Only “Happy” from Pharrell Williams kept “Rather Be” from being the most played song of 2014. It put Jess Glynne on the map, who went on to have a very successful solo career and do more great collaborations. It also seemed to put Clean Bandit on the map, but still, they’ve had trouble following it up with something major.
Well, let me tell you, something major has come up by them. It’s their new single, “Tears”, featuring last year’s UK X Factor winner, Louisa Johnson.
Jack Patterson, Luke Patterson, Grace Chatto, and Neil Amin-Smit, who form Clean Bandit, have already proven to mix classical elements with pop music from any era in their songs.
While “Rather Be” could remind you a little of some 80s music, “Tears” is bringing you a little bit of an R&B influence and a definite reminder of 90s house music. It also mixes a ballad with an up-tempo chorus.
Because they’ve put it all together in one song, it’s become a very clever composition with different segments. I know, many songs in dance, as well as hip hop, do this nowadays and it’s a trend I really love, when done well. It just makes a song a journey full of fun things to discover. It’s like turning a corner somewhere and discovering a secret garden.
It’s also very much a sign of the time. We all love to be entertained at high speeds and, so they say, we get a shorter concentration span. I think these kind of songs represent that really well. We like the diversity.
In a week with new releases from Adele and other major artists, it’s still no surprise that this song is giving all of their songs a run for their money. It’s actually set to slip right into the UK charts at number two and really mark the return of Clean Bandit.
Louisa’s vocals are spot on. She pulls off all styles really well and really takes the lead on your journey through her heartbreak, as she carries you through all the genres effortlessly.
After her X Factor win, she only released her winning song, so this is her first big collaboration and her first single as an artist. If you keep in mind what the Clean Bandit collaboration did for Jess Glynne, the great critiques this song has received, all signs are pointing to a very successful career that will follow from here on in. For now, I’m just saying you have to give “Tears” a listen.
