The Singles Jukebox

And it’s taken four songs but something we kind of like at last!

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[6.33]

Brad Shoup: Take it from America, if you’re gonna write a song about a dance, saying the name of the dance 100 times isn’t enough. Has to be 500, minimum. And also maybe don’t brag about not giving oral.
[4]

Crystal Leww: Stormzy was at the center of so many discussions of grime and authenticity last year, so it’s nice to see that the reaction to the reaction is fun. Britain’s J Hus tries to create his own homegrown rap dance track. The lean & bop as a dance move is simple and accessible to all, and the track that accompanies is breezy and fun, bouncing enough to play on dance floors late at night but also inoffensive enough to be dropped at a wedding with your granny.
[6]

Josh Winters: If the sole purpose of music is to bring people together through a universal language, dance moves — and furthermore dance crazes — are the physical manifestation of that principle. The “lean & bop” is something anyone could do; it’s easy to understand, simple to pull off, and versatile enough for people to infuse their personal style. The transition from banging RnBass to bouncy house is an unexpected surprise, and a delightful one at that, with J-Hus smoothly gliding between both modes without a single misstep.
[7]

Micha Cavaseno: J Hus’ “Lean & Bop” is really simple; he takes the weird ragga bounce that’s always lit up the edges of flows for certain Road Rappers (See the pre-EDM Singles career of Sneakbo or certain areas of the Giggs mixtape discography) and finally harnesses it to a pop aesthetic. His sleeper hit “Dem Boy Paigon”  showcased J Hus emulating the melodic flow of frequent collaborator Mostack and referencing I Wayne’s “Satisfy Her” while offering it up to all possible foes. But “Lean & Bop” is now drained of aggression and turns towards pure pop confidence, and a very slight tech-house edge to the riddim grants J Hus reach far beyond his old audience.
[8]

Alfred Soto: Indelible hook and bubblelicious backing track spiced with sawtooth synths.
[7]

Patrick St. Michel: Pretty much checks off all the requirements for a “do this dance” song, with a nice icy beat and Auto-tune splashes.
[6]

Edward Okulicz: The autotune gives it a sunny haze more in common with crossover Afrobeats than US club-rap, which for an obvious make-a-dance track is an interesting touch. J Hus’s affability nearly carries the song by itself, the democratic anyone-could-do of the dance does the rest.
[7]

Alex Ostroff: The beat evolves repeatedly over the course of “Lean & Bop,” while J Hus floats on top of it and keeps everything moving steadily, to ensure that leaning and bopping can continue fluidly. 
[6]

Thomas Inskeep: Interesting to hear a UK rapper not dipping into grime. This is what I wish all of those Vine-“famous” rappers in the US (Silento et.al.) actually sounded like, because the “Lean & Bop” should definitely have its own dance. The production is crazy-rhythmic, popping all over the place, yet simultaneously still very poppy, and J Hus has a solid flow. Could be one to watch.
[6]