Top 10 New Tracks
After a long three month hiatus, URY’s Blog is back. This week, we’re offering you a taste of everything — from Run The Jewels to Puzzles to Thanya Iyer. Read on to check out some of our favourite tracks from the last week!
Puzzles — Ecit Suj!
Just like their band name, Puzzles might… puzzle you at first. The beat is off-kilter (7/8),the rhythms jumpy, nervous and the instrumentation varied and intricate. There’s Korg synth bass, nervy funk electric guitar, Jazz-infused saxophone solos and rollicking brass sections. Under the German label Kreismusick, Puzzles are continuing to adding to the modern indie-jazz sound that is becoming more and more prevalent from Spotify to Youtubers. ‘Ecit Suj!’ however, doesn’t add much of new ideas: it’s a little too non-descript to have as much an impact that Puzzles intend to have. Though maybe I’m wrong; part of me believes Puzzles probably just means to create what you hear: a fun, bouncy and dancey 7/8 track that sounds well-produced. It is notable that the song’s video appears to be being made during Lockdown. Each member is filmed in their homes, adding an unprofessional yet enjoyable tone. I can’t deny that an artist having fun and not much more is good enough for me. — Saul Devlin
Thanya Iyer — Please Don’t Hold Me Hostage for Who I Am, For Who I Was
Few songs truly contain a caring, nurturing and wise nature, yet here Thanya Iyer, on the second single from her album KIND, successfully combines a cacophony of cool Afro-beat acoustic yet electro-folk that builds, lulls and encompass the listener in a baroque pop sense to do just that. Keyboard, woodblock and drum kits centre the song, surrounded with flutes which whoosh and clank in a broad Soundscape. Iyer’s voice and lyrical message presents a personal message of moving forward from past-mistakes and flaws, yet, more importantly, Iyer presents the view that understanding and acceptance must be fully endorsed during these times.
Aside from all of these reasons, I just personally adore the track. It’s pacing, rhythmic change in the bridge and defiant tone strikes a chord and just cheered me up. It’s a great track, like so much of Thanya’s stuff.
Give it a listen, you’ll love it! — Saul Devlin
Kairon; IRSE! — an Bat None
Finnish proggers Kairon; IRSE! have struck gold with this new tune, ‘an Bat None’. The riff is powerful and catchy — taking inspiration from classic shoegaze but somehow with a more mystical and mysterious aura. When the heavy drums hit, the song continues to ascend and the bubble-gum synth line that permeates the chorus is truly eargasmic. All this immediate, accessible energy is perhaps unusual for a group who seem to spend most of their time jamming out dense, longwinded epics (with hairstyles to match). This might explain why, around the four-minute mark, they slightly sabotage their own tune, moving from the fairly snappy verse-chorus shebang they’ve had going thus far to a protracted breakdown and build-up that goes on for two minutes and doesn’t lead anywhere too great. As we discussed on the show, it’d probably be hype in a live setting but I feel like the song’s awesome power would have been better showcased if these hairy types had gone against their instincts and made this track a concise, three-minute banger. — Joe Waters
Shamir — On My Own
Throughout his five album career (almost one a year since 2014!) Vegas singer-songwriter Shamir has established himself as something of a shapeshifter. His forthcoming album (hot on the heels of his last LP, Cataclysm, released in March this year) has been billed as his most commercial yet but, based on this glimpse, his vision of pop feels pleasingly idiosyncratic. Written after a breakup last summer, ‘On My Own’ has a defiant truculence to it (“I refuse to f***ing suffer”) — conveyed perfectly in Shamir’s impeccable falsetto. The melodies that carry the tune are airy and soulful. In contrast, the instrumental underscores the forceful lyrical content with a dirty, lo-fi drum groove, buzzing synths and anthemic guitar lines. The resulting blend feels quietly unique and has definite crossover potential — it is as authentically indie as it is RnB. The chorus, once you locate it, is a massive earworm and the lines at the heart of it really do get at the core dilemma of human relationships — “I don’t care to feel like I belong / And you always did.” — Joe Waters
Maika Loubté — Ride My Bike
Japanese-French singer Maika Loubté is renowned for her alternative electronic pop, and this new track is no exception. Credit must be given to her virtuosic use of synthesizers, however, elements of the track’s production could be better appreciated by hearing the song at full volume, live or in a club. As far as casual listening is concerned, there is not much that distinguishes it from other songs of its genre. Lyrically, it is nothing special, but it is perhaps the lyrical simplicity that allows the listener’s focus to properly appreciate the musical complexity of the track. There is certainly much to unpack in this regard, and yet it is blended together seamlessly, ready to be appreciated by the listener without too much need for analysis.
