Evening everybody, so sorry Tracks of the Week is late today, I was helping the police with their enquiries after lobbing a burning bag of my cats shit through the local Neo-Nazi HQs window. They gave me a slap on the wrist and said next time don’t drive there in my car. Get the bus.
Anyway, here’s some proper boss tunes to brighten up your Monday. Lovely day though isn’t it. Chin up, chicken.
Caribou – Volume
Why we love it: because we can pump up the volume all over again and party like it’s 1987. Caribou – the electronic music project of Dan Snaith – has used the dancefloor filler by M|A|R|R|S from nearly 40 years ago as the sonic springboard for their new single, ‘Volume.’
As Snaith says, “‘Pump up the Volume’ was the first time in my life I heard electronic music – sitting in front of the family stereo system listening to the top 40 countdown on the radio when i was a kid. It completely blew my mind – it sounded like something from another world. it’s stuck with me ever since – i always wanted to rework it in some way. i didn’t consciously think about it when i started working on my track but i think there’s something really nice about having gone right back to the very beginning in making this.”
Upon its release, ‘Pump up the Volume’ had such a significant impact upon the development of British house music and now Caribou has reconfigured and further extended its influence with ‘Volume.’ To add to the prevailing vibe of that pivotal epoch, ‘Volume’ is accompanied by a video wholly appropriate to that period directed by Richard Kenworthy of Shynola. (Simon Godley)
Crows – Vision of Me
Why we love it: Crows announced their third album Reason Enough last month set for release 27 September via Bad Vibrations. They have released new single ‘Vision of Me‘, a thrilling soundscape combining the impassioned vocals of James Cox within an instrumentation which is expansive, appearing to fill all the space around it. James further expands on the new track:
“When writing ‘Vision Of Me’ I was struggling with some unhealthy emotional tendencies that I’d developed over several years. I was exploring my own reactive behaviour and becoming someone I hated, and at the same time, coming to terms with the reasons this happened. It’s a very cathartic song for me as it stirs up some difficult memories, but also shows me how far I’ve come since then, and that the things that took me there are no longer able to hurt me.”
The personal themes of ‘Vision of Me‘ are reflected in its execution with brutally honest lyrics which hit hard:
“If I don’t learn from my past,
Then how can I attempt to grow?”
The searing guitars add an emotional depth to the track, layering with the vocal beautifully to further enhance the intensity. On the striking video, director Alexandre Do said: This song made me think of how hard it is to change as a person, how we usually fall back to our own habits. I wanted to see hundreds of clones of James, past versions of him who all do the same thing in an immovable routine. Making this music video was a real feat, but I am ecstatic seeing it on screen and so thankful to all the people who believed in us and the idea.” (Julia Mason)
GOAT– Ouroboros
Why we love it: because we are always partial to a bit of enigmatic psychedelia and in that regard GOAT is certainly where it’s at. The masked mystics from a remote part of Sweden are once more amongst us, this time promoting a new, self-titled album which will land on October 11th through Rocket Recordings and is heralded by the record’s lead single ‘Ouroboros.’
Bringing a whole new literal meaning to the phrase ‘pop will eat itself’, ‘Ouroboros’ is funk-fuelled, rhythmically-rounded sonic gold. Freighted with the collective’s customary cosmic vibe this just glides along, increasing our anticipation for their half a dozen live dates in England come October and November. (Simon Godley)
Cowboy Hunters – Breathe (Then You Die)
Why we love it: Full time Cowboy Hunters and part time Scottish punks Cowboy Hunters have released their new single: Breathe (Then You Die) alongwith B-side: Don’t Kill Yourself. The duo of Desmond Johnston and Megan Pollock are regulars in Scotlands central belt, and have supported DITZ, Enola Gay, The Oozes, and Beige Banquet. The new single is a wild ride. How the heck this duo produce the music they do. A thumping beat and crystal clear lyrics which are delivered here by Megan. However this is a band that keeps you on your toes. They switch lead vocals, drums and guitar between them mid set when playing live. There is a raucous vibe to Breathe (Then You Die)and of course it is providing advice for all of us! Cowboy Hunters point out the obvious which can be overlooked, and do it in such a way as put a smile on your face and get those shoulders twitching with their energy. Desmond says of the track: “A song about what you should do until the sweet release of death.”
