Song of the Week: Calvin Harris Concocts the Perfect “Potion” with Dua Lipa and Young Thug
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The post Song of the Week: Calvin Harris Concocts the Perfect “Potion” with Dua Lipa and Young Thug appeared first on Consequence.
Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist. For our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Calvin Harris gives us a first look at his upcoming Funk Wav. Bounces Vol 2, with some help from Dua Lipa and Young Thug.
Five years ago, Calvin Harris orchestrated a well-needed left turn from his wildly popular, occasionally cheesy EDM — just when summer was on the horizon, the Scottish producer teamed up with Frank Ocean and Migos for “Slide,” a deeply funky, specific and rewarding track for an artist that often worked in a more general sphere.
“Slide,” and its accompanying album, Funk Wav. Bounces Vol 1, completely shifted the paradigm for Harris, and he quickly moved away from the bombastic, drop-heavy tones of the past to something more nostalgic and organic. And now, after five years, some great standalone singles, and an attempt to go back to his UK House roots, Calvin Harris has returned with “Potion,” featuring Dua Lipa and Young Thug, the first single from his upcoming album, Funk Wav. Bounces Vol 2.
Luckily, Harris’ music has always lent itself to collaborations, and “Potion” certainly takes a page from Dua Lipa’s disco era. In a surprising turn, Harris leans away from the percussive edge that served as a through line between his EDM and days and the first Funk Wav. Bounces volume — the snare drum is no longer a seismic part of the beat, the frequent bongos add a purely natural feel, and even the bass drum is relatively light in the mix. These choices all point to Harris looking for a different way to elevate these songs naturally, but once again, Harris’ busy bass line and session piano does all the heavy lifting — the rest is up to Dua Lipa and Young Thug.
Both of these artists do a terrific job imbuing a large amount of restraint and tact on “Potion,” never bringing the song out of its stoned, seductive atmosphere. Dua Lipa’s voice can often have a piercing pop quality, but she ditches that entirely, opting for an oozing, almost spiritual performance (giving the “potion” theme a perfect vocal compliment). Young Thug is also an artist who can bring the energy level of a song to a soaring peak, and can be a delightful loose cannon, but on “Potion,” he’s selective, careful, low key, and remarkably smooth. Harris’ work behind the boards is as meticulous as ever on “Potion,” demonstrating that he can pretty much work with any kind of artist to accomplish his vision.
And overall, there’s something that’s deliberately small and light about “Potion.” Harris loves his summer jams (see: “Summer”), but there’s no impetus to create an Ibiza-worthy banger here: instead, it’s wildly intimate, sensual, and smooth. If “Potion” points to anything, it’s that Funk Wav. Bounces Vol. 2 may just be his most dynamic project yet.
— Paolo Ragusa
Honorable Mentions:
Momma – “Lucky”
Brooklyn-based duo Momma have perfected the art of putting a modern spin on ’90s grunge in the vein of Smashing Pumpkins and Pavement. “Lucky,” the latest single from their upcoming album Household Name, is an impeccable alt-rock love song that somehow manages to be deliriously earnest without ever sounding mawkish.
It’s a track about the total bliss of being in love with your best friend, and the deep desire to always want to be around them. “How’d I get so lucky?” Etta Friedman laments. “I need you near to me,” she murmurs over fuzzed-out guitars and bashing drums. It’s romantic as hell, a sonic reflection of the most pure form of love. — Cady Siregar
Pool Kids – “That’s Physics, Baby”
Forget cryptic, abstract songs about betrayal — with “That’s Physics, Baby,” Pool Kids detail heartbreak with the transparency of a science textbook. The lead single from their forthcoming self-titled album sees vocalist/guitarist Christine Goodwyne standing up for herself in the throes of a neglectful relationship: “Clock feels like it’s moving backwards/ And I don’t have the time,” she sings.
Goodwyne knows that subtleties won’t get her far, and “That’s Physics, Baby” is anything but understated. Over sprightly, mathy guitar riffs and pummeling drums, her voice bursts with a newfound confidence: “I’m a tempered glass that you never could shatter,” she sings, as if to say delicacy and strength can coexist, after all. — Abby Jones
KANGDANIEL – “Upside Down”
KANGDANIEL is telling all in The Story, his new album which is somehow his first full-length studio project. The writer and artist, a former member of K-pop group Wanna One, has spent the last few years locking in how he wants his individual sound to feel, exploring a series of color-based EPs and bouncy, mature bops like 2019’s “TOUCHIN’.”
