CALVIN HARRIS, 33

What’s the track?

Heatstroke. Featuring Young Thug, Pharrell Williams and Ariana Grande.

How hot is it?

It’s one of those hot cool pool party tracks that can be enjoyed over beer. The funk-pop number is upbeat, imploring listeners to Please let go and have a good time… it’s a very different sonic territory for Calvin to tread.

Why is it different?

There is none of those cliched ‘drops’ or thick synth pads. These have been replaced by a slick sonicscape, complete with perfect guest appearances. When the Scottish record producer-DJ had tweeted in February, “All my songs in 2017 have been sonically designed to make you feel f**king incredible”, he wasn’t kidding. He’s making “joyful music”, which he feels is “missing from the world. And it was missing from my life” (swift way to get over a certain Taylor?). So the follow-up to February’s piano-heavy Slide (featuring Frank Ocean and Migos) once again digresses from his EDM signature, making him more than just a regular dance-pop man… he’s now more of a hard-working musician.

Hard-working?

A few weeks after the release of Slide, Calvin shared a behind-the-scenes video on Twitter which shows him carefully putting together the track, playing the piano and the bass, segueing in Frank Ocean and Migos’s vocals. He wants to show that he’s not just a man with an Apple Mac.

Going against trends?

His last year’s collaboration with Rihanna, This Is What You Came For, was about becoming a streaming champ. He could have done it again in 2017 but the 33-year-old is keen on taking risks to give us more than what we get on every other playlist. He is finally creating “feel f**king incredible” music.

HARRY STYLES, 23

What’s the track?

Sign of the Times. Harry Style’s debut solo track, produced by Jeff Bhasker, the Grammy-winning go-to man for Jay Z, Kanye West, Bruno Mars and others.

Why should you listen to it?

First, it’s by One Direction member Harry Styles. Of course, that shouldn’t be reason enough to make one listen to the track, which brings us to the second reason. Can Mr Styles do anything beyond feel-good boy band music? Yes, he can. It’s rock. It’s bombastic. It’s sweeping. It’s not One Direction. The song even has an intriguing opening line: Just stop your crying, it’s a sign of the times/ Welcome to the final show/ I hope you’re wearing your best clothes. Is it about the end of a relationship? The end of finding a reason to get One Direction back together? We’re not sure. Rolling Stone writes: “Above Brian May-esque guitar parts, the singer channels his inner glam rocker for a song reminiscent of Mott the Hoople’s All the Young Dudes.” The stringy-haired One Direction member has gone for a ballad, complete with piano, violins and himself crooning in pain. There is even a touch of arena-rock. Father John Misty had gone on to tweet on March 19: “Harry’s new album is F**KING INSANE.”

Is it “f**king insane”?

Some reports have called his (unreleased) album “David Bowie meets Queen”. Those are pretty big shoes to fill. The song even shares its title with the 1987 Prince single and album Sign O’ The Times, which obviously was sharp and a creative gale that defined the legend. But similarities end there. Two minutes into the 5.42-minute song, one gets the feeling Harry is trying for a radio-friendly song. That said, the boy-turned-man at 23 has pulled off an interesting sound. We just hope his upcoming album stays in the same space.

Who are you listening to, Harris or Harry? Tell t2@abp.in