Quavo – Greatness
The second tribute song from Quavo is in honour of his late nephew and bandmate Takeoff, who was shot and killed at a bowling alley in Houston, Texas, in November last year. Given the circumstances in which both tracks have been released, including the previous song ‘Without You’ at the start of the year, it would be remiss to judge them on a musical level. What’s clear, though, is that whereas ‘Without You’ was a direct expression of grief, ‘Greatness’ is a celebration of life.
Gorillaz (feat. Bad Bunny) – Tormenta
More streamlined than some of Gorillaz’s most recent albums, Cracker Island has some of the cartoon outfit’s best tracks in years – at least since 2010’s Plastic Beach. ‘Tormenta’, which enlists the fiery aid of global megastar Bad Bunny, was the first track from the new album to be finished (technically, it was originally intended as the lead single for the second season of Gorillaz’s Song Machine series). It’s the first instance of Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s characters branching into reggaeton, not that they’ve ever had an issue delving into new genres – as ‘Tormenta’ emphasises once more.
Lola Young – Don’t Hate Me
BRIT-nominated 22-year-old Lola Young drops the latest taster of her forthcoming album My Mind Wanders and Sometimes Leaves Completely, set for release on 26 May. Adding to ‘Stream Of Consciousness’ and ‘Annabel’s House’, ‘Don’t Hate Me’ is a fiercer, more bass-heavy offering but makes the South Londoner’s upcoming album just as tantalising a prospect.
Chvrches – Over
Glasgow pop trio Chvrches have dropped their first track in over a year, written by producer Oscar Holter, whose credits include Charli XCX, BTS and Coldplay. (Chvrches will, in fact, be supporting Coldplay at nine stadium shows in Brazil next month). ‘Over’ represents the end of Chvrches’ “Screen Violence era”, according to the band, referring to their previous album, released in 2021.
Do Nothing – Happy Feet
Nottingham’s Do Nothing have shared their latest single, ‘Happy Feet’, produced by Black Country New Road and My Bloody Valentine producer Andy Savours. The track has nothing to do with penguins, with vocalist Chris Bailey insisting he’s never seen the film of the same name. Instead, it ponders on writer’s block and about learning to give yourself a break sometimes – learning, you could say, to do nothing.
Miss Tiny – The Sound
A new outfit to keep tabs on is Miss Tiny, whose debut single ‘The Sound’ is out now. The duo comprises producer and guitarist Dan Carey (whose production credits include last year’s exceptional number-one albums from Fontaines D.C. and Wet Leg) and vocalist and drummer Benjamin Romans-Hopcraft, of Childhood and Warmduscher fame. They don’t just come with a raft of experience but a philosophy of “anti-recording,” says Carey, “of only doing it for the pleasure of doing it”. Not a bad way of doing things.
Overmono – Calling Out
The third single taken from Overmonoe’s highly anticipated debut album Good Lies, which gets a full release on 12 May 2023, ‘Calling Out’ follows the release of ‘Walk Thru Water’ and ‘Is U’, and sees vocal cuts from CASISDEAD and Slowthai.
Marla Kether, Plumm – Revolve
Marla Kether released her debut solo single this week. A deep house track with percussive elements and the vocals of Plumm, ‘Revolve’ is an assured first tune, with Kether bringing all her musicality as a session musician and bassist for artists like Loyle Carner and Obojangyar to bear. It’s the first taste of an EP, more tracks from which will be unveiled later in the year.
Renao – Break It Down
Bangalore-raised, London-based artist and producer Renao (real name, Rahul Prasad) came to music after leaving behind a promising career and Olympic ambitions as a professional Badminton player in India. Thankfully, he embraced his music inclinations, with ‘Break It Down’ coming ahead of a larger project in the works.
Creams – Need to Talk
Tbilsi-born artist Creams gives us her first musical release of the year. ‘Need to Talk’ embraces the nostalgia of 90s video games, with the singer saying its message is about “confronting challenges in life, whether it be in relationships or careers… This song is a journey through my feelings and the chaos in my head… a raw and honest look at the fight against my inner demons.”
