THE theme of this week’s New Music Radar undoubtedly falls under the comeback category. This week saw the return of some of our favourite acts such as Swim Deep, Sleater-Kinney, Metronomy and our very own ST.MARTiiNS. A playlist brimming with inventiveness and creative ingenuity, check out our top picks of the week below.
ST.MARTiiNS ‘want god’
ONE of the first names announced to play this year’s newly relocated Tenement Trail, Dundee’s st.martiins are back with a stunning new track called ‘want god’.
Bold and incredibly dynamic in execution, the track is perhaps one of the duo’s most intricate releases to date. Katie Lynch’s distinctively dreamy vocals are contrasted by her hard-hitting lyrics as she grapples with anxiety and her own relationship with faith. Her restless state of mind is reflected by the song’s equally tumultuous instrumentation; surging guitar parts meet languid melodies to create something that is as visceral as it is poignant.
Swim Deep ‘To Feel Good’
Perhaps one of the most surprising releases of the week came from Swim Deep. After the release of their terrific second LP ‘Mothers’ which landed in 2015 yet never quite reached the stratospheric heights they had hoped, the band took a step back for a couple of years to take stock and seek new creative inspiration. Now they are back with a couple of personnel changes aswell as a newfound steely confidence and revitalised spirit; that’s if their new track is anything to go by. ‘To Feel Good’ sees the band riff on Rozalla’s 1991 hit ‘Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good) and turn the rave classic into something more introspective and thoughtful with the added twist of a full gospel choir. A bold and beautiful return that narrates a day in the life of frontman Austin Williams when he was 18 years old in Birmingham, you get the impression that Swim Deep may have gone through some difficult times but they’re ready to emerge triumphantly on the other side.
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets ‘Hymn For A Droid’
Featured on their brand new album ‘And Now For The Whatchamacallit’ which arrived today on Marathon Artists, Aussie psych-rockers unveiled one final taster a few days ago in the shape of ‘Hymn For A Droid’. Lyrically based on the end of a relationship, the track finds the sweet spot between ferocious fuzz-laden riffs and spacey psychedelia. Expertly changing up the tempo to reflect their protagonist’s tumultuous state of mind, the storming chorus arrives like a bolt of thunder as they crank it up to 11.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard ‘Self-Immolate’
Australia’s original psych-rock titans and musical chameleons King Gizzard are also back with one of their heaviest cuts to date. Following in the vein of recent single ‘Planet B’, ‘Self-Immolate’ is driven by a fiery metal rage; utterly relentless with its pile-driving drums, distorted riffs and growling lead vocals which bark out bleak, menacing imagery. The band play Barrowlands on 1st October.
Sleater-Kinney ‘Hurry On Home’
Following the news that their new album ‘The Center Won’t Hold’ will be out later this year and that it’ll be produced by none other than St.Vincent , legendary trio Sleater-Kinney have confirmed their return with the release of new track ‘Hurry On Home’. With Annie Clark’s slinky sheen all over it in its soaring choral flourishes and electronic yelps, the track is still full of the cathartic sneer that fans would expect from Sleater-Kinney. Verging on the personal rather than the political, it’s a bold and brash return that certainly packs a punch.
Crumb ‘Fall Down’
Set to release their debut album ‘Jinx’ on 14th June, Brooklyn band Crumb have unveiled the delightfully woozy ‘Fall Down. Bringing together hallucinogenic synths, biting guitar lines and Lila Ramani’s soft vocals, the band have carefully crafted a unique sound that is impossible to pin down; at times soothing and at others unsettling. ‘Fall Down’ is a deeply hypnotic listening experience; drifting over you with waves of psychedelia and dream-pop but leaving the listener utterly captivated.
Hot Chip ‘Melody of Love’
Set to return to Glasgow later this year when they headline the inaugural edition of the Playground Festival at Rouken Glen Park, Hot Chip have shared the ecstatic ‘Melody of Love’. Originally built from a sample by the gospel group The Mighty Clouds of Joy, the track is a jubilant slice of euphoric pop that captures that all-consuming feeling of romantic longing. Alexis’ Taylor’s bittersweet vocals are delivered divinely over elements of soulful house, crisp synths and a fantastically bombastic chorus.
Metronomy ‘Lately’
Metronomy made their return this week with a bright new offering called ‘Lately’. After three years of radio silence which saw them working on a range of side projects, their comeback track is an emphatic slice of leftfield pop full of chugging rhythms, glimmering spacey synths and unexpected palm-muted guitar riffs. Led by Joe Mount’s bittersweet vocal, it’s a slow-burner that is brimming with the same inventiveness and vibrancy that has informed all of their previous work.
