This week’s round up of music also features the first instalment of our creatively named new series, Music Video of the Week. Watch, read and listen below.
We start with Arcade Fire. With the release of their first studio album in nearly five years now only seven days away, the brilliant Canadian, husband and wife led band have released the final teaser – ‘Unconditional I (Lookout Kid0)’. This, alongside the two parts of ‘The Lightning’ already out, have my hopes up for another great album.
It’s followed by ‘Garden’ – the hypnotic new single from producer Saint Jude, featuring Fredwave. It’s a fantastic track, with an equally class visualiser that can be found below (can’t quite call it a music video, but too trippy to leave out entirely).
Changing the pace, Paul Thomas Saunders is back with his first single in five years. ‘TV, Junk Food & Bed’ is a wonderful, five-minute return. It reminds of Bon Iver’s classic album, For Emma, Forever Ago – pretty good company to be in. It, too, has a fantastic video – well worth checking out – but not quite our video of the week (plus I don’t want to have a song also be the video, and the song is the magical bit here).
Anyway, Melody’s Echo Chamber. French singer Melody Prochet’s new album, Emotional Eternal is out. ‘Pyramids in the Clouds’ is a standout from a typically dreamy project, a review of which should be arriving next week. Long-time collaborators IDK and Denzel Curry link back up on ‘Dog Food’ – two artists in the prime of their careers and just so comfortable with their sound.
C.J. Pandit (who we went for a pint with late last year) has released ‘If It Hurts, It’s Healing’ – which is about as as sad as it sounds, but tender and hopeful. Then we’ve got a couple of parties t0 go to – Coach and Bloc. ‘Shit TV’ is off Coach Party’s new EP, while Bloc Party have dropped a somewhat underwhelming new album (review here). Still, ‘You Should Know The Truth’ is a top track, leaning on enough of qualities that made the band good to begin with.
Norweigian singer Siv Jakobsen’s track, ‘Most of the Time’, is a great return with her first new music since 2020’s album, ‘A Temporary Soothing.’ Which just leaves ‘Timberlake’ – a promising track from emerging artists O.C Lee and Nick Notes.
Music Video of the Week
It had to be something special to win our inagurual Music Video of the Week crown. Something wacky. Something different. Something wonderfully batshit insane.
Look no further than Bronsoliño. About every video Action Bronson has ever released on the internet offers some form of comedic value, and the video to celebrate the release of his new album is no different. The MC, chef, comedian, TV host, prophet, lifestyle guru and now body-building Instagram influencer is just must watch entertainment. It’s sometimes easy to forget how good his music actually is as well. What more is there to say?
Happy bank holiday weekend.