To learn more about Cowboy Hunters, do check out their bio, or better still keep an eye on their movements. Apparently their are top secret plans currently being hatched to finish off 2024 with a bang!
“Punk rock settles down and has a daughter. The daughter runs away and has a son with a robot. This hellish cyborg offspring is an exile. Sick riffs and spite are his only solace. This is the story of our ancestors.” (Julia Mason)
Frozemode – Mandem Nah
Why we love it: Getting ever closer to the release of their DEMODE 2 mixtape on 22 August, Frozemode unveil the final single ‘Mandem Nah’. The alt-rap trio of I.V.GATLIN, Cho-Hollo, and Longwith have taken a slight tangent with this latest release. Playing with “rave and road culture in London”, the new single is heavily influenced by New York City’s Hip-Hop scene. Bursting with a charismatic energy and playful bars, the corresponding video captures London’s culture. The trio continue to be unpredictable with ‘Mandem Nah‘ taking the energy down a notch but still producing sounds which are thoroughly engrossing. The band shared the following on the single:
“Mandem Nah is a playful track that toes the line between rave and road culture in London. Influenced by the NYC hip hop scene and filled with high energy, cool flows and witty lyrics, the ModeSkl vibe is in full effect.”
With Frozemode expect the unexpected, and get ready to bounce to their genre-warping sound they like to call “MODESKOOL”. (Julia Mason)
Fritillaries – I, thank God I have the songs
Why we love it: Fritillaries is the project of folk/Americana songwriter Hannah Pawson, a Bristol-based musician playing original songs on guitar and banjo.
Thank God I Have The Songs (EP) is a new six-song EP that explores themes of loss, death and chronic illness. The title track ‘i, Thank God I Have The Songs’ is moving, resplendent and enveloping. Pawson paints tender, vivid couplets of nature, and that speak of touch, love, loss and being buffeted by cruel winds ( ‘sometimes it hits like a train’) she has a voice that’s felt trauma and weathered all of life’s bittersweet experience. She pairs it with a simmering backdrop of splindling arpeggio guitar notes, sighing violins, it’s a song of real depth and warmth threaded with a central melody that holds tightly to hope at its bosom. Magical. (Bill Cummings)
Gurriers – Top Of The Bill
Why we love it: Irish quintet Gurriers release ‘Top Of The Bill’, the latest single from their debut album, Come and See set for release on 13 September via No Filter. ‘Top of the Bill’ brings a slight breather from Gurriers noise-laden sound. The guitars are stunning here, just listen to the opening riffs. ‘Top of the Bill’ continues, growing with the impassioned vocal of singer Dan Hoff taking it forward. The guitars continue to weave their magic, mesmerizing and haunting. One of Hoff’s most personal songs, he describes how: “it’s a distorted love story, a warning to myself of a person I could have been.” The end comes all too quickly, and I challenge the listener to not hit the repeat button – very difficult to resist.
The new release is accompanied by a video from young and upcoming Dublin director Adam Hart who describes the film’s execution:
“It’s a one shot film. I think the buzzword for the band was Twin Peaks as the lads are huge fans, but apart from that there are a few Shane Meadows tropes in there too, showing small vignettes of characters that populate the world of the bar. There’s a lot of moving parts in the video so I was worried we’d miss a character, or piece of action, or we’d spend all day and have 50 takes before we got what we wanted. I think we only shot 12 takes in total, which is a credit to the crew and actors who played a blinder.”
With the debut album Come and See out next month and extensive touring throughout the summer and autumn in support of it, Gurriers continue their rise. I’ll see you down the front. (Julia Mason)
