WHETHER it’s complete and linear bodies of work that have been toiled over for hours or a incendiary new single that captures lightning in a bottle and leads the way towards a prosperous future, incredible new music finds its way to our ears on a day-to-day basis. Emanating from all genres, scenes and niches, the prospect of taking the time to find that new artist that leaves you enthralled with their lyrical verbosity, melodic expertise or emphatic noise-rock can be a daunting prospect but there are few things that are more life-affirming in the rewards that it reaps. To make things a little easier on you, let us act as the pathfinders towards eminent greatness with the latest edition of New Music Radar.
The Ninth Wave- Swallow Me
Among the nation’s most sonically adventurous acts, The Ninth Wave’s propensity for deftly reconfigurating their sound has reared its head once again on the dissolute ‘Swallow Me.’
The latest taste of what’s to come on their hotly anticipated new EP Never Crave Attention, this engrossing offering is another sterling example of the band’s reappraisal of the biting and malevolent side of the post-punk spectrum. Far from a homage to its sensibilities, the Glasgow based four piece have enlisted the forebearing templates of artists such as Bauhaus and the industrially-tinged sound of Sisters Of Mercy to create a sound that exudes originality and the strength of their convictions.
Inspired by “an observation of a dysfunctional relationship and the damage caused”, ‘Swallow Me’ invokes the uncertainty and encroaching sense of dread that is a key component of such a volatile entanglement through invasive percussion, enigmatic guitars and the repeated implorations of punishment that define its concluding section.
LOVE SICK ‘What I’d Do’
Little over a week on from their debut live performance at Nice N Sleazy, LOVE SICK have beckoned us directly into their realm of mesmeric alt-pop with ‘What I’d Do.’
With a palpable buzz around the band that has culminated he in the acquisition of a coveted slot at this year’s The Grear Eacape, the mysterious duo that have tastemakers waxing lyrical about their potential have begun to unveil why on this affecting synth-infused ballad. An examination of the sort of sort of unwavering devotion that can mistakenly manifest within a doomed relationship, there is both tenuously maintained restraint and momentary outpourings of emotion that makes for an entirely immersive composition from its gentile beginnings to the candidly pained conclusion.
Our Girl- I Really Like It
Led by the effervescent vocals of The Big Moon’s Soph Nathan, Our Girl initially sprung into TTV’s attention during their support slot with The Magic Gang at their sold out King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut show. Upon further examination, it became clear that there was more than a spark of ingenuity that resides at the heart of this band and that there’s a wealth of great material at their disposal. This idea is solidified on the cloying indie rock of ‘I Really Like It,’ a track which showcases a more forthright and lucid side of the band’s sound and sees them plunge themselves into rougher and altogether more volatile terrain than ever before with ease.
Kali Uchis- Dead To Me
Years on from when she first ingratiated herself to audiences with her far-reaching and invigorating R&B sound, Kali Uchis’ debut album has arrived and the results are magnificent. An eclectic record which is unconstrained by the boundaries of genre or the expectations of tastemakers that would be eager to dilute her sonically exploratory tendencies, her Isolation LP veers from sultry slow jams to Latin-infused dancefloor anthems whilst retaining a sense of continuity. Of all of its tremendous compositions, ‘Dead To Me’ emerges as an early favourite that could withstand the changing tastes of audiences in a particularly fickle realm of music and become an enduring monument to her inimitable talents.
Confidence Man- ‘Catch My Breath’
The antidote to sterilised, robotic dance music that neither challenges or bewilders, Confidence Man’s debut album Confident Music For Confident People has arrived and it is every bit as gloriously otherworldly as hoped. Harking back to the golden age of Detroit house and Italodisco in its surrealism, the elusive Australian four piece are picking up where the joyousness of 90’s big beat left off and it’s a welcome addition to an industry where painstaking self-preservation reigns supreme. Just one of many gems that can be found within its confines, ‘Catch My Breath’ would bring a riotous atmosphere to the most morose and dignified of parties and will serve as a sterling introduction to their day-glo world for any unenlightened observers
Declan Welsh & The Decadent West
Not only a declaration of self-acceptance but a plea for tolerance and understanding across the board, Declan Welsh’s latest single ‘Do What You Want’ has a message that seems as prescient as ever in a country where discriminatory hatred still runs rife among the close-minded and repressed. A track that would likely leave your prejudiced uncle that still uses homophobic slurs in everyday conversation in an uproar , it is a secular hymn for the inclusive society that we all strive to build, maintain and inhabit.
