15 AUGUST 2020: JOAN – Try Again

This track is an incredibly nostalgic listen for anyone who grew up in the noughties. Honestly, if you’d told me this was an *NYSNC deep cut, I’d have believed you.

There are a lot of elements of late 90s/early 00s pop which have made a resurgence in recent pop music, but Joan are one act who have nailed how to recreate this sound with total authenticity. ‘Try Again’ absolutely nails every aspect of the production – from the exact timbre of the synth strings to the early Britney style drums. And then, of course, the melody itself has been composed so accurately, reflecting the same sorts of chord patterns that characterised the era. This is a homage done well, and it sounds so original as a result. If you like what you hear, it’s definitely worth checking out Joan’s other music – they’re incredibly versatile, having experimented with 80s movie-esque synth ballads and The 1975 style pop rock over the last three years. A name to keep an eye on, surely.