Following the trend set out by the last international music countdown, this week’s breakdown will feature hits coming from both the European continent and Latin America. While the last few repertoires have consisted of the dance genre in its majority, this week’s excerpt will take a step down from that.
Inaugurating this week’s breakdown is Italian singer and songwriter Francesco Gabbani (“Tra le granite e le granate”). Gabbani’s new single, “Viceversa,” serves as a call to action inviting his mistress to embark on a romantic adventure with him. In terms of the overall mood and sound, while the tune begins in a somewhat appealing vibe, come the chorus the song turns into a flirtatious letter directed toward Gabbani’s lover, as the songwriter strives to persuade her that she is the missing puzzle piece in his life. Proof of this can be extrapolated from the chorus, where Gabbani states that “Che sei tu che mi fai stare/ bene quando io sto male e/ viceversa,” which essentially translates to “That it’s you who makes/ me feel good if I feel bad/ and vice versa.” A few weeks ago, another Italian band, Pinguini Tattici Nucleari (“Ringo Starr”) topped that week’s selection for Laker Review. Only time will unveil whether Gabbani sees the same success as Pinguini Tattici Nucleari did. For now, the Italian solo artist will receive an eight out of 10 for this week’s edition.
The next stop along the journey will transport listeners out of European borders. More specifically, the next excerpt comes from Colombia in the form of Sebastian Yatra (“Un Año”). In his new single, “TBT,” Yatra joins forces with Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro (“Encima De Mi”) and Colombian Latin Pop ace Manuel Turizo (“Una Lady Como Tu”). By way of its chill melody and beat, the vocalists challenge the song’s direct subject to dare to leave them throughout the tune. The chorus mainly says “Atrévete, vete/ conviértelo en un TBT,” which translated means “Dare to leave/ turn it into a throwback.” Further, the lyrics tackle the fact that the artist is with someone who she cannot even love. The Latin pop genre is slowly peaking the charts worldwide, and this song is a clear sign of that. However, this week the triple threat comprised by Yatra, Alejandro and Turizo will remain as runner-ups as the weekly countdown reaches its end. Hence, this track would earn a nine out of 10.
Wrapping up this week’s countdown is Dutch DJ and record producer Martin Garrix (“High on Life”). Garrix’s most recent work, “Drown,” is the reason why he is earning the top honor this week. This explosive and addictive beat will get listeners playing to this track on repeat. While its sound does not fully ensemble that of electronic music, it could easily attract audiences with different tastes. In terms of the lyrics, Garrix is inciting his lover to drown him in an ocean of her, meaning he wants to spend eternity with her and never leave her side. All being said, this song would top this week’s breakdown earning a 10 out of 10.
Image from Sebastian Yara via YouTube
