THE world may have come to a halt but that hasn’t stopped some of our favourite artists dishing out a fresh batch of exciting new tunes. This week’s New Music Radar is jam-packed with bangers with new releases from The Ninth Wave, Easy Life, Lianne La Havas, Sinead O’Brien, Voodoos, BETA WAVES, Pleasure Heads and more all featured.
The Ninth Wave ‘Happy Days!’
After the success of their debut album ‘Infancy’ last year, The Ninth Wave travelled to the Outer Hebrides to record material for a new body of work under the stewardship of The Horrors’ frontman Faris Badwan – the result of those sessions being the ‘Happy Days!’ EP which is slated for release on 17th July via Distiller Records.
Led by its menacing title track, ‘Happy Days!’ appears to mark a significant shift as they replace the bombastic choruses and cascading synths that were so prevalent throughout ‘Infancy’ with a harsher, rawer sound that suggests they’ve been listening to a lot of Nine Inch Nails and Burial in the wake of their debut release. Adding the latter to their collective slew of influences, the song is built on a bed of prowling, feverish electronics that oscillate between dark, menacing sections and ethereal moments marked out by a recurring ghostly toy-box piano motif. As if tightening its grip with each minute that goes by, Haydn Park-Patterson’s understated delivery betrays its hidden depths before it culminates with an onslaught of crushing beats. A beautiful return from the outfit, it’s a truly captivating listen from start to finish.
BETA WAVES ‘UDH2’
After evoking heady nights on the dancefloor with ‘Hideaway’ last month’, Dundee duo BETA WAVES are back with the beautifully hypnotic ‘UDH2’. Known to be meticulous in their approach to both songwriting and production, the new track sees Dale Easson’s longing vocals glide seamlessly over Harry Crossan’s detailed, lovingly crafted production – a bed of kinetic beats, deep bass-lines and twinkly retro synths form the backdrop to Easson’s hazy vocal hooks and thoughtful ruminations. With their sound rooted in the familiar sounds of mid-2000s nu-rave and 90s dance, ‘UDH2’ retains the vibrant production style and effortless cool of previous releases but explores the more emotional side of their songwriting. A transportive and deeply hypnotic listen, t’s a track that gently pulls you in with each cyclical melody line and electronic flourish.
Voodoos ‘Young Punks’
With their new EP ‘What Was The Supposed to Mean?’ slated for release on 3rd July, Voodoos continue their upwards trajectory with the release of the aptly-named ‘Young Punks’. With the essence of The Strokes crackling through the distorted lead vocals and bright, syncopated chord movements, the Glasgow outfit once again show signs of growing maturity in their songwriting as they reflect on what it is to be a ‘young punk’ – “living through the eye of another, that’s what we all do when there’s no need to be you” they ruminate. Displaying the same thoughtful introspection that they explored on last month’s ‘TV Set’, there’s a wistful, nostalgic feel to ‘Young Punks’ that speaks of lived experience and a desire to expand on their lyrical prowess. Every bit as sharp and melodic as we’d expect from a Voodoos tune, check it out below.
Pleasure Heads ‘War and Orange Juice’
Pleasure Heads’ prolific start to the year is indicative of a band who have a lot to say and they won’t be held back. Featuring some of their most informed lyrics to date, ‘War and Orange Juice’ brings the never-ending deluge of bad news that envelops the world and brings it home to our everyday experience. More than anything, we are left with an alarming reminder that despite the blissful ignorance we indulge in with our humdrum lives, catastrophe is inescapable. The song, which was recorded in October 2019, is vindicated in this assertion in the final verse as a simple sneeze spreads among commuters. The initial mundanity of this image takes on a far more grave meaning as we find ourselves in the midst of a pandemic.
Sonically, the song is instantly recognisable as Pleasure Heads; shades of Palma Violets and The Jam inform their sound while never making them sound derivative. They eschew the temptation of outright aggression in favour of a tasteful, early British punk sound that is nonetheless contemporary and relevant to our age.
Cara Rose ‘Urges’
After blowing us away with the stunning ‘Learn To Speak’ back in February, Cara Rose is back with a gorgeous new offering called ‘Urges’. Recorded and mixed by Jamie Holmes, the track is a deeply moving expression of inner strength and self-reflection as she sings of keeping up with the fast life and purging any demons that get in her way. With soulful vocals that gently caress every word and syllable, there’s a real weight and conviction in her delivery that speaks of lived experience and it’s this that lends Cara Rose’s music such a stirring and timeless quality. Pulling on the heartstrings with each thoughtful rumination, we suspect that ‘Urges’ will banish any such notion of being left behind and spur her onto even bigger things.
