We might be out on a limb here, but this just might be our best collection of new tracks so far this year, and that really is saying something.
But considering this week has seen a new track from AlunaGeorge, a new track from David Bowie, Iggy Azalea's first single release, a new Yeah Yeah Yeahs single and a whole host of tracks from new artists that we're really excited about, it's a claim we feel pretty comfortable about.
As ever, we've sorted your weekend listening for you and this week you've got 11, not 10, tracks to enjoy. Because we're just that nice.
Enjoy
AlunaGeorge - 'Attracting Flies'
It's approaching make or break time for AlunaGeorge - with all the love they've been getting for London's underground scene and an album planned for the summer, the talented duo are getting close to making the jump into music's mainstream. New track 'Attracting Flies' might be the single to give them the push they need. More commercially viable than the tracks they've offered us so far, the melody line of 'Attracting Flies' gives the track a mainstream pop appeal that was lacking in the past. Aluna Francis' vocal continue their typical role of providing the track's focus while the nifty production proves why so many expect so much from the pair.
C2C - 'Genius' (Yuksek remix)
The debut album from the four French DJs that call themselves C2C has got us quite excited with it's mix of hge beats and basslines and funky pop sentiments. One of the album's highlights, 'Genius', has now fallen into the hands of another French dance luminary - Yuksek. The producer gives the track a new personality with a housey beat and gasping synth stabs. The track retains its head-nodding brilliance with Gush's vocal parts chopped up and put to work in the instrumentation.
Xander The Great - 'Cold Skin'
Right, so Xander The Great don't want to be compared to The Weeknd or Frank Ocean, but it's hard not to when you listen to this stripped back slice of heartfelt R&B. The vocals slide effortlessly over the minimalist track and it really is something quite beautiful to listen to. People are starting to throw 'next big thing' remarks around, which can often spell disaster for music acts in their infancy, but 'Cold Skin' is a genuinely great track and expectations are now inevitably high for their next release. If you'd like to know more about them, Gigwise sat them down for a chat recently. Read the interview here.
Valentina - 'Wolves'
Valentina's known to many already, even if they don't realise it. She went on tour with Kindness, and Joe Goddard's version of her track 'Gabriel' has been an enduring favourite on dancefloors in the last few years. 'Wolves' is taken from the forthcoming EP of the same name and is instantly impressive. Initially carried by the tenderness and fragility of her voice, a gently stuttering deep bass and the thud of a simple drum beat make the song more than a simple ballad, carrying it towards the realms of house and IDM while the focus remains on the incrdedible voice.
Iggy Azalea - 'Work'
The third part of the trifector of female rappers that includes Angel Haze and Azealia Banks is Australia's Iggy Azalea, and if we're being honest her debut single 'Work' trumps anything we've heard from her US rivals. Her distinctive double-time lyrical delivery is flawless, in terms of content she's consistently on point and insightful and the music itself could almost stand alone as a piece of instrumental hip hop. Both musically and lyrically 'Work' tops previous tracks 'Pu$$y' and 'My World'.
David Bowie - 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)'
OK, so we knew this one was coming - unlike 'Where Are We Now' - thanks to a Facebook post a few weeks ago, but that doesn't mean people didn't go wild when the track arrived on Monday. While 'Where Are We Now' painted a fragile and wanning picture of an aging rocker, 'The Stars Are Out Tonight)' proves that was a conscious decision on the part of Bowie rather than an inevitable expression of his position in life. Far more boistrous but equally cleverly executed, the track ponders celebrity and the eternal existences they seem to afford. Obviously something that will appeal to Bowie fans, but there's something in this track for people who are new to his music as well. And Tilda Swinton's in the video.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - 'Sacrilege'
The fourth album from YYY, Mosquito, is apparently 'more lo-fi sounding and slightly more inlfuenced by roots reggae' if the band themselves are to be believed. We're not sure how much roots reggae we can hear on new track 'Sacrilege', but the track's fantastic nonetheless. Almost gospel sounding backing vocals lie behind Karen O's voice on a track that's both forceful and a pleasant listen. While the band weren't lying when they said the new record would sound differently to their previous releases, this track is simply a reason to get excited about finding out exactly how different the album will be and in what ways.
MrWize - 'X'
Developments in hip hop seem to be happening anywhere but the UK at the moment with the likes of A$AP Rocky dominating the field. But 19-year-old MrWize is here to remind us that the Brits know where its at when it comes to pushing the genre forward. Having worked with Mykki Blanco and been responsible for visulas for SpaceghostPurp, MrWize's credibility wasn't really in doubt to start with, but this track dispells any doubt that might've remained. Telling the tale of an unhealthy obsession with a past relationship, the track is candid and frank in a way that is rarely seen even in hip hop with the rapper laying out his vulnerability for all to see.
Herve - 'Gold' ft, Maria Minerva
This week Herve brought us the second single taken from his forthcoming new album The Art Of Disappearing. 'Gold', featuring Maria Minerva, is a gentle and understated affair, touching on melancholic at times and featuring a kick drum sound that almost resembles ray gun fire. There's something terrifically mesmeric about this track, a slowly building sorrow that's hard to turn away from, with the featured voice lying perfectly on top of the minimalist track. How much this track is a sampler of what to expect from the album, released March 4, is debatable, but there's an intrinsic beauty and introspection at play here that's more than commendable.
Lea Lea - 'Black Or White'
Lea Lea's first single, 'AK47', showed the singer to be a master of the dramtic and tense when it comes to pop music. 'Black Or White' continues in the same vein, with a video that is, big shock, black and white. Opening with the thud of drums worthy of any number of 80s epics, the introduction of forlorn and aggressive blasts of brass exagerate the tension afford by Lea Lea's voice. It's a voice which is likely to become a distinctive feature in music over the next year or two, and the fact that she's been picked up by boutique label and masters of hidden gems Wah Wah 45s is a good indication that Lea Lea has something a little bit special about her.
Last Night In Paris - 'Breathe'
Brought to you by the same exciting London collective that's nurturing Rainy Milo's youthful talent, Last Night In Paris, 'Breathe' is a remarkably mature and considered song considering the relatively young age of the people involved. In this case the track features the talents of collective members Collard, KC and Taureean Roye, there's a bleak drama to 'Breathe', which charts the difficulties of trying to make a problematic relationship work. At times the lyrical content seems a little rudimentary, but as a song as a whole it's something pretty special.
