Single Review: Fifth Harmony – ‘Sledgehammer’
1 min read
The American Girl group formed on talent show The X Factor return with new single Sledgehammer, but does it manage to compete with all the other girl groups out there?
God knows there’s loads of competition out their at the moment, all brandishing a similar sound and painting it over with the same brush, so you’ve got to have something special, something that little extra to be able to stand out. Sledgehammer shows signs of this, but just not enough to raise its head above the water.
Full of snaps, beats and electronica which are all ‘in’ at the moment, the track plays to the crowd but doesn’t manage to stick in your head. The vocals are pleasant but uninspiring, and the lyrics attempt low-end innuendo to grab your attention: ‘So close together, so far apart, you’re turning me on and my fires waiting for your spark’.
There is a clever piece in the track where the melody slows to a pace before kicking in again, simulating musically the lyrics about a pulse. If the song had a few more hooks and originality, this would have worked well as an added dimension. The band must be commended for their attempt, but with so much competition for this sort of music in the industry, I feel Fifth Harmony need to raise their game a little to really hit home their talent.
