The Singles Jukebox

Y’all can do better, tho.

[Video][Website]
[5.11]

Crystal Leww: For as huge of names as they are, I always forget that Major Lazer’s hit ratio is actually…not that high? Having been around since 2009 or so, they’ve really got two recognizable hits (“Lean On” and “Cold Water”) and one immortal dance break (“Pon de Floor”). “Run Up” is being pushed hard by two recognizable names in Nicki Minaj and PARTYNEXTDOOR, but so far, it’s not been the smash that anyone involved here was hoping for. Listening back, it’s not too surprising; “Run Up” is too slow, too chill for a lineup that should have been targeting the song of the summer category. Everyone involved here has had better hits this year separately than here together, so this is very disappointing.
[3]

Micha Cavaseno: Simulation is a weird thing; Jahron “Partynextdoor” Braithwaite’s P3 was a interestingly dark album that blended dancehall, rap, R&B and other influences into a stark blend that could be both harmonious and harsh. To hear him in full-fledged sunshine and joy mode thanks to Diplo and Stargate (both quite accomplished dancehall vulturists) is a jarring concept but the ease of the bobbing groove is pretty solid. That plus a solid Nicki verse has at least two West Indian performers getting a chance to shine in a world of more and more cod-Caribbean strides. Of course, the unfortunate dark side here is that Diplo at LEAST used to keep a few actual Jamaicans on speed-dial, and after this sound has become a standard template, it might be nice just to hear the originators get some of this pop money.
[7]

David Sheffieck: Neither Nicki nor PND — though both do solid, if not great work — can bring life to a track this tired; I didn’t like “Cold Water,” but at least it had some sense of dynamics. Here the production just burbles below the surface, hinting at some kind of eruption that never comes. It builds to nothing and worse, it’s built from hooks that dissipate the moment they’re heard.
[3]

Ryo Miyauchi: Can someone fix the PND-to-Nicki Minaj ratio on this? Party does one verse too many, and with how much Nicki styles herself off, she’s gonna need more space.
[6]

Juana Giaimo: Major Lazer have stuck to this dancehall sound for a few years now and, although it may be time to get tired of it, it works very neatly on “Run On”. The fast beat fit into the vocal melody to build together a light track that doesn’t need any drop to make you dance. Nicki Minaj’s verses mess up this synchronization, only to show once again that she knows how to make herself heard. 
[7]

Thomas Inskeep: Same old lightly reggae-tinged trop-house beat, same old obnoxious chipmunk-ish vocal bits sprinkled about, amazingly personality-less lead vocal from the stupidly capitalized PARTYNEXTDOOR, average guest verse from Nicki. “Lean On” at least sounded fresh at the time, and “Cold Water” at least had Bieber pleadin’ his case. This one’s just meh.
[4]

Hannah Jocelyn: I like the hook, with the angular claps and the sparingly used chipmunk vocals. It’s also interesting hearing Nicki do a light, fleet-footed verse now, considering what happened between the song’s release and TSJ’s review. PARTYNEXTDOOR isn’t nearly as interesting, but I like that there’s actually something resembling a melody in his verses (the part where he does the hashtag rap thing aside). It all results in a song that’s above-average for all parties, even if it’s not necessarily special.
[6]

Jibril Yassin: Another sunny smash in a long line of sunny smashes; the fact this feels more like a PARTYNEXTDOOR track says a lot about Major Lazer’s production. It’s just there, nothing entirely distinctive but Party’s vocals get the most out of it. 
[7]

Alfred Soto: A bit early to hear a theoretical future summer smash, especially when the distorted vocals recall last winter, fall, and, yeah, summer. 
[3]