Lady Gaga

“The Cure” single

(Streamline/Interscope)

Lady Gaga’s newest single is a slice of old Gaga. She has summoned her past for a single that’s fun, 100 percent danceable, and ready to be a summer hit. It’s quite different from anything she has released in recent years. With this one, she has more than stunned her fans. My only complaint is that it sounds like it could have been released by Katy Perry or someone else with a similar style. It doesn’t seem as creative and lacks a certain sound that people have grown to love in the musician she’s become. I can’t blame Lady Gaga for going this route, and it’s only a minor criticism. All in all, the song is amazing, and it proves she can still write a great dance chorus. It’s drawing my attention to what else she has in store.

K. Flay

Every Where Is Some Where

(Night Street/Interscope)

I first became aware of K. Flay when I heard – and immediately loved – her single “Blood in the Cut” from this album. It’s dark and sexy in all of the ways I adore. Overall, K. Flay’s style is mostly dark pop with obvious R&B and alternative influences. There seems to be a focus on the back beat, which is thick with bass and drum-heavy. At first, it was confusing to see that iTunes considered K. Flay to be rap, but songs like “Champagne” show that the categorization fits. Her vocals seamlessly move from low and breathy to fast and sharp. K. Flay may be new to me this year, but she has worked several years for her popularity. Her first full-length album was released in 2014. I’m enjoying this mix of genres and interested to see where her career leads. My favorite songs are “Giver,” “High Enough,” and “Black Wave.”

Lana Del Rey

“Lust for Life” single, featuring the Weeknd

(Polydor Ltd./Interscope)

Since establishing a steady music career, Lana Del Rey has rarely disappointed her fans. This song is no different. It is deliciously haunting in all of her usual ways. She doesn’t waver far from the style of her first album. Some would think that noir and romance would get old, but it hasn’t yet. Del Rey knows what works. The Weeknd has been making waves lately, so it’s not surprising that they have collaborated here. The Weeknd hits higher vocally than Del Rey, but only in tonality. Their voices mix almost too well, because they have an atmospheric quality. My only criticism is that the chorus is a bit repetitive, but that doesn’t stop me from listening to it over and over again. This is another great single from these artists. If you’ve managed somehow to escape hearing it, check it out now.

Z LaLa

“Strangers in the Night” Remixes  (Omega Alpha)

Z LaLa’s single “Strangers in the Night” is a bit reminiscent of Madonna in the late ’80s and early ’90s in both the voice and the overall style. It sounds like nothing else currently on the radio. Before the remixes, the song sounds perfect for models to walk to on the runway. It’s much calmer for a dance song. The remixes make it sound like a completely different song. I prefer the original, but there are lots of remixes to choose from. The Danny Verde remix and the Alyson Calagna remix both seem to make it a slightly faster dance song. One of my favorites is the Kyodee remix, because it retains the relative speed and serenity of the song. It still sounds like the runway, but it goes more deeply into a club style. The Knappy remix is my favorite because of the way it starts. It makes the song a bit more dramatic and enhances it overall. It also doesn’t seem as repetitive as the other remixes. Lovers of all dance music should check this one out.