With lead single “Upside Down,” he offers a relatable anthem for anyone who feels like things never quite go their way. (The timing around the release of the new season of Stranger Things might just be a happy coincidence.) The vibrant track ushers in warmer days, offering an optimistic reprieve for anyone who connects with the feelings he describes. — Mary Siroky
JORDY – “Dry Spell”
JORDY makes it clear he’s looking for one of three things on his new single: “A man, a miracle, or something magic.” The rising pop sensation may be stuck in a “Dry Spell,” but the magic is certainly in tact as he sends up the pitfalls of modern hook-up culture, crooning in sky-high falsetto, “Stuck in a dry spell, can’t tell if I’m going psycho/ I lead ‘em on, say I’m down, but then cancel and no-show/ I want their touch but love is what I really want, though/ Oh, what I’d do, ooo-ooo.” — Glenn Rowley
Superorganism – “On and On”
“On and On,” Superorganism’s fourth single off their upcoming sophomore album World Wide Pop (due July 15th), finds vocalist Orono in one of her most existential moods yet. Throughout the track, she laments the never-ending, cyclical nature of the music industry and life at large. “Celebrating like we won/ Sucks we’re still on season one/ I guess we’ll fake it ’til we make it,” she sings above some sunny indie pop.
Superorganism have always had an overwhelming air of cool amidst an incredibly unique, collage-like musical output, and the celebration that characterizes Orono’s existential angst is a perfect juxtaposition. The ride may go on and on, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a blast to be on. — P.R.
SURAN, Peder Elias – “Darling”
SURAN has linked up with Norwegian singer-songwriter Peder Elias for “Darling,” a breezy new track that feels like a slice of a summer daydream. SURAN has a knack for excellent collaborations — does the name SUGA from BTS ring any bells? — and this new single is another win in that regard.
SURAN has been known to dabble in songs that feature more synth-based, throwback-infused production touches, but this track is a more stripped down and acoustic offering, putting her airy vocals front and center. “The galaxy will move just how we want it/ The ship’s already set to sail away,” she sings, bringing us along with her the whole way. — M.S.
The Garden – “Freight Yard”
The Garden is a glitch in the system. Describing their sound inevitably results in a page-long, multi-hyphenated list of just about every genre you’ve ever heard of — and a couple you haven’t. From the hardcore/funk hybrid of “Call This # Now” to the indie punk of “Ampm Truck,” the only two things you can expect from a new release are a certain level of abrasion and a lack of self-seriousness.
“Freight Yard,” their newest track, checks both of those boxes. A driving, ever-present bassline, breakbeat drums, and a hushed vocal delivery make the verses surprisingly subtle and catchy. Even the heightened energy of the sample-heavy chorus keeps the weirdness in check. If it wasn’t for the absolute meltdown of feedback halfway through, “Freight Yard” could have been one of the duo’s most accessible tracks. In that way, it’s similar to “Kiss My Super Bowl Ring,” and the end result is just as interesting, danceable, and perfectly The Garden. — Jonah Krueger
Mamalarky – “You Know I Know”
Mamalarky’s brand of off-kilter indie rock feels like it’s held together by twine, ready to burst and spill out onto the streets of Atlanta at any second. Not that the songs are particularly intense, but there is something about their tastefully lo-fi production and creative songwriting that injects their music with a sense of unpredictability. “You Know I Know” follows in that tradition; a catchy pop song at heart, things seem either too perfect or slightly out of tune, too steady or rhythmically ready to shift into something entirely new. Things aren’t what they seem in the world of Mamalarky, and that’s one of the group’s greatest strengths. — J.K.
Debbie – “All Night Long”
Debbie, otherwise known as “Debbie The Artist,” graces us with “All Night Long,” a culmination of every heart-wrenching parting as told through a three-minute journey to self-realization. Debbie’s rich voice wraps itself around each painfully stinging lyric, and her fervent cries fill and hugs every corner of your being. At once poignant and relentlessly hopeful, the captivating vocalist circles around themes of self-doubt and the inability to let go of a special connection. — Kelly Park
Alex Porat – “Sensitive”
For Toronto-based pop artist Alex Porat, living vulnerably isn’t a choice so much as it is a state of being. On her new track, “Sensitive,” she unpacks this concept against the backdrop of a ’90s-inspired kick drum and tonal chorus. “I hate that I’m so sensitive all the time,” she sings. “I’m thinking maybe I’m emotionally cursed/ And I’m leaving parties before I get my feelings hurt.” Extrovert, introvert, it doesn’t really matter — Alex Porat is here to speak for the social anxiety we’ve all felt re-acclimating to social environments through a very strange time. — M.S.
GOON – “Angelnumber 1210”
The first single from Goon’s upcoming album Hour Of Green Evening feels like an atmospheric summer shower. The clean guitar rhythms soaked with layered vocal harmony creates a rich texture that transports you into a state of mega-chill. Simultaneously nostalgic and transgressive, it evokes Radiohead mixed with Beach House — and don’t miss the dreamy music video shot on 16mm film (directed by Katie Neuhof), which only perpetuates these fuzzy feelings further. It feels angelic, indeed. — Andre Heizer
Why Bonnie – “90 In November”
The title track from Why Bonnie’s upcoming album — due August 19th through their new label Keeled Scales — finds the Texas natives reminiscing and creating a nostalgic, dreamy landscape that recalls wide fields and hazy sunsets. This can be visualized in the music video, where the band rides in a pickup truck, plays inside of a barn, and dances in the fading sun. What better way to usher in the summer? — A.H.
Top Songs Playlist:
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Song of the Week: Calvin Harris Concocts the Perfect “Potion” with Dua Lipa and Young Thug
Paolo Ragusa and Consequence Staff
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