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 of writer, reviewing recent single releases from a variety of artists.
“Training Season” — Dua Lipa ★★★★★
Dua Lipa brilliantly fuses pop and dance in her new single “Training Season.” This is a kind of love song — she debates whether her current lover is who she wants in the long run or if this partner is just her training for her real love later on. Lipa’s lyricism is always on point, and especially in this track, with lines such as “whose love feels like a rodeo, knows just how to take control” and “conversation overload, got me feeling vertigo.” Paired with the consistent beat flowing throughout the track, this song is the epitome of a head bopper. Her use of anti-drops also work wonderfully in this song, adding a new sound to the listeners ears while also emphasizing her finality in what she wants in love. Overall, this song showed a side of Dua Lipa I hadn’t seen before. I had only thought of her as another pop star before listening to this piece, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this track, and I am looking forward to the release of her upcoming album later this year.
“Down” — Jason Derulo ft. David Guetta ★★★☆☆
Jason Derulo is back to his club-esqe bops with his new release “Down” collaborating with famed DJ David Guetta. This synth-packed track features many different sounds and beats that seam flawlessly together, most likely thanks to Guetta. Derulo’s vocals are what you’d expect, with his catch phrase of his own name opening the song per usual, and his high-pitched adlibs throughout the 2 minute song. The high pitch is balanced out though, with the repeated lower octave of the word “down” in the chorus. The song is sexually explicit in nature, but the vibe and beat both hide the innuendos in the lyrics. Overall, this is a pretty average release for Jason Derulo. It’s not great, but it’s not bad, which is why “Down” receives three stars from me. He has his sound cemented in society with his earlier fame in the 2010s, and this release continues into that same sound. I wouldn’t expect anything different from him, and he does it pretty well, so I don’t think anyone is complaining about “Down,” and one can expect the same type of songs in his new album “Nu King,” which was released Feb. 16.
“Older” — Lizzy McAlpine ★★★★★
The recent release from Lizzy McAlpine resonates in many as a sad reflection of love over time and the draining of being in a relationship doomed to end. The piano utilized in the track is melodic to the ears, and McAlpine’s soft vocals pair well with the overall beat of the song. The lyrics that were written by McAlpine are also incredibly beautiful and well done. Lines such as “stuck in a loop, watch the curtain come down,” and “I wish I knew what the end is,” are hard things to hear in conversation, but wonderful to hear in McAlpine’s creation. Everything blended well in this song, and listening exposed me to the rest of McAlpine’s discography. I’ll definitely be adding “Older” to my playlist, as well as a couple other tracks from her.
