ANOTHER bumper edition of New Music Radar sees new tracks from Gallus, Edwin Organ, Lana Del Rey, Bombay Bicycle Club, Squid and more. Check it out below.
Gallus ‘Actual Factual’
Led as ever by the guttural, jaundiced roar of frontman Barry Dolan, the group’s latest volley sees them don the proverbial tin-foil hats in order to infiltrate the mind of the eternal skeptic. Laden with allusions to some of the most persisting conspiracy theories of all time, the band calls into question where the line between government-mandated party lines stop and the truth begins over a maniacal riff that could’ve been taken from Queens Of The Stone Age’s beer-soaked playbook circa Rated R. A tongue-in-cheek look at the InfoWars era through the means of blistering indie rock and accented by pungent saxophone, it’s sure to result in pandemonium when it gets its first post-release airing tonight at Tut’s
Squid ‘Match Bet’
After the sprawling, shape-shifter that was ‘The Cleaner’, the band have followed it up with an equally exquisite offering called ‘Match Bet’. Opening with a tight finger-picked melody, the track lulls the listener into a false sense of security as playful speak-sing vocals are thrown into the mix. Things then take a turn as the instrumentation erupts with a swirl of bass and chugging percussion. It’s another wildly innovative slice of post-punk that has us eagerly anticipating their set at Tenement Trail.
Bombay Bicycle Club ‘Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)’
London indie giants Bombay Bicycle Club made their long-awaited return this week with ‘Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)’. Their first single in five years sees them go back to their guitar-led roots and is driven by an invigorating hook that sounds like it would slot in nicely with some of their older material. Exploring the feeling of being infatuated with someone, the track is a tantalising teaser of what’s to come from their next record.
Edwin Organ ‘Truths & Beliefs’
The constantly evolving, ever prolific Edwin Organ has returned with a brand new single called ‘Truths & Beliefs’. The songwriter and producer offers his own unique take on the subject of mansplaining and high-minded discussions at the most inappropriate of times as he explores a more muscular side to his songwriting. Crunching beats and stabbing synths are paired with his distinctively breezy vocal to create a brilliantly odd slice of summery pop that recalls Metronomy at their most weird and wonderful. Restless with creativity and blessed with an entirely unique vision, Edwin Organ is an artist who continues to surprise and astonish.
Circa Waves ‘What’s That Left Over There?’ EP
Fresh off the back of two rapturous sets at Reading & Leeds, Liverpool indie-rockers Circa Waves have shared a brand new EP which features new acoustic recordings alongside some fresh material. Released as a companion piece to the band’s third studio album which came out in April, the two new tracks reveal another side to Kieran Shudall’s songwriting – ‘Something More’ is heavy with new wave synths while ‘Hunter’ a beautifully understated number that’s a far cry from the rollicking guitar-driven anthems we’re used to hearing from the band.
The Ninth Wave ‘Imitation’
Dropped at midnight on Radio 1 last night by Jack Saunders, The Ninth Wave are back with a stunning new single called ‘Imitation’. Set to feature on ‘Infancy Part 2’ which is slated for arrival later this year, the track is like a shot of adrenaline; a very direct and straightforward anthem that captures the band at their most anthemic. Relentless from the very get-go, the listener’s attention never wavers across its entirety. And with its lyrical themes reflected in its very songwriting process, frontman Haydn says: “Imitation is what happens when I forget about my lonely disposition and get too caught up in everyone else’s lives. It’s about how easy it is to become something you hate and we hate simple songs, so we made this song really simple and straightforward.”
Lana Del Rey ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’
Lana Del Rey unveiled her fifth record today and it has already received widespread acclaim. Perhaps her most beautiful collection yet, the album sees the singer at her most direct and assertive as she depicts American life in 2019 with real precision. Sultry and soporific, she revisits her well of cinematic ballads; swooning melodies and twanging guitars meet a Twin Peaksy vibe while the title track has one of the finest opening lines of an album in recent history – “Goddamn manchild/You fucked me so good that I almost said ‘I love you’.
Slotface ‘Stuff’
Norway’s premier punks are back with a breakup banger called ‘Stuff’. After their huge comeback single ‘Telepathic’, the band continue their rich vein of form as they depict the difficult process of getting over someone. A clear pop vocal is delivered over crunching guitars and earworm hooks as they come back with one of their boldest and most immediate cuts to date.
