Emotionally Out Of A Job

PinkPantheress “Girl Like Me”

I was always going to be an easy mark for this song, which substantially interpolates and updates Basement Jaxx’s classic “Romeo.” But I love where PinkPantheress goes with the underlying banger, making the Jaxx elements faster and more concentrated while adding a more melancholic melodic hook on the verses. Both songs cover essentially the same lyrical ground – realizing you’re unhappy with your relationship and want more than you’re getting. But whereas the implication of “Romeo” is that the person being addressed used to be incredibly romantic, poor PinkPantheress doesn’t even have that to look back on with some fondness.

Buy it from Amazon.

L’Eclair featuring Gelli Haha “Run”

Another song about a woman confused and disappointed by someone who is at least notionally their partner. A lot of that going around lately. This is also a dance song, but more in the 2000s post-punk revival mode. Which is to say, not so much the “lacerating angles” of first wave post-punk, and more of the gritty glamour and vague electronic patina of the sort of music I was covering towards the beginning of this site’s existence.

Buy it from Bandcamp.