Music - Singles of the week - Friday, January 29, 2016
IndieLondon gleefully checks out the cream of the week’s singles
SINGLE OF THE WEEK 1: THE CORAL – CHASING THE TAIL OF A DREAM: An epic name deserves an epic single and so The Coral deliver a rousing comeback record in the form of the big, brooding Chasing The Tail of a Dream. Available now as a free download from the band‘s website (below), this has a classic rock vibe that’s reminiscent of acts like The Doors. Opening with a gutsy, gritty guitar riff and some jangling Hammond organ, this also drops an insistent back-beat and immediately evokes memories of the psychedelic ’70s. The vocals add to the sense of nostalgia, echoing a Jim Morrison-esqye style of delivery. It’s a big record that just keeps getting more and more expansive, complete with more emphatic drum loops and some blistering guitar solos. The track is the first taster of new album, Distance Inbetween, which on the evidence so far looks set to become a hot prospect when it lands on March 4. Recorded at Liverpool‘s Parr Street Studio with co-producer Richard Turvey, Distance Inbetween was recorded live and mostly in just one take. Listeners can expect to be invited into The Coral‘s world of Richard Yates books, Alan Moore comics, 1980’s toys, the sound of krautrock compilations and Muddy Waters Electric Mud, and Gregory Crewdson‘s darkly beautiful photography.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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SINGLE OF THE WEEK 2: HUNCK – NEVER HAD A DREAM: London based band Hunck have announced the release of their debut EP (on January 29). Comprised of four live favourites the band have been performing this year, the self-titled EP also features new track Never Had a Dream, which is the track we’ve chosen to focus on. A dreamy slice of indie-pop, this is built around some addictively slow and sad guitars, a keen sense of melody and vocals that just drift into your sub-conscious in effortlessly endearing fashion. If you’re looking for comparisons, then think George Harrison mixed with a little Death Cab For Cutie. There’s something vaguely ethereal and psychedelic mixed in, too, adding to a plethora of sounds and layers that help to make the song endlessly captivating. It’s a great track from a band to keep an eye on. Hunck were born out of the post-riot depths of Tottenham in 2013. Estranged childhood friends Frederik and Thomas reconnected after a series of heartbreaks, losses and unfortunate events to indulge and share their love in the gloomier sounds of long dead crooners such as Al Bowlly and Frank Sinatra.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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RIHANNA feat DRAKE – WORK: After months of speculation and anticipation, Rihanna has finally dropped her new album, Anti, and made it available for free. There’s also a new single in the form of the Drake featuring Work. And while reviews have been a little mixed for the LP, most seem to agree that Work ticks all the right boxes for fans of the singer. Built around a simple electronic loop and some minimal beats, this places Rihanna’s vocals mostly to the forefront. The chorus has a bittersweet but catchy quality, with Rihanna declaring: “I can see that you’ll be somebody.” Drake’s contribution is somewhat belated and fairly minimal, adding very little. But in the main, this is a decent return from Rihanna – nicely restrained, even moody, and evidence of someone who is confident enough to mix up her sound a little bit. It won’t blow you away as some of Rihanna’s best anthems have done in the past, but it is a good enough listen.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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ZAYN – PILLOW TALK: Former One Direction member Zayn makes his bid for solo superstardom with the release of Pillow Talk, the first track to emerge from his debut solo LP, Mind of Mine (out March 25). The first thing to say is that it does, at least, make a marked difference from the boy band One Direction sound, stretching Zayn vocally into more soul-pop territory. It’s moodier and more atmospheric, too. But that’s about where the compliments end. The song still feels a little generic – opening like some kind of Nelly-meets-Rihanna offering before morphing into something more Coldplay-esque. And while that sounds potentially good, we think that perhaps Zayn should have tried something a little more bold and unique for his first solo offering. This is very much the sound of someone still wanting to embrace the mainstream without really stamping his own sense of identity on proceedings. The video features Zayn with model Gigi Hadid and was directed by multi-award winning filmmaker Bouha Kazmi (Flicker, Jay-Z’s Onto The Next One).
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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LEO STANNARD – LOST: Black Butter artist Leo Stannard is set to release his new single Lost from his Free Rein EP. Written by Leo and mixed by Grammy Award winning Anthony Kilhoffer (Kanye West, Rihanna, The Roots), Lost showcases Leo’s unique performance style and is a taste of what’s to come in 2016. Opening with Leo’s percussive playing technique and building into an anthemic chorus, his distinct vocals soar over the infectious, rhythmic base of the track. The track is a personal one for Leo, as he describes: “Lost came about after I confronted one of my closest friends about their lack of direction in life. It was a time when we’re all making decisions about university, work and what to do next – and this friend of mine had so much to offer but was far too easily influenced by others which was heart-breaking to see.” The resulting single is a very good showcase of Leo’s burgeoning talent. There’s a sense of melancholy permeating the acoustic licks, the infectious beats, and the layered chorus, which really brings the song alive every time it lands. Leo’s vocals are, by turns, moody and soaring – the slow-build verses building expertly towards the more sky-scraping choruses. It’s a song that promises much from Stannard and one that’s well worth checking out.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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LAPSLEY – LOVE IS BLIND: Southport-raised, London-based singer, songwriter and producer Holly ‘Låpsley’ Fletcher may only be 19-years of age but she’s already turning out records of incredible maturity. Love Is Blind, the latest offering from her forthcoming Long Way Home LP (out March 4) is a heartfelt power ballad that offers another great showcase of her strong vocals. Declaring that “love is blind when the lights go out” and shot through with lines like “I know the fire has burnt out”, this has a distinctly melancholy flavour. But there’s a sense of hope in the vocal delivery, while the melodies are tight and subtly constructed. Annie Mac has already turned Love Is Blind into one of her hottest records, so she’s got some great backing. The album, Long Way Home documents a turbulent time in Lapsley’s life — a period in which she revelled in her new-found music career as it took her from Liverpool to London to Los Angeles and back again “It’s an autobiography of my emotions and events over the past year,” she says. “Everything that’s happened, I’ve channelled in some way into a song – whether that’s the theme of a long distance relationship, or something that he’s said, or the way that I’ve felt, or an argument. I only revisit the memories of that relationship when I go into the studio. I think it’s helped me, to be able to collect everything for those moments when I’m writing. I think that’s what’s driven this album.”
Rating: 3 out of 5
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KLOE – TOUCH: Glaswegian singer-songwriter Kloe is only a teenager but she’s another singer to be making a big splash right now. Produced by Lewis Gardiner of Scottish band Prides, the song is a slow-building slice of brooding pop that shows just how powerful her vocals are. There’s a highly sensual quality to them that’s enhanced by the minimal electronics and hushed beats. The song does build the longer it goes on, unleashing some powerful choruses to further enhance its appeal. Kloe has already been creating a storm in the music world after some of the tracks she’s placed online went viral. Touch is further compelling proof of why she has started to amass such a following and generate so much positive buzz. This is a really assured piece of work.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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