The best tracks of the week
Tracks of the Week playlist
1. Real Lies – ‘North Circular’
Despite this song coming from a very London place and band, there are things mentioned that orbit it towards a Dublin urban environment. The Irish Times and the title (obviously there are North Circulars in both cities) give it some of our local flavour. ‘North Circular’ feels like a 12 years later companion piece to The Streets’ languid poetic club euphoria as heard on tracks like ‘Weak Become Heroes’. A true beauty that offers solace and hope, and a contender for one of the song of the year.
![Real Lies - North Circular [Official Video]](https://nialler9.com/wp-content/cache/flying-press/oojMM3APqK8-hqdefault.jpg)
2. Caribou – ‘Can’t Do Without You’ (Extended mix)
Carrying on from the last track, what makes a song of the year? It’s a combination of personal experience colliding with the shared, the emotion felt and transmitted, the glory of sound eliciting shivers. ‘Can’t Do Without You’ has already established itself as one of those songs through festival appearances, repeat plays and peer sharing. This extended version is primarily for DJs but packs a precious couple of extra minutes into the song which doesn’t need it but is appreciated.
3. letthemusicplay Feat. Kate Tempest – ‘Our Town’
As heard on Jamie xx’s show sitting in for Benji B (as was that Real Lies track), the spoken word parallel here via Kate Tempest, lifts this track up in emotion and meaning. It’s lyrically vulnerable (“let’s spend the afternoon in bed / with three bottles of wine ..forget the shame and awkwardness”) but lines like “let’s just take off all our clothes / and watch the sun set in the city” fit with the clubby synth magic snaking its way in the background which reaches its crescendo in Tempests’ decree – “make this town our town.”
4. Wet – ‘Move Me’
From the same Kitty Cash mixtape Love The Free Vol. II (out Monday) that gave us SZA’s new song ‘Mood Ring‘, ‘Move Me’ from Brooklyn trio Wet has some serious seductive indie R&B grooves going on. Kelly Zutrau gives a moving vocal fittingly for the song title and subject matter.
5. Perfume Genius – ‘Queen’
Perfume Genius‘ comeback song ‘Queen’ is a comeback and a retort also to the latent homophobia that still persists in modern society and that Hadreas feels is a type of “gay panic” when people see him on the street.
“No family is safe as I sashay” goes the chorus of the song which has a languid starry Mercury Rev-style arrangement to it. A slow motion fuck you to those afraid of others who are different.
6. “Old English” ft. Young Thug, Freddie Gibbs & A$AP Ferg (prod. by Salva & Nick Hook)
From the Mass Appeal Compilation Vol. I– ‘Old English’ is a rap banger produced by Salva and Nick Hook.
7. We Are Shining – ‘Hot Love’
A psychedelic blues/hip-hop/gospel jam from the London production duo.
8. Shabazz Palaces – ‘Forerunner Foray’
From the forthcoming Lese Majesty album (streaming here on Monday), ‘Forerunner Foray’, part of the first of seven suites on the album, is moe reliant on atmosphere and production as synth notes ping in the distance, the track seeps into your consciousness.
9. Gwilym Gold – ‘Muscle’
A vulnerable and baring song from the former Golden Silvers singer for his new single.
10. Klo – ‘False Calls’
New future soul single from the Melbourne duo.
