WE end the month of January with an influx of new music from hotly tipped artists like MICHELLE, Anorak Patch, Kynsy, Squid and more. Check out our New Music Radar playlist below for an extended list of tracks we’ve been listening to this week.
MICHELLE ‘FYO’
MICHELLE tackle mixed race identity in America on their first new single of 2021. Delving into the challenges that come with exploring and discovering your identity as a mixed-race minority in the US, ‘FYO’ is another soulful, dreamy number from the much-hyped collective with a deeply personal edge.
Arlo Parks ‘Hope’
Arlo Parks has moved and uplifted so many people over the last year with her beautifully penned lyrics and blissed-out pop melodies. After a string of well-received singles, her eagerly anticipated debut album ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’ arrives today and is already garnering overwhelmingly positive reviews. ‘Hope’ is one of its many highlights; a deeply affecting track that finds Parks’ sweet, airy voice offering support over a lusciously upbeat arrangement. “You’re not alone” is the message as she gives us gentle reassurance that everything is going to be OK.
Anorak Patch ‘Irate’
Aside from their incredibly young age (their drummer is 14, the others 16), Colchester four-piece Anorak Patch are sure to get people talking with this visceral new single ‘Irate’. Newly signed to Nice Swan Records (Sports Team, Pip Blom, Malady, Sprints, Courting etc), their latest track is a frenzied dose of self-reflection that channels Queens of the Stone Age and Wolf Alice.
Kynsy ‘Elephant In The Room’
Kynsy, otherwise known as Irish songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ciara Lindsay, has made a soaring first statement with the release of her gripping debut EP ‘Things That Don’t Exist’. Full of genre-bending anthems that wear their influences on their sleeves (The Strokes, St Vincent, Chromatics etc), Kynsy’s gritty and soaring first EP balances razor-sharp self-awareness with a deftly poignant touch. Indie music for a new generation, she’s one to watch.
Squid ‘Narrator’
Squid have announced the release of their Dan Carey-produced debut album ‘Bright Green Field’ on 7th May along with one of its featured tracks ‘Narrator’. It’s an eight-minute epic featuring Martha Sky Murphy – her soft vocals a nice contrast to Oliver Judge’s frenzied delivery. In typical Squid fashion, the track twists and turns through their trademark frazzled art-rock before building to a squalling, nightmarish finale.
FKA Twigs, Headie One, Fred again… ‘Don’t Judge Me’
Originally appearing as an interlude on a mixtape called ‘GANG’, FKA Twigs has teamed up with Headie One and producer Fred again… to release the full version of ‘Don’t Judge Me’. The ethereal track tackles racism in the UK and comes with a powerful new video by Emmanuel Adjei which sees the singer and rapper fighting invisible powers of oppression.
Glasvegas ‘Dying To Live’
‘Dying To Live’ is the latest track to be released from Glasvegas’ new album ‘Godspeed’, out on 2nd April. Set against an abrasive garage-rock instrumental, James Allan explores themes of nihilism and self-destruction in his trademark Scottish drawl.
Check out our New Music Radar playlist below which features more new tunes from acts such as Florence 95, happydaze, Justboy, emawk, Beaux, Teenage Fanclub, Ben Howard and more.
