The 5 best songs of the week

LCD Soundsystem

x-ray eyes

As premiered on NTS last week, ‘x-ray eyes’ was the first confirmation of new LCD Soundsystem before Primavera Sound announced a new LCD album would be released in 2025.

‘x-ray eyes’ has a low-key 12″ feel that reminds me of their very first releases, aura: play it in a dive bar.

As for the album, James Murphy sez:

it’s the first single of what’s shaping up to be a new album.  don’t ask me when that is, because we’re still working on it.  but it feels very good to be putting out new music. … but, no, there’s no finished LP yet.  but when we’re not playing shows, it’s getting closer and closer to completion.  so that’s the news.  anything else you hear is bullshit speculation.

Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory

Afterlife

Sharon Van Etten returns with her touring band officially named as The Attachment Theory who are Jorge Balbi (drums, machines), Devra Hoff (bass, vocals), and Teeny Lieberson (synth, piano, guitar, vocals).

The new project name denotes a more collaborative process for the album of the same name and musically, ‘Afterlife’ lifts Van Etten’s songwriting with subtle analogue and electronic arrangements that hold a quiet euphoria.

The album is out in February.

 
Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory Tour Dates
Fri. Feb. 28 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller *
Sat. Mar. 1 – Stockholm, SE @ Fållan *
Sun. Mar. 2 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega *
Tue. Mar. 4 – Berlin, DE @ Astra Kulturhaus *
Thu. Mar. 6 – Paris, FR @ Le Trianon *
Fri. Mar. 7 – Antwerp, BE @ De Roma *
Sat. Mar. 8 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso *
Mon. Mar. 10 – London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall *
Tue. Mar. 11 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall *
Wed. Mar. 12 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom *
* with special guest Nabihah Iqbal
 

Ruthven

Cautious

Sean Nelson was one of the enigmatic artists released under the Paul Institute’s initial artist roster, and since Jai Paul came back with live shows last year, we’ve had debut albums (through XL Recordings) from Fabiana Palladino and as of last week, Ruthven with the album Rough & Ready.

The album opener features a microcosm of the firefighter’s appealing characteristics: soulful clear vocal melodies, billowing synths and layered ’80s lite-funk production. I love the song’s closing interloping harmonies.

Tyler, The Creator

Thought I Was Dead

We’ve an entire hour long podcast on Chromakopia this week, so I won’t go into it too much, but ‘Thought I Was Dead’ is my current favourite from the record, its horror stabs brass and bassline buttressing some tight rap verses from Tyler and Schoolboy Q with backing vocals from Santigold.

See also: ‘Sticky‘ for more of this kind of rap from the album.

Mk.gee

Rockman

Mk.gee’s guitar funk R&B music is just the right side of “sounds like The Police”, and just enough of “Frank Ocean soundalike” that it still feels like its own thing.

‘Rockman’ is the second single he’s released since his much acclaimed vibey album Two Star & The Dream Police in February, an album destined to be on a lot of end of year lists.