Little Mix is the girl band we've been looking for and Salute is the album we've been waiting to hear.
Ever since Destiny's Child called it quits over six years ago, there has been a girl-band shaped hole in the music industry and in the hearts of ladies who grew up dreaming of singing on stage with their best friends. On their second album, 'Salute', Little Mix well and truly fill that void by delivering twelve tracks of girl power pop music mixed with an urban edge.
Jesy, Leigh-Anne, Perrie and Jade are Little Mix. Formed on the UK X Factor in 2011, they became the first ever girl group to win the competition, subsequently igniting the idea that perhaps the days of the all-girl band weren't dead after all. While on the show, the group made clear what they wanted to encapsulate with their music and image; fun, positivity and female empowerment, and that's exactly what is conveyed throughout 'Salute'.Opening the album is the title track, which can only be described as a girl-power anthem. In the first line of the song, the girls' voices command, "ladies all across the world/listen up, we're looking for recruits," immediately giving listeners the feel for the rest of the album with a strong message and even stronger vocals.
While 'Move', the first single off the album, is an infectious dance track different to other pop songs currently being played on the radio, 'Nothing Feels Like You' is the song that truly conveys the unique type of urban spin Little Mix aims to put on pop music. With tribal sounding drum beats and a catchy final chorus breakdown, the track is pure fun and completely indicative of who Little Mix are as a group. Other up-tempo numbers such as 'Competition' and 'A Different Beat' have the same unique flare that has become expected of the band, while 'Mr Loverboy' and 'Something About The Boy', despite being catchy tunes, are the weakest of a very strong package of songs.
and an empowering chorus of strong vocals. 'Towers' and 'These Four Walls', while dealing with the more conventional issue of break ups and losing someone you care about, are deeply emotional, with the latter conveying much more delicate vocals than the powerful ones that are apparent throughout the rest of the album.
'Boy', however, is the standout track, with incredible acapella vocals, harmonies and a message that many girls can undoubtedly relate to. Akin to that of 'Girl' by Destiny's Child, 'Boy' is a track that contemplates the toxicity of being in a bad relationship from the perspective of ones girlfriends. Incredibly catchy while also deeply moving, this song is definitely one to belt out with your friends in the car.
With Little Mix, we finally see the return of a successful girl group who bring something new and fresh to a table of relatively average pop radio songs. Two years ago while competing on The X Factor, mentor judge Tulisa described Little Mix as the girl group for girls all across the world. With relatable songs, an empowering attitude and undeniable talent, 'Salute' is the album that was missing all those years when we didn't have a girl band to dream about being a member of.
