Album Review : The Time Is Now by Craig David

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I am going to be giving you not one but two reviews. First of all we have a brief review Childish Gambino's unreleased 2011 EP titles "EP", a unique rap record from a unique artist. Shorty afterwards, there will be an in depth review of Craig David's latest album "The Time Is Now". Both of the releases are amazing so lets get into it!

So first of all, if I had to describe Childish Gambino's "EP", I would describe it as literal 'rap royalty'. Overall, I am not a massive fan of rap music but for some reason I love Childish Gambino's bars and always have done, he is certainly my favourite rapper. In particular, I love "Be Alone" and "Not Going Back" as they are honest and relatable. "Not Going Back" is such an empowering song, telling everyone to stick up for what they believe in which is not really a common theme in Gambino's songs. Anyways, I cannot get enough of the EP at the moment and carry on reading until the end of the post to see where it ends up in my rankings...

Track 1 = Magic

We kick of "The Time Is Now" with "Magic", an infectious song that uses clever word-play and some nice vocals from Craig David. I would probably say that this song is one of my favourites from the album as it is just one of those tracks that will get stuck in your head for days upon end. This is an amazing start to an amazing album and something you all need to give a listen to!

Track 2 = Heartline

Looking back now, I am absolutely astounded that I have never mentioned "Heartline" on this blog before. The lead single from the album, the song is extremely catchy and is actually (at the time of writing this) the oldest song in my 'current' music playlist on Spotify which i reorganise weekly, meaning I really do love the song. This is a brilliant song that you need to hear if you haven't already.

Track 3 = Brand New

Another catchy song from the record, "Brand New" is yet another great song from Craig David on this album and one that I cannot stop singing. An ongoing theme throughout the album are catchy lyrics and catchy beats and this song certainly goes along with that. Just like the two previous tracks, take the time out to listen to "Brand New".

Track 4 = Going On

Track 4 on the album is one that I am not quite sure about to be completely honest. Like I have said about other songs before, I feel like the song is lacking 'something' which I am not quite sure of. It could possibly be that the vocal range is relatively slim throughout the track. One thing that I do love about the track though, is the beat and especially how it completely switches up in the middle 8 of the song.

Track 5 = Love Me Like It's Yesterday

"Love Me Like It's Yesterday" is the song that is probably my favourite from the album. Personally, I feel like this track is the catchiest song of the album as the chorus has been stuck in my head since the song first came out. There not really anything negative that I can say about this song as I just love it so much so please make sure you listen to it as soon as possible!

Track 6 = For The Gram

This next song is another one that I am not so sure about as I feel like it sounds like anything you hear nowadays, with me really feeling some Migos vibes, a band who I am not particularly fond of. I do feel like this song is quite different to the rest of the album and the only reason as to why I am not a massive fan of it is because I do not usually listen to this type of music; if you hear the song, you should probably get what I mean.

Track 7 = Get Involved (feat. JP Cooper)

I seriously applaud this song for not only putting Craig David, but also the featured artist JP Cooper out of their comfort zones as this song sound completely different to anything I have heard before from either of the artists. I do certainly love this song though as not only is it catchy, it is different and those are two of the main components of a great song!

Track 8 = I Know You (feat. Bastille)

If you know any of the songs from this album, it is probably this one as, especially in recent weeks, the song has become insanely popular, even become Craig David's highest-charting song in 13 years! I myself am a big fan of the song as I feel like Craig David and Dan from Bastille's voices compliment each other so well, forming a unique and insanely-good partnership. The song is also very catchy and if you event heard it yet, you should do so.

Track 9 = Live In The Moment (feat. GoldLink)

Track nine of the album is another one of my favourites as it gives me 'old-school Nile Rodgers vibes' which may sound very bizarre but if you listen, you'll definitely get what I mean. I love Craig's voce in the catchy chorus and GoldLink's rap verse as it flows so well. This album seems to spawn hit after hit!

Track 10 = Love Will Come Around

Taking a more chilled and laid-back approach, we have "Love Will Come Around" which I love as the lyrics and the beats are still so catchy and a track that I cannot get enough of, despite having a slower tempo than the other tracks on the album. I also love how there are a limited amount of words in the chorus as it seems to work very well with the song which isn't always the case.

Track 11 = Somebody Like Me (feat. AJ Tracey)
Penultimately, "Somebody Like Me" is an infectious that gives me both something fresh and something old-school which is bizarre to come across. I am a big fan of the rising artist AJ Tracey's verse as it fits the song so well and although Craig David's vocals may not be the best I've seen on this album before, they fit the song so perfectly so you don't need to really worry about it.

