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John Preston returns with his first playlist for the British summer.
Yves Tumor, ‘Ebony Eye’
‘Ebony Eye’ is probably Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)’ outlier track. Their brilliant fourth album is a tight and anxious collection of densely textured new wave; ‘Ebony Eye’ is both the concluding track and a moment of gigantic, swirling, anthemic joy.
Ni’jah, ‘Agatha’
KIRBY voices the fictional singer Ni’jah from the new pop-star stalker-turns-particularly-gruesome show SWARM, by Janine Nabers and Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino). A full EP has been released by an artist pretending to be a fictional artist and the whole spectacle stands up easily without any backstory; ‘Agatha’ burns hard.
Fever Ray, ‘North’
Radical Romantics is more of a traditionally song-focused album than you might expect from Stockholm’s premier avant-garde, art star siblings. Karin Dreijer Andersson approached Trent Reznor to collaborate after loving his menacing Watchman soundtrack and it’s a match made in electronic hell.
Alison Goldfrapp, ‘So Hard So Hot’
Standing alone from the duo Goldrapp for the first time, Alison Goldfrapp is slowly teasing the music she has been working on as a solo artist. Mashup legend Richard X is a key collaborator and a dependable and exciting producer for her forthcoming dance floor manifesto, and ‘So Hard So Hot’ ramps up the anticipation.
The Chemical Brothers, ‘No Reason’
It was certainly a surprise to hear the Roland TB- 303 synthesiser – an old acid house staple – bubbling away frantically on Miley Cyrus’ single ‘River’, but it’s maybe not as shocking that it’s resurrected in the Chemical Brothers’ return single. Sonically solid and pleasingly unhinged, ‘No Reason’ shows the brothers still have their famous chemistry.
Lana Del Rey, ‘Peppers feat. Tommy Genius’
Possibly the most eccentric era Lana Del Rey has had in the 11 years that have passed since ‘Video Games’ was released, ‘Peppers’, like ‘A&W’, is an absolute trip. Sampling Tommy Genius’ ‘Angelina’, LDR messes with genres, time signatures and Covid advice.
Moyka, ‘Rear View’
After her thoughtful, creatively vivid and overlooked 2021 album The Revelations of Love, Norwegian synth pop artist Moyka returns with a massive, rattling banger. If the intention was to make an impact, then it’s been achieved, and Moyka’s forthcoming album will hopefully find the love it’s bound to deserve.
