With the new year comes new music and new trends—and with them, a new question: Is 2016 really coming back? Here are our reviews (in no particular order) of six new releases from popular artists that are both fresh and nostalgic, or somewhere in between.
- “girl, get up.” by Doechii, featuring SZA
Charting internationally after notably failing to debut on the Billboard Hot 100, a new hip-hop track from Doechii addresses her critics who speculate that she is an industry plant, someone who gains rapid success because of funding from industry insiders. She calls out those critics for minimizing her as an industry plant because she is a Black woman. Instead, Doechi firmly attributes her success to her own hard work, singing “y’all can’t fathom that I work this hard.” I thought this message was powerful, and the mix of the two artists’ perspectives added to overall storytelling and emotion of the song. Although I wasn’t a Doechii fan before listening to “girl, get up,” this song made me respect her for speaking out against the racism and misogyny that many artists in the music industry face. I love the track’s minimalistic production because the raw vocals communicate Doechii’s and SZA’s intense frustration. I appreciate the track’s new sound where the lyrics function fairly independent from the melody; it’s a welcome break from the industry’s usual repetitiveness. — Brett Carter
- “DON’T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY” by A$AP Rocky
“DON’T BE DUMB / TRIP BABY” is an emotionally vulnerable song with heartfelt vocals. The line “right about now, I’d do anything just to stay in your graces / like anything, every day” emphasizes the unguarded nature of the song as Rocky expresses his desperation to hold onto fading love. The song switches to a more produced rap song halfway through, and while I appreciate Rocky’s willingness to try something new, I found myself wishing the whole song sounded like the first portion. However, the way the track uses different production elements—like vocal distortion—as a method of storytelling is unique and interesting, and I admire Rocky’s artistry. — Brett Carter
- “I Just Might” by Bruno Mars
“I Just Might” by Bruno Mars is an upbeat pop song. It has a very formulaic feel, similar to songs like “24K Magic” and “Locked out of Heaven,” released by Mars in 2016 and 2012, respectively. Additionally, the song lacks substance with lyrics such as “what good is beauty if your booty can’t find the beat” giving the song an off-putting vibe. “I Just Might” is simply another generic pop song and fails to measure up to other recent releases. — Brett Carter
- “Aperture” by Harry Styles
Harry Styles’ newest single, “Aperture,” is an upbeat and exciting track that features electronic and disco elements. As opposed to Styles’ last album, Harry’s House, which featured songs that felt like more generic pop, “Aperture” gives the audience a taste of his new album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. The song uses synth pads, giving off a ’70s disco feel. It’s definitely a song you can dance and sing along to. The new vibe and energy in Styles’ new song is a subtle switch from his previous releases, and we’re looking forward to the rest of the new album. — Gilly Lyons
- “The Great Divide” by Noah Kahan
“The Great Divide” was released as a single prior to Kahan’s fourth album, also titled The Great Divide. The song has Kahan’s signature elements of acoustic guitar, strong bass and beautiful lyrics. Lines like “we got cigarette burns in the same side of our hands” and “so I tried to read the thoughts that you’d worked overtime to stop” add to Kahan’s vivid and moving storytelling. While the song’s lyrics are sad, the melody gives the song an upbeat sound, and the complexity of the song left us wanting more. It’s a feel-good song with poignant lyrics—a Kahan classic. — Gilly Lyons
- “ME + YOU” by The Kid LAROI
The Kid LAROI’s new album, BEFORE I FORGET, features the song “ME + YOU.” The song is a little slower than most of LAROI’s other works but still embodies his classic hip-hop feel. LAROI’s vocals are on full display, and the song’s upbeat melody and repetitive lyrics easily get stuck in your head. Despite lacking lyrical depth, “ME + YOU” can be appreciated for what it is: a fun, easy listen. — Gilly Lyons