AT NIGHT, ALONE
Mike Posner (Universal Music Malaysia )
FIVE years after his one hit wonder Cooler Than Me, Mike Posner returns with a splendid album. It’s apparent that At Night, Alone is the product of hard work.
Musically, there’s a noticeable difference compared to 31 Minutes To Takeoff. This current release is much more laid back, minimalist and easy on the ears.
He’s said that this album is all about “Me trying to do country and it comes out weird and different”. In a good way, if you ask me.
“This album is best listened to at night, and alone”, says Posner of the opening title track. It’s an enjoyable listen, regardless the time of day.
If you’re more of an electronic R&B person, you’ll love the originals. Otherwise, there are six different remixes of some hit tracks that’ll feed your EDM needs. Best of both worlds, no?
I can’t get enough of I Took A Pill In Ibiza, both the original folky version and the upbeat remixed track by Seeb. Mad props to Posner for a song that sounds so good, acoustic as well as remixed.
It appeals to two completely different audiences, that’s genius right there. No surprise why it’s such a hit on radio, with more than 16 million streams on Spotify.
The five-year wait was definitely worth it. Be As You Are is also one of my favourites. It’s an emotional song about Posner listening to and accepting his mother’s advice.
He sings on the chorus: “There are moments when you fall to the ground, but you are stronger than you feel you are now, you don’t always have to speak so loud, no; just be as you are”. We could use some of Mama Posner’s advice too.
Iris is a mellow track where he sings about being the ideal man his lady would want him to be. Other tracks worth giving the thumbs up would be In The Arms Of A Stranger and Jade.
The former is about searching for love in the wrong places. He sings: “In the arms of a stranger, pretending it’s love, holding her closely, remembering your touch.” If this is his personal experience, I can only imagine how painful it had been.
The latter is a mash-up of folk, country and rock perfectly blended. Interesting addition to the album.
At Night, Alone is a very well-thought out and executed album. It’s definitely an obvious improvement from his previous work and really showcases his ability to stretch his vocals while exploring different genres. But even the instrumental One Hell Of A Song caught me off guard. Posner completely owns it
SUICIDE SQUAD: THE ALBUM
Various Artistes (Warner Music Malaysia)
AS one of the most anticipated movies this summer, Suicide Squad was quite a disappointment for some moviegoers. But the soundtrack is actually quite good.
The 14 tracks on Suicide Squad: The Album is a daring attempt with various genres nicely packaged into one and a star-studded lineup with big names such as Skrillex, Twenty One Pilots, Eminem and Skylar Grey.
If you’re a fan of rap or hip-hop then there’s just so much to love in this album. It kicks off with the highly-anticipated track from Skrillex and Rick Ross, Purple Lamborghini. You can easily imagine Harley Quinn getting out of the ride with her bat in one hand, a decapitated head in the other.
The music video that featured Jared Leto as the Joker was crazy spot on, I can’t get the tune out of my head. Although it’s so fitting to the movie, I think this song will still do well on its own.
But the truth is that I don’t fancy all 14 songs. The ones I do though are kept close to heart and on my Spotify playlist.
Another personal favourite is Grace’s You Don’t Own Me. This song got me good when I first reviewed her debut album, FMA, which stands for Forgive My Attitude. It was No. 1 on the UK charts earlier this year. The Australian singer shot to fame with this cover of Leslie Gore’s hit song and I think it works perfectly as an expression of Harley Quinn and her life away from the Joker.
Wreak Havoc by Skylar Grey is also a brilliantly-produced track. In my opinion, this is one of the more prominent tracks of the album.
Speaking of prominent, the lead single, Twenty One Pilot’s Heathens, is currently one of the most requested songs on Fly FM. Well written and produced, it’s no wonder that it’s everyone’s favourite.
Panic! At The Disco’s version of Queen’s epic Bohemian Rhapsody is spooky and twisted, just the way it’s supposed to sound in the movie. It really rocks.
Overall, the album would’ve worked very well on its own, though the movie experience gives it an added intangible value as well. Of course some tracks are memorable while others are rather flat and forgettable.
All in all, Suicide Squad: The Album is full of action, chaos and twisted minds. Just the way I like it.
PLATINUM HITS
Jason Derulo (Warner Music Malaysia)
HE was one of the most popular singers in 2010. But if you’re expecting his latest release to be a full-fledged new album, then I am the bearer of bad news.
Platinum Hits is merely a collection of some of Derulo’s most popular singles over the course of his seven-year pop career. Yes, no new releases except for the closing track. To be fair, Derulo garnered more success from his singles than from his four albums over the years, so this compilation of his works. Well, there’s only two ways to put it, yay or nay? You be the judge.
It’s undeniable that Derulo has churned out some of the biggest hits on radio over the years, from Whatcha Say, Want To Want Me, Ridin’ Solo and Trumpets.
Platinum Hits tracks his musical timeline from his debut in 2009, Whatcha Say, followed by Replay, which was a platinum hit he co-wrote for Iyaz, to the gold-certified Don’t Wanna Go Home.
Looking on the bright side, at least we still have one new single, Kiss The Sky, that completes the 12-song compilation. The new song was produced by Thomas Troelsen and Thoman Eriksen, who have worked with big names like Meghan Trainor, Charlie Puth, Nice & Vinz and The Saturdays. It’s energetic and loud, the perfect mood booster which shows that Derulo has the formula down for a head-bobbing, toe-tapping hit song that everyone’s bound to enjoy.
Warner Bros recently announced that Kiss The Sky will be appearing in the upcoming animated film, Storks.
Platinum Hits is a walk down memory lane with some of his best work over the years and how it has impacted the pop industry. I was actually surprised when I started singing along to the songs. Although the release may not be refreshing because there’s only one new song, credit should be given where it’s due. Derulo surely deserves his.
Flyfm radio announcer Maggy Wang is also a versatile TV and events host with a deep passion for music.