Who? Frankie and the Witch Fingers
What? I Am Underneath You
Where? LA
What they say? Frankie and the Witch Fingers’ latest LP, ZAM, bleeds beyond borders and boundaries. Its opening preternatural sounds bubble up out of the primordial soup, spilling into our world, invading the inner recesses of the listener’s mind. Like a two-headed snake wrapped around the skull, the album pendulates between winding instrumentals and dancey riffs that pop like supernovas out of the black void. Just when a song goes one way, it propels another through long stretches of a cosmic inferno.
Why we love it? 12 whole minutes of epic, psych-prog madness that never lets up. I Am Underneath You is a beastly tune that channels the free-wheeling chaos of the 60s and its hallucinagenic daydreaming, taking you on the trip of a lifetime.
FFO: Thee Oh Sees, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Who? Dan Lyons
What? Special People
Where? Kent
What they say? Written in a five-minute flurry of inspiration, ‘Special People’ is a modern-day commentary on celebrities that are famous with no discernible talents. Mixed by Margo Broom (Fat White Family, Phobophobes), ‘Special People’ is an infectious slice of honest, energetic indie pop.
Why we love it? With a stomping lead glam rock riff, ‘Special People’ pulls no punches. Its singer’s matter-of-fact turn of phrase and 90s rock swagger harnesses the best of British songwriting and flings it into the present day.
FFO: Fat White Family, Goat Girl, The Kinks
Who? Eyesore & the Jinx
What? Swill
Where? Liverpool
What they say? Turning their gaze and ire towards moral panic conjured up by right-wing press, Liverpool trio Eyesore & The Jinx’s latest highly charged single ‘Swill’ is as exhilarating as ever. Produced by Daniel Fox of Girl Band alongside Matthew Freeman of Birkenhead’s Fresh Goods Studio, its panicky drums and bass shuffle the track forward whilst vocalist Josh Miller barks defiant resistance to the insidious scare-mongering platitudes of nefarious ‘broadcasters of misplaced hate’. As Josh puts it: “‘Swill’ is a three minute and thirty-nine second love song dedicated to the odious, perpetrators of moral panic, in all of its loathsome forms.”
Why we love it? Following on from the angsty Liverpudlian’s previous politically-charged anthem ‘On An Island’, ‘Swill’ sounds just as hellbent on bringing the baddies to justice. In this case, the perpetrators are the voices of hate that line our social media feeds with their bile. It’s another aggressive blast of punk that is as playful as it is passionate.
FFO: The Fall, Protomartyr, Bad Breeding
https://soundcloud.com/eyesoreandthejinx/swill/
Who? Mysie
What? Rocking Chair
Where? South London
What they say? Mysie’s [My-Zee] debut single ‘Rocking Chair’, is a startling introduction about “putting yourself first, waiting for yourself and no-one else”. The single is accompanied by a striking visual, co-directed by Mysie herself and Ayman Chaudhry. Whether it be searching for new musical structures and not following the basic formula – reordering verses and choruses, mixing up hooks and intros – or creating experiential visuals, Mysie is all about progress. ‘Rocking Chair’ is just the start for this formidable talent, with an extended play slated for the summer and live performances soon to be announced.
Why we love it? Gorgeous piano chords unfurl under Mysie’s incredible voice in this spine-tingling alt pop ballad where the sparse, emotional pop of London Grammar meets the euphoric art pop beauty of Wild Beasts. Keep an eye out for this future-proof talent.
FFO: London Grammar, Nadine Shah, Wild Beasts
Who? Silent Forum
What? Safety In Numbers
Where? Cardiff
What they say? ‘Safety in Numbers’ is the third single released by the Cardiff based Post-Punk / New Wave four piece Silent Forum on Libertino. Following on from the swaggering, off-kilter, infectious pop energy of ‘How I Faked The Moon Landing’ and ‘Robot’, ‘Safety in Numbers’ explores a far more reflective musical landscape. This is a song that “expresses the importance of looking after your friends……that time will forget us, but that our relationships are the most meaningful thing we can achieve in life.”
Why we love it? ‘Safety In Numbers’ is a brilliant piece of post punk poetry from Silent Forum. The Cardiff band’s use of scattered group harmonies take the song to a places beyond the literal and into the corners of your subconscious. A melancholy soundtrack to the rest of our lives.
FFO: Ought, Preoccupations, The National
Who? FEET
What? Ad Blue
Where? Coventry
What they say? “It was the first song that really became about rhythm, and creating a more dance-orientated experience for our audiences. Explain FEET. “It’s also technically about making unsuspecting cups of tea with a diesel additive as a H2O substitute. We all have bad days”. The single is accompanied by a Wild-West themed video which “hints at the song’s conceptual source” explain the band. “…kettle’s, blue liquid, dancing, whilst also converging with a more general wild west theme about oil men, an idea that Jeep[frontman George] has been juggling around his bizarre head for a while. This sort of responsibility is beneficial for the rest of us because if the video does nothing for us we’ll be happy to send the corporate hounds in his direction”.
Why we love it? ‘Ad Blue’ is the kind of genius tongue-in-cheek fun that we don’t see enough of at the moment. Taking cues from the wonky and erratic guitar sounds of Devvo and the eccentricity of Britpop, this cowboy themed fuzz-fest takes itself about as seriously as a rubber chicken and is all the better for it.
FFO: Devvo, Wooze, Blur
Who? Motel Carnation
What? Saul
Where? Newcastle
What they say? “This is a love song outlining ones passionate and intense love for another which is only returned at the lover’s convenience. I’ve both witnessed and been a part of these relationships wherein which you would do anything for your partner to find it is often unreciprocated. The song examines love, lust, and passion – a sexual relationship that fails to hold much sincerity or companionship. Songs of this nature universally resonate and this song looks to provide catharsis for it’s listener”.
Why we love it? This energetic North East supergroup have put their combined talents to good use and the result is a slick, reverb-soaked piece of indie rock with clockwork riffs that refuse to leave your head.
FFO: Foals, Arctic Monkeys, The Pale White
