Disclosure – Holding On
Fresh on the heels of ‘Bang That’ (premiered earlier this month), Disclosure are back with ‘Holding On’, the first official single from their as-yet-untitled second album, due for release before the year’s end.
Like their predecessor, Disclosure have promised that their up-and-coming LP will feature an array of guest vocalists. Lead single ‘Holding On’ is no different, with vocals coming from jazz singer Gregory Porter. ‘Holding On’ is very much Disclosure by numbers. Originally written as a ballad by the Lawrence brothers before the duo essentially remixed their own song, ‘Holding On’, whilst soulful, lacks the punch that previous hits such as ‘Latch’ & ‘F For You’ pull. The lasting impression is by no means a bad one, but at this stage you can’t help but feel the duo’s progression since ‘Settle’ is minimal at best.
Muse – Reapers
Given the initial excitement I felt in the build up to the announcement of Muse’s forthcoming ‘Drones’ LP and taster track ‘Psycho’, I can’t help but feel disappointed with what’s ensued since. As I’ve mentioned previously, ‘Dead Inside’ and ‘Mercy’ both feel limp and weak in comparison. Fear not though, new track ‘Reapers’ appears to have restored all faith.
Intense from the start, ‘Reapers’ is in many respects classic Muse. It is energetic, mad and is packed with guitar solos and lots of falsetto singing from frontman Matt Bellamy. With the theme of drones omnipresent throughout Muse’s forthcoming album of the same name, ‘Reapers’ discusses the effect of being taken over by a higher power as war ensues. As the song reaches its final chorus, ‘Reapers’ intensifies, with bassist Chris Wolstenholme repeatedly screaming “HERE COME THE DRONES”, as the song reaches its climax. The theme of modern warfare and the accompanying lyric video is a perfect fit for the track. Simply put ‘Reapers’ is the sign of Muse back to the best. Dare I say it, it might even be better than the riff-induced ‘Psycho’. Faith very much restored. Bring on the drones.
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