Page 09 – Latest ReviewsThe latest Culture Uncut reviews.
Confirmed ReleasesAndrea - “Southern Belle”Perhaps one of the more anticipated releases of 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 is Andrea with her next effort 'Southern Belle'. It's possible that this could be this century's 'Chinese Democracy' at this rate, it's been so plagued by issues behind the scenes which has delayed the record year after year. However, this doesn't stop it from likely being one of the biggest sellers if it does come out this year which we have been assured it will. Previous singles, 'Force' and 'Something for the Fire (feat. Billy)' topped the charts which proves our theory. Far removed from the light country and soft rock elements of her debut album 'In And Out Of Consciousness' (2014) it will primarily feature RnB, Hip-Hop and Trap. Fans have been clamouring for this for the longest time and we not only think that this one will be finally released this year, but if supported by Five Pesky Kids the way that it should be, it will certainly be a monster hit and could dominate the industry this year.
By Brianna Harrington Billy - “TBC”This one should perhaps be taken with a pinch of salt as we've been told it'll be released this year but because of circumstances surrounding the release of a new album by Weekend we'd be tempted to say this one could push into late 2019 or perhaps early 2020. We've heard that the solo album is almost finished and although we've not heard anything from the record just yet, judging by his track record as one of the most successful guest vocalists we'd expect huge things when this album and it's subsequent singles do drop. He's been involved in three number one singles outside of Weekend, with mISTER-b (The Energy), Andrea (Something for the Fire) and Deneil (Take Aim). It's reportedly influenced by late 90's/early 00's pop and RnB with Billy stating that the likes of Aaliyah, Janet Jackson, Brandy and Timbaland were influential on the sound he was going for from this upcoming record.
By Brianna HarringtonBlake – “Rewrite”The arrival of Blake's solo album “Rewrite” could be one of the first albums from this list to be released, it's been delayed for some time now but the former member of 'The Zone' has been working hard on this one. It's likely to be released independently and has been confirmed to be a more laid back pop record which is a refreshing change of pace in today's industry. The genre's listed for the record include, soft tropical pop which gives an indication of the mellow sound that you can expect from the release. It's also confirmed that the album will be more of a concept album centred around one relationship which will include all of the ups and downs of falling in and out of love and the lessons learned from that. The first single from the album was “Who Do You Love Now?” which peaked at number four. This album is my pick to be the sleeper hit of 2019, the record that defies it's modest expectations and ends up dominating the industry.
By Brianna HarringtonElyar Black – “Expectations”With the release of “Expectations” from Elyar Black it's an opportunity for him to truly make his mark in the industry with his sophomore album. In a crowded pop field, it's difficult to stand out and I feel that this is something that has plagued what is a very strong artist in the past few years. To just look at him you'd be forgiven in thinking that he's the pop superstar of the music industry, but I'd say there's always been something missing from the jigsaw puzzle that we just can't seem to put our fingers on. The announcement of his album, “Expectations” and it's early 2019 release in February, the potential of this being the first major album to drop this year, coupled with the backing of 'Five Pesky Kids' which is the most dominant record label at the moment could be the key to Elyar Black's true breakout year.
By Brianna HarringtonEllie- Grace Summers - “Mantra”This next album has very little confirmed about it so far, so here's what we know. The album will be titled “Mantra”, following her debut and sophomore albums more country-pop vibes it looks like she's taking that next step wholeheartedly into the pop field leaving behind the innocent country girl image that she had early in her career. It's been rumoured that she has a collaboration with Billy Khan on the record which would certainly confirm her plans to breakthrough as a pop superstar in 2019. Again, if done right, this could be an absolute monster-hit that we could be talking about for years to come. I personally think moving away from the country element will only help Ellie-Grace become the sort of mainstream star she's always been capable of being. Possibly the record I'm most looking forward to.
By Brianna HarringtonThe Harlots - “TBC”As with the previous selection, very little is known about this potential release. The Harlots are an act that tend to do things on their own schedule so we could see a release this year as it has recently been hinted at or we could possibly see it seven years time. Either way, I'm here for it. colour me intrigued.
