The Cover Up: Mike Hough ~ La La La (Blackout) (Naughty Boy ft Sam Smith/Wretch 32 cover)

I'll be honest with you. It's getting more and more difficult to write about the singing sensation that is Mike Hough. I've written about him several times this year and each time his own individual music, as well of his interpretations of other people's songs, has provided me with repeated listens that are both rewarding & satisfying. So the challenge is to find new ways to share that with others - and that is what makes it difficult :) But what a dilemma to face - rather than rest on his laurels, Mike Hough works incredibly hard to ensure his burgeoning (and now quite sizeable) fan base gets something new with every piece of music he releases. He compromises for no one and once again attains new levels of greatness with his mash-up of the latest releases from Naughty Boy (ft Sam Smith) & Wretch 32. What works so jolly well here is his ability to turn two well known songs from big studio productions into one intimate tune that feels like it was a Mike Hough song all along. LaLaLa is, of course, the nation's current number one single, and is a gorgeous, soulful masterpiece aided by this stunning contemporary beat. Blackout is an understated, but entirely catchy number that sparkles thanks to the heavenly vocals of Shakka in the chorus. Getting someone to push these prevalent versions from their minds when listening to Mike is one of the masterstrokes of his ability to produce such a commanding performance in everything he undertakes. Here, he eschews any need for studio wizardry and is accompanied by a beautifully engaging guitar strumming (it should be noted that guitarist Rich's contribution cannot be underestimated - he matches Mike perfectly. He is energetic when needed, restrained when the vocal needs to shine and emphatic when the emotion of the song demands it). It's a musical setting Mike excels in and his voice guides the melody of two tunes forward so seamlessly that you become engrossed in his performance, letting the rest of the world fade away. I've always thought that Mike's voice sounds stunning, but reaches all new levels when he weaves a tale of heartbreak and loss. For such a young performer to have such control over his vocal range & such reserves of emotive passion to draw on is a rare thing that should be cherished. Make sure that you catch Mike at his biggest live performance to date in July - you'd be a fool to miss it :)

(PS, lest you think that Mike Hough is all about the covers, check out my review of his amazing EP Stained. It's a thoroughly accomplished piece of work that still feels brand new to me many months after first hearing it)...