November is an interesting time for new single releases, as we start to get the first glimpses of what will be released on albums in the new year. On the other hand, it’s also an opportunity for artists to get some final tunes out into the world in time for year-end-list making time. Then, there are a few odds and ends that just seem to have been released now because, why not? Here’s a selection of the finest songs to reach our ears this month.
Björk – ‘Blissing Me’
Björk’s new album Utopia is a collaboration in the truest sense. The touch of Alejandro Ghersi, aka Arca, can be heard in ‘Blissing Me’ as delicate harp strings prickle by, before flute-like synths join, and Björk’s multi-tracked vocals whisper in and out like crackling embers in a fire. Björk has no intention of writing a verse or chorus, but to tell a story and go into deeply personal territories as she tracks her descent into infatuation: “two music nerds obsessing.” It might seem overly saccharine if it weren’t put together and performed so delicately and immaculately by these two supreme talents.
Ought – ‘These 3 Things’
Over the course of their two album history, Canadian band Ought have proven themselves to be some of the most thrilling producers of crunchy and knotty post-punk. With that in mind, it’s something of a shock to hear the clean and crisp ‘These 3 Things’, the first single from their upcoming third album, Room Inside The World. Taking inspiration from the likes of later Talking Heads, the Mekons and Brian Eno, ’These 3 Things’ is still undoubtedly an Ought song, as Tim Darcy’s unmistakably romantic voice spews visions and views that take some sitting down and pondering. Thankfully, ‘These 3 Things’ is an extremely repayable song.
HOLY – ‘Heard Her’
The Swedish musician Hannes Ferm is gearing up to release his second album as HOLY, All These Worlds Are Yours. Judging from the lead single ‘Heard Her’, it seems set to make good on its title, blasting off into colourful and intergalactic worlds of rock right from the jump, before swirling through a series of unusual and thrilling rises and falls. If the rest of the album holds the same kind of transportive creativity, then this it is going to be quite the trip.
Porches – ‘Find Me’
Porches’ Aaron Maine seems on the brink of releasing an extremely personal and emotional album in the upcoming The House. Second single ‘Find Me’ reverts to the big-beats house-inflected indie jams of his previous work, but our singer is still forlorn and isolated in the centre. It’s a cutting juxtaposition that makes you want to both dance and reflect at the same time.
Camp Cope – ‘The Opener’
Melbourne band Camp Cope were one of the sleeper discoveries of 2016 with their self-titled debut album. ‘The Opener’ is the first glance at what they’ve got coming next, and it seems they’re following the same formula that brought them so much attention and adoration the first time out: deceptively meek indie rock that can pull out its claws and slash furiously at any moment, herded along by the ferocity of singer Georgia Maq’s viscerally bare lyricism and throaty projection of her innermost feelings.
G Perico – ‘Affiliated’
In the last couple of years South Central LA rapper G Perico has released a bunch of albums and mixtapes, but shows no signs of slowing down, with another album called 2 Tha Left arriving in December. ‘Affiliated’ is the first single from it, and shows Perico has not lost any steam despite his prolific output. In fact it seems to have only bumped up his confidence, as here he raps about his new standing in the scene, the people he garners respect with, and proves that his prowess is not dying down.
Tame Impala – ‘List Of People (To Try And Forget About)’
While we wait for Kevin Parker to craft the next Tame Impala opus, he has given us a few outtakes from last album Currents to chew on. ‘List Of People (To Try And Forget About)’ is the pick of the bunch, trundling along on effervescent drum fills, luminous synths and Parker’s trademark lovable sad-sack vocals.
Kyle Craft – ‘Heartbreak Junky’
Louisiana-bred singer Kyle Craft has the kind of voice that is immediately magnetic, reminiscent of Mick Jagger in his pomp. Craft also harks back to classic rock in his music, and ‘Heartbreak Junky’ is a superb slice of that nostalgia, built around glam-like piano and sax interjections, as our singer belts out his feelings at full lung, as if he were Elton John on uppers – and it’s bloody great.
Hookworms – ‘Negative Space’
Leeds band Hookworms have become one of the most reliably thrilling purveyors of psychedelic rock out of the UK in recent years, so it’s perhaps strange to hear their new song ‘Negative Space’ begin with a burping and spluttering electronic rhythm. But, before long, the band builds up the song into their usual wind-tunnel guitars and just ride it out for the remaining minutes, growing more and more frenetic and committed throughout the song’s driving 7 minutes.