By Brianna HarringtonJoshua Grimmie - “GOLDENHEART”Again, it looks like this one has very little information confirmed. I believe it was initially supposed to be a re-release of his monster hit “PROCELAINHEART” which has now developed into a full-length follow-up. Joshua Grimmie is a prolific young artist with something to say and a passion to say it. Whenever something drops I certainly expect it to be gold. Every year that we head into, it's always intriguing to me to see what Joshua is going to do/say. So this one for me is something I'm highly anticipating.
By Brianna HarringtonKhalil Ferreira - “Pulsate”Turkish producer & DJ Khalil Ferreira is set to finally unleash his debut album, Pulsate, onto the world this year. Initially penned for an early 2016 release, Khalil released a collaboration with The Stat Nerds member Brian B. titled "Halcyon" in late 2015 which would go on to become one of the biggest selling tracks of the year and reach the summit of the charts for 4 weeks. A #2 collaboration, "Tribal", featuring Deneil followed a few months after. Dissatisfied with the rest of his material and fearing the pressures of racking up more successful dance-pop radio hits, Khalil scrapped the project in order to work on more "organic" material rather than chart buzz fodder. Ferreira returned to the top of the charts with Elyar Black in tow on the heavy house inspired "Lonely Hearts Club Excerpt" late last year. The underground club sound was an unexpected success for all involved and has whetted our appetites once more. "Pulsate" is set to include a plethora of musical guests stepping outside of their usual comfort zones.
By Carly EyreKidd Amaze – “Sides”Possibly the heaviest hitter in the hip-hop world returns with his third studio album "Sides" in 2019. Kidd Amaze is taking on the mammoth task of following up his critically acclaimed sophomore album "The Rappers Handbook" which still holds the record for highest debut sales at #1, a whopping 490,000 copies. The rapper grew up in front of the world, growing from a budding and motivated newbie to a rap legend before us. While his last album was aimed at musicians in the hope of inspiring some, "Sides" is "for everyone" in Kidd's words. The title comes from the idea that we all have different sides to our personalities that come through due to different situations, company, emotions and mental health state. On this 14 track project we are set to hear about his rise to becoming an icon and all the differing voices he's heard, the setbacks he has endured and all the sides of being and becoming Kidd Amaze.
By Carly EyreLincoln - “Sorry To Interrupt”Lincoln Theo Keaton-Paria, known mononymously as Lincoln, will be dropping his long-awaited debut album "Sorry To Interrupt" this year. The project initially launched in early 2016 and the young heartthrob came out the gates swinging with his record breaking and chart topping single "Bang The Drum". The video alone is a pop culture staple, featuring a bunch of famous faces and racking up over 4 billion views on YouTube. Industry downtime and some financial troubles at his label Permanent Reminder pushed the project back until now. The all-singing and all-dancing youngster stands out for being an unapologetic pop star. When others shy away from such a bold claim and believe "pop" is a dirty word, Lincoln makes no bones about his mission and his influences, drawing on the synthpop sounds of the 80's and the choreography and commercial branding of teen pop idols of the 90's as his inspirations. Buckle up for some new pop bangers.
By Carly EyrePayton - “Payton Season”"Payton Season" is the long awaited debut album from Puerto Rican rapper Payton, a divisive figure within the industry and pop music zeitgeist itself. Love or hate him, there is no denying that Payton Rodriguez can churn out catchy tunes and radio staples like it's nothing. Bordering on explicit urban rap and pop radio friendly melodies, Payton has carved out his own lane and bridges a difficult gap in demographics. These initial hits and successes seemingly weren't enough for the rapper as he pushed back the project just weeks before intended release in order to write and record even more material and potential crossover hits. With two songs in the top 20 despite being over a year old, a handful of #1 hits and a hot new track with Suzie already to his name and potentially making appearances on the project, it's safe to say that "Payton Season" is going to sucker punch us all on first listen.
