The Track Forecast: Oh look, yet another piece about how Charli xcx is going 5 star perfect with her BRAT summer | Dork
The Track Forecast: Oh look, yet another piece about how Charli xcx is going 5 star perfect with her BRAT summer
Music meteorology: predicting the next wave of earworms with the tracks they're teasing now.
Music meteorology: predicting the next wave of earworms with the tracks they're teasing now.
Another week, another glowing missive on HRH Charli xcx. They're all justified.
In the dazzling, oft-cynical world of pop, where remixes generally feel as essential as a chocolate teapot in a heatwave, when you’re not even that fussed about tea, Charli xcx has just reminded us why she's the queen of the collab. Her 'Guess' remix featuring Billie Eilish isn't just a bop, it's a bloody revolution leaving jaws and bodies on the floor – a masterclass in how to do a remix that actually matters.
Let's be clear: this isn't your run-of-the-mill boof boof remix, the kind labels churn out faster than you can say "chart manipulation." No, this is pop at its most potent and playful. Charli and Billie haven't reinvented the wheel here – they've simply bedazzled it, added a turbo engine, and taken it for a joyride down the streets of Right Now.
The genius of this remix, and indeed all of Charli's 'BRAT' era collaborations, lies in their beautiful simplicity. These don’t deconstruct the original tracks until they're unrecognisable. Instead, they add verses that feel like overheard conversations between pop's coolest kids, creating narratives that send stan Twitter into a frenzy and breathe new life into already brilliant songs. They’re show-stopping moments, relatable admissions or sassy statements of intent. Like all the smartest popsters, Charli and her crew know that you can control your own narrative if you’re willing to weave it - and if you do it via the music, you’ll create your own devoted universe of acolytes along the way.
Take Eilish's contribution to 'Guess'. Her deadpan delivery of "Charli likes boys, but she knows I'd hit it" is a genuine moment. It's the kind of line that launches a thousand memes and has people collectively clutching their pearls. It's pop music as conversation, as a serve, as shared experience.
This approach to remixes is the antithesis of the current trend of releasing endless alternate versions of tracks in a transparent attempt to game the streaming system. You know the type – "Here's the slowed down version, the sped up version, the a cappella version, the fourth demo take this week, and oh, here's one where we've replaced all the vocals with the sound of a distressed goat."
Charli's remixes, by contrast, feel like events. They're not cynical plays for streams or sales; they’re celebrations of pop and the connections it creates. Each one feels like a mic drop moment, a flex from artists who know their worth and aren't afraid to have fun with it.
The Lorde remix of 'Girl So Confusing' is another prime example. Rather than simply adding a verse, Lorde brings both her trademark wit and honest vulnerability to the track, turning it into a back-and-forth between two of pop's most intriguing minds. It’s deep, it has meaning, it actually feels empowering to hear. To make something about anxiety and self-doubt so feelgood in 2024 takes a lot of talent, but these two have it.
This collaborative spirit isn't new for Charli, of course. She’s been the queen of collabs for years now. 'Pop 2' wasn't just ahead of its time; it was living in 3017, bringing together a diverse array of voices to create a pop tapestry that still sounds so fresh that it’s leading the stylistic charge today.
And let's not forget 'Charli', an album perhaps underrated, so packed with stellar collaborations it made 'Now That's What I Call Music' look like a primary school recorder recital. 'Gone' with Christine and the Queens, ‘1999’ with Troye Sivan - the big moments were undeniable.
But with 'BRAT' and its remixes, Charli's taken this collaborative spirit and injected it with a shot of pure, unfiltered attitude. These remixes are big, brash, honest, and gloriously unashamed. They're not trying to be anything other than what they are – fantastic pop songs made even better by the addition of perfectly chosen collaborators.
What sets these remixes apart isn't just their musical charm – it's the palpable sense that everyone involved is fully invested. In an industry that can sometimes feel as joyless as a wet weekend in Slough, Charli and her collaborators radiate the kind of unbridled enthusiasm usually reserved for an unforgettable spring break you can’t quite remember, but have the evidence it took place all the same.
It's a reminder that at its core, pop music should be fun. It should be daring. It should make you want to text your ex, dye your hair, and make big statements – preferably all at once. Too many remixes feel like obligation rather than inspiration, but Charli xcx is showing us all how it's done.
So here we are, in the midst of the 'BRAT' summer, watching Charli xcx casually redefine what a pop remix can be, the same as she’s casually redefining absolutely everything else. At some point, we’re gonna get tired of writing these glowing missives, but after waiting for so long for the mainstream to crown HRH with the praise she deserves, it might last long past one summer. Guess that's just how Charli rolls.
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THE NEW BOPS AND BANGERS THEY’RE TEASING FOR IMMINENT RELEASE
LEON BRIDGES - PEACEFUL PLACE
Release Date: TBA
Leon Bridges is set to unveil 'Peaceful Place', the lead single from his tantalisingly titled upcoming album, which we’re presuming is called 'Leon', not '#LB4'. Bridges has been painting this album as a "self-portrait," after all, which in musician-speak usually means "brace yourselves for some serious soul-bearing."
