IndieLondon gleefully checks out the cream of the week’s singles
SINGLE OF THE WEEK 1: YOUNG FATHERS feat LEITH CONGREGATIONAL CHOIR – ONLY GOD KNOWS: Young Fathers have made one of their tracks for T2: Trainspotting available on Soundcloud to showcase their talents and the relentlessly addictive energy of the soundtrack itself. Only God Knows is a punchy, powerhouse and – yes – slightly edgy record that captures the vibrancy and urgency of Danny Boyle’s cracking follow-up to Trainspotting. The main vocals also capture that edge, while the addition of the Leith Congregational Choir is a master-stroke, bringing an innocent and pop sheen to the more darker, gritty elements. The juxtaposition of the saintly and the sinner works a treat. Young Fathers got word on T2 while working in the studio with Los Angeles-based producer Dave Sitek. The guys brought one of the demos back home to Edinburgh, met up with Boyle to tour the T2 film set and then finished the song with the voices of the Leith Congregational Choir, because there’s “nothing like singing with your aunties”. And really that’s when any relation to the film goes out of the window, because Only God Knows is, as its PR suggests, a soaring, crazy piece of punk-gospel… like being shot out of a cannon into the greatest atheist church in the universe, like dying and being reborn without even realising it’s happened. Because we’re all alone in the end anyway, so give yourself a chance. And what could be more Trainspotting than that?
Rating: 4 out of 5
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SINGLE OF THE WEEK 2: NELLY FURTADO – COLD HARD TRUTH: “It’s been a long time coming…” So sings Nelly Furtado on her latest single, sounding like a statement of intent – she’s back and on fire. If her last album, The Spirit Indestructuble was so big a flop it seemed like she may never come back, Furtado instead employed John Congleton (of St Vincent fame) to reboot her sound and the results – thus far – have been impressive. Last year’s synth-pop anthem Islands of Me was a good enough start, while Cold Hard Truth enhances the feeling that her forthcoming sixth album, The Ride (due on March 31), could be something of a return to the kind of form shown with Loose. Cold Hard Truth has an urgency and appeal that’s undeniable. It boasts crunchy synths, stop-start beats, jumpy vocals, a lively, catchy chorus and a savvy mix of Timbaland-inspired attitude and Folklore-based folk. Nurtado’s vocals are as lovely as ever, while the sense of positivity brimming throughout the record is utterly infectious. Furtado has rediscovered her creative groove and this is a welcome comeback.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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SINGLE OF THE WEEK 3: NATIVES – WARPAINT: Warpaint, the new single from Natives, is described as an uplifting call to action and a determined anthem of positivity from the New Forest quartet. Enlisting synth-infused tribal percussion and euphoric chants, the new single finds Natives at their most danceable yet as they burst with pop melodies, a sampled children’s choir and world-music influences. The result is as thought-provoking as it is inspiring and feel-good. Lyrically, it’s very definitely a call to arms to take action for the positive at a time when the world is in danger of falling into chaos (politically, environmentally, etc). It helps that the beats and synth arrangements are so vibrant, infusing the track with an energy that translates so well to the listener. And when that children’s choir kicks in, it really takes flight over the chorus. It ends on a real high too. Regarding the new single, Natives guitarist / synth player Jack Fairbrother said: “The writing process for Warpaint was different to anything we’d done before. The song was written around a drum performance, with all of us stood facing each other, playing separate rhythms, which together combined to create the groove, which is the hook of the song. I suppose this is our take on tribal drumming – something we’re fascinated by. The track showcases a side of our album which we haven’t shown previously so we’re really excited to get this one into the wild!”
