I wish there was a way to go back in time, so that I could unwatch the latest horrific M83 video...
THE BEST:
‘Influenza’ – False Advertising
Criminally underrated UK rock act
False Advertising are gearing up for the release of a new album BRAINFREEZE. This
latest single ‘Influenza’ is a grungy number that sees Jen Hingley taking lead
vocals. The chorus is characteristically catchy and loud, made all the more primal
by those howling guitar notes. I’m yet to hear a song from these guys that I
don’t love.
‘Salary man’ – Kiwi Jr.
‘I am a salary man/ I want
cigarettes from Japan that taste like oranges’. Featuring charmingly vivid
lyrics and jangly guitars, this new song from Toronto band Kiwi Jr. is deceivingly
upbeat considering that it’s actually about the depressing adventures of a
workaholic. It’s accompanied by a fun video featuring sharks and radio-active
basketballs. The band features Alvvays member Brian Murphy and they have a new
album out in January titled Football Money, engineered by Aaron
Goldstein and mixed by Graham Walsh of Fuck Buttons.
‘Wiffle’ – King Bug
At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked
this. The track is swamped in reverb almost to the point of being a cacophonous
wall of sound and I didn’t like that it was inspired by murdering
lightning bugs with a wiffle bat. However, it's hypnotic and undeniably creative – the vocals remind me of Animal Collective, whilst that hissing kick
drum is utterly unique. The Brooklyn based act has a new EP out, Pierpont, containing similarly psychedelic tunes fuelled by childhood nostalgia.
‘Crash Pad’ – George Clanton
ft. Nick Hexum
And now for our ‘unlikely
collaboration of the week’. Vaporwave producer George Clanton has teamed up
with Nick Hexum (frontman of alt rock band 311) to produce two tracks ‘Crash
Pad’ and ‘King For A Day’. You can listen to ‘King For A Day’ here, but personally
‘Crash Pad’ is my favourite (it’s like the Tekken soundtrack on Xanax - and somehow it suits Nick's voice).
THE WORST:
‘Feelings’ - M83
M83’s latest synth instrumental is
fairly pretty – but the video is so weird and distractingly disturbing that I
don’t think I’ll ever be able to listen to this track again without getting
PTSD. Honestly, what the hell is going on?