Fleur East - Love, Sax & Flashbacks

Fleur East is a pop star, and she was as soon as she stepped out on stage in week one of 2014's Xfactor live shows and knocked out a brilliant rendition of Meghan Trainor's mildly successful 'All About That Bass'. Now one year on since she finished with a silver medal behind nice guy Ben Haenow she's back with her debut album Love, Sax & Flashbacks.

Preceded by the epic single 'Sax', you know it as the Asda Xmas ad soundtrack, the album is packed with energetic, frivolous pop fun. If an album is supposed to be an expression of an artist's true self, their experiences and their current state of mind then Fleur has been living the life for the past 12 months. She sings about being ditched in a club by a love interest on 'Breakfast', then potentially pulling one of his attractive friends to end the night on a high note. The song is laced with mild 80s influences, a sound that explodes on 'More and More', a pop masterpiece that echoes Whitney Houston from start to finish.

The entire album has a retro flavour, the aforementioned 80s numbers more so than anything else, but there's nostalgia throughout. Classic pop smacked together with the horn arrangements that made Sax so punchy shine bright on 'Gold Watch', the album's strongest chapter. Fleur chants 'What's the time Mr Wolf?' above a thumping pop arrangement so exhilarating it could become a staple party hit, should her career continue on for years to come.

Fleur's voice isn't powerful, but it is distinct, smoky and pleasant. Her vocals are solid throughout, she knows her limits, however when she raps its glorious. When she bites on 'Love Me or Leave Me Alone' it's brilliant and her turn on the verses of Jackson 5 sampling 'Kitchen' is convincing, before the middle eight kicks in and she chants 'Tina Tina Tina Turn-up'. Given what I said re her vocals, her best performance is on 'Over Getting Over You', a pop-dance campfest with synths and chants in abundance; even a reference to the youtube sensation 'Ain't Nobody Got Time for That'.

Love, Sax & Flashbacks isn't perfect and at times the production comes off a little cheap. It is fun though and it's refreshing to have someone take it back to the dance floor and approach the industry as a performer. Whether this is a strong enough album to connect with the Ed Sheeran, Adele loving British public remains to be seen but one thing is certain, it's the birth of a star.

3.5/5

Adele - 25

When the lyrics from the opening verse of Adele's behemoth new single 'Hello' were spoken atop a black screen in the commercial break for the 2015 X Factor, the internet went into cardiac arrest. The unmistakable voice of our greatest musical export was the Christmas present everyone wanted but didn't expect. Within a fortnight information was flowing out of Adele's camp and most notably that of a new album, following her timeline theme, titled 25.

The album sticks to what Adele does best, lovely, pain filled balladry about decimated relationships. There's a maturing in the sound though, so it doesn't ever feel like a rehash of 19 or 21, which is a relief. Where she's singing about craving a lost love it doesn't feel bitter and 'I Miss You' is a gorgeous example. Thumping percussion and haunting vocal flutters decorate an incredibly emotive performance. Then you have the Ryan Tedder collaboration 'Remedy', a radio friendly piano lead number with one of the most memorable melodies in Adele's catalogue of work.

Tedder isn't the only big name helping with this opus, Adele's also roped in the likes of Bruno Mars, Sia producer Greg Kurstin and Swedish pop wizard Max Martin (responsible for 'Baby One More Time'). Her store of musical talent is brimming and the results reflect the calibre of those penning the lyrics and twiddling the studio knobs. Kurstin produced Sia's massive 1000 Forms of Fear, his knack for haunting penmanship clear on colossal single 'Hello' which features one of Adele's most authentic and mind blowing vocal turns. He has input on the heartfelt and revealing 'Million Years Ago', soaring vocals above a stripped string arrangement that wouldn't have been out of place on 21. It's a stunning reflection on Adele's journey and the life she's lost in becoming the most successful artist on the planet. However, it's on 'Water Under the Bridge' that Kurstin's skills shine through most brightly. The tempo jumps and the synth clicks and blips explode on the euphoric chorus as Adele sings "Say our love ain't water under the bridge", on what may be one of the top five songs Adele's ever created.

Adele's voice is her instrument, it's what carries you through an entire album without skipping. When that's combined with incredible productions you have the recipe for perfection that so many artists can't get a grip on. 25 not only showcases how much her vocal range has expanded (the emotional 'When We Were Young'), it also showcases a slight change in direction or at least brief detour here and there. Max Martin's presence seems baffling at first but the result is the wonderfully infectious and bouncy 'Send My Love (To Your New Lover)', the most fun Adele has ever seemed to have on any of her three albums. It hops along with a reggae-pop bounce and the catchiest chorus on 25. Then you have 'River Lea', a collab with one half of Gnarls Barkley and what an effort it is. One of the year's most impressive songs and when she drops into the low octaves for the bridge you're engulfed completely.

With 30m copies sold, 21 was always going to be a tough album to beat. Well, it would be if you were anyone other than Adele. She is replicating the success of the likes of Madonna and Mariah Carey, artists who sold 10m copies per album consecutively, something few every achieve even once in their career in the 00s. Her general likability and the relatable material she continues to pour out into the world, a self exposé of sorts, plucking the heart strings of music lovers all over the world. 25 is a step forward enough to cement it as a body of work in its own right, with producers you'd never expect Adele to pair with and sounds you'd never think you'd hear on an Adele album. It was both expected and not expected, with her heartbreak ballad crutch still popping up here and there, but there's enough new here to make it a brilliant stage in her remarkable career.

5/5

Cloves - Frail Love

Being out of the loop for a lot of 2015 I’ve missed a lot of very good music. Now I’m in a pile up of gorgeous vocals, synths, FKA Twigs’ thrashing experimentalism and the cherry, or should that be the clove on top? 19 year old, Melbourne born, songstress Cloves (real name Kaity Dunstan) sits somewhere between the noir queen quirks of Lana Del Rey and the soulful serenades of Adele. Her debut single ‘Frail Love’ dropped on Soundcloud back in August and it’s breathtaking. Amidst the long flowing brunette locks and supermodel proportions, there’s a significant vocal force. Every lyric feels just as important and emotional as the last and Cloves performs atop sorrowful piano keys with a self assurance that sets her decades ahead of her actual experience.