Track 12 = Focus
Lastly, we have "Focus" which I am a big fan of as it takes me back to the times when I was in love with House music a couple of years ago. Although it may not be what I would traditionally listen to nowadays, I can appreciate the track and how it makes you want to just get up and dance or sing. This is a great, upbeat and energetic end to an album.

So overall, "The Time Is Now" is certainly a fair title for the album as the album is exactly what is needed right now as it is so upbeat and happy in a world where there is so much bad news around us. Each song on the record is diverse yet also similar and I am so glad that Craig David has stuck to his roots as it is what I love. With this in mind, lets look at out rankings (also featuring Childish Gambino's "EP")...

1. Camila Cabello - Camila

2. Sam Smith - The Thrill Of It All

3. Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me

4. Childish Gambino - EP

5. Calvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
6. Craig David - The Time Is Now

Song Of The Week :

Recently, a song called "Vain" by KIRBY came up on my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify, something that I check frequently and I instantly fell in love. The song is so jazzy and soulful and I cannot get enough of when the gospel choir join in on the chorus. KIRBY's vocals are also so smooth and silky, a quality that I absolutely adore in a voice; the song as a whole is an experience and my favourite style of music. Please check out the song and give KIRBY the recognition the recognition she needs. So I hope you enjoyed this blogpost. Next week I shall be posting another instalment of "My Favourite Little Mix Songs" so I hope you are excited!

Album Review : Camila by Camila Cabello

Hello and welcome to another blogpost! Today I am bringing you the first "Album Review" of 2018 where I shall be reviewing Camila Cabello's debut album. If you read my blog frequently last year, you should know that I am a big Camila Cabello fan so this blog should be a fun one!

Track 1 = Never Be The Same

We start of today's blogpost with a song that was very close to being my "Song Of The Week" lat week. "Never Be The Same" was released a couple of weeks back and ever since it has grown on me massively with it now being one of my favourite Camila Cabello songs. I have grown to love the falsetto in the chorus and also its music video (which if you look close enough, you can spot me in for a split second). Anyways, this is an incredible track and an incredible start to an album if you ask me.

Track 2 = All These Years

"All These Years" may only be the second track on the album, but you can already tell that each track with contrast quite a bit. What I love about this song is the acoustic guitar riff played throughout and the repetitive and catchy chorus, something which Camila seems to be really good at creating. Also, towards the end of the song, there are some vocal runs performed by Camila which I absolutely adore, making me fall in love with the song even more! This is a great track guys.

Track 3 = She Loves Control

Next we jump to one of my favourite songs on the album. "She Loves Control" and it's latin vibes just makes me want to dance along and even behind the beat and catchy lyrics, the song has an immensely empowering message. The song says that 'women should have control over their own lives' which I 100% agree with and to put a message like that into a song as catchy and fun as "She Loves Control" is quite an achievement!

Track 4 = Havana (feat. Young Thug)

Next we have the song that you all should know and love! I put "Havana" and my "Song Of The Week" way back in August and since then it has gone on to spend five weeks at number one on the UK singles chart as well as win numerous awards all across the world. Even though the song may be slightly overplayed now, there is no denying that it is a brilliant song that everyone cannot get out of their heads as well as an unbelievable breakout hit for Camila.

Track 5 = Inside Out

"Inside Out" is yet another of my favourite tracks on the album as the chorus is amazing! In addition to the chorus though, the song features some great vocals from Camila and the catchy beat behind the lyrics gives off real Rihanna vibes to me which is a big, big compliment considering she is only 20 years old. This is once again, another immense track from Camila and her debut album which you all really needn't listen to.

Track 6 = Consequences

Track 6 of the album takes a much slower approach to the songs before it but i think it is just as good, if not better than the others. Considering it is a real ballad, "Consequences" is so delicate and catchy and I can't believe I am saying this but it even reminds me of Beyonce's "Sandcastles" which you all know is one of my favourite songs from "Lemonade". "Consequences" is a unique but classic ballad that you all really need to give a listen!

Track 7 = Real Friends

Now we jump to a song that was my "Song Of The Week" just a few weeks ago! "Real Friends" is so unique and catchy with not only its lyrics but also its acoustic guitar instrumental. I have loved this track ever since it came out and even to this day I can still not get enough of the track! If you have still not heard this song before, please give it a listen as I assure you that it'll soon be a classic of yours, as it is one of mine.

Track 8 = Something's Gotta Give

Next is the track that I would probably deem as my least favourite of the album, although that does not mean that I do not love track as I genuinely do! Another ballad, "Something's Gotta Give" really shows of Camila's vulnerable side unlike any other track on this album really does. Personally, the only reason as to why this song does not appeal to me like the other songs do is because I just feel like I am waiting for something to happen in the song and it never really does; maybe if you listened to the track, you would get what I mean.

