What’s this?!? Work on a Monday?!? Eurgh, don’t like this. But it’s fine, there’s another bank holiday this weekend. May is a greedy fucker. Let yourself slide into the new week with our choicest choons, it’s TRACKS OF THE WEEK. Yummy!
bar italia – changer
Why we love it: because it’s a blissful, lo-fi smash on a contender for album of the year from bar italia. The vocal interplay between Nina and Jezmi is reminiscent of Romy and Oli from The XX but without the smoothed edges which makes for a more tangible experience, you can reach out and touch them as if they were playing in the room next door.
The atmosphere of the song feels like a late night walk home lament, a slightly drunk call and response across a sleeping city, their voices echoing down the walled streets and reverberating against concrete into the night sky.
The bands lack of social media presence, barr some perfunctory posts makes them more unique than most, adding a mystique missing from so many bands and artists because of the necessity to be visible and available for the marketing of the product. It can be incredibly corporate sometimes so they are a breath of fresh air.
Their debut LP, Tracey Denim came out on Friday (19th May) on Matador Records. (Jim Auton)
Gurriers – Sign Of The Times
Why we love it: Dublin based Gurriers have released new single ‘Sign of the Times’. The five piece have been catching the attention recently with support slots with The Mary Wallopers and appearances at The Great Escape and In Colour festivals with more to come including London Calling and Pitchfork in both London and Paris. ‘Sign of the Times’ follows previous single ‘Approachable’ and even though the new track has a more rhythmic drum and bass beat to it, it’s no less urgent with its questioning lyrics. The chorus ramps up the static and fizzes with electricity. Lead singer Hoff is full of emotion throughout and the joint vocals parts add an additional layer to the track. Towards the end all hell breaks lose both vocally and with the instrumentation as it runs wild, until ‘Sign of the Times’ quietens again to rejoin the opening drum and bass rhythm. And then a crisp finish. Class.(Julia Mason)
HMS Morris – House
Why we love it: HMS Morris have a new album Dollar Lizard Money Zombie in September – an intriguing title in itself – via Bubblewrap and to warm us up (literally) is second single ‘House‘. It’s the latest song to be concerned with the increasing issue of fetishizing weekenders snaffling up family homes in rural Wales and turning them into holiday residences. Other recent songs of a similar theme include Kim Hon’s ‘Hey Mr English’ and Rogue Jones’ ‘Triongl Dyfed’ (The Dyfed Triangle), the video of which we premiered here.
House is a classic HMS Morris art-pop bop. The eerie music box – maybe? – intro aside, we find here a song of three parts. It all starts so sweetly, Heledd Watkins’ vocal lulling us into a harmonious sense of security, before the guitars boom and riff. “The man who wants it all, a mountain view and shopping mall” sings Watkins waspishly, cranking the tension and resentment right up, winding up with chanting an intent to summon revenge. (Cath Holland)
Sir Chloe – Should I
Why we love it: Sir Chloe is the project of vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Dana Foote and they have shared their new single ‘Should I‘. It comes ahead of their debut album, I Am The Dog, which is set for release on 19 May on Atlantic Records. Thematically, the album grapples with finding control in the innate chaos of life, highlighting and interrogating this tension, only to destabilize it and opt for chaos once again.
‘Should I’ is a perfect example of this complexity with its opening tension giving way to a strong forceful retort. The industrial soundscape is layered with Footes strong vocal, asserting power and a sense of control. Sir Chloe head to the UK to kick off their extensive UK/EU/North American headline tour and are set to support Phoenix and Beck’s co-headline tour in the US with additional support from Japanese Breakfast, Weyes Blood and Jenny Lewis. High recommendation indeed to be in such illustrious company. (Julia Mason)
Angharad – Because I Am A Woman
Brassy classy horns, a mirror ball spinnin’, we have a disco spectacular here and one delivered with a good healthy slice of feminism to munch on as we’re dancin’. If anything, the message within energises and inspires, in a mighty sugar rush. Supremely confident, ‘Because I Am A Woman‘ is joyful and celebratory, and defiant. Angharad’s uncompromising stance as an artist and mother, believing both states mutually beneficial, is a ‘call to arms’. Women in 2023 are still oppressed by society as a result of our biology on all levels – from birth to death – so what an inspiration to hear Angharad calling out the misogyny flung at her whilst wishing to pursue a career in music with having children.