As an electronic pop song it is certainly not bad, but it stays within the ramifications of its defining genre. ‘Ride My Bike’ is enjoyable in the moment, but easily forgotten once it’s over. — Ida Maher
The Snuts — Elephants
Scottish indie-rock band The Snuts have been steadily gaining more and more attention, and it is clear why. With a catchy riff and a chord progression amalgamating into nothing less than an earworm, ‘Elephants’ is a track which easily appeals to listeners of a variety of genres. It is an objectively good song which allows for easy listening, and it is easy to picture it being featured on adverts and TV shows. However, this does not limit its impressiveness as an indie track, as is demonstrated by the way The Snuts have found an intricate balance of musical composition. The riffs and vocals are brilliantly complimented by the rhythmical elements of the song which resonate thoroughly with the listener, almost interactively, keeping them engaged. All in all, ‘Elephants’ is a genuinely great track, and I look forward to hearing what else The Snuts are going to bring to the table. — Ida Maher
Run The Jewels — JU$T (feat. Pharrell Williams & Zack De La Rocha)
Run The Jewels do not miss. Their fourth album, RTJ4, is already critically acclaimed — and ‘JU$T’ is one of its many highlights. Over their usual blend of El-P’s futuristic hip hop, the duo speaking frustratedly about the structural centrality of racism in US history: “Look at all these slave-masters posing on your dollar”. The duo has never shied away from powerful political statements — RTJ3 is chock-full of dystopian political themes, often directly connected to current political structures of subordination and inequality — and ‘JU$T’ takes this one step further. Killer Mike rings in a fantastic, stuttering verse, magnificently complimenting a blend of trap drums and dissonant choral synths; El-P rapid-fires a self-aware verse as synths rise and diminish. At a time when Black Lives Matter has never felt more relevant, RTJ manage to once again sound “vital, current, and yet again, prophetic”. This track is sure to please returning fans (like myself) as well as new listeners. — Connor Flashman-Wells
GUM — Airwalkin’
Taken from GUM’s latest record, Out In The World, GUM seems happily aware of Tame Impala’s pervasive influence. ‘Airwalkin’’ is nonetheless an excellent track; utilising a mixture of excellently edited samples and boom-bap drums, GUM builds a song that is hopefully euphoric, summery, and tastefully understated. Yet Jay Watson (GUM’s alter-ego) fails to bring “Airwalkin’” in any discernible direction. Placed in its album, “Airwalkin’” works best as an introductory track for its context. Why, then, is it the second track, and not the immediate opener? Ultimately “Airwalkin’” could be made better with a tad more direction and tighter album edits. It’s worth a listen anyway, if you’ve grown tired of The Slow Rush. — Connor Flashman-Wells
Gorillaz — Friday 13th (feat. Octavian)
It’s hard to tell where Gorillaz are going at the moment, although that isn’t strictly a bad thing. ‘Friday 13th’ is the feature of Damon Albarn’s fifth release this year, Song Machine Episode 4, and as per, it is very hard to label it within the confines of a genre. Drums are meagre and the instrumentation jitters over Octavian’s sluggish vocals; unlike Gorillaz’ previous releases, ‘Friday 13th’ feels melancholy and underdeveloped. Though the track is still enjoyable, it pales against the likes of “Momentary Bliss”, a personal favourite release from this year and “Désolé”, the fantastic alt-rock track from Song Machine Episode 2. However, if these releases are due to form Gorillaz’ next album, then pacing from the likes of this will be necessary to give breathing space between superior tracks. — Connor Flashman-Wells
Aluna x SG Lewis — Warrior
Shifting away from legendary EDM duo AlunaGeorge and towards her own solo career, Aluna offers a decent continuation of previous tracks like ‘I’m In Control’ and ‘You Know You Like It’ to bring out a sunny banger which will fill clubs as lockdown is lowered. SG Lewis’ production feels like signature brit-electronica: synths feel like they have been expertly pulled from a catalogue of Disclosure-esque synths, and like his most popular track ‘Chemicals’, the release feels perfect for festival-season, even if we’re only dancing in our back gardens with a few socially distant beverages. Though the track is a touch repetitive, it’s a fantastic listen. — Connor Flashman-Wells
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