NGAIIRE: Diggin
Daggering synths underpin the opening of Diggin, which finds Ngairre playful and powerful in inflection. It’s a strange track, somewhere between ‘80s pop, future gospel and contemporary Australian electronica. It runs the very high risk of not working, but such is the potency of Ngaiire’s star power that it works seamlessly. There are no limits here.
MIGUEL: Waves (Tame Impala Remix)
First Rihanna flips a straight karaoke version of Tame Impala’s New Person Same Old Mistakes, now Kevin Parker puts his spin on Miguel’s Waves, and the bridge between Perth psych pop and American R&B pop feels like a bridge between the same territory. This sounds more like Tame circa Lonerism, withlavishes of phased drums. Hopefully Kev will dabble more behind the desk, as he’s done with hip hop collective Koi Child.
RACE BANYON FEAT. TY DOLLA $IGN: What Are We Doing
New Zealand’s Eddie Johnston, who also records and performs as Lontalius (debut album out soon), concurrently keeps his electronic-focused Race Banyon moniker active, here linking up with Ty Dolla $ign for What Are We Doing. There’s still a sparse air of emotion, subtle production punctuated by sparing walls of bass, and Ty Dolla $ign’s vocal makes a perfect fit for Johnston’s soundscapes. This is just the beginning.
IGGY POP: Sunday
Another taste of the Josh Homme-assisted Iggy Pop comeback, Sunday sounds great, Iggy’s croon-mode voice hitting the spot. But like Gardenia, there’s a lyrical overstretch, compounding the meandering aspects of composition. The orchestral coda here could be a touch of brilliance, but only accentuates the pervading dumbness of what came before, and the project itself.
THE TEMPER TRAP: Thick As Thieves
Dougy and the boys are back, baby. Oh hell yeah. This actually starts out OK, harking back to some farkin’ Strayan rock’n’roll on a scale of the mighty Oils, but doesn’t really go anywhere from there, the grit fizzling into car ad territory with a featherweight hook.
THE GOON SAX: Up To Anything
The title track to Goon Sax’s upcoming debut LP opens with a wonderfully simplified existentialism, “I only do these things / So I can tell you / All about doing them”, delivered with teenage droll. It continues into general malaise and want, vague feelings expressed purposefully.
Single Of The Week
L-FRESH THE LION: 1 In 100,000
There’s a slight misdirection in the minimal Afrika Bambaataa-style production that kicks off 1 In 100,000, L-Fresh spitting down‘n’dirty bars leading into the bridge, trap snare rolls hinting at something large, before blowing up into storeys-huge laser beams. It’s a remarkable change of style for L-Fresh, always a lyrical powerhouse, and if you’re not paying attention the immensity of the instrumental chorus will snap you from slumber.
