“No” by Meghan Trainor

When you first hear the beginning of this song, it will sound like a typical slow-moving, sexist Megan Trainor song. However, Trainor surprises us with the hip-hop and R&B based “No.” In this track, Trainor is channeling her inner TLC with her rapping skills and catchy chorus. This is an open letter to all boys who are trying to get her number — her answer is still “no.” Listeners will never be bored, especially because this is much better than “All About that Bass.”

“Do it, Try it” by M83

M83 has always been known for their synthesizer and ’80s dance-infused music. “Do it, Try it” is no exception. This song feels like a theatrical production. At first, it’s like you’re at the ballet because of the mellow and calming lyrical melody. Then, all of a sudden, you are thrown into a club in the ’80s. It seems that M83 wanted fans to be thrown into a musical maze. Throughout the song, listeners will feel a transition of themes and moods, creating an a unique experience.

“Meteorites” by LIGHTS

LIGHTS has been associated with Marina and the Diamonds and Lily Allen for her pop music. But with “Meteorites,” LIGHTS is leaving the similarities behind. In this acoustic track, LIGHTS focuses on vocal and lyrical content, and the results are marvelous. Her lyrics on empathetic love melt with her vocals, creating a unique soundtrack. Though the substance of the track is absolutely wonderful, the one downfall is that it is too long. The track is about six minutes long and, unfortunately, after four minutes, it begins to get repetitive and boring. For a first-time attempt at folk, LIGHTS did a pretty good job.

“It’s You” by ZAYN

Warning: if you are having a really good day, don’t listen to ZAYN’s “It’s You.” This slow-tempo song with ZAYN’s vocals encapsulates the singer’s feelings toward the loss of his love. Though it may sound totally overdramatic, the pain that ZAYN captures in this song can easily be felt by the listener. From the organ playing in the background and the slow tempo of the song, ZAYN effectively sets the tone of a lost love. The background music that supports this track creates a sense of dying beauty. One aspect of this song that did not work was the low volume of ZAYN’s vocals. It is difficult to hear what he is singing at some parts, and it is only at the chorus when the volume is at an appropriate-volume for listening. ZAYN has a velvety smooth voice, and its beauty should not be hidden.

“Money Talk” by T.I.

I guess because T.I. isn’t relevant anymore, he feels the need to be just like Rick Ross. The lyrics to “Money Talk” support this since T.I. tries to prove that he is an O.G. of hip-hop, when that is definitely not the case. T.I. makes his voice even deeper as an attempt to be like Rick Ross, and it’s not great. He used to write lyrics that were sarcastically humorous, but this song is awful. The beats are incredibly boring — it feels like a rushed bass melody. Another questionable aspect of this song is that T.I. slurs his words together when he is rapping, making it difficult to even understand what he is saying. T.I., if this is your comeback, then it is a half-assed job.

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