April has already been host to a number of successful music and video releases – but we think it’s already time to round up another selection of some our favourites. Music from the likes of Saweetie, Troye Sivan, Rina Sawayama, and Taylor Swift have made it to the top of our list this time, with songs and albums which prove we are entering a new golden age of music.
While Spring may be taking root, many musicians are already looking to the oncoming summer for musical inspiration. From the dance anthems of the not-so-distant club rooms, to burning hot pink Y2K summertime shenanigans, the competition for song of the season is a tough one.
Read on to get your fix of this month’s music.
ALBUMS
London Grammar – Californian Soil
London Grammar dropped their third studio album last week, after delaying its initial release date by two months. The trio have been making music for several years and wanted to use the platform of Californian Soilto talk about some of their experiences in the music industry – in particular the misogyny inflicted upon band member Hannah Reid. In an interview with NME, Reid commented how:
“This record is about gaining possession of my own life. You imagine success will be amazing. Then you see it from the inside and ask, ‘Why am I not controlling this thing? Why am I not allowed to be in control of it? And does that connect, in any way to being a woman? If so, how can I do that differently?’”
Taylor Swift – Fearless
Global superstar Taylor Swift dropped her first re-recorded studio album on April 9th, Fearless. Her first album of 2021 – and her first set of re-recorded songs since her falling out with Scooter Braun in 2019 – Fearlessrevisits some of Swift’s most popular hits while reasserting her ownership of her music. The album consists of the nineteen tracks from the original 2008 album, as well as six additional songs ‘From the Vault’. With the album’s growing popularity on the charts, it appears that the love for Swift’s music hasn’t faded a bit since its original release. Since its release, Fearless has gone on to top the charts in the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, and Ireland.
Saweetie – Pretty Summer Playlist: Season 1 EP
Californian rapper Saweetie released a seven-track EP on April 17th as a precursor to the summer season. Featuring collaborations with Kendra Jae, Bbyafrika, Lourdiz, Loui, and Drakeo The Ruler, Pretty Summer Playlist: Season 1 EP gears up its listeners for a party in the heat of summer. The music video for the lead single, ‘Risky (ft. Drakeo The Ruler)’, dropped the day before the EP and perfectly encapsulates the Y2K summer aesthetic we’re all dreaming of this year. Colourful, bouncy, and sexy, ‘Risky’ marks a promising start for the warmer months of 2021.
SINGLES
Years and Years – ‘Starstruck’
Marking their first release since the band announced it would become an Olly Alexander solo project, ‘Starstruck’ is an upbeat pop song that play on the fizzy first steps of love. The single was released on April 12th with an accompanying music video, which sees two versions of Alexander acting out the roles of main character and love interest (very Covid-friendly). Dancing around an elaborately decorated hotel, Alexander acts out a game of cat and mouse with himself in a bid to get away from his own advances. Speaking to NME, Alexander explained: “‘Starstruck’ is about the rush you get when you’re with somebody you’re really into, it’s about holding onto a good feeling and not letting it go.”
Rina Sawayama & Elton John – ‘Chosen Family’
Perhaps one of the least expected collaborations of this year, Rina Sawayama and Sir Elton John’s ‘Chosen Family’ is a soulful ballad about healing with the people you find within groups of people – friends that become family. The message highlighted is especially prominent in terms of the LGBTQ+ community, of which Sir Elton and Sawayama are both part of: “We don’t need to be related to relate / We don’t need to share genes or a surname / You are, you are / My chosen, chosen family”. The heartfelt song comes a year after Sawayama had to fight for her right to be nominated for The Mercury Prize and BRIT Awards – a movement which gained a lot of support from Sir Elton online.
Regard, Troye Sivan & Tate McRae – ‘You’
We’ve been excited for this collaboration since we heard about it. ‘You’ was produced by Kosovo-Albanian DJ Regard, and features vocals from Troye Sivan and Tate McRae. Although released on April 16th, a snippet of the song was teased on Sivan’s TikTok earlier this month, where he posted a video of McRae and himself singing along to the track. The dance-based, techno pop song is a rhythmic duet that incorporates elements of a sensual slow-build. An accompanying lyric video, split into three versions, was also made available on each artist’s YouTube Channel, so fans can channel the summery dance vibes from home.
