked as a nurse’s aide in St. Louis after graduating from high school. In the mid-1950s, Turner and her sister began frequenting the nightclub scene in the St. Louis area, where she met Ike Turner playing with his band the Kings of Rhythm. She began performing with the band as a backup vocalist but became the star of the show just two years later, adopting the stage name Tina Turner. The couple found success in 1960 with ‘A Fool in Love’, which hit No. 2 on the Hot R&B Sides chart and No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In the late ’60s, Ike and Tina Turner began incorporating more rock into their music, and in 1971 scored their biggest hit with their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Proud Mary’. By the mid-1970s, however, Ike’s addiction to cocaine put a strain on his relationship with Tina, who later revealed Ike was abusive throughout their marriage. She left him in 1976, and their divorce was finalized two years later. Turner’s first solo album, Tina Turns the Country On!, came out in 1973, and was followed by several albums for United Artists during the 1970s.
In 1984, Turner returned with Private Dancer, which came to be known as her comeback album. ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’, its second single, became her first and only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1986, Turner published her bestselling memoir, I, Tina, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Ike Turner in 1991. In 2018, her work was adapted into the jukebox musical Tina. Turner released a total of nine albums, won twelve Grammys including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and holds the record as the eighth best-selling female artist of all time across all genres.
Taylor Swift will be releasing a new deluxe version of Midnights on Friday, May 26. Midnights (The Till Dawn Edition) will include the original album, the 3am Edition tracks, ‘Hits Different’ (a song previously available on the Target version of the record), and two more new songs: a remix of ‘Karma’featuring Ice Spice, and a newly recorded alternate version of ‘Snow on the Beach’ with additional guest vocals from Lana Del Rey. In addition, Swift announced she will be selling an exclusive physical edition of album at her show this weekend featuring another previously unreleased track called ‘You’re Losing Me’.
“Um. SO much to tell you,” Swift wrote on social media. “I’m a massive fan of this brilliant artist and after getting to know her I can confirm: she is THE ONE to watch. So delighted to say that Karma Featuring the incredible @icespice will be out TOMORROW night at MIDNIGHT ET as a part of the new Midnights (Til Dawn Edition) deluxe album that you can pre-order now at store.taylorswift.com!” She continued:
In addition to Karma Ft Ice Spice… You asked for it, we listened: Lana and I went back into the studio specifically to record more Lana on Snow on the Beach. Love u @honeymoon 🥰😆☺️
But wait there’s more… for those of you going to the East Rutherford shows – we will have a new special edition CD available ONLY on site starting at 12:30pm ET on Friday! This CD will have a never before heard Midnights vault track called “You’re Losing Me”!
It’s no secret that moonphase watches are one of the finest cool-looking watches you can possess in your watch collection. From Omega to Ball, numerous great value-for-money brands offer moonphase watches that look amazing. These watches serve as ideal conversion starters. So, let’s introduce the aesthetically pleasing Zenith Elite Moonphase, a 40.5mm watch which delivers on every front with its sleek design and quality movement.
The Elite Moonphase’s design is undoubtedly a critical component that makes it a desirable option for any mid-luxury watch. The favourite variation includes an exquisite blue alligator leather strap accentuating the ultra-thin steel case with a 40.5mm diameter. In addition, the watch creates a beautiful dynamic with its silver-toned sunray-pattern dial and moonphase indication at 6 o’clock.
Movement-wise, the piece carries the automatic Elite 692 Movement by Zenith, initially introduced by Zenith in their 2010 catalogue. It’s slim, with a power reserve of 50 hours (minimum), 27 jewels, and a sublime 28,800 vibrations per hour.
With a £6,100 price tag, the Zenith Elite Moonphase is an intermediate piece. However, despite its price tag, this watch performs well with its movement and overall feel. The quality of the finish with the alligator leather strap will make this watch a contender for any avid watch collector, and if you’re looking for a different colour pallet, a grey variation is available alongside a lighter blue strap variation.
Rancid have dropped one more single from their forthcoming record Tomorrow Never Comes, which arrives next Friday, June 2 via Hellcat/Epitaph. ‘Devil in Disguise’ follows earlier cuts ‘Don’t Make Me Do It’ and the title track. Check out a music video for it below.
