Fascinator : Dead Of The Night
Children Collide’s Johnny Mackay continues to go all in on his psych indulgence with the charging Dead Of The Night, tip-toeing with Moroder synths that emanate an atmosphere befitting the title. Kept fairly low-key, there are some solid ideas on show here.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard : Paper Mache Dream Balloon
Bringing their flautist inclinations heavily into their recorded form, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard herald their new record (seriously can’t be arsed looking up what number we’re up to at this stage) with some lovely vintage pop, panning for melodic gold and plucking a few choice nuggets. It’s chilled out, but still exudes energy with a few bursts of snare.
Sexwitch : Helelyos
Bat For Lashes (AKA Natasha Khan) surprise-announced her new side-project Sexwitch along with the track Helelyos – a creeping cover of an Iranian psych deep cut from the ‘70s. It’s a worthy divergence from Khan, and would be great in the live setting.
Broadway Sounds : Shonky Man
Maintaining the killer dancefloor frenzy offered on their killer cut Sing It Again, Broadway Sounds showcase their tightly-wound ability to pressurise goodness between their electronic and organic elements. There’s some flair, some dynamic, and it feels good to get lost in the flurry.
Le1f : Koi
The condensed super-pop of PC Music’s Sophie usually finds itself coupled with hyper chipmunk vox (making a brief cameo here). Le1f – a solid producer in his own right – provides a disruption of expectation with a sensual mid-register, matching the frenetic production with a rapid flow that clears into a spacious build. It works for the most part, despite the diminishing potency of PC Music’s aural aesthetic.
Justin Bieber : What Do You Mean
Picking up on the stripped back emotive EDM-pop laid down on the Skrillex/Diplo collab Where Are Ü Now, Biebz hits the mark yet again with a measured, refreshing romp, punctuated by tick-tock percussion and a pretty ridiculous flute line.
No Zu : Ui Yia Uia
Heaving like a glistening, sweaty torso, No Zu flex their wares many times over during the throb of Ui Yia Uia, bringing to mind head-banging P-Funk when it all blows open – something it does quite fucking majestically. It twists the mind then slingshots it into the celestial.
Single Of The Week
The Harpoons : Ready For Your Love
Ready For Your Love revels in a certain purity, an embracement of platitude. A magic moment comes when vocalist Bec Rigby gives an offhand quip, “I was born ready for your love”, and in that moment, you believe – a triumph, a joy, a spirit. A subtle reggaeton groove, a handclap raised above the head while hips sway, a choral beauty. This is heart music.
