This week’s best new music round-up features Napoleon IIIrd, Reptaliens, EMA, Young Galaxy, Frank Ocean, Kikayaku Moyo and a new feature that I’m calling ‘least essential cover versions corner’.
Napoleon IIIrd – The Scrape
Seven grief-stricken members of a support group spend an afternoon in an abandoned automotive silicon hose factory in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, taking it in turns to destroy their possessions in slow motion. All soundtracked by 7 minutes of grief-filled, gruellingly paced experimental rock. Obviously it’s terrific.
Reptaliens – Prequel
Reptaliens are the husband and wife team of Bambi and Cole Browning, who have a shared interest in cult mentality, transhumanism, and conspiracy theories. In their spare time they also make satisfyingly melodic dream-pop. For an example of what transhumanism means, please refer to the end of 2001: a Space Odyssey. Or read Dan Brown’s Inferno. Whichever you have the most patience for.
Frank Ocean – Chanel
Frank Ocean released a gorgeously laid-back new track, ‘Chanel’ last weekend. It’s the kind of thing you listen to and genuinely feel like it’s doing some good.
Frank Ocean also published the lyrics to the song on his Tumblr. Look at the state of this…
If I was a member of Reptaliens, I’d be making all sorts of assumptions about the way those words are patterned. Hang on, let me stare at it for a while…
Oh it’s a sailboat.
Young Galaxy – Stay For Real
Young Galaxy make a very welcome return with their new single, ‘Stay For Real’. All net proceeds from the track will go to various political organizations that defend the rights of the marginalised, including PIVOT (Canada), ACLU (USA), and W.A.V.E (EU). Here’s their statement, instead of the usual stupid shit I would normally say…
“We can no longer stand idly by and rely only on the people who shape the world for us culturally and politically. We must stay true to ourselves and feel the courage of our convictions in the face of polarizing political and personal views. But most of all, we must show empathy, compassion and love – even when faced with increasing existential threats, and fear and hostility. This song is a statement of intent, as we enter a new era, to hopefully serve as a reminder to ourselves of what our responsibilities are as artists in this troubled time.”
EMA – Stand With You (Song for Ghostship)
EMA also makes a welcome return, and again for a deeply personal cause. Here’s a track taken from the Our First 100 Days compilation, called ‘Stand With You (Song For Ghostship), which is dedicated to the victims of the Ghost Ship warehouse fire that killed 36 people last December.
Kikayaku Moyo – In a Coil
Tokyo’s Kikayaku Moyo have announced a summer European tour and a new EP, ‘Stone Garden’, to be released on April 21st. Here’s the pounding taster track ‘In A Coil’, which should blow some cobwebs away. Which is a relief as I know you’ve had a problem lately with those tiny spiders hatching eggs in your brain.
Least essential cover version corner
The first in a semi-regular feature (dependant on whether I get more than one pointless cover version arriving in my inbox a week) where I highlight some of the least interesting cover versions currently soundtracking terrible movie trailers and vanity art galleries this week.
Lonely the Brave – The Rat
Angsty Cambridge rockers Lonely The Brave, (think Biffy Clyro after someone else ate all the good biscuits) take on the peerless Walkmen track ‘The Rat’. I adore ‘The Rat’. Lonely The Brave strips it of its ferociousness and wiry self-loathing, and turns it into something that will play nicely over the top of some footage of a footballer crying.
HEALTH – Blue Monday
Because of course they fucking did.
That’s it for this week. Here’s an ever-expanding Spotify playlist featuring all the best new music of March so far…
