Jessie Ware's New Song Confirms She Is the Sorceress of Horny
EntertainmentMusic
Copy to clipboard
!
If she was born in the 1600s, they’d burn her at the stake for being a witch: Jessie Ware, “Ooh La La” — Jessie Ware has long established herself as a sorceress of the horny, an arcane songstress who’s expansive soundscapes and honey-smooth vocal prowess have enraptured listeners since Devotion. But unlike the sun-soaked Glasshouse, her latest spate of singles—“Spotlight,” “Mirage,” and the above “Ooh La La”—exist in the underbelly of our current collective unrest. Reminiscent of Klymaxx’s “Meeting In the Ladies Room,” or Teena Marie’s “I Need Your Lovin,” and maybe even some Sheena Easton, Ware’s “Ooh La La” oozes with the overzealous horniness that underscored most ’80s dance hits. It’s a product, perhaps, of our increasingly familiar times, both sonically and politically. Anyway, don’t Ware’s staccato vocals make you want to throw your hair back and dance, especially when combined with literal cowbells and that fucking bassline? Besides, I’m a sucker for a stellar middle 8, as were the pop princesses of the ’80s dance charts. “Ooh La La” indeed! —Joan Summers
No: Tana Mongeau, “without you” – This sounds like an early demo shared with a studio at the suggestion of YouTuber Tana Mongeau’s management team. No one expected its release, and yet, here it is. “Without you” is excessively mediocre, but I am impressed by the producer’s ability to make her autotune more subtle than it has been in the past. A casual listener might believe she can belt. That’s talent. —MS
No: Tana Mongeau, “without you” – This sounds like an early demo shared with a studio at the suggestion of YouTuber Tana Mongeau’s management team. No one expected its release, and yet, here it is. “Without you” is excessively mediocre, but I am impressed by the producer’s ability to make her autotune more subtle than it has been in the past. A casual listener might believe she can belt. That’s talent. —MS