Rhythm Method, Home Sweet Home
We like The Rhythm Method here at i-D HQ. A perfect meeting of pop smarts and self depreciation, this is a track we first described a few back as “a song to cling to, a song to belt out at closing time, a song to ask your Uber driver to turn up when it comes on the radio after a night out (if there’s still anywhere in London to go out to, that is).” We’ve got more from the band coming to i-D online soon, but in the meantime enjoy this video to the UK’s first post-Fabric anthem. “With every closing bar, there’s hollows in our heart,” goes the chorus. Oh, London…
The Weeknd, False Alarm
“The following video contains explicit content and depicts graphic violence which may be offensive to some viewers,” the opening warns – and they weren’t kidding. Not easily offended, we’re thoroughly impressed by the latest cinematic video from The Weeknd’s forthcoming Starboy album that features Abel as bank robber in a first person RPG game complete with all the screams, flying bodies, re-spawning and intensity you’d want on a Friday afternoon. You won’t be surprised to discover that it comes from the director of questionably-titled video game movie Hardcore Henry, Ilya Naishuller.
ЛУНА, Самолеты
Kiev’s Luna is killing it with her emotional pop music. Her latest track, whose title translates as Plane, is a real beauty and we’re looking forward to see what kind of dreamy DIY music video she dreams up for it this time.
HMLTD, Is This What You Wanted?
We’ve been waiting patiently for the first bit of recorded noise from Happy Meal Ltd, ever since we heard them described as Charles Jeffrey’s Loverboy in band form. Glamorous, dexterous, dangerous and just generally quite good, all signs point to them being London’s buzziest new band. Is this what we wanted? And some.
Smerz, Girl
Friday night and the lights are low, looking out for a place to slow dance to this just-dropped piece of lo-fi art from Copenhagen duo Smerz. It’s a late-night dance-party-turned-pool-party visual accompaniment to their short but sweet new track, Girl, and it gets a lot of love from us.
James Leonard Hewitson, The Screen
Very good Hartlepudlian James Leonard Hewitson makes music that sounds like The Fall meets Gang of Four in this, a song about the overuse of social media in our daily lives. Hang the DJ, hang the monkey, it’s out today (14 October) via Endearment Records and he’s playing all round the North East this month and next.
Obongjayer, Creeping
With a seriously great Frank Lebon directed music video that has us creeping on people through their windows and panning through the streets of London with a spotlight and a camera, we’re introduced to the Nigeria-born, London-based man with the raspy vocals and a great hat. Let him creep onto your musical radar – you won’t regret it.
The Maghreban, Brooklyn
“Go Brooklyn, go Brooklyn” says the lyric in what is neither an ode to the New York borough or the Beckham’s first born child, but in fact Guildford producer Ayman Rostom’s dead cat. Is there a better way to ring in the weekend that with a song about a deceased house pet? Quite possibly, but we haven’t heard of it yet.
Yellow Days, Your Hand Holding Mine
17-year-old George aka Yellow Days has exactly the kind of heart-wrenching voice that expresses all of the conflicting emotions experienced in your teens (and basically forever more). The newest signing to London label Good Years, keep an eye on this handsome one to watch as he runs from the pain and confusion of unrequited love, rainbow aura in tow.
Credits
Text Frankie Dunn and Matthew Whitehouse