Another weekly dose of BROCKHAMPTON,
plus Tool have just released their first single in 100 years.
THE BEST:
‘Titanium 2 Step’ – Battles ft.
Sal Principato
New York experimental rockers
Battles are back and have announced a new album titled Juice B Crypts,
which will contain guest contributions from Shabazz Palaces, tUnE-yArDs and Jon
Anderson from Yes just to name a few. ‘Titanium 2 Step’ is the lead single and
it is a quintessential Battles track – which is to say it sounds nothing like
any other music you’ve heard. It stomps along mechanically, whilst the guitars
blip and whirr as if threatening to fall apart at any moment.
‘Never Have Enough’ – Los Retros
Mauri Tapia - the artist behind
this project - is only 19 years old. He sings, produces and plays all the
instruments on this song ‘Never Have Enough’. It sounds like some forgotten
song from the 70s, featuring psychedelic guitars, soulful vocal harmonies, vibraphones
and theremin-like synths. Los Retros’ sound is unmistakably retro – and there
are a lot of new musicians making retro music right now – but at the same time
it’s hard to exactly pinpoint who his influences are, resulting in his own distinct
sound.
‘If You Pray Right’ –
BROCKHAMPTON
BROCKHAMPTON must be the only hip
hop group that can make oom-pah-pah brass sound badass. Wait, did I say ‘hip hop
group’? BROCKHAMPTON must be the only boy band that can make oom-pah-pah brass
sound badass. Also, I didn’t know the frontman from Arcade Fire was a member? He
sure can rap.
‘Moon’ – Van Houten
Pretty much as soon as this track
started with its languishing effects-slathered guitars, I knew this was blog
material. ‘Moon’ is the first single from Van Houten’s upcoming self-titled debut
album and it is lyrically centred around the frustration when a loved one
leaves before you’ve had a chance to show them you’re full affection. It’s
accompanied by a charmingly lo-fi video featuring some lugubrious trippy hula
hooping.
‘Fear Inoculum’ – Tool
Last time Tool released new music,
smartphones didn’t exist and Queen Victoria was on the throne. Although I’ve
never been a big Tool fan, I felt obliged to listen to their first new song in
forever. It’s ten minutes long, but that time flies by as the song
suspensefully builds. The percussion is utterly wild and I’m loving the mean
guitars at the end.
THE WORST:
‘Why You Mad Sis?’ – The Cheeks
Why am I mad? Because, clearly, there's not enough
autotune.