By Carly EyreRiot! In The Boulevard - “Young Cardinals”Plagued by delays, "Young Cardinals" was set to be released back in 2017 but nothing ever came to fruition. For a band known for their productivity, this was bizarre for Riot! In The Boulevard but fans stuck it out and waited with bated breath. The eventual announcement of the album's release alongside its tracklist was a bittersweet moment, however. The iconic pop-rock band announced an indefinite hiatus and stated there will be no tour in support of what is, for now, their final album. With personal life struggles and line-up changes, Riot! has been the subject of a lot of media scrutiny and debate regarding their future and relationships within the unit. The band have finally decided to lay everything to rest but not before releasing an 18 track scrolling epic of an album, due on February 2nd 2019. "Young Cardinals" features a deluge of singles such as the titular track, Comeback Kids, Swinging for the Fences and the latest announcement, Nomads, which closes their final set.
By Carly EyreSavannah Haim - “TBC”The currently untitled debut album from Savannah Haim is one of our most anticipated 2019 releases. It has been quite some time since a promising new songstress has risen to public consciousness and Miss Haim has certainly launched from the starting line at tremendous speed. While her first two singles "Young Love" and "Talk is Cheap" are concurrently top five smashes, the success is far from random and Savannah has not been grabbed out of thin air. The singer-songwriter has been involved in music for as long as she can remember. From singing in her church choir to recording backing vocals for some of your favourite artists, Savannah has done all the groundwork and navigated her way through the industry to the position she's at today. With her experience, talents and relationship with Brandon Caulfield keeping people talking, this is certainly going to make for an interesting affair. The album is set to be released through Southbound Records this year.
By Carly EyreSuzie - “P.O.P”An acronym for "Princess of Pop", it's clear that subtly and humbleness are not Suzie's bag. This is further fueled by lead single "Dirty Little Things" featuring Payton and as the title suggests, it's not for the faint of heart. With the recent chart revival, indications show that pop music is on the up as opposed to the R&B, alternative and hip-hop trend that last dominated. Suzie is smart to start making moves now, combining the successful elements of the last musical trend with what is hot at the moment, bridging the gap. Once seen as a novelty act, Stockholm has built a strong fan base for herself and is now considered one of the biggest and most bankable acts within the pop field, delivering dancefloor fillers aplenty. Not much else is known about "P.O.P" as of yet but we are sure we'll be shaking our rears from start to end.
By Carly EyreVictoria Black - “VB”With "VB", Victoria is finally becoming the pop star that she always wanted to be. Her first offering since becoming a mother to twins sees Miss Black showcasing a far sunnier disposition than previous efforts. Black has admitted that her debut album "Hush" (2011) was the result of too many cooks in the kitchen and follow-up record "Beautiful Mess" (2014) was darker in tone- the result of frustration with a former record label. "VB" was mainly recorded in Sweden and features a multitude of bubbly pop offerings with, in her own words, "no woe is me relationship songs!". With themes of love, motherhood, female empowerment, sex, and natural highs, the record is reflective of Victoria's life at the moment. She's living her best one. Even the playful album cover, which is far more colourful than her previous two, showcases that she's looking on the bright side now. The album is set to be released via Five Pesky Kids and contains the #1 hit "Religion" which features none other than Kidd Amaze.
By Carly EyreWeekend - “TBC”Industry giants Weekend are rearing to release their third studio album, fourth release if you were to include the expanded version of their debut, in the spring of 2019. The as-yet-untitled project will be the group's last before a hiatus in order to pursue solo projects. The band have reassured fans that they are not splitting up and, as they own a label together and have such a brotherly bond, it won't even seem like they're away. Launched with lead single "Victory", which topped the charts for 4 weeks, this new project is said to be "darker", "rawer" and "more personal" in tone. Weekend have been lauded for straying from and twisting typical boy band tropes in the past. With a conscious effort to craft a far more mature record and drawing on their colourful personal lives as inspiration, we can only imagine the delicious content they're about to unleash this time around.
By Carly Eyre
Unconfirmed Expected ReleasesAlex Grey - “TBC”
Austin Nimmo - “TBC”
Chaelin - “TBC”
Deneil - “E2”
Isabel - “TBC”
Jamie Jackson - “TBC”
Kato - “TBC”
Layla Sanchez - “TBC”
Mandy Williams - “TBC”
Riley Hamilton - “TBC”
Rum - “Try Forgiveness”
Scott Wellington – TBC”