The smooth-talking, retro-soul revivalist has teamed up with Grammy-winning producer Ian Fitchuk, known for his work with Kacey Musgraves. With Bridges describing the album as encapsulating his journey over the past five years, including time spent in Mexico, it’s sure to make us feel ‘stuff’.
PHOEBE GREEN - LOVE SONG
Release Date: 9th August 2024
Fresh off playing Dork’s Day Out, Phoebe Green is about to drop a new track, 'Love Song', and she's more excited about it than a kid in a candy store with an unlimited budget.
Fresh off her recent EP 'Ask Me Now', Green's new offering comes with a side of palpable anticipation. “I’ve never been more excited about releasing a song as I am ‘Love Song’!” she wrote on X-slash-Twitter, using more exclamation marks than our style guide will allow. “I’ve been sitting on it for a while, waiting for the right time.”
SHAWN MENDES - WHY / ISN'T THAT ENOUGH
Release Date: 8th August 2024
Shawn Mendes is making a comeback(-back!-BACK!!) with not one, but two new singles. 'Why Why Why' and 'Isn't That Enough' are set to drop as a double feature from his upcoming self-titled album 'Shawn', scheduled for release on 18th October, 2024. After taking a breather to focus on his mental health, Mendes is ready to bare his soul through the medium of catchy hooks and guitar riffs.
This album is being billed as Mendes' most personal work to date (tick), promising to explore themes of vulnerability, self-discovery, and emotional resilience (tick). Expect either a more introspective, yet still undoubtedly chart-friendly, Shawn Mendes, or for him to go full ‘Man of the Woods’. Shawn? Never go full ‘Man of the Woods’.
KATY PERRY - LIFETIMES
Release Date: 9th August 2024
Katy Perry is set to release 'Lifetimes', the second track from her upcoming album '143', but her comeback trail isn't exactly smooth sailing. Perry's recent single 'Woman's World' stirred up a controversy storm thanks to her collaboration with Dr. Luke and some tone deaf ‘parody’ themes, leaving many fans feeling like they've been shot with a problematic glitter cannon.
As Perry navigates these choppy waters, 'Lifetimes' has the unenviable task of trying to steer the ship back on course. Will it be the lifeboat Perry needs, or will it get lost in the sea of discourse surrounding her recent choices?
FONTAINES D.C. - HERE'S THE THING
Release Date: 6th August 2024
Fontaines D.C. are ready to serve up 'Here's The Thing', the latest track from their upcoming album 'Romance', set to hit the streets later this month. The Dublin gang have teased a snippet on TikTok, proving that, no, this isn’t a Sports Team cover. Which is probably for the best.
'Romance' marks a creative evolution for Fontaines D.C., incorporating influences from grunge, electronica, hip-hop and Punkyfish. The album explores dystopian themes and the fragility of romance in a chaotic world - because nothing says 'romance' quite like a healthy dose of societal critique, right? With a music video filmed in a London working men's club, 'Here's The Thing' should continue to confirm Fontaines as one of the best and brightest around.
The Smile, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood's not-so-side project, are up to old tricks again, and this time they're leaving a trail of vinyl breadcrumbs for their eagle-eyed fans to follow. Physical pressings of 'DON'T GET ME STARTED' / 'THE SLIP' have been popping up around the globe, sending the faithful into a frenzy of speculation and record store raids.
While we're still in the dark about an official release date (because why make things simple when you can turn them into a global treasure hunt?), the band themselves have been teasing on social media, presumably enjoying watching their fans twitch with anticipation like cats eyeing a particularly elusive laser pointer.
Whether you're frantically refreshing your music apps or scouring your local record shops for a glimpse of these enigmatic vinyl pressings, one thing's for sure: The Smile are keeping us on our toes. Fittingly not quite the chaos of a Radiohead release window, but it’ll do while we wait.
Zedd is back with 'Lucky', featuring the eclectic vocal stylings of Dork fave Remi Wolf. The track is the second single from Zedd's upcoming album 'Telos' - nearly a decade since his last full-length, ‘FYI’.
Zedd's been busy doing Zeddy things of late. Meanwhile, Remi Wolf - who, let’s be honest, is why we’re writing this - continues her ascent at pace. Known for her 10/10 attitude and never-not-fun delivery. 'Lucky' promises much - i.e. more Remi Wolf.
THE KILLERS - BRIGHT LIGHTS
Release Date: 9th August 2024
The Killers are returning with 'Bright Lights' this Friday, dropping just in time for your dad’s weekend driving anthems playlist. The single comes as the band gears up for their Las Vegas residency, a homecoming that promises to be as glitzy as their hometown's famous strip.
After briefly flirting with the idea of a synth-pop album, The Killers have returned to their roots. 'Bright Lights' is being teased with Las Vegas-themed visuals that suggest a return to the anthemic rock sound that made us all want to be dancers, and humans, and dancers again. With the 20th anniversary of their debut album 'Hot Fuss' on the horizon, a teaser video suggests it’ll be The Killers doing what The Killers do best - big, bold and anthemic. Time to dust off that sparkly jacket.
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