So lend an ear and join Steve Miller (no, not that one!) as he tucks into his pick of some of this week’s most prominent music releases. You never know, your new favourite record may be in there!
Marea Stamper - aka The Blessed Madonna - has rocked enough blocks to know of the rich history of female-voiced soul layered over uplifting dance beats. She also knows that the difference between the song that keeps you in the club and the one that questions why you’re there in the first place is always the hook and the drop. And, along with London dance duo Joy Anonymous and singer Danielle Ponder, she confidently delivers both on new single “Carry Me Higher”. So leave your coat in the cloakroom a wee while longer because this disco-house banger is going to glue you to the dance floor. “Carry Me Higher” is out now via Warner Music.
Belfast boys Kneecap continue to push buttons with their own distinctive approach to Hip Hop. Here, they team up with Fontaines DC frontman Grian Chatten to deliver a delightful mix of Gaelic and English rhymes over an elastic bassline and driven beats. “Better Way To Live” could come off as a touch Goldie Lookin’ Chain but this one’s defiantly more thumb-in-teeth than tongue-in-cheek. “Better Way To Live” is available now through Heavenly Records.
Galway shoegazers NewDad have new album ‘MADRA’ on the way, and as a taster they’ve gifted us the wonderful Dark Wave-meets-90s girl-rock of “Nightmares”. Parts Low, Cure, and Belly, “Nightmares” is a delightful cut of dreamy indie gothic pop. Find this one creeping under your bed or via Atlantic Records.
I was a week late to this party but it’s still very much in full flow and you’re all invited. After firmly establishing himself via Tik-Tok, Kentucky rapper Jack Harlow further solidifies his credibility by delivering two of the bounciest minutes of hip-hop and soul you’ll hear all year with new single “Lovin’ On Me”. Built around synth-driven smoothness and a delightfully retro soul backing vocal, this one may not have whips and chains but it’s absolutely full of hooks. 100% vanilla, baby. Thankfully no ice. Get with the party via Atlantic Records.
The Winehouse comparisons are obvious but it’s the self-deprecating playfulness on display that sets WILSN apart. Here, the Australian vocalist serves up a deep-soul cut of self-reflection, personal demons and frustratingly persistent doubt, and while that may not sound entirely enticing, “Can’t Afford Therapy” delivers with a delightfully classic Stax Record sound, and the sort of vocal delivery that will convince you that WILSN could sing about the phone book and you’d still feel compelled to listen in. This is one session you can’t afford to miss out on, so reserve yours via UMG.
English post-punk duo Sleaford Mods return to the airwaves with a decidedly urban take on classic 80’s Pet Shop Boy’s hit “West End Girls”, and, although the flip from Neil Tennant’s ‘proper’ English vocals to Jason Williamson’s ‘bloke style’ delivery can be jarring, it’s all for a worthy cause with proceeds from the single being donated to homeless charity Shelter. You can do your bit to help via Rough Trade.
If you’ve found some new tunes recently, have any recommendations for what we should be checking out, or simply have an earworm that you just can’t shift, then why not drop us the details via WhatsApp (+352 621 525 000) and, as our esteemed colleague Stephen ‘Steps’ Lowe always says, if we have it - we’ll play it!
