Welcome to “Cut Through the Noise,” an Entertainment column from the St. Louis Park Echo covering new music releases. Every week, a different Echo staffer takes on the role as writer, reviewing recent single releases from a variety of artists.

“Perfect To Me” by Anne-Marie ★★☆☆☆

Anne-Marie’s latest single, “Perfect To Me,” is a remix of her song “Perfect,” which was released earlier this year. While Marie’s calm voice blends well with the simple yet energetic beats of the song, “Perfect To Me” is not memorable. It sounds like any other pop song from the last five years. The lyrics are far from clever and add no context to the song. At times it feels like syllables are crammed in to try and match the beat, which results in the song losing rhythm. Towards the end of the song, there is a verse where the lyrical flow is lost completely. Despite a running time of three and a half minutes, there were only four verses not including the chorus, which meant the song was fairly repetitive. Marie also failed to expand her vocal range. Throughout the whole song, there is little inflection in her voice. Overall, “Perfect To Me” is a relatively fun song to listen to, but lacks creativity and originality.

“Machine” by Imagine Dragons ★★★★☆

Imagine Dragons’ new track “Machine” from their upcoming studio album, “Origins,” masterfully combined creative lyrics with heavy beats. The emphasis on percussion in the song creates a solid backbeat. Occasionally, electronic notes were skillfully blended in to harmonize with the thunderous rhythm. Although the song was similar to others by Imagine Dragons, like “Thunder,” the lyrics make the song interesting to listen to. The lyrics deliver the message of individuality in a distinctive and compelling manner. The chorus brings catchy lines that are easy to pick up and sing along to. The rough and passionate vocals, a common characteristic of Imagine Dragons’ music, impress with a solid vocal range and varied inflection. A unique aspect of the song was the guitar solo. The complex solo brings in a more electronic sound and leads the song toward the outro. Overall, “Machine” is another example of Imagine Dragons’ successful mixing of the genres of rock and pop together.

“Party For One” by Carly Rae Jepsen ★☆☆☆☆

If you are looking for another hit single that you can’t get out of your head like “Call Me Maybe,” “Party For One” is definitely not the song. Jepsen released the lead single from her fourth studio album, whose release date has yet to be announced. The quick and energetic beats were promising until the lyrics started. The lines were not in sync with the melody and felt too simplistic. There were no creative lines that stuck out. Jepsen’s high voice makes the song even worse. During the chorus when the music becomes higher-pitched, her voice fails to separate itself from the beats. The result is shrill and unpleasant to listen to. Jepsen has not been able to expand her sound. Most of her songs remain a relic of her early 2000s, but as years move on, her sound doesn’t. If “Party For One” is any indication of what Jepsen’s upcoming album is like, I would recommend avoiding it at all costs.