The songs that stopped this week from being meek, ranked.
10. Rainbow Chan
Nest
It feels like Sydney artist Rainbow Chan has been around for ages but believe it or not she's only just gearing up to release her debut album. Today, she's given us the debut single from that record Nest, a colourful, '80s-tinged tune showing off Chan's pop sensibilities. It comes with a gentle, warm video which is basically just four minutes of aesthetically yummy shots that embraces the songs stylistic restraint.
9. SAFIA
Make Them Wheels Roll
It’s not often that you’re selling out national tours and filling festival tents before you’ve even dropped your debut album but that’s what Canberra trio SAFIA are doing. They don’t even have an EP to their name but they do have a string of excellent singles and Make Them Wheels Roll is another one of those.
It’s their first new track for 2016 and will likely delight fans with its slick brand of electro-pop. Frontman Benjamin Joseph is in falsetto mode the whole time, once again showing he has better vocal chops than nearly every frontman in the country.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/safia-music/safia-make-them-wheels-roll[/soundcloud]
8. HUMANS
Bout Chu
Canada is serving up some super soulful stuff right now and the latest duo to prove that is Vancouver pairing HUMANS. They ambitiously impressed a few weeks back with a 10 minute jam Water Water and now they have dropped another, slightly shorter, cut. Bout Chu is the latest and it sounds like a roughed-up version of a Majid Jordan track. It has super smooth vocals and synths but there's a grittier undertone to it like it was born on the streets rather than in the studio. Really exciting stuff.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/dashumans/bout-chu-1[/soundcloud]
7. Gallant
Bourbon
We've been waiting a while for this one but finally we have news that Gallant is releasing his debut album Ology on 6th April. He's preceded the release with Bourbon, a soaring R&B ballad that centres around his impeccable falsetto. It's full of warm, after-dark beats and a chorus that subtly elevates the song from a jam to a triumph.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/gallant/bourbon[/soundcloud]
6. UV Boi
Show You (Feat. MTNS)
It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything new from UV boi, but he’s clearly been hard at work. Here is the result of some work he’ s been doing with Brisbane guys MTNS, a dark yet catchy choon called Show You that is pretty typical of his experimental stylings. - Zanda Wilson
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/uvboi/show-you[/soundcloud]
5. Mitski
Your Best American Girl
We have a real soft spot for raw singer-songwriters like Sharon Van Etten or Natalie Prass and we're melting for this latest one by Mistki. Your Best American Girl is from her second LP Puberty 2 and starts contained before blowing all expectations. Like a missile to calm waters, midway through the songs explodes with Mistki taking it into dense, raucous territories. It's stunning and climatic but it wouldn't be nearly as impressive if she didn't bookend it with total, pristine calm.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/deadoceans/mitski-your-best-american-girl-3[/soundcloud]
4. WARHOLA
Lady
This is the second song in 12 months to come from Belgian artist WARHOLA and it’s a slam-dunk. With the electro-soul of James Blake, the falsetto of Bon Iver and the darkness of The Weeknd, it’s a supremely produced, deeply affecting cut. Lady crams so many sounds into its under-three-minutes duration but each serves a purpose, particularly the horns which build it to a stunning finale. As far as new music goes, this is one of the best you’re going to hear this year.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/warholamusic/lady-1[/soundcloud]
3. The Range
Five Four
We're nearing ever-closer to the release of The Range's second album Potential and Four Five is the second track to be dropped from it. He's taken things into grime territory this time, intertwining his atmospheric brand of electronica with raps by Ophqi & Superior Thought. It's a really interesting, beautiful take on the genre and also adds another dimension to The Range's musical toolkit.
2. M83
Do It, Try It
Big news this week with French producer M83 announcing that he will drop his new album Junk on 8th April. Its been preceded by the incredible first single Do It, Try It, a sprawling piece of electronica that’s immediately recognisable as M83 as soon as you hear it. What’s even better is that he’s debuted it with a visual of a cute dog singing which is down our alley in so many ways, we’re struggling to cope.
1. Azealia Banks
Used To Being Alone
NYC rapper/singer Azealia Banks has dropped another new track with her feet once again planted on the dancefloor. She’s preparing for the release of her new mixtape Slay Z and has already dropped The Big Big Beat but now we have another new offering Used To Be Alone.
Used To Be Alone sees Banks in full singing mode, belting out a chorus, the likes of which we’ve never heard from her before. There’s not one rap verse included but you don’t need it because her vocal chops are insane. There aren’t many good rappers who can also sing like this. TUNE.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/confusedadmirers/used-to-being-alone-azealia-banks[/soundcloud]
