Charles Hamilton & Rita Ora - New York Raining

Collaborator extraordinaire Rita Ora is back with her new mate Charles Hamilton and their romantic ode to retro R&B New York Raining, a song that she sings acapella on the new Samsung phone advert on the telly. It's a lovely number, Rita's vocals soulful and flawless throughout her stint on the chorus. Maybe she can hurry up and release her next solo album now because time (pop fans) wait for no one. 

4 / 5

Conchita - Album Review

Loreen's Euphoria is the best Eurovision song of all time and there are few who would challenge that bold, but right, claim. The usual collection of camp pop fare was obliterated by this immense pop song and it seemed like no other winner could trump it. So far they haven't, but in 2014 something more important than a 'pop moment' happened, a gay man dressed as a woman with a beard took home the coveted glass trophy and sent social and political waves hurtling across Europe, sending the likes of Russia into a panic over the future of the European continent. One Russian politician spat, "There's no limit to our outrage. It's the end of Europe" and on the other hand the liberal countries proclaimed their support, loud and proud. Thomas Neuwirth's Conchita Wurst was not only now the most talked about future popstar but also one of the most socially and politically relevant; a startling reflection of the tempestuous relationship that still exists between society's acceptance of gender and sexuality 'differences'.

Sia - Big Girls Cry

Sia's 1000 Forms of Fear album campaign has been her most successful to date. It's the most commercially present she's ever been and the majority of the songs on the album are exquisite. I've gotten used to the covered face now and I've forgiven the pretentious nature of that particular gimmick given that the quality of music is so high. However, Sia, you have a lovely face so please take that bloody wig off, turn around, and address your loyal subjects. 

Digital music has really buggered the single release structure of old. Chandelier was the first single (what a behemoth it is too) and now fourth single Big Girls Cry was actually the third single and its predecessor Elastic Heart the fourth. Christ Almighty. Anyway, new(ish) single Big Girls Cry is one of the highlights from 1000 Forms of Fear. Sia's vocals soar throughout, overwrought with emotion, every undoctored crack in her voice heightening the authenticity of the experience. "I may cry ruining my makeup/ Wash away all the things you've taken/ I don't care if I don't look pretty/ Big girls cry when their hearts are breaking..." she sings over harmonic layers and a thumping beat. It's got just as much charm as the singles that came before it and is destined to be mauled by talent show contestants in the near future; thank you Simon Cowell.

5 / 5

Britney Spears & Iggy Azalea - Pretty Girls

The Britney Spears of yore is gone, we need to accept that. We'll never have a charismatic, intricate dance sequence ever again, just a repetitive array of hair flips and arm movements. It's a sad time. However, as a recording artist, she's still popping out some decent radio friendly tracks and her latest outing, a duet with untalented Australian deliverer of lyrics Iggy Azalea, is about as radio friendly as pop gets.

It's a bit of a poor man's Fancy, the brilliant Charli XCX collaboration that put Iggy on the map last year, however it's the most engaged Britney has sounded in a long time, particularly when she harks back to her vocal glory days (well...) with some harmonising over Iggy's actually quite enjoyable middle-eight. It all feels a little too contrived though and as I suggested, a rehash of what's come before as the duo 'sing' "All around the world pretty girls/ Jump the line to the front/ Do what we like get what we want/ We're just so pretty..."I'm sure it's all tongue in cheek, like the ridiculous music video, but in this world you never know.

2.5 / 5

Janet Jackson - 2015 Comeback

Janet Jackson made an announcement via the antiquated medium of social interaction that is Twitter on 16 May and here it is:

My conversation... #ConversationsInACafe https://t.co/buOK6ZhfHY

— Janet Jackson (@JanetJackson) May 16, 2015

This announcement is exciting and to a Janet Jackson fan such as myself (mildly obsessed) this whole thing could give me an aneurism. Let's hope it doesn't because if I die before I see her live I'll be really annoyed. Here are five of JJ's best songs (and videos) to get you into the movement, get you moving and get you excited for her return:

Rhythm Nation

If

Ella Eyre - Together

Ella Eyre is quite a remarkable popstar in the making. From her solo debut Deeper two years ago hitting a peak of 72 to the success of her last (epic) single Comeback which climbed to number 12. In fact her singles have charted higher with each release and with the stunning 'Waiting All Night' collaboration with dance giants Rudimental under her belt, she's not going anywhere. 

The quality of her material has never wavered from good-upwards and her fourth solo effort Together is as memorable and exhilarating a listen as its predecessor. Eyre's vocals are soulful and more emotive than you'd expect from a 21 year old at the beginning of her career and it raises the question, just how bloody good are you going to be in ten years time? Probably very bloody good. In a market saturated with female voices, it's very telling when you know instantly the sound of a particular singer's voice / production. Here, her vocals are as gorgeously raspy as ever as she erupts on the bridge "we are more together". 

4 / 5

Watch the video here

Ciara - Jackie

Ciara showed up her critics with her self titled opus back in 2013. Ciara was an R&B masterpiece from start to finish, an array of sensual slow jams, gritty underground beats and an introduction to Ciara the rapper. It was a flashback of sorts, taking you to a time when R&B was the governing commercial genre, but she injected enough modern woman sass to make it relevant in the electronic synth dominated market. 

What was truly refreshing about Ciara, aside from not having one skippable track, was that it stepped away from the hyperactive psychobabble of her past efforts. That's not to say her earlier music is without charm, it's just highly inaccesible on any level other than a superficial one. This change worked for her, an artist who was never able to maintain a steady grip on the charts once again became commercially viable as the album reached number two in the United States. 

Ciara's sixth album Jackie doesn't continue the tone of its predecessor, nor does it match or improve on the quality. Opening track Jackie (B.M.F) opens like a West End ballad, before Ciara demands "Harmony drop that beat" and instantly the vibe is transformed into a mildly annoying rap segue with Ciara stating she's a "bad mother f*cker" for delivering a 9lb 10oz baby. The track drops another beat at around the two minute mark and becomes a bit more Ciara and one of the album's most memorable moments. You'd think that the album would continue in this vein, with the theme of motherhood and Ciara just being badass (if not coming across a tad self indulgent). Therein lies another issue. The album doesn't have a clear theme or message, the sounds changing too much between shallow pop and serious odes to an ex. If you're naming your album after your mother, I expect a moral to the story.