Gorillaz, “Doncamatic.” Damon Albarn’s avant-garde virtual band enlists singer-songwriter Daley for this bright and breezy summer ditty that defies the plummeting temperatures outside, a no-frills pop jaunt named after a 1960s Japanese drum machine. “Doncamatic” is an ode to taking it easy, with Daley’s effeminate vocals complementing the bubbly MIDI rhythms. The lyrics ask us to “close the white book, unplug the brain from the game,” though this could also be applied to Albarn’s laissez faire song structure: “Doncamatic” is a far cry from Plastic Beach’s grandiose kitchen-sink arrangements, and thankfully proves Gorillaz hasn’t lost their ear for a simple pop number. Huw Jones
Ke$ha, “We R Who We R.” I’m not ashamed to admit that I like Ke$ha. Okay, maybe a little. But so what if she’s Stacey Q to Gaga’s Madonna? “Two of Hearts” was a great song, and so is “We R Who We R,” the lead single from Ke$ha’s upcoming Fame Monster-style EP Cannibal. The song’s “Umbrella”-esque stuttering hook makes her sound like a drunk, malfunctioning robot, which—let’s face it—sums up the girl’s breadth of talent pretty accurately. Unlike Katy Perry, who doesn’t have an authentic bone in her body, Ke$ha embraces her trashiness. And that’s very endearing. Choice lyric: “Got Jesus on my neck-a-lace-ace-ace [insert sound of drunk girl puking in Paris Hilton’s closet].” Sal Cinquemani
Meat Beat Manifesto, “Mnemonic.” Meat Beat Manifesto has been lurking in the techno-industrial shadows for over two decades, and “Mnemonic,” the second track off their recently released album, Answers Come in Dreams, offers all the creepiness and unease you could want from a band in love with machines. The only human thing about this song is the occasional moan or audio snippet from a ’50s sci-fi film. The rest is tough-as-nails electronica, but you don’t get to do this for 20 years without making the music at least a bit catchy. Everyone dances better in the dark anyway. Michael Kilpatrick
Robyn, “Indestructible.” The last sentence of my Body Talk Pt. 2 review pretty much sums it up: “If the acoustic version of the song is any indication, the forthcoming ‘four to the floor’ mix is likely to match or even surpass both ‘With Every Heartbeat’ and ‘Dancing on My Own’ for sheer emo power in Robyn’s increasingly impressive canon.” SC
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