Rating: 4 out of 5
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FRANCES – NO MATTER: Following on her previous single Say It Again (which was co-written with Greg Kurstin and went straight in at BBCR1’s B-List), the new single from Frances, No Matter, is a gorgeous slice of piano-led pop that showcases the songwriter’s innate talent of crafting authentic, yet power-pop ballads. It’s feisty in the way that it recognises diversity, is packed with punchy piano chords and beats, and boasts an anthemic chorus that’s tailor-made for singing out loud. Speaking on the track, Frances said: “I wrote No Matter when I’d just moved to London. Coming from a small town and moving to the capital was overwhelming and exciting, there’s so many people from all over the world in this one beautiful city, living their lives and following their dreams. In those first few weeks I met so many people from so many different places, and I realised that we don’t just share a city, we share our humanity.” Frances is very much a superstar on the rise. After ending 2016 with a performance on Channel 4’s Stand Up to Cancer, as well as having Grow selected for the soundtrack of British film Mum’s List (starring Rafe Spall & Emilia Fox), Frances kicked off the New Year with a very special announcement that she wrote and performed an original song for a coveted spot on the 50 Shades Darker soundtrack, alongside ZAYN, Taylor Swift and John Legend.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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RAG N BONE MAN – SKIN: Rag’n‘Bone Man shares new track Skin, taken from his forthcoming debut album Human, out on February 10 on Best Laid Plans/Columbia Records. The singer, aka Rory Graham, has got off to an incredible start in 2017. Last week, he was nominated for a second BRIT Award, having already been crowned winner of the coveted BRITs Critics’ Choice Award and coming second in the BBC Sound Of 2017. Rory has also been tipped by Apple Music, Google Play, Tidal, Amazon, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun, NME, The Times plus many more. New single Skin highlights why there is such a buzz surrounding him. An anthemic slice of blues soaked soul-pop, this is a record about empowerment that deservedly soars over the chorus. It’s then that Graham’s vocals hit some powerful blues highs, while being rousingly supported by a gospel choir. It’s the very epitome of anthemic. But there’s a lot of heart and soul in the lyrics, which reflect on a heartbreak and the effect of memory over the years.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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RHYS LEWIS – LIVING IN THE CITY: Hot off the success of Waking Up Without You, Rhys Lewis announces his follow-up in the form of Living In The City – and it’s really god. Filled with the conviction of a fully realised artist, the track sees Lewis tackling the unique love/hate relationship that comes with living in a megalopolitan world. Lyrically, it’s shot through with the torment and toll that city life can take (“I’ve been living in the city too long!”). But it also acknowledges the vibrancy and vitality of doing so too. Instrumentally, there’s snappy finger-clicks, foot-stomping beats and barnstorming piano arrangements. Lewis, meanwhile, drifts between moody soul and funky, sometimes Heavy-inspired gritty vocals, with occasional falsettos, injecting the chorus with genuine gusto. If you’ve wondereed what the fuss surrounding Lewis is thus far, this one answers the sceptics in resounding fashion. It’s terrific. Lewis says of the track: “The song is pretty self-explanatory from the lyrics, but in a nutshell it’s about the bittersweetness of living… in the city. It takes so much energy to live in a city. It’s expensive, relentless, busy, lonely at times, and tiring. Just getting on London’s Tube at rush hour can make you want to sell all your possessions and move to the middle of nowhere. But at the same time, it’s exciting and unpredictable, spontaneous, full of opportunities and over-populated with interesting people. And the more you give, the more you get back. Every time I think about leaving, I remind myself of all the things this place has given me. And there’s an unspoken promise from the city that is: it always has more to give.”
Rating: 4 out of 5
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IMELDA MAY – BLACK TEARS: Imelda May limbers up for the release of her new album, Life. Love. Flesh. Blood with the heartbreaking new single Black Tears. A personal and heart-wrenching ballad, it features a distinctive slide guitar part, coupled with a unique picking and guitar tone that could be the handiwork of only one man – the legendary Jeff Beck. The guitar work lends it a classic, timeless quality, befitting all great rock tracks. But it’s dripping with melancholy, as May’s heartbroken lyrics announce a fresh hurt (“inside I’m dying, outside I’m crying black tears”). May’s vocals are particularly striking on this record, sucking you in and refusing to let you go, such is the way she wears her sadness on her sleeve. But Beck delivers the goods too, especially during his solo moment – which leaves the hairs on your neck standing up. This is a powerhouse combo, delivering as high calibre a record as you could expect. The album is produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett, who said of May: “When I first happened onto her music, she was a punky Irish Rockabilly singer with a great band. When I ran across her several years later, she had gone through a change of lives and was writing about it with a wild intensity and singing about it in the most open hearted way.” Beck added: “I knew it from the start …you cannot ignore talent this unique.” Here’s why.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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JAMIROQUAI – AUTOMATON: Grammy award winning global electronic soul funk superstars Jamiroquai have announced their return with their eighth studio album, Automaton. Written and self- produced by Jay Kay and Jamiroquai keyboard-maestro Matt Johnson , Automaton will be available for release on March 31 via Virgin EMI. As a taster, they’ve released the title track as the lead single. It’s a synth heavy affair, very much in keeping with modern technology and the changing sounds it helps to create. Hence, when not indulging in the trademark soul funk/acid jazz of old, Jamiroquai have enhanced it with a heavy synth sound… the type that could be comparable to Jean Michel-Jarre mixed with Daft Punk. Instrumentally, it thrills. And when reverting to more traditional Jamiroquai vocals, it also ticks all the right boxes. But some experimental touches, or mid-track breakdowns into the more obscure, do tend to upset the otherwise smooth rhythmn. It’s a good comeback… but it’s stops just short of blowing you away. A slice of neo-noir science fiction, the accompanying video was directed by Charlie Lightening (Arcade Fire, Bjork) with creative direction from front man Jay Kay. Jay Kay commented about the single and LP: “The inspiration for Automaton is in recognition of the rise of artificial intelligence and technology in our world today and how we as humans are beginning to forget the more pleasant, simple and eloquent things in life and in our environment including our relationship with one another as human beings.”
