Even though the university term is now well and truly underway, The Mic’s writers still make the time to offer their thoughts on this week’s hottest releases, including Eurovision-winning Italian rock sensations Måneskin's new single, Sam Fender's latest indie offerings from his album Seventeen Going Under, and a mesmerising moment from Mitski.
MAMMAMIA – Måneskin
Since being crowned the winners of Eurovision earlier this year, Italian rock band Måneskin have been on a non-stop journey to the top of the charts. Their newest single MAMMAMIA, released 8 October, marks the band’s latest offering since the release of their album Teatro d’ira Vol I earlier this year. In this latest track, the Italian quartet fuse together raunchy and sensual yet light-hearted lyrics in a witty and sarcastic response to critics of the band’s image and music, while also ridiculing classic Italian stereotypes (hence, the song’s title). Much like earlier tracks such as Zitti E Buoni and I Wanna Be Your Slave, the classic combination of rebellion and sex-appeal that Måneskin infuse into every song is present throughout. Lead singer Damiano David’s debonair yet robust vocals bring the edge to this track, delivering these almost X-rated lyrics with enough allure and charm to keep you hanging on to every word. Combined with the suave, punchy, classic rock inspired bass line, MAMMAMIA demonstrates Måneskin’s ability to create a refreshingly unique and versatile sound. Rose Hitchens
Pieces of You - nothing,nowhere.
nothing,nowhere. is back. The talented emo-rapped/pop-punk singer has released his new track Pieces of You, a quick turnaround from his last album Trauma Factory which only came out in February of this year. The track is a love song ("All the pieces of you fit perfectly / In the hole inside my heart") continuing in the same lane as some of the more pop-punk-leaning tracks from Trauma Factory, such as fake friend and pretend, suggesting that this may be the direction in which nothing,nowhere. evolves in on future releases. The track is accompanied by a music video set at a wedding and fans have also noticed a striking difference between this new video and nothing,nowhere.'s older visuals: he is not wearing a mask. On the contrary, he is baring his entire face for the majority of the runtime. This is uncharacteristic of him, but perhaps suggests that he is more confident in his work than ever. nothing,nowhere. is no longer hiding. Instead, he is showing that he is ready to take his music to the next level. Gemma Cockrell
Working for the Knife - Mitski
After three years of relative inaction, Mitski returns ominously on her new single, Working for the Knife. On 2018's Be the Cowboy, fans were treated to more of the bittersweet art pop that Mitski championed throughout the last decade, loaded with teenage emotional manifestos. Yet here Mitski seems darker than usual, with industrial guitar tones and descending arpeggios. The song details the heaviness of living life under a “knife” that acts as a metaphor for an oppressive force, whether that be aging, metal illness, or otherwise. Past tracks have focused on similar subject matter, however never with such extreme gloom. The entire song feels fiercely impassioned, working well over the intensity of the dense instrumentation. Similarities with art rock are clear, however more obscure genres such as darkwave are hidden away in the performances, a tribute to musicians like Lingua Ignota and Chelsea Wolfe. With luck, a new Mitski project can give us more delicate performances and electrical embellishments, just like what is gifted on this single. Josh Jones
The Dying Light - Sam Fender
Sam Fender has never shied away from topics that usually evade the public conversation; he wields a discography heavily influenced by his working-class upbringing on Tyneside. The Dying Light is no different. A track that starts off as an emotional piano ballad, the Geordie singer-songwriter beautifully addresses struggles with mental health. Haunting words on feeling alone and rising numbers of men taking their own life demonstrate his lyrical talent and impressive vocals. The song transitions to a rising climax in the second half, with increasing instrumentation and volume. Alongside honest and open lyrics asking for help with the struggle and having resilience to go on, a potent feeling of hope really marks a contrast to how the song begins. The climax into the outro really cements this, and caps the album off perfectly. As a second album, Seventeen Going Under is unbelievably strong, with no better ending to cap off the excursion than The Dying Light. James Pusey
Edited by: Gemma Cockrell
Featured image courtesy of Måneskin via Facebook.
Comments