Photo by Phil Sharp
Why does Frank Ocean do this? To you, to me, to all of us. July he said. He promised. I don’t know if I can deal with his mind games anymore. Have we all got Stockholm Syndrome? Do I need to set up a Frank Ocean support group? While I ponder this and repeatedly refresh Twitter all weekend, why not listen to some other great tracks that came out this week below:
Hunck – All Dressed Up
The newest one from London band Hunck is yet another absolute killer. Dreamy but driving, with a hints of XTC’s pop weirdness, ‘All Dressed Up’ has it all. There’s twinkling piano, a wonderful guitar solo and a chorus that’ll lodge itself in your head for a good few weeks.
Tamu Massif – Ok
Yet another tear jerker from Bristol’s Tamu Massif. The first half is less sparse than we’ve heard him before, and the flickering drums are almost hip hop like. But as samples fade in and out, the track winds down and morphs into something more downbeat, and if possible, pulls even harder on the heartstrings.
The Garden – Call This # Now
I never expected The Garden’s new single to be anything less than a total head fuck, and this definitely doesn’t disappoint. Sandwiched by hardcore on each end of the song, the middle section (the patty if you must) of ‘Call This # Now’ darkly waltzes along, like the holding tone from a dystopian sex-line. Both sleazy and aggressive, the track is the perfect taster for their new record.
The Big Moon – Silent Movie Susie
Finally, four piece The Big Moon put down on record the loud, abrasive sound that makes their live shows so much fun. ‘Silent Movie Susie’ employs the classic Pixies structure, taking it chill in the verses and packing the riffs into the chorus. And boy is it a chorus. Apparently it’s an ode to being stuck at home instead of going to a sweaty gig, but conversely it makes me want to go to a really sweaty gig.
Sløtface – Take Me Dancing
Sløtface FKA Slutface, the Norwegian feminist punk band, have written the kind of Big Anthem that I feel should be playing at the celebratory moment of every high school coming of age film. The bit where the protagonist has overcome all their troubles and is out celebrating and stuff. It’s melodically huge, fist-pumping, carefree kinda stuff.
Massive Attack and Ghostpoet – Come Near Me
As their huge Bristol homecoming edges ever closer, Massive Attack keep giving us more reasons to get excited. ‘Come Near Me’ is dark and menacing, and finds Ghostpoet stumbling over the claustrophobic beat, as the bass pulsates under him.
Meadowlark – Quicksand
Inspired by a post on Facebook group Humans of New York, this new one from Bristol pop band Meadowlark is a massive, atmospheric, stadium ready song. Dark yet shimmering, the duo sound like an earthier, more dramatic London Grammar.
ELEL – When She Walks
This might just be the huge pop rock song that your summer had so far been missing. In fact, I’m 100% sure it is. The Nashville based group’s new single seems to go from lo-fi 60’s jam to full on ELO dramatics in only a matter of seconds. There’s so much crammed in you’ll feel like you’ve been listening to it for ten minutes, when actually it’s only four minutes long.
D.R.A.M – Cute
Hey pal, D.R.A.M thinks you’re cute. Yeah you! He said he saw you on instagram and he wants to take you out for a date. Let him tell you all of this over a weird trap beat whilst doing his best R Kelly impression. C’mon, you’ll love it. (He also uses the line “I choose you like a pokemon” which is the best/worst hip hop love lyric since 50 Cent mumbled “I love you like a fat kid love cake”)
Mac Miller feat. Anderson .Paak – Dang
I’m not going to lie to you all, I really like horns. You can add them to a lot of songs and they’ll be made infinitely better almost immediately. Do you think Dexy’s Midnight Runners would have been quite so masterful without a few well placed trumpets? I mean maybe, but whatever, this Mac Miller LP cut is funky and horn filled, so basically great.
Check back next week for some more trackzzzz