Paix ‘How Long’
New to the pages of New Music Radar, Paix is a Glasgow-based Ugandan vocalist, songwriter and poet who in her own words, takes influence from “the power of personal connection, her faith, spirituality, space, memory, identity, belonging and her heritage”. After performing on a pair of jazzy, neo-soul tunes last year which were written for two different collaborative projects, ‘How Long’ is the singer’s very first solo track and a stunning display of self-reflection and finely spun musicianship. Produced by Gillieson and written with “intense feelings of rejection and loss” according to the singer, everything about the track is delicately measured and thoughtfully delivered as she gently sings over the thud of bass drum beats and a mellow piano melody. With layers of vocals that reflect the impatient thoughts going round her head, the song is so beautifully subtle and introspective that it gains power with each and every listen – as if you feel every word that she sings while she processes her grief and rejection.
Cheap Teeth ‘The Belly of the Beast’
With each release up until now, Cheap Teeth have carefully constructed a dark, nocturnal world of post-apocalyptic punk-rock. At their best when they embrace the doom and gloom, the quartet fully submerge themselves in this fiery underworld on their latest, aptly-named single ‘The Belly Of The Beast’. Produced by Catholic Action’s Chris McCrory, the track hinges on frontman Joe Laycock’s captivating and at times theatrical vocal performance – sardonically snarling one minute and fully maniacal the next, it’s a compelling display. Throw in the band’s trademark organs, marching rhythm sections and the haunted bellow of backing vocals across a slithering three minutes and you have a riveting addition to their catalogue.
Barrie-James ‘Magic Me’
Today marks the arrival of Barrie-James’ long-awaited second solo record ‘Psychedelic Soup’. After the forlorn self-examination shown on his 2016 solo debut ‘Cold Coffee’, the new album finds the singer-songwriter in a real purple patch of creativity – taking a more cavalier approach to genres and sounds and incorporating everything from slinking psychedelia to blues-rock to the more immediate terrain of grunge-tinged alt-rock. Previous singles ‘Free Like A Bird’ and ‘Float’, both as different as each other yet anchored by his incredible propensity for melody, gave us a good indication of how nuanced this sprawling 15-track record would turn out to be and are real highlights alongside the likes of ‘Magic Me’. The latter is one of the record’s more tender moments – a Dylan-esque ballad which finds him reflecting on a past relationship against gentle guitar strums and twinkling melodies. Brimming with a kind of timeless, magical quality, it’s an enchanting track that showcases the more introspective side of his songwriting.
folda ‘folda’
Edinburgh-based outfit folda have cultivated a strong reputation for crafting alternative pop tunes with a dark edge. Their latest offering is a self-titled one which they say was written in their very formative stages as a band but only recently completed in lockdown through the magic of technology. One of the band’s more minimalist offerings, ‘folda’ retains the pristine production of previous tracks but explores a more emotional side to their songwriting. Icy synths and crisp beats complement David Ritchie’s yearning vocals before the track builds up with layers upon layers to a soaring crescendo in its closing stages.
Mt Doubt ‘Caravans On A Hill’
Following the release of ‘Headless’ earlier this year, Edinburgh-based indie stalwarts Mt.Doubt have teamed up with independent label Last Night From Glasgow once again for their new single ‘Caravans On A Hill’. Refining the distinctively Scottish and melodic brand of melancholy the band have excelled in over the years, the track sees Leo Bargery’s deep baritone accompanied by complex harmonies as he delivers one of their most emphatic chorus hooks to date. While comparisons have been made to the enveloping soundscapes perfected by the likes of War on Drugs and the brooding atmospherics made famous by The National, ‘Caravans On A Hill’ proves Mt Doubt are a band not simply to be conflated with their influences. Meticulously crafted and crisply executed, it’s a deeply moving track that deserves your full attention.
Christy ‘Remember Me Well’
From busking in Glasgow to boyband life to playing the lead in a Disney series, Christy O’Donnell has lived many unlikely dreams but has always harboured strong ambitions to pursue a career as a serious songwriter and musician. With a tender, evocative vocal and delicately honed musicianship, the Glaswegian could very well be the nation’s next popstar-in-waiting with all the tools required to follow in the footsteps of Lewis Capaldi and Paolo Nutini. Much like his previous single ‘On My Mind’, his new offering ‘Remember Me Well’ is an emotional ode to a past relationship, his acapella choruses and raw lyricism delivered against a simple yet moving piano melody.
Fontaines D.C. ‘A Hero’s Death’
Barely a year on from the release of their widely acclaimed and Mercury-nominated debut album ‘Dogrel’, Fontaines D.C returned this week with news of their follow-up second record ‘A Hero’s Death’. Retaining the bold punk energy and inimitable swagger of their debut, our first preview of the new album is its propulsive title track – a brooding, feverish number that sees Grian Chatten deliver his rugged and impassioned shout-speak vocals over an increasingly urgent backdrop.
