Tunes, To Be Fair

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Squid - The Dial Always an encouraging co-sign to work with Dan Carey and release a single on his Speedy Wunderground label, and Brighton band Squid turn it up on The Dial, an acerbic post-punk jam. 

- Nathan 

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Zoee - Used

Operatic odd-pop from Zoee. Out on Vegyn’s PLZ Make It Ruins label. 

- Jamie

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Knife Bite - Let’s Ride

I know absolutely nothing about the brains behind Knife Bite, but they make scratchy, strung-out grunge, and ‘Let’s Ride’ is a gorgeous example.

- Jamie

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Mellah - Numb

Very simple, yet effective video for an equally powerful song from Liam Ramsden. From his excellent Middle England EP. 

- Nathan 

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Adrianne Lenker - cradle

More stark and simple than most Big Thief songs, ‘cradle’ is further evidence than Adrianne Lenker is one of the best songwriters around today. Taken from new solo album ‘abysskiss’. 

- Jamie

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Tirzah - Holding On

My personal favourite from Tirzah’s remarkable debut Devotion. Holding On is a playful, shuffling, Mica Levi-stamped bop. 

- Jamie

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I slept on this Aaron Dessner (The National) and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) collaboration, mainly because I was expecting some kind of over-earnest simplification of their day-jobs. Instead, Big Red Machine brings out a different side to each musician, which teaches me not to be so cynical next time. Album out 31st August via PEOPLE. 

- Jamie

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Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Time in Common

Rolling Blackouts are great at recalling tiny moments of suburban life which might seem irrelevant at the time – “Beside the water, your legs were next to mine”. That’s what draws me to new LP ‘Hope Downs’. Each line takes me straight to a specific scene. 

- Jamie

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Exam Season - Strawberry Milk

Gooey, sticky-sweet emo from Ringwood via London band Exam Season. Bonus points for the split-second Harry Maguire cameo in this ‘Strawberry Milk’ video. Points deducted for appearing to pour actual strawberry milk into a plant’s soil. 

-  Jamie

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Kelsey Lu - itis isin itisnt

New abstract instrumental piece and corresponding visuals, hard to resist. 

- Nathan 

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Jerry Paper - Your Cocoon 

This compelling, warped and ultimately forward looking pop song soundtracks a dystopian future of 3D models. Steve Smith directed this video for the new single from Jerry Paper, “Your Cocoon”, his first single for Stones Throw.

- Nathan 

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Hive Mind is one of my favourite albums of 2018. Effortless collaboration, underpinned by free-thinking bass and percussion. Relieved that The Internet never logged off permanently. 

- Jamie

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Tirzah - Affection  New single from Tirzah’s forthcoming album on Domino, quite the affecting / unsettling track. Plus, the video features some footage from what I can only imagine are the recent England World Cup celebrations outside South-East London pub stalwart the Marquis of Granby, wild! 

- Nathan 

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Fog Lake, aka Aaron Powell, somehow had “15+ label rejections” for new album ‘captain’, finally finding a home with Montreal’s Stack Your Roster. His part-ambient, emotional songwriting is so assuredly his – you couldn’t mistake it for anyone else’s work. The quiet storm of ‘california’ is my favourite from the new LP. 

- Jamie

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Dave Longstreth has thankfully exorcised the demons found on last year’s heavy, self-titled LP for something more outward-facing and optimistic. New album ‘Lamp Lit Prose’ is a much-needed clean slate, and this sax-packed collaboration with New York’s Amber Mark is a standout.

- Jamie

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maybe my favourite song from 2017. I can’t help but go back to it. offers so much in just a minute and thirty five. like a glimpse into a whole psyche. the tip of the iceberg. flash fiction. 

- Nathan 

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17 year-old Illnois newcomer eillah, aka Hallie Newman, first penned ‘Someday’ as a poem, and she’s now fleshed it into a dreamy, simple song about inner resolve. 

- Jamie