Mez, “Normal Shoe”
Here’s a song about shoes from Nottingham’s Mez. Nottingham’s Mez is not the sort of chap who you’ll spot out at a disco looking like a ‘gold medallist with Kurt Angle boots on,’ No. Nottingham’s Mez likes normal shoes, such as the humble brogue or a nice slip-on loafer. Speaking of which, we bought some shoes from a drug dealer the other day. Don’t know what he laced them with but we’ve been tripping all day (heh, heh).
Mac DeMarco, “On The Level”
It’s another one of Mac’s wavy 3D rotating character videos! Fun! Although we imagine that any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental, here we find Darth Sidious slow dancing to the sweet sounds of “On The Level” in front of some nice drawings of stuff. Our favorite bit is when, very occasionally, his nose glitches and it looks like it’s twitching.
Lethal Bizzle, “I Win”
Lethal Bizzle is the winner. He’s the winner because his EP You Can’t Make A Million From Grime has the best title of the year. He’s the winner because his first song from said EP is completely mega. He’s the winner because he bloody well says he’s the winner, alright??
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, “Han-Tyumi & The Murder Of The Universe”
We’ve got you a deal here with six tracks for the price of one from the band with impeccable taste in fonts. The Australian psych rockers are releasing five whole albums in 2017 and along with the announcement of the second, The Murder Of The Universe, they made this film. Make sure you don’t miss “Vomit Coffin” at 6:34.
Jimi Charles Moody, “Only You”
A lovelorn piano ballad in the vein of Sampha here, only if Sampha had spent his formative years listening to Tom Waits’s Closing Time. Wearing a mask. And a cowboy hat. Smoking a- oh, you get the picture.
Kamasi Washington, “Truth”
L.A. jazz prodigy Kamasi Washington just put out his first new music since The Epic in 2015. The 13-minute track premiered as part of a six-movement suite, Harmony Of Different, at New York’s Whitney Biennial. Due to be released on London’s Young Turks, with whom Washington just signed, it comes accompanied by a stunning film from a man who has quite the reputation for directing stunning music videos, AG Rojas. Every single shot is album cover-worthy.
Refs, “Forever”
This one was on the new episode of Girls the other night, which is usually a good barometer for the sort of nicely sophisticated pop space Refs seems to be pitching for. It’s his first new music since debut single “Pain Goes Away” all the way back in 2015 and we can’t wait to play the follow up to our grandchildren when it’s out (whenever you’re ready, Refs!).
Chelsea Jade, “Life Of The Party”
Chelsea Jade from New Zealand, come on down! You might remember this one from such things as, oh I don’t know, Lorde’s Instagram! And if a pop tune is good enough for Ella Yelich-O’Connor then it’s good enough for us.
Ragz Originale,”Both Sides”
How do you follow up producing 2016’s best song, “Shutdown”? You make some very good music for yourself, that’s how. There’s a lot of talk of this being a breakout year for North London musician Ragz Originale and, to be honest, they always say stuff like that and it never usually is. But this! You can almost smell the determination. We like it.
Keith Ape ft. Ski Mask The Slump God, “Going Down To Underwater”
We’ll end things on a high now with a new take on the South Park theme from Keith Ape and his new buddy from the underground south Florida rap scene/ Xxxtentacion’s best mate, Ski Mask The Slump God. We’re guessing that this was Ski Mask’s idea given that he’s previously rapped over Slipknot and seems to enjoy sampling weird cartoons. All together now: “we’re going down to underwater, gonna have myself a time…”