Driven by a frantic kind of melancholy, Chatten says of the song: “The song is a list of rules for the self, they’re principles for self – prescribed happiness that can often hang by a thread. It’s ostensibly a positive message, but with repetition comes different meaning s, that’s what happens to mantras when you test them over and over. There’s this balance between sincerity and insincerity as the song goes on and you see that in the music video as well. That’s why there’s a lot of shifting from major key to minor key. The idea was influenced by a lot of the advertising I was seeing – the repetitive nature of these uplifting messages that take on a surreal and scary feel the more you see them.
The title came from a line in a play by Brendan Behan, and I wrote the lyrics during a time where I felt consumed by the need to write something else to alleviate the fear that I would never be able follow up Dogrel. But more broadly it’s about the battle between happiness and depression, and the trust issues that can form tied to both of those feelings.”
Little Simz ‘Drop 6’ EP
After the success of last year’s Mercury-nominated and widely heralded ‘Grey Area’, Little Simz is back with a fresh batch of new tunes. The rapper’s new EP ‘Drop 6’ features five new tracks and was written and recorded throughout April while in lockdown. A sprawling extension of the style explored on ‘Grey Area’, the EP bolsters her energetic and reflective sound from the frenetic opening track “might bang, might not” (“I’m back on my bullshit” she announces mover the uptempo bassline) right through to the Alewa-assisted ‘where’s my lighter’.
Easy Life ‘see you later maybe never (demos)’
Easy Life surprised fans this week with the release of a pair of new demo tracks called ‘peanut butter’ and ‘petty crime’. Preceded by their very own DIY PR campaign, the tracks may supposedly only be in the demo phase but they already seem quite far into the creative process and slot in nicely alongside their previous material. Capturing the effortlessly cool and inventive indie-jazz sound that has informed all of their work thus far, ‘peanut butter’ features hip-hop inspired beats, one of their signature catchy choruses and nice flourishes of brass while the uptempo ‘petty crime’ shines with its soulfully chanted chorus.
Arlo Parks ‘Black Dog’
Debuted as Annie Mac’s ‘Hottest `Record in the World’ on Monday night, Arlo Parks’ powerful new single is dedicated to those struggling with mental health issues. She said: ““It’s supposed to make people who are struggling feel less isolated and start a conversation surrounding the prevalence of mental health issues in today’s world.”
With an ability to rouse emotions through her music in ways that many artists are unable to conjure, this new single is another nuanced and highly powerful addition to her catalogue. With the mindset of a poet, she is consumed by the words she delivers – showing powerful restraint in every quietly whispered syllable and starkly honest vignette. “Let’s go to the corner store and buy some fruit / I will do anything to get you out your room,” she gently sings against lo-fi beats and tender strings.
Lianne La Havas ‘Paper Thin’
Following the release of the stunning ‘Bittersweet’ earlier this year, Lianne La Havas has announced details of her new self-titled album and shared an understated new track called ‘Paper Thin’. Steeped in 90s R&B influences, the new track is striking in its intimacy and honesty as the singer offers a soft, wispy vocal over jazzy guitar strums. Simple yet so wonderfully moving, it’s a track that gently pulls on the heartstrings as she opens her heart to a new relationship. Said to have kickstarted the writing process for her new album, the self-titled LP will be released on 17th July.
Sinead O’Brien ‘Roman Ruins’
Following an impressive list of names such as Black Midi, Squid and Fontaines D.C, the latest artist to emerge from Speedy Wunderground wizard Dan Carey’s studio is the brilliant Sinead O’Brien. This week she unveiled the spectacular ‘Roman Ruins’ – a moody, enthralling three minutes that shines a light on her immaculate way with words against a whirl of driving drums and spiky guitars. It’s when she pairs her poetic power with her effortlessly perfect delivery that things get endlessly fascinating though – as if she’s looking you dead in the eye while she delivers her words with scary precision. It’s a wholly compelling listen that’s driven by the message that change is inevitable and necessary.
Gum Country ‘Tennis (I Feel OK)
Comprised of The Courtneys Courtney Garvin and multi-instrumentalist Connor Mayer, Gum Country have followed up their debut single ‘Somewhere’ with a fuzzy new track ‘Tennis (I Feel OK)’. A paean to finding your passion, the admittedly “goofy” track is literally about the joy that tennis brings Garvin as a personal form of meditation. Like a digitised take on surf-rock, it’s a gleeful, fuzzed out track that lends us another preview of their upcoming debut album, out on 19th June.
The Streets ‘Where The F*&K Did April Go’
Mike Skinner and co capture the mood of the nation on their new track. After collaborating with Tame Impala on ‘Call My Phone Thinking I’m Doing Enough’, the new offering is a return to the basics for the outfit – Mike Skinner sounding off bars in his inimitable casual style about being trapped in lockdown against a low-key backdrop of chill beats and R&B-tinged piano lines. He said: “I wrote this last week. It’s a weird time isn’t it. We were looking forward to the Summer just like everyone else, festivals and gigs all there, new music, new stage set – but this has taken the wind from everyone’s sails. And none of us know quite how to cope with it all. I just wrote a tune the same way other people might talk to a therapist!”
