Smerz, Oh My My
Copenhagen-based techno pop duo Smerz only went and signed to XL! A perfect fit, we reckon. Singing delicate and almost indecipherable melodies over their minimalist production and very nice pop-up sub bass, Henriette and Catharina sit outside in the rain and tell us about their “basic bitch problems” — yeah, we heard that part. Oh my my!
Towkio, Drift
It’s all gone a bit fast and furious over here with the completely awesome new music video from “half-Japanese, half-Mexican, fully-lit” (as one YouTube commenter has it) Towkio. Shot guerilla style in Mexico and Hawaii, there are speeding cars, hot air balloons and actual pyramids, what else could we even want from a music video?
Wolf Alice, Don’t Delete The Kisses
This new direction is very exciting. Following last week’s riot grrl-esque Yuk Foo, the second tune from Wolf Alice‘s second album Visions Of A Life is giving us tidied-up The Rhythm Method sort of feelings. Full of references to msn and pure poetry about typing messages you’ll never send and deleting the kisses at the end – something we still do on a regular basis, unsure how many kisses is too many kisses to send to that music PR you’ve never actually met.
Joey Christ, Anxiety City
Yes, this is a trappy Icelandic concept album about anxiety. Part of the Sturla Atlas family, Joey Christ is going it alone and he’s doing it in English with a feature from GusGus singer and Viking looking man, Hogni Egilsson. Brace yourselves for the Nervous Breakdown Interlude.
Sigrid, Plot Twist
20 year old Norwegian popstar Sigrid‘s the best friend you wish you had. Here she is dancing around Bergen with her friends, her lovely band, and some cats that she must’ve found along the way. Fun fact: the party scenes were shot at a house party she had round hers recently.
Kesha, Praying
Kesha’s dropped the dollar sign and found strength and — incredibly — forgiveness after the Dr Luke scandal she found herself at the heart of. As she wrote in an essay earlier this week, the powerful song is about, “coming to feel empathy for someone else even if they hurt you or scare you.” Visually, it’s a rainbow trip through hell and back via Salvation Mountain. Fitting then, that the anthem is taken from her forthcoming album Rainbow, out 11 August.
Kai Whiston, Throat Behaviour
The latest on Big Dada is an abstract piece of art. When we look at is we see a strange traffic cone whale swimming in a mess of ocean and babies, with wild horses holding him down as they run overhead. It sounds a bit like that too.
Josh Pan, Give It To Ya feat. ABRA
“This simulation reminds me of a dream I once had,” opens the visual before launching into a dark ocean scene with a Ghost In The Shell sort of host geisha rising up in front of a serious of Tokyo backdrops. Came for ABRA! Stayed for visual artist Quentin Deronzier! Was pleasantly unoffended by Josh Pan!
Amber-Simone, Taught Me Better
Nice moves, great eye make-up and a really really good slow jam here from 20 year old London singer-songwriter Amber Simone. Giving serious Twin Peaks Red Room, it’s a strong debut.
Vince Staples, Yeah Right
SOPHIE was here. Meaning, production on this Vince Staples tune is minimal, clinky clanky, and awesome. Enjoy the very PC music verse before — SURPRISE — there’s a Kendrick verse for pudding, uncredited and making the whole thing all the more sweet.
Credits
Text Frankie Dunn