Well, Wrecsam isn’t there anymore because we drank it. Fortunately, we left some of our most dedicated writers behind at GIITTV Towers to man the battlements, and we’ve made a few contributions.
If you’re not currently suffering from temporary tinnitus from standing too close to the PA in The Parish, slap your lobes with these absolute belters. Tracks of the Week is here again.
kenzo jae – a right to lose
Because any music coming out through Launchpad+—the company that supports artists, managers, and labels across Yorkshire to release their music effectively and maximize their royalty collection—is always worth a second listen. And in the case of ‘a right to lose,’ many more besides.
‘a right to lose’ is the new single from the rising Bradford rap storyteller and multi-hyphenate, kenzo jae. The song is destined for his second full-length release, the mixtape Sloth, which is set for release Friday 17th July via Launchpad+ and EMI North.
Speaking about ‘a right to lose,’ kenzo jae says: “I’m a really competitive person in everything I do, from music down to Monopoly. It drives me, but when I lose it can send my head west and I take it harder than I should. ‘A Right to Lose’ is me talking to myself, trying to calm that part down and accept that not everything’s going to go your way. It’s just me learning to sit with it and realize losing doesn’t mean you’re done, it’s part of it.”
As kenzo jae switches effortlessly between melodic choruses and sharp, laconic rapping, the narrative of the song expands and contracts. As it embraces such a contrast in styles, ‘a right to lose’ reveals itself as a wonderful triumph.
Hannah Cohen – Golden Chain
‘Golden Chain’ is really rather lovely. The first new music from Hannah Cohen since her critically acclaimed album Earthstar Mountain, which was released last spring via Bella Union, her new single starts what promises to be a busy rest of the year for the Catskills-based singer/songwriter.
‘Golden Chain’ certainly whets the appetite for her upcoming live appearances. It is a hazy slice of folk-pop with Hannah Cohen’s dreamy voice floating over a bed of her own guitar, Keenan O’Meara’s beautifully understated lap steel, and the gentle whirr of Sean Mullins’ Wurlitzer, synthesizer, and organ. Bliss.
Modern Literature – Genocide Bop
We had better talk about this quickly before the establishment removes it from the web. It is a reasonable and measured response to the invasion of countries, and musically, it is a definite bop—a floor-filler for the disco at the end of the world. It features a vicious, almost violent riff that summons an image of The Hives guitarists giving it their all.
Simon Bromide and The Bromides – Jean-Luc Godard Directs
‘Jean-Luc Godard Directs’ is something of a cultural heavyweight and a cracking pop song. The second single from South London outfit Simon Bromide and the Bromides’ upcoming album Forest Mountain Forest draws on the great Franco-Swiss filmmaker and provocateur for inspiration, while also leaning on the 20th-century Russian novel The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgacov.
There is a subtle strength to Simon Bromide’s songwriting which reveals itself in superbly sunlit pop songs like ‘Jean-Luc Godard Directs.’
Beth Orton – Waiting
When someone is making music this good, it is only right that they make a quick reappearance. ‘Waiting’ is the second song to be taken from The Ground Above, and it arrives with a video featuring a live performance filmed at Fish Factory Studios in London.
It is a magical piece of music, beginning with Beth Orton on Rhodes before the fragile beauty of her voice wavers over the melody. As momentum gathers, ‘Waiting’ shifts into a more euphoric vibe, building up to a blistering guitar solo.
Zoh Amba – Eyes Full
‘Eyes Full’ is the title track from Zoh Amba’s Matador debut album. It is a song about what makes someone’s heart full and questioning why. With musicians Jim White and Kevin Hyland firmly on board, the track rocks out in the most contagious way imaginable.
Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders – Critical Masses
‘Critical Masses’ is the second single to be taken from Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders’ forthcoming album, Liquid Donnon. It is a song about friendship, innocence, tragedy, and loss, but also the power of nature. The track builds up a full head of lysergic steam and spirals off into a far-out psychedelic ether.
Liz Lawrence – Exploded Into Flowers
Liz Lawrence’s new single, ‘Exploded Into Flowers,’ is a haunting chapter lifted from her forthcoming album Vespers. The album is a testament to life and death, written in the ashes of disaster and dedicated to her sister. Moving and delicate, Lawrence’s vivid sigh details grief in heartbreaking detail above a strum that swells into a grander, string-framed opus.