There aren't many weeks in the year where the top news story is about orgies, so let's just be grateful that A$AP Rocky had a great time at SXSW and has decided selflessly to use his album promotion time to talk about orgies. There were also songs released this week, so I guess you could call this post a song-orgie of sorts?
Flume
Same Minds (Feat. Andrew Wyatt)
The biggest Aussie popstar since John Farnham is back. There's probably no need to remind you that the whole country fell in love with Flume after the release of his debut record and he's since been wooing crowds overseas. Same Minds is the first new track we've heard from him in a while and it actually shows an impressive amount of progress in terms of sound. He builds a subtle but effective instrumental around Andrew Wyatt's howling vocals. It's restrained until the last minute when it becomes glitchy and bass-heavy making it imperative that you listen right til' the end everytime.
Florence + The Machine
Third Eye
Flo and co's latest album How Big How Blue How Beautiful, out today, sees them explore a more subtle sound. It's territory than was bulldozed over on her previous releases in favour of grandiose productions. If you're not into that though there's this golden nugget, Third Eye. Third Eye beautifully treads the line between grandiose and organic charm with a beautiful retro choruses bookended by epic verses that sees Florence's vocals flare. It's euphoric, triumphant and, as track nine on the record, gives the album's bottom-half a huge kick. This one is going to be a highlight at Splendour In The Grass.
A$AP Rocky
Fine Whine (Feat. Joe Fox, Future, M.I.A)
A$AP Rocky's new album At.Long.Last.A$AP actually goes light on the features but Fine Whine is an exception to the rule. It features a stellar cast of Future, M.I.A and newcomer Joe Fox who all add their two-cents over a dark, woozy beat. The track captures that 5am haze brilliantly with the minimal vibe lifting only to add some percussion for M.I.A and Future. Things get tribal towards the end which is particularly exciting given that M.I.A is rapping, "tell your new bitch she can suck a dick."
cln.
Find Me
Brisbane producer cln. is gearing up for the release off his new EP in July. Left Behind is the second track to be lifted from that and it follows Hold Me which we gushed about upon release. Left Behind once again sees cln. take vocal duties, twisting and contorting them to churn out something haunting yet spectacular. The instrumental is lush and crisp, with dense, flickering synths leading the proceedings. Best of all you can snap this baby up for free.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/callanalexander/cln-left-behind-1[/soundcloud]
The Weeknd
The Hills
Sometimes we have to respectfully mute our ears to The Weeknd's lyrics. They're all kinds of TMI and often detract from what is an amazing melody. It's no different on his new track whereby a line like "I just fucked two bitches before I saw you," could've been something like "I just politely pecked two ladies before I saw you." If he's doing a mother's day album he should call us or Ronan Keating for advice, just saying. But in terms of everything else The Hills is a total winner. The American mainstream seems to be finally understanding The Weeknd's sound, driven by his spectacular Coachella set. Given how explicit this is, it's pretty incredible that it hit the top five on iTunes in the US.
Made In Heights
Pop It In 2
If we haven't already made it clear enough, Made In Heights released their new album Without My Enemy What Would I Do this week. Along with it, they popped Pop In In 2 on Soundcloud. Pop It In 2 is one of the funnest tracks on the LP complete with laughs, "dum, dum, dums" and an airy dance-beat. It's the first time they've borrowed more from the dance world than from the land of RnB and it actually suits them really well. It's seductive, flirty and light-hearted.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/madeinheights/pop-it-in-2[/soundcloud]
Disclosure
Holding On (Feat. Gregory Porter)
If it ain't broke, don't fix it right? Holding On is the first track to come from Disclosure's as-yet-untitled second album and it sees them stick to the formula that worked so expertly on their debut Settle. They take a soulful vocal, courtesy of jazz singer Gregory Porter, place it alongside a clean deep-house instrumental and place a few pop stylings on top. The result is something that's far from groundbreaking but is a good reminder of just how good Disclosure are at making these dance tracks. Let's just hope there's a few surprises on the record so we can tell it apart from Settle.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/disclosuremusic/holding-on-ft-gregory-porter[/soundcloud]
Icona Pop
Emergency
You either find Icona Pop unbearable or you've danced to them in a club in nothing but a mesh top. Either way it's hard to deny that they're bucket-loads of fun after a few cheeky glasses and this new track Emergency does nothing to dispel that reputation. Driven by a trumpet-centred chorus, it's a track that Mediterranean clubs are going to go mental for while it will be a headache during the Australian winter. Make of it what you will but it's a bit of fun and if you can't handle it then Ed Sheeran is waiting for you.
I Know Leopard
Close My Eyes
I Know Leopard are a Sydney group making some gorgeously crusiy tunes. Close My Eyes is the second track to be lifted from their forthcoming EP and immediately recalls visions of wind-blown Australian beaches. They played the Sydney leg of Laneway Festival earlier this year, making people swoon with their dream pop and now they're set to gain a whole load of new fans as their tracks just continue to get better and better. Australia is in need of some great indie-pop and these guys seem well equipped for the job.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/iknowleopard/closemyeyes[/soundcloud]
London O'Connor
Nobody Hangs Out Anymore
The quaint charm of bedroom-produced tracks has been lost as DIY tools have gotten better and better and made the use for a studio almost redundant. That's why it's so refreshing to hear Nobody Hangs Out Anymore by US newcomer London O'Connor it sounds genuinely rough around the edges. He flicks between airy vocals and slacker raps over a daydream instrumental that's immediately endearing. On 23rd June he's putting out his debut album O∆ which he produced entirely by himself. Let's hope it's as personal and introspective as this.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/londonoconnor/nobody-hangs-out-anymore-1[/soundcloud]