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John Preston’s 7 best tracks of the week.
Tirza, ‘Tectonic’
Tirza is pushing things much further toward the experimental this time around with Micah Levi on production duties again. ‘Tectonic’ is the result of a queasy and alien interpretation of R&B as imagined by the pair. When the vocals finally came they made me physically jump so goal accomplished.
Banks, ‘The Devil’
Banks returns with more of the sound she landed on a couple of years back and which she admittedly does so well. Why fix what’s not already broken and all that. Hard edged and dark stained, ‘The Devil’ finds Banks acting out on her satanic impulses – inevitable really.
Half Waif, ‘Horse Racing’
With her fifth album Mythopoetics imminent, Half Waif has refined her sound over the years. It has become bolder but more spare and electronic. Of the tracks previewed so far, ‘Horse Racing’ best demonstrates her abilities as a singer-songwriter.
MNDR, ‘Gone’
MNDR’s second album Hell to Be You Baby arrives nine years after her revered 2012 debut Feed Me Diamonds but ‘Gone’ is a wigged-out, deep-cut highlight. After writing for Carley Rae Jepson, Charli XCX and Kylie, it is great to finally hear MNDR on her own terms and there’s much here to enjoy.
Doja Cat feat Young Thug, ‘Payday’
With a baroque harpsichord and a mood that teeters on melancholy, Doja Cat returns with her third album Plant Her where she easily demonstrates her versatility and ability to surprise. Be sure to also check out the soulful ear-worm of a duet with Ariana Grande ‘I Don’t Take Drugs’.
The Chemical Brothers, ‘The Darkness That You Fear (The Blessed Madonna Remix)’
The grandfathers of big beat collide with the euphoric house of The Blessed Madonna and it’s a marriage made in heaven. Great summer vibes and a track that just refuses to go away.
Beabadoobee, ‘Cologne’
The best track from her collaboration EP with The 1975, ‘Cologne’ is jangly guitar pop that has considerable power and drive. It marks a genuine and impressive growth in Beabadoobee’s abilities as a charismatic and engaging pop star.
