Here are the best new songs we’ve heard in the past week, tried, tested and ready for your ears.
We are an independent publication – become a member and support Nialler9
Follow the Nialler9 Weekly playlist for access to the freshest new music.
1.
Holy Fuck & Alexis Taylor
Luxe
Toronto natives Holy Fuck return with their first new single in two years, the industrial ‘Luxe’ featuring vocals from Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor. This is dark, sombre electronica driven with a relentless four downbeat. Overdriven, often washed out synth palettes give the track an edge, a sense of tension. The drop in the latter half of the track hurls the listener into a grainy cacophony. Crafty stereo imaging helps keep the mix sharp.
– Luke Sharkey
2.
Alex Cameron
Stepdad
Australian singer-songwriter Alex Cameron comes through with one of the most bizarre & witty albums of the year with Miami Memory. ‘Stepdad’ is the opener. Seemingly set around a stepfather explaining to his step son why he’s leaving. Lyrics are golden, equal parts sincere and facetious. The arrangement is like if Bruce Springsteen and Future Islands had a lovechild.
– Luke Sharkey
3.
Loraine James
London Ting/Dark As Fuck ft.Le3 Black
Ahead of her upcoming Hyperdub released album For You And I, London producer Loraine James has released an obnoxiously heavy single. ‘London Ting/Dark As Fuck’, featuring MC Le3 Black, is a raw form of aural claustrophobia as layers of industrial bass do battle with each other alongside glitching percussion. Grime rhythms are applied to obtuse club electronics to make for a grime track that been crushed through a blender and wrapped in tense anger. James has long been establishing herself as one of the UK’s most interesting upcoming club producers and if ‘London Ting/ Dark As Fuck’ is anything to go by, For You And I will consolidate that even further.
– Kelly Doherty
4.
Mind Enterprises
Monogamy
Italo-disco artist Andrea Tirone, aka Mind Enterprises, returns with new single ‘Monogamy’. It’s a simple set up. A tight-bass groove repeated ad-naueseum beneath some earworm monoslyabblic verse vocals. It’s hard to resist just how well its done though.
– Luke Sharkey
5.
Sampa The Great
Mwana
Sampa The Great’s debut LP The Return strikes a fine balance between spiritualism and bravado. Take opening track ‘Mwana’, which features some superb vocals from Sunburnt Soul Choir built upon an Afro-Soul groove. Sampa’s flows touch upon traditional trip-hop, reggaeton and straight-up boom-bap. Their delivery is self-assured, at times punchy. The switch between sung and rapped lines is golden.
– Luke Sharkey
6.
Jacques Greene
Do It Without You
‘Do It Without You’, the latest track taken from Jacques Greene’s upcoming second album Dawn Chorus, takes the producer away from his house roots and towards a more restrained UK Garage direction. As with much of Greene’s work, ‘Do It Without You’ opts to dabble in forms of more melancholic club music as shuffling breakbeats push against eerie atmospheric ambience and a repeated vocal sample coming from the distance. Another exciting cut for anyone with a passion for crying in the club.
– Luke Sharkey
7.
Kindness
Raise Up
‘Raise Up’, the fourth single from Kindness’ third studio album, is a fine slab of gospel joy. Melding house beats with gospel vocals, ‘Raise Up’ issues an uplifting instruction that can’t be ignored when delivered with so much soul. Infectious piano riffs and bouncing brass interjections make the song feel like a jam session between a group of extremely talented friends and it’s impossible to listen without cracking a smile.
– Kelly Doherty
8.
Twen
Make Hard
Boston indie duo Twen’s ‘Make Hard’ is my favourite indie discovery of the week. Their debut LP Awestruck is a of that earworm kind, filled with memorable hooks and razor-sharp grooves. Start off with ‘Make Hard’, the pulsing lead single from the album.
– Luke Sharkey
9.
Mallrat
Drive Me Round
Mallrat’s new EP, Driving Songs, sees the Australian artist diving into a dreamy world of heart on sleeve emotions and youthful expression. New single ‘Drive Me Round’ is a leading example of a simplistic but endearing approach to songwriting that rests heavily on building a mood. ‘Drive Me Round’ is the most streamlined Mallrat has sounded to date with subtly catchy melodies and naturally at ease vocals making for an electronic song with plenty of pop appeal.
– Kelly Doherty
10.
Sir Was
The Sun Will Shine
Taken from Swedish indie artist Sir Was’ upcoming second album Holding On To A Dream, ‘The Sun Will Shine’ is a patient single offering glimpses of soulful funk all the while maintaining a chilled out, mellow sheen. Full of nods to trip-hop, the track sparingly uses organic instrumentation to build a hazy moment of blissful peace.
– Kelly Doherty
