Yuna // Live Your Life
I heard this song after Yasmin posted it on her twitter a while ago, and meant to download it and put it up here. Well that completely escaped my mind, so thank you to anonymous for bringing this amazing track back to my mind.
Signed onto popular online music website FADER’s label, Yuna is a Malaysian artist who seemingly glides the boundaries of folk, pop and R&B-Soul. “Live Your Life” is the current single from the 24 year old, who seems to be gaining a little more interest with the Pharrell produced number. Against a soft string and drum arrangement, Yuna’s voice sounds calm but assertive, as she delivers a message of power and taking control of your life.
“Live Your Life” has a great subtlety about it, with a sound that reminds me of UK singer Delilah meets Sade. It’s a smooth track, with a top class production that gives it some sort of understated quality. It’s nice to see Pharrell producing something so good these days, especially with an artist who’s so unknown. Hopefully good things will come of Yuna this year, but while you’re waiting grab a free download of “Live Your Life” here.
Flashback: Pharrell // Frontin’ [Feat. Jay-Z]
I’ve always been a massive fan of Pharrell. As well as producing some of the finest tracks of the 2000s as part of The Neptunes, he’s just so cool (as I’m sure you’ll notice in this hilarious popworld interview). Add to the fact that he’s one third of the amazing N*E*R*D and I pretty much love the guy.
“Frontin’” is yet another one of those tracks that was around when I was getting into music. At first I thought Pharrell’s voice was really funny when I heard the track, but I grew to love the song and his falsetto as well. On this laid back R&B track with its great Neptunes production, Pharell’s vocals are in fact the highlight along with Jigga’s verse, which always amuses me with the ‘for-real’ wordplay (Because it sounds like ‘Pharrell’, geddit?).
I was always disappointed that this only ended up on The Neptunes “Clones” album, and we never got a solo album at the time - but I’m glad that Pharrell did what he said he wouldn’t and released his debut solo album “In My Mind” in 2005. It’s a pity we didn’t even get this as a Japanese bonus track on the LP, but as a standalone song it’s pretty great in its own right and pretty darn underrated.
If you want to hear another take on the song check out the Jamie Cullen version. It’s way different, but I love it as well.
Jay-Z // Glory [Feat. Blue Ivy Carter]
You read it right. Two days old and Blue Ivy Carter’s already running the game, getting a feature on her dad’s new track ‘Glory’.
Dedicated to the newborn babe, ‘Glory’ features beautiful lyrics from Jay who tells Blue that she’s “Everything that [he] prayed for” and “a pinch of Hov, a whole glass of B”. Phew. Produced by Pharrell Williams, who also provides backing vocals, the track has a certain warmth about it which reflects the joy you can hear in Jigga’s voice.
With the final lyrics “baby I paint the sky blue, my greatest creation was you” being followed by a gargling Blue Ivy Carter, this song is just too sweet for words. This was definitely the perfect way to welcome Lil’ B into the world.
Child Rebel Soldier // Don’t Stop
Kanye just keeps on giving us great tracks through his G.O.O.D Friday giveaway, and ‘Don’t Stop’ is no exception. As one third of Hip-Hop supergroup Child Rebel Soldier Kanye along with Pharrell Williams and Lupe Fiasco Kanye has released this hot track with its cowbell laden beat, Pharrells smooth vocals and some great rhymes to finish the track off. I hope this gets some pretty good exposure, it’s amazing. Check it out.
