With Lorde currently dominating the charts and artists like London Grammar, Banks, and MS MR all seeing varying levels of commercial success and mounting excitement over the past year, it doesn’t seem inconceivable that the sound of major pop music could be due for a significant change in the near future. While Lady Gaga still clings largely to the pulsing dance music that she helped transform into the primary mode of Top 40 radio, even fellow mainstream titans like Miley Cyrus are starting to make music that shies away from the incessant four-on-the-floor that has dominated the last few years.
British duo IYES seem to have a finger on the pulse of where pop could go with new single “‘Til Infinity,” employing dramatic, tribal drums, tasteful layers of synths and guitar, a rousing chorus, and an aesthetic that touches on a number of genres without committing to any one in particular. It doesn’t feel quite anthemic enough to explode, but it suggests a capacity for writing the sorts of slightly unorthodox hits that creep out of nowhere and delight with a mixture of accessibility and discovery. Hopefully, IYES will get the proper runaway to continue developing and making music that continues to satisfy viscerally (as the best pop does) without having to sacrifice the quirks of their sound.
Check out “‘Til Infinity” below.