Track 9 = In The Dark

This next song is probably the one that I would say is the most unique on the album. First of all, the sudden beat that is brought in during the second verse really pulls the listener in before the incredibly catchy chorus that I bet will get stuck in your head for days upon end. I think the song is really intriguing with its lyrics as it suggests that people are not the same at times or 'in the dark' which I totally believe and agree with.

Track 10 = Into It

Lastly, we end the review on arguably my favourite song of the album and the song that was last week's "Song Of The Week". What I love particularly about this song is the chorus, which may be sound repetitive but it actually is not if you listen carefully. With this whole album, I feel like Camila has been very clever in terms of lyrics, especially with this song which I said in my last blogpost sounds like Camila Cabello mixed with Kehlani.

So overall, "Camila" is a truly phenomenal album that is certainly putting Camila Cabello in the perfect career direction for her future. When you think that this her very first solo album, it's quite hard to comprehend how amazing this album is and it seems like the rest of the world agree with the album going to number one in over 90 countries on iTunes. Each track is so unique and different and I just cannot get enough! With this in mind, lets look at our rankings which, for 2018, have been updated and only feature the top three from last year and, of course, "Camila"...

1. Camila Cabello - Camila

2. Sam Smith - The Thrill Of It All

3. Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me

4. Calvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1

Song Of The Week :

Dua Lipa is quickly becoming one of my favourite artists in the industry and this week's "Song Of The Week" ("IDGAF") is rapidly speeding up that process. The track, which was also written by MNEK, is so catchy and confident that I just cannot get enough! Also, the music video is easily my favourite music video that I have seen in a long, long while, possibly even since Beyonce's "Lemonade". Anyways, if you haven't heard this unbelievable track yet, please give it a listen as I know you will not regret listening to it! So I hope you enjoyed this album review of an album which I clearly have fallen in love with. Next week I shall be uploading the next instalment of "My Favourite Little Mix Songs" so I hope you are excited.

Artist Showcase : Mahalia

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I am going to be doing another "Artist Showcase". It seems like forever since I last did one of these but now we are back with one on Mahalia who is an artist I have loved for ages and one who has been featured on this blog multiple times so without further ado, lets get into it.

Mahalia Burkmar, better known by the name Mahalia, is an English singer, songwriter and actress who is based in Birmingham. She is from Leicestershire and got signed to her first record label at the tender age of thirteen. Throughout her career as a musician, Mahalia has released multiple EP's and one album titled "Diary Of Me", which was released back in 2016. To add to her stellar achievements, she has featured on Rudimental's "We The Generation" album and acted in the film "Brotherhood", just showing she is a jack of all trades.

One song of Mahalia's that I am particularly fond of is "Sober" which was released last year and has surprisingly never been featured on this blog before. To me, the song just seems very different not only to Mahalia's other stuff but to anything in the music industry nowadays. The best way of describing the song would be R&B meets neo-soul and the vocals and instrumental are so smooth and desirable. The son is honestly insane so please I've it the recognition it deserves by not only listening to it below but streaming it as much as you can.

Although I do love "Sober", the song that made me fall in love with Mahalia and the song that's my favourite of Mahalia's is "Rollercoaster". The song got suggested to me on Spotify's "Discover Weekly" playlist and before I had heard it, I had never heard of Mahalia before; now I cannot get enough of her, hence why I am doing an "Artist Showcase" on her. In this track, I think her voice is so delicate, innocent and yet again like no other voice I have heard. The song is so catchy and I would appreciate it so much if you just went and gave it a listen down below...

Even though I may have told you many times before, please give Mahalia all of your support buy listening to and streaming her material. This girl keeps getting better and better and I would not be surprised if she broke into the top 40 in the future but for the time being, she really needs your support. With another album expected late this year, you need to start listening to this girl because she is truly something else.

Song Of The Week :

This week's "Song Of The Week" may be one that you have heard a long, long time ago but it has recently been re-released and remixed and is better than ever. Bruno Mars has teamed up with Cardi B on a remix of his track "Finesse" which was reviewed in my album review of his back in 2016. The remix is absolutely incredible and Bruno and Cardi work brilliantly together! The video also gives me complete 90's vibes and I am living for it! This is a song you really need to listen to. So I hoped you enjoyed this "Artist Showcase" on Mahalia. Next week I shall be uploading yet another edition of "My Favourite Little Mix Songs" so I hope you are excited. for that.