This LITM Pop Picks brings you themes of love, heartbreak, dissent…. with a tinge of experimentation. Featuring artists- James Mayes, Sapsei & Wing Chan, Chas Leman, Sarah McGuinness, and Sean MacLeod.
1. James Mayes – Someone To Love Me
James Mayes’s latest track brilliantly balances a tense line between soft, tender fragility and a raw, hard-hitting release in ‘Someone To Love Me’. The track features Mayes’s lilting vocals against slow instrumentation unravelling into an impactful event, with sizzling synths, grainy distortion, and an unhindered musical impact. The track’s structure isn’t cookie-cutter, leaving nebulous gaps between the verses, interludes, and choruses, overall, creating one giant flow of raining elements, taking pauses to breathe and visibly picking up speed towards the main climactic points. If you enjoy a layered synth-pop track with a "dark against bright" mix of sounds, you’ll enjoy this one.
2. Sapsei and Wing Chan – 這條魚同果條魚有乜唔同
Not often do you get to hear such incredible musicianship and playful banter between the musicians and the listener, almost as if the artists are teasing you with the rhythm. The artists of ‘What’s The Difference Between This Fish And That Fish” are uninhibitedly bold in their experimentation, dropping jazzy pop explosions in the middle of insane riffs, while at the same time not taking themselves too seriously and having fun with the arrangement. The result is a kaleidoscopic burst of colour paired with captivating vocals and moments of dopamine highs. Despite its eccentricities, it’s one of those tracks that would thrill not just the casual ear but also fellow musicians. Apart from this, the track is notoriously entertaining—definitely worth a listen.
3. Chas Leman – Washing Machine Week
This whimsical track floods the senses with soft atmospheric sheen, peppy instrumentation, and cosy, compact vocals. The indie-pop track captures the theme of banality and the modern-day trudge, aptly titled ‘Washing Machine Week’. The music is reminiscent of Owl City in its use of synths, while its arrangement and vocal layers give the track more of a vintage feel with elements of electropop. The song exudes charm and wit with its light, hazy atmospheric vibe, fizzy synth riffs, and semi-acoustic setup; it is one of those songs that keeps you company as you’re doing your chores.
4. Sarah McGuinness – Don’t Let Our Love Go
Sarah McGuinness’s re-release of ‘Don’t Let Our Love Go’ is the red carpet to the retro era, with McGuinness describing it as her “love letter to Soho.” With an instrumental vibe reminiscent of the 60s–90s, it’s evocative of London nightlife scenes, making this track a great window into the past. The peppy brass, piano sections, and backing vocals perfectly match McGuinness’s stunning, full-bodied vocals, making it a blend of bold and vibrant patterns. It’s also an exceptionally catchy rhythm that oozes charisma and will turn the heads of not just Gen Xers, but also the following generations, as retro, as we all know, is timeless.
5. Sean MacLeod – Take Control (Don’t Let ‘Em)
Sean MacLeod’s latest track ‘Take Control’ mixes crispy, grungy tones with a hazy, mushy atmosphere, creating a uniquely melded soundscape. It sits somewhere at the intersection of indie-pop and alternative rock, with an emphasis on the latter. The song also feels quite cinematic, evoking a 2000s slice-of-life film, and its arrangement is notably non-formulaic. Lyrically, the song’s voice is one of dissent; as its title suggests, it encourages the listener to resist the status quo. If you like dissonant tones, ambient haze, and scrunchy vocals, this song will offer you cosy escapism.
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