The best intro of the year thus far. ‘Bass!’ purrs Beyoncé as a finger-popping bass guitar coils into life. ‘Hurgh!’ responds Jay-Z. ‘Hi-hat!’ she whispers coquettishly over a flippy-floppy hi-hat. ‘Hhurghmm!’ grunts Jay-Z. ‘808!’ oozes Beyoncé as a throbbing 808 bass drum bounces and rumbles beneath her. ‘Gggurghhh!’ belches her moronic boyfriend. ‘Jay!’ she announces, dreamily, seemingly unaware that her partner has all the charm and sex appeal of a shaven grizzly bear. Yes, for all its deliciously orchestrated horn stabs, pounding cowbells and Stevie Wonder-ish chord changes, we all know that it’s not as good as ‘Crazy In Love’. It’s still pretty damn good, though.
