Welcome to this week’s collection of best new songs from the last seven (ish) days.
In this very special edition of the round-up, we feature Tennis, Dirty Projectors, Future Islands, Chance The Rapper, Cowtown, Grails, Salt Cathedral and Syd.
Why is this week so very special, you ask? Well I’ll tell you why. It’s because unlike in previous weeks, I’ll make damn sure to include as much relevant trivia related to the artists as I possibly can, and I won’t deviate or make anything up at all. I promise.
Or at least that’s the promise I’m making to myself before I start. Let’s see how it pans out…
Dirty Projectors – Cool Your Heart
Dirty Projectors are back! Or at least the random group of artists who happen to be currently kipping on David Longstreth’s studio floor are back. ‘Cool Your Heart’ is taken from the Dirty Projectors’ forthcoming self-titled album (due out Feb 24th) was co-written by Solange Knowles and contains production by Battles founder Tyondai Braxton. You can tell his bits a mile off. They’re the bits that sound like Battles. The track also features R&B singer/Adult Swim animator D∆WN on vocals. And if your keyboard doesn’t allow for fancy Greek symbols, you can just call her Dawn Richard. Or try alt-J*
Chance the Rapper – Same Drugs
The gorgeously low-key ‘Same Drugs’ is taken from Chance the Rapper’s Grammy nominated mixtape Coloring Book. Yes a mixtape is nominated for a Grammy. No I’m not going to sit here and explain to you the difference between an album and a mixtape – the definition of which has changed dramatically over the last few years. No, Chance the Rapper probably didn’t put ‘Goodnight Girl’ by Wet Wet Wet on his mixtape, like I did on the one I made for Sarah Prendergast in 1992. Yes Chance the Rapper probably would’ve had more success than me with Sarah Prendergast if he’d given her his own Grammy nominated mixtape. Especially if he put some Tori Amos on it.
Grails – Deep Snow II
Some post-rock is good. Some post-rock is not good. All post-rock sounds exactly the same. In fact all post-rock sounds exactly like this new track from Portland instrumentalists Grails, whose new album Chalice Hymnal is out 17th February. How can I tell that *this* is good post-rock and not bad post-rock? Because my best friend’s very intense older brother told me so.
Salt Cathedral – Fragments
The Columbian-born duo of Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada previously appeared in our round-up with their genre-smashing track ‘Unravelling’, and now they must be ECSTATIC about the fact they’ve made it in again with the beautiful ‘Fragments’. Other artists that have managed such a rare honour include The Ordinary Boys, Martine McCutcheon and Chico.
Syd – Body
Syd from The Internet’s new album Fin is out this week, and I already used up my best The Internet joke last week when talking about Matt Martian’s new single, so I’ll just say listen to Fin immediately as it’s flipping terrific. In fact, you could say that Syd is the best thing to come out of the The Internet since… uh… oh Christ I don’t know, the internet is awful isn’t it. Actually this is pretty good. BUT THAT’S IT.
Future Islands – Ran
Future Islands are back with a new album called The Far Field, released 7th April on 4AD. Thank fuck too, because everything was starting to get properly, irrevocably shit for a minute there. And everyone knows that the world can’t truly be 100% totally shit while Future Islands are still in it. I don’t even want to imagine the darkest timeline where Future Islands doesn’t exist. But what if in that same timeline I didn’t accidentally knock over that entire corned beef display in Asda last week, which led to significant injuries to both my wallet and self-esteem? You know what, I’m an honourable person. For the greater good, you can keep Future Islands and I’ll keep my 596 cans of corned beef.
Tennis – Modern Woman
As already discussed this week, some of us on the site are more afraid of sport than others. As for me, it may surprise you to learn that if someone were to ask, “anyone for tennis?” I’d be the first to cry a resounding, “yes me please. I love the blissful dream-pop stylings of husband-and-wife duo Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore, and can’t wait for their new album to come out in March!” But then would be left confused and terrified as a racquet is placed in my hand and I’m told to put on a pair shorts and be on the court in 20 minutes. I’m pretty sure I can fit through the bathroom window and escape in my car before that point though.
Cowtown – Emojicore
The Leeds based punk-trio Cowtown are shrunk down to 8-bit size and journey through some familiar (but not familiar enough to get sued) videogame worlds in this outstanding video for their single ‘Emojicore’. It’s thrilling stuff and now I will spend the rest of the day in the attic looking for my copy of Streets of Rage 2.
That’s your lot this week! Here’s the continuously updated Spotify playlist containing the best new music from January and February 2017.
*Despite their Mercury Music Prize win, the overrated indie-rockers alt-J are still offering a service where if you send them a fiver in an envelope they’ll tell you a super secret keyboard shortcut that you never knew before. Although the first one they tell you is in their own name, so you’d better send a tenner to learn something new.