Music

Album of the Week

Album of the Week: Mark Ronson

Delve deep into Ronson’s fifth studio album, Late Night Feelings.

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Super-producer, musician and DJ Mark Ronson returns with a collection of self-proclaimed “sad bangers” in the form of Late Night Feelings.

Since 2015’s mega Uptown Special, Ronson has been busy executive producing Lady Gaga’s fifth album Joanne and producing Queens of the Stone Age’s 2017 album Villains.

He also formed the duo Silk City with fellow producer Diplo and co-wrote the song Shallow for the film A Star Is Born with his frequent collaborators Lady Gaga, Andrew Wyatt and Anthony Rossomando, earning Ronson an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Grammy win.

He also founded his own label last year, Zelig Records, and signed his first artist, singer King Princess who features on the funk-pop tune Pieces of Us.

While many of the tracks on Late Night Feelings rustle up plenty of emotions and allude to Ronson’s fear of failure following the huge success of 2014 single Uptown Funk, and touch upon the breakdown of his marriage in 2017, the overall result is another compilation of epic dancefloor fillers and instant pop bangers.

Ronson’s ultra-sharp production is matched beat for beat by a revolving door of female vocalists including Diana Gordon, Angel Olsen, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Li, Camila Cabello and neo-jazz star YEBBA. Each deliver tales from a broken heart over synths, beats and funk guitar.

The catchy Lykke Li featuring title track and modern disco favourite is steely and tropical sounding with a hook that won’t quit – pass us a piña colada!

Mark Ronson - Late Night Feelings (Official Video) ft. Lykke Li

The record also boasts collabs with Diana Gordon – who’s racked up several co-writing credits on Beyoncé’s Lemonade – and adds her sultry soul vocals to Why Hide, while the funky pop meets gospel sound of Don’t Leave Me Lonely is destined to become a firm favourite.

Slow jams courtesy of King Princess on Pieces of Us, Ilsey on Spinning and Lykke Li on 2AM offer a moment to catch breath, while True Blue ft. Angel Oslen is an indie dream, chock full of shoegazing synth and a cool pop delivery.

Much like her godmother Dolly (Parton), Miley Cyrus brings fearless vocals and bluegrass guitar plucks to Nothing Breaks Like a Heart – it’s tender but also boldly anthemic, full of moxie, and it’s already been remixed into a mega summer pop banger by Don Diablo.

The record is precise, clean and instantly memorable for its funk-pop ear-worms, club anthems and spotless production value. No matter what the time of day, Late Night Feelings is emotive, soulful and hits just the right spot.

See Mark Ronson perform his new material plus his endless list of hits at London’s Scala on 25 June 2019 [Find Tickets]


Tracklisting:

1. Late Night Prelude
2. Late Night Feelings featuring Lykke Li
3. Find U Again featuring Camila Cabello
4. Pieces of Us featuring King Princess
5. Knock Knock Knock featuring YEBBA
6. Don’t Leave Me Lonely featuring YEBBA
7. When U Went Away featuring YEBBA
8. Truth featuring Alicia Keys and The Last Artful, Dodgr
9. Nothing Breaks Like a Heart featuring Miley Cyrus
10. True Blue featuring Angel Olsen
11. Why Hide featuring Diana Gordon
12. 2 AM featuring Lykke Li
13. Spinning featuring Ilsey


Listen to Late Night Feelings on Spotify: