What Do You Think About Bey's New Single?

via slate.com

A version of Beyoncé new song, "Girls (Who Run the World)," has leaked online. (It's reportedly the lead single from her forthcoming studio album—her fourth—which is set for a June release.) It samples heavily from the jittery, sweaty dancehall hit "Pon de Floor" by Major Lazer, a.k.a. producers Diplo and Switch.
The empowerment war cry—which celebrates those "strong enough to bear the children, then get back to bidness"—sounds a lot like something we might expect from frequent Diplo/Switch collaborator M.I.A., though with fewer outright political references. (Stills from the video shoot also suggest an M.I.A.-ish military aesthetic: Beyoncé sports a look that the Cut's Amy Odell describes as "desert-warrior-meets-marching-band flag girl.") I'm enjoying the song, though that may be because it's been numbing my brain into submission. As a celebratory song, it's a bit joyless. Judge for yourself: