ALBUM REVIEWS
When she began uploading music online in 2017, Tate McRae’s signature asset became her technical dance skills – which soon defined her in a crowded landscape. Even within the whirlpool of social media, the Calgary native stood out: at age 13, she came in third place on the reality competition series, So You Think You Can Dance; half a decade later, she began initiating her ascent towards the mainstream with zippy, radio-ready songs that contended with the friction between vulnerability and her uber-confident artist persona.
Yet at some point on the journey to her 2022 major label debut ‘I Used To Think I Could Fly’, McRae’s gleaming pop sound slipped into autopilot. That record showed flashes of brilliance – lead single ‘She’s All I Wanna Be’ was revered for its emotional honesty, and quickly scaled the charts thanks to its ubiquity on TikTok – but otherwise felt uninspired. Its tracks were largely safe in their artistic choices, glossy and pleasant but not especially charismatic.
A bid for the big leagues, follow-up ‘Think Later’ is somewhat remarkable for its evolutions in McRae’s delivery and attitude. Her recent global hit, ‘Greedy’ – which remained atop the Spotify Viral 50 throughout the majority of November – has everything: real confidence, the trap-speckled beats of Ariana Grande’s ‘Thank U Next’ era and gymnastic melodies. The track also interpolates Nelly Furtado’s ‘Promiscuous’ – a flourish that would thrill any enthusiastic pop fan.
‘Think Later’ continues to position McRae as a much more versatile prospect. ‘Cut My Hair’ ventures into a rockier sound, a completely novel mode for the 20-year-old, and shares the energy of standout ‘Exes’. On the latter, backed by haunting laughter, McRae sends shots in every direction (“I don’t mean to be cold, but that’s how I get all my pride”) with the self-assurance of a young star currently holding court in the Gen Z pop arena.
These 14 tracks don’t roll along without any hiccups, however. As evidenced on the palatable ‘Messier’ or ‘Stay Done’, the middle section often lacks the spiky melodrama of the big, all-guns-blazing singles. The title track is a perfectly fine, if forgettable ballad, with a deep husk to McRae’s voice that will hopefully continue to grow in depth and power.
McRae is evidently still wrestling with her ambitions. ‘Think Later’, however, contains enough intrigue to suggest that this is the work of an artist finally honing their identity, dancing and sparkling all the way.
ALBUM REVIEWS
2024 has been a big year for Lip Critic, who are well on their way to becoming one of the next great New York bands. The quartet – comprising Bret Kaser, Connor Kleitz, Daniel Eberle and Ilan Natter – have spent the past half-decade building a loyal and sizeable hometown following that has, in recent months, caught the attention of music fans across the other side of the Atlantic.
Lip Critic make music that is both freewheeling and fun – with a thrillingly dark, Frankenstein-esque edge to their sound and aesthetic. They have played alongside rappers, hardcore bands and dance acts – and toured with IDLES and Geese – with NME describing their live show as “a pulsating rush of energy” in a five-star review last November. “You never know what sound is going to pop up next – our focus is to not get pinned down into a set of aesthetics, but to stay nimble” Kaser previously told us.
Opener ‘It’s The Magic’ bursts into life with a set of heavy 808s followed by contrasting rhythms. “I told them take their grace / And send it where it came / Only the generous get to live another day,” Kaser sings, evoking a sense of danger. ‘The Heart’ follows, diving headfirst dives into skittish, almost anxiety-inducing drum patterns – it’s wild and brilliantly unnerving.
’Bork Pelly (featuring Gösh and ID.Sus)’ is a perfect fusion of The Prodigy and ’90s hip-hop influences. ‘Death Lurking’ (featuring Izzy Da Fonseca), meanwhile, offers a change of pace, an atmospheric number that builds into a skippy beat fit for headbanging.
Throughout ‘Hex Dealer’, Lip Critic prove why they are the band of the moment. A full-on, disruptive force emerging from their city’s underground scene – their music rides high on a bolt of infectious energy.
