It’s not even a full week into 2023 and already the drama in the world shows no sign of abating. Here’s our weekly attempt at unplugging from it all with some of the best new tunes.
Skrillex, Fred again.., Flowdan – Rumble
Four Tet might have been
reportedly “kicked off” the project, but there’s almost nothing Fred again.. sets his production sights on of late that isn’t liquid gold. Enlisted by Skrillex (who’s had a productive release week, appearing again later on this list) and grime mainstay Flowdan, ‘Rumble’ is without a doubt a tune to ignite that Friday feeling.
Iggy Pop – Morning Show
The Godfather of Punk returns, with
his 19th solo album, Every Loser. Whilst the album has plenty of fighting spirit, even in the icon’s 76th year, there’s equally some more downbeat, beautiful moments – ‘Morning Show’ being the pinnacle – where Iggy’s voice reverberates like Johnny Cash. (The comparison is worth noting, but is an admittedly shabby one to make when Iggy casts his own glorious light).
FLO, Stormzy – Hide & Seek (FLO Remix)
2022 was a remarkable year for RnB three-piece FLO – 20-year-old Renée and 21-year-olds Jorja and Stella. Kicking on from their debut single ‘Cardboard Box’, the trio followed up with a debut EP,
The Lead, which has since amassed over 100 million streams. 2023 has started in an equally momentous fashion, with the group having
just won BBC Sound of 2023 earlier this week. To celebrate, they’ve teamed up with Stormzy to rework the lead single from his
gospel-soaked third album, This Is What I Mean. The fact they almost overshadow a figure like Stormzy on the track, at this stage in their careers, is testament to just how far they can go.
Peter Gabriel – Panopticom
Another genuinely influential artist on the list, Peter Gabriel has dropped a new song from his forthcoming album i/o, set for release later this year. Recorded at his Real World Studios complex in Wiltshire, the track is best explained in the words of the former Genesis man himself: “The first song is based on an idea I have been working on to initiate the creation of an infinitely expandable accessible data globe: The Panopticom. We are beginning to connect a like-minded group of people who might be able to bring this to life, to allow the world to see itself better and understand more of what’s really going on.”
The Lemon Twigs – Corner Of My Eye
New York outfit The Lemon Twigs, fronted by brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, dropped their first music in two years earlier this week. The release of this melodious, nostalgia-filled track has been coupled with news of the band’s signing to esteemed Brooklyn based independent label Captured Tracks. It’s luscious, it’s lovely, and it comes with a brand-new music video.
Skrillex, PinkPantheress, Trippie Redd – Way Back
I told you he’d feature again. Diving into his contact books yet again, this time Skrillex has brought on PinkPantheress and Trippie Redd for a track that combines the former’s hushed vocals with Trippie Redd’s hyped-up energy. As with ‘Rumble’, it’s a tune to commence the weekend with.
Bad Sounds – More Than I Can Afford
Feeling the January blues yet? And by that I mean poor and trying to stay off the drink, in some feeble attempt at Dry January (or
maybe even a ‘Damp’ one)? Well, same, quite frankly. Amidst a cost of living crisis and the same old, same old atop the British government, you’re certainly not alone. Thankfully, Bad Sounds – led by Merrett brothers, Ewan and Callum – have a tune that’s both relatable and necessarily upbeat. The perfect tonic, you might say – for those of us still drinking.
James Yorkston, Nina Persson, The Second Hand Orchestra – The Harmony
For the sake of balance and bliss, we have a delicate track from Scotland’s James Yorkston and The Cardigan’s lead singer Nina Persson. The third song from their new album,
The Great White Sea Eagle, out next week, the tune has an obviously apt title, with the pair’s voices weaving between each other over cello and violin accompaniment from another Swedish outfit, The Second Hand Orchestra.
French Montana, DJ Drama (feat. Smooky MarGielaa, A$AP Rocky) – Chit Chat
Reports of a
shooting outside a restaurant where French Montana was shooting a music video has put an obvious damper on the release of the Moroccan-American rapper’s album,
Coke Boys 6. At this point, we hope the tragedy is minimised. No more need be said, here’s ‘Chit Chat’.
Lady Blackbird – Woman
Taken from her acclaimed debut,
Black Acid Soul, the single version of Lady Blackbird’s heavenly ‘Woman’ is out now. Many will already be familiar with the impeccable vocal range of L.A.’s Marley Munroe, aka Lady Blackbird, not least from last year’s aforementioned album, but from
her impressive performance on The Graham Norton Show. Just as the show’s guests, including Bono and Taylor Swift no less, were evidently thinking watching on, the future is bright for Lady Blackbird.