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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MISSY ELLIOTT feat LAMB – I’M BETTER: With Missy Elliott, you pretty much know you’re going to get an urban-tinged track that arrives with bucket loads of attitude. So, it’s no surprise that there’s an edge and urgency to the blip-blip electronics, the in and out beats, the spoken word male rap, and the sassy Missy Elliott vocals that accompany this comeback track. What is surprising, perhaps, is the minimalism that accompanies it. For while there’s no shortage of attitude, it’s a track that never really explodes to life in the way that you continually anticipate. It keeps stripping things back down, using the instrumentals sparingly, and even keeping Elliott’s own vocals in check. It kind of leaves you wanting more… but not necessarily in a good way. The track was produced by Lamb (Beyoncé, SWV, Monica) and written by Elliott. And it’s accompanied by a groundbreaking companion video, co-directed by Elliott and her long-time GRAMMY® Award-winning collaborator Dave Meyers (Lose Control, Work It, We Run This), which is worth checking out.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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THE DEARS – TO HOLD AND HAVE: The Dears have shared a new track from their forthcoming album, Times Infinity Volume One, which marks the Montréal band’s first release in six years. Entitled To Hold And Have, has a kind of orchestral pop sound that’s also steeped in a cinematic sweep to it, instrumentally. Indeed, with strings combining with electronics and guitars, there’s a feeling of romanticism surrounding those instrumentals, albeit with lyrics that suggest something more bittersweet (“yes, I’m sure that this can’t all go wrong, and I’m sure that there won’t always be laughter”). It’s typically lyrically intelligent and thought-provoking, creating a rich tapestry of emotions, and sweeping the listener along with its ambitious instrumentals. But as with most Dears material, it feels like it’s playing to the converted rather than really boasting anything too crossover. It’s satisfying to have them back, especially if you’re a fan, and the instrumentals do entrance. But it remains something of an acquired taste. Times Infinity Volume One is the first instalment of a two-album body of work, composed by the band over a two-year period, later recorded at sessions between Toronto’s Revolution Recording and Montréal’s Thee Mighty Hotel2Tango. With Times Infinity Volume Two slated for release in summer 2017, frontman Murray A. Lightburn says of the joint project: “Putting these two records together was like solving a puzzle: Volume One was about finding the edge pieces while Volume Two was about the middle pieces. It was very difficult to wrap one’s head around at first, but by the end of production, it just became easier and easier. It’s a metaphor for life, and our life’s story.”
Rating: 3 out of 5
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MAJOR LAZER feat PARTYNEXTDOOR & NICKI MINAJ – RUN UP: Following on the monstrous success of last year’s late summer anthem Cold Water, international superstars Major Lazer – the collaborative project of Diplo, Walshy Fire and Jillionaire – release their brand new single, Run Up, featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR and Nicki Minaj. Described as an addictive, mellow slice of dancehall-inspired pop, this certainly has its moments, with a bouncing dancehall beat helping to ensure there’s a catchy, toe-tapping likeability to it. The chorus is appealing too. But once Minaj drops her rap, the single adopts a harder, more urban vibe that doesn’t necessarily sit comfortably alongside the rest of the song. It’s sure to become another massive hit for Major Lazer, but given the combined talents involved, you’re kind of left with a feeling of wanting more – and not in a good way. It’s decidedly disposable.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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ALEEM – INSIDE OUT: Chicago-born, LA-based singer-songwriter Aleem brings his acoustic guitar-driven brand of R’n’ B-tinged pop to the UK with the single Inside Out. A synth-laced, slow-building yet cinematic arrangement, Inside Out came from being in a relationship where Aleem says he felt like he was the one bringing everything down. “But I couldn’t control it,” he says. “It’s about battling your inner demons and questioning whether you’re in the right place to give love, but also recognizing that you really do need that love.” Given the torment surrounding the lyrics, however, the song is surprisingly breezy, with the synths and guitars combining to create a feel-good pop sheen that lends the track an extremely catchy quality. Aleem’s vocals, meanwhile, are slick and soulful, evoking comparisons with the likes of Chris Martin and that man of the moment, Ed Sheeran (without yet being quite as good). Nevertheless, that last comment aside, Aleem is shaping up very nicely to be another of 2017’s breakthrough talents. Inside Out is a very appealing introduction.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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