New releases last two weeks: Pop

Review: A classic that delivers the quintessential Euro house experience with its infectious energy and irresistible dancefloor appeal. This new yellow vinyl version brings flashbacks flooding in of the era's vibrant club scene through a mix of upbeat rhythms, catchy melodies and expansive remixes. Side-1 opens with the single version of 'More & More', a track that wastes no time diving into a groove-laden beat and euphoric synth lines. The extended mix that follows stretches the vibe even further, offering DJs and dance enthusiasts a longer ride through the track's pulsating, feel-good energy. Side-2 turns up the heat with the 'Underground' remix, which injects a deeper, more nocturnal edge into the track, perfect for late-night sets. The 'Trance Mix' closes the collection with an ethereal, sweeping take on the original, merging classic Euro house elements with hypnotic trance influences. This release is a love letter to the era of extended pleasure through remixes, capturing both the mainstream appeal and underground allure of Euro house.

Review: Released in 1990, the Canadian 'Titantic' legend's ninth - and first English-language - album, was her formal introduction to a broader international audience. While later albums would showcase her powerhouse balladry, Unison is rooted in late 80s and early 90s pop, dance and soft rock, highlighting a different, more youthful side of Dion. This reissue's title track, 'Unison', is a bright, upbeat number, blending slick production with a catchy, danceable groove. Dion's voice is confident but not overpowering, riding the rhythm with an effortless charm. 'Where Does My Heart Beat Now', arguably the album's peak, is a soaring ballad that previews the emotional intensity she would later become famous for i her vocals swelling with a mix of vulnerability and strength. Tracks like 'If Love Is Out the Question' and 'Have a Heart' lean into soft rock territory, filled with shimmering synths and polished guitar work, highlighting Dion's adaptability across genres. Meanwhile, 'The Last to Know' presents a bittersweet mid-tempo groove, layered with heartfelt emotion. Unison captures an artist in transition i blending dance-pop sheen with emotional depth. It's a polished debut that lays the groundwork for Dion's meteoric rise, offering glimpses of the superstar vocalist she was destined to become.

Review: Fronted by Dane-dame Sannie Carlson, Whigfield was backed by various producers and engineers over the years, main among whom was the towering Larry Pignagnoli. *The* song to commemorate Whigfield by, 'Saturday Night' is a Europop and Eurodance trailblazer, harking back, perhaps, to a more glamorous time, where fashion designers rubbed shoulders with models, PR girls and riviera DJs for Italian and Danish upper crusts. Carlson would record 'Saturday Night' after meeting fellow DJ Davide Riva, who was also part of a music production duo. In three days, an (in your mind-) sticky, bubblegum-popping opus would be written, with a nursery-rhyming refrain and a jaunty na-na-na hook epitomising the notion of a "hair-dryer song", a term coined by Simon Cowell in reference to the song as a precursor to Rebecca Black's 'Friday': "the kind of song girls sing into their hair dryers before getting ready to go out."

Review: London's singer and songwriter Lola Young (who you may know covered 'Together in Electric Dreams' for the 2021 John Lewis Christmas advert) is back with a limited edition 7" featuring two tracks from her last album This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway back in 2024. First up is 'Conceited' which has a slow motion groove and dumpy kicks with Lola's acrobatic vocals shapeshifting throughout next to bleeping synth sounds. 'Crush' is another stylish vocal delivery with languid indie guitars that bring some sleaze over live drums that build to a raw crescendo before falling away again to reveal Lola's vulnerability lyrics.