The time is (still) now for Craig David.
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Does Craig David ever stop? According to Snapchat, he’s spent all summer pleasing crowds in the Ibiza sunshine, though earlier this month he found time to pop back for big “homecoming” dates at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre. But as his arena tour comes to a close, it doesn’t seem like the garage legend intends to take a break. Less than a year after the release of comeback album Following My Intuition, ‘Heartline’ – the first single from album no.7 The Time Is Now – glitters with the same sparkly pop vibe that put David back on the map for a whole new generation.
There’s little point denying that David has his embrace of all things ‘stupidly fun pop’ to thank for his resurrection, but the crooning garage edge to his music – the very thing that made him famous in the first place – is vital to maintaining his success. After the confetti cannon of cheese that was last year’s Sigala collaboration ‘Ain’t Giving Up’, news of a single produced by Jonas Blue of the tinkly piano ‘Mama’ fame filled me with a similar dread. Thankfully, ‘Heartline’ grounds its punchy electronica in David’s garage roots, twisting together a deliciously listenable single; a hopeful sign that the Southampton-born singer has a lot more to give.
A powerhouse for eclectically danceable singles, Craig David seems to have cemented his place as a modern musician rather than a blast of nostalgia. Nonetheless, The Time is Now will be an interesting test of staying power, with a lot of the album tracks on Following My Intuition failing to reach full potential. But with the likes of Bastille, Kaytranada, GoldLink and AJ Tracey on board, there’s little to disappoint on first glance.
‘Heartline’ is out now via Insanity Records
