Jamie T – Hippodrome
Just days before his mammoth Finsbury Park show, Jamie T dropped new track ‘Hippodrome’, which, quirky “I love John Cleese” lyric aside, has all the hallmarks of a classic new tune to add to his repertoire. Boyish and relatable, it’s a giddy teaser for an event that also boasts IDLES, Kojey Radical, Biig Piig, Hak Baker and Willie J Healey as its supporting acts.
Blur – St. Charles Square
Whether they like the tag or not, Britpop legends Blur have dropped the second taste of their forthcoming album, The Ballad of Darren. ‘St. Charles Square’ displays more of Damon Albarn and co’s raucous side, compared to the longing previous single ‘The Narcissist’. It also arrives ahead of two massive Wembley Stadium shows next weekend, on 8 and 9 July. Summer has truly arrived.
Stormzy – Longevity Flow
Stormzy hit the headlines this week after linking up with Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha to buy non-league club AFC Croydon. But that shouldn’t deflect attention from the emphatic new tune ‘Longevity Flow’. The MC stalwart’s most recent album, This Is What I Mean, saw him turn his attention to a more gospel-oriented sound. But with tracks like this and last week’s Fredo-featuring ‘Toxic Trait’, he’s back to some of his sharpest bars.
Grian Chatten – East Coast Bed
Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten has broken-off from his fellow post-punk bandmates and today dropped his first solo album, Chaos For The Fly. Beautiful and stark in places, it shows that when left to his own devices, Chatten’s a pretty soulful chap. Haunting ‘East Coast Bed’ feels like it floats off into the distance; along the same Irish shore, Chatten says he was gazing out across, some 30 miles north of Dublin when the divine inspiration for the album struck. Read our full Chaos For The Fly review.
Holly Humberstone – Antichrist
Also announcing an album this week – in this instance, her debut – is 2022 BRIT Rising Star Award-winner Holly Humberstone. Having been one of the stars of the lockdown period (remember them?), she grew a fanbase with her delicate vocals and clearcut storytelling. The double A-side single she released to announce her debut LP, though, points at both the elements that fans have loved via ‘Room Service’, and a bolder, more pop-oriented sound with ‘Antichrist’.
Ethan P. Flynn – Abandon All Hope
Another long-awaited debut album announcement arrived this week, via the mercurial Yorkshire-born, London-based artist Ethan P. Flynn, who released the title track of his forthcoming Abandon All Hope LP, along with a terrific self-directed video. Featuring vocals from Ava Gore, the visuals see the pair on a road trip around the Yorkshire Dales. Have a watch, have a listen, enjoy.
James Blake – Big Hammer
James Blake announced his forthcoming sixth studio album this week, Playing Robots Into Heaven. The album has been billed as a return to the Mercury Music Prize and GRAMMY Award-winning artist electronic roots of his Hessle, Hemlock and R&S records days. Its intricate, scattered lead single ‘Big Hammer’ gives a welcome indication as to just what that points toward.
Do Nothing – Snake Sideways
They might be called Do Nothing, but this Nottingham outfit are far from creatively static. In fact, their debut album Snake Sideways, which arrives today, saw frontman Chris Bailey push through the writer’s block he was experiencing, resulting in an album that’s pensive, restless, and sounds terrific – as asserted by its meandering title track. Have a read of our interview with Bailey to find out more about the album’s creation.
Olivia Dean – Messy
Another artist with an impressive debut out today is Olivia Dean, whose soul-pop and RnB leanings have conjured a glorious first LP. Given the Elton John endorsement, sold-out Koko and Roundhouse shows, and the impressive singles released prior to Messy, there was plenty of hype – but Dean’s work more than lives up to the billing. Read our full Messy review.
Shanti Celeste – Fluffy
Shanti Celeste has always imbibed her tunes with a certain flair and spirit. And the DJ, producer and record label owner has delivered exactly that with the momentous tune ‘Fluffy’, which arrives as part of her friend and longtime collaborator Saoirse’s fabric presents mix. Where some tracks in this week’s selection will have you belting out lyrics in the summer sun, the Peach Discs owner’s track is one to commence the afters.
