Single review: Dana Jade, 'Galang/Little Sister'

Reviewed by: Alan Ashton-Smith

Skiddle rating: 3/5

Releasing a cover version as your debut single is a brave move for any artist who is seeking to showcase their sound. History shows that it needn’t be a bad thing – the Rolling Stones, Deep Purple and Nirvana all released covers as their debuts – but in order for this tactic to succeed, it’s imperative to make the song your own. Choosing a track as distinctive and punchy as M.I.A.’s ‘Galang’ is therefore particularly brave, but that’s what newcomer Dana Jade has done.

Jade might be known to some as part of the twenty-two person all female ensemble Gaggle, but she also has a sideline in stripped-down rock. Her version of ‘Galang’ is thus rather different from M.I.A.’s: the thumping bass is replaced by power chords and squealy guitar licks. What it has in common with the original is feisty vocals and powerful delivery. However, it doesn’t have the raw punch of the M.I.A. version, so it feels somewhat redundant.

Fortunately, Jade has another trick up her sleeve in the form of double A-side, ‘Little Sister’. This is another track driven by blasts of distorted guitar, and Jade seems to be more in her element here; her singing seems more confident, as though she is more comfortable with her own material. Rock ‘n’ roll covers of M.I.A. might be an interesting novelty, but hopefully Dana Jade’s subsequent releases will display the stronger qualities of ‘Little Sister’.