It’s time for something (even more) new.
While the Almighty Aloud are hard at work promoting their incredible comeback single “Something New,” something kinda OOOOHMFG just dropped from their upcoming greatest hits collection, Ten. Actually, the whole compilation has since leaked this week, but there’s one song in particular that needs to be addressed immediately: “On The Metro.”
No topic makes for better electro-pop perfection than a good ol’ sob at the discotheque (Robyn knows this all too well.) And now, the Aloud have just delivered one hell of a tear strewn dance floor stomper of their own, co-penned by DJ Fresh, The Invisible Men and the Aloud’s very own Nicola Roberts. (!!!)
You see, “On The Metro” is a 100% flaw-free dance-pop tune. It plays like a cross between the ferocity of “Memory of You” and Mini Viva‘s “Left My Heart In Tokyo.” (Note: The only thing this song may have to do with the Mini Viva tune is the act of leaving one’s heart somewhere, but I digress.)
First of all, the chorus is iconic. It’s everything. It’s the stuff of dreams (that glitter):
“I left my heart at the disco…
…now I’m crying on the metro…”
“…wrote your name on the window…”
“Oh baby, I don’t know why, why did you go…”
“…now I’m crying on the metro.”
But the whole track’s stuffed to the brim with lyrical gems. No really, throughout the entire song:
+ “A hundred O’s and X’s lighting up the dark, now they turned into a question mark.”
+ “I was in my favorite party spot, sipping on my favorite soda pop.”
+ “We danced two hours minimum, put me in a sweet delirium.”
+ “Didn’t have to say one syllable, his body language said it all.”
+ “His moves were so ridiculous, but he looked so meticulous.”
Nicola, you pop perfection-penning princess!
“On The Metro” is also a solid blend of every Aloud’s individual strengths: Nicola, Cheryl and Sarah trading off killer verses, Queen Nuhdeen providing those powerhouse pipes for big notes and even bigger melodies. And then Kimba’s middle eight with that brilliant repetition of the “O’s and X’s” line? Just perfection.
This is the kind of electro-pop that’s been so dearly missed in 2012: It’s not a “Starships” regurgitation. There are no ‘EDM breakdowns.’ There’s no dubstep. It’s a storming dance-pop anthem with a massive electronic pulse and brilliant lyricism, as only the Aloud know how to provide. It was love at first play.
My heart’s lying there on the dance floor. And now…
Ten will be released on November 23. (iTunes UK)