“Rather than getting angry about it, this song says ‘yes we can!’ and ‘yes, we are capable of anything!’. I believe it is possible to have both, and do both well, when society will allow us. So far, starting a family has enhanced my creative output. I just need to be flexible, and open to thinking differently about how to manage it and get it out there. My wish is to see the industry being as open to these changes as me, and every other mother who’s tirelessly figuring out how to do both,’ she says. (Cath Holland)
SWELTR – All The Rest
Why we love it: Irish duo SWELTR have released their second single ‘All The Rest’. Written and recorded by Noel Dempsey and Tony Keyes during the winter of 2022, it’s a slice of grunge which is instantly memorable especially due to the opening line which grabs with: “Did you wake up on the wrong side of your head?”.
The band have shared that the track speaks to the fact that there are times when something is not right and needs to change. The verse expresses the reality of masking negative feelings. This can be a universal challenge and can lead to internal pressure. ‘All The Rest’ is very much driven by the vocal which sits ontop the accompanying guitar and drums. Its towards the end that the frustrations seem to mount and as one’s exhaustion can grow with the continuing effort of attempting to maintain a cheerful persona. The second verse pulls no punches with the lyric: “terrified of what you might see“. The chorus repeats “I’m done with all the rest” acknowledging its time to simply stop, take stock and introduce self-care. SWELTR have followed debut single ‘What’s It Gonna Be’ with a track full of heartfelt passion. Looking forward to seeing what they produce next. (Julia Mason)
Laura Groves – Sky At Night
Why we love it: Radio Red is the first full-length album that the English musician Laura Groves has released under her own name and it is due out on the 11th of August via Bella Union. To coincide with the announcement Groves has just shared a beautifully-shot, self-directed and edited video for the wonderful lead track ‘Sky at Night’.
Radio Red deals with themes of communication. As Laura Groves explains, “There was a radio tower on the hill opposite the house where I grew up – I would look out at the network of streetlights winding up towards it and it all had a sort of mystery to me. It was a kind of escapism and a comfort, with an undertone of melancholy that was hard to put into words. I think that glow, that strange feeling, is what I’m always searching for and exploring through making music and artwork.”
Through ‘Sky At Night’ and her continuing quest for that feeling, Laura Groves develops her own personal universe, a transcendental world full of mystery, imagination, and sonic escape. (Simon Godley)
Lucky Iris – oh no (i guess i did it again)
Why we love it: The football season here in the UK is drawing to a close and it does look as if their home team is heading into the Championship, but the good news is that the Leeds-based alt-pop duo Lucky Iris have just released a single. Not only is ‘oh no (I guess I did it again)’ about the beautiful game but it’s also about the experiences that female and queer football fans face every day. And to use the modern vernacular, it’s a bit of a banger.
Written and produced by the band, mixed by Richard Wilkinson (Adele, Kaiser Chiefs) and mastered by Antony Ryan (Oh Wonder), ‘oh no (i guess i did it again)’ is the second single from Lucky Iris’ forthcoming EP maybe i’m too much which is set for release in July.
Talking about their latest single, Maeve (one half of Lucky Iris, alongside for fellow writer-producer, Jasper) says: “When you think football fan, you probably don’t think of me… but that’s the issue I think. Football has always been pushed as an inclusive sport, crossing so many barriers, an unspoken language to many, THE beautiful game. Except there are barriers… for women and queer people alike. I’ve done my hours of listening to every football podcast I could get my hands on but still when I opened my mouth people didn’t want to hear it. Enter ‘oh no (i guess i did it again)’ referencing me giving my many seemingly unwanted opinions on all things football, to people who really didn’t want to hear it. At all. In the wake of Olivia Rodrigo and an Avril Lavigne comeback, this is the Lucky Iris take on pop punk but trade skating for football and Canada for Leeds.” (Simon Godley)