Plus new tracks from Fontaines D.C. and Honeyblood.
Single of the Week
Honey 2 Honey
Tone of Voice (Chapter Music)
Yes please. Honey 2 Honey emerge with one of the first great songs of 2019. The Sydney via Canberra foursome’s debut single ‘Tone of Voice’ melds straightforward dubby grooves with an abstract, non-linear personality. Sounding a bit like a spaced out Jack Ladder, ‘Tone of Voice’ isn’t equipped with obvious hooks, but it’s still mighty infectious. It’s a song that doesn’t pounce so much as it encircles you in curvy good vibrations.
Anna of the North
Leaning on Myself (Different Recordings)
Streamline, uncluttered synth-pop from Norway’s Anna of the North. The down-tempo song finds the Oslo-based singer renouncing co-dependency and vowing to take charge of her own destiny. Some listeners may only be familiar with Anna Lotterud’s guest spots on Tyler, the Creator and G-Eazy records, but the effortless charm of ‘Leaning on Myself’ will divert plenty of attention to her solo catalogue.
Fontaines D.C.
Big (Partisan Records)
Is it just me or is it impossible to say no to an Irish accent? Dublin punks Fontaines D.C. follow up the art-punk rambling of ‘Too Real’ with a two-minute garage punk belter. It’s a beautifully sweet song, even despite its rough and tumble delivery – the chorus hook, “My childhood was small, but I’m going to be big,” doesn’t sound the least bit arrogant. The Dan Carey produced album, Dogrel, is coming in April.
Honeyblood
The Third Degree (Cooking Vinyl)
Freshly rejigged into a solo project, Honeyblood returns with massive Kim Wilde vibes on ‘The Third Degree’. Stina Tweeddale is flaunting her independence all over the place: “No no, drama drama baby,” she sings in the chorus, “It used to be all about you, but now you’re out of my view.” It’s an emphatic kiss-off full of crunchy guitars and chorus vocal harmonies resting on a classic ‘60s girl group drum beat, à la The Ronettes’ ‘Be My Baby’.
