TWICE – ‘Set Me Free’
The lead single from TWICE’s new mini-album ‘Ready To Be’ might just be one of their best releases yet. ‘Set Me Free’ is driven by a squelchy bassline in the verses that lifts into a disco-tinged chorus punctuated by staccato strings. Over the top of it all, the powerhouse K-pop girl group celebrate the liberating force of a special someone – but without taking control away from themselves. “I want it all and I ain’t ever gonna settle / Even if all of this is just a fantasy,” Jihyo asserts in the opening lines of this addictive banger.
Caroline Rose – ‘Tell Me What You Want’
‘Tell Me What You Want’, the latest single from Long Island indie star begins softly, capturing the end of a relationship in tender sounds and feelings. As it progresses though – and with each new barbed lyric Rose deploys – it loops and spikes through rushes of energy, fuelled by desperation, sorrow and guilt. It’s a thrilling ride that threatens to burn out, but instead fades away – gently disappearing from view as its creator repeats the mantra: “I’m becoming someone else.”
Tommy Lefroy – ‘Slick’
“Tell me I should try / Learn how to rage before I die,” Tommy Lefroy almost whisper in the middle of ‘Slick’, one of two new singles from their latest EP ‘Rivals’. Hushed and restrained – much like the rest of the track – it’s a compelling command that’s made even more so by the pair’s beautiful harmonies. The near-total stillness of ‘Slick’ is a masterclass in how to reel your listeners in, making you feel like you need to be inches away from your speaker to catch every drop of its magic.
- Read an interview with Tommy Lefroy
ARXX – ‘God Knows’
Brighton duo ARXX might have first got attention for their rollicking garage-rock but, on their upcoming debut album ‘Ride Or Die’, they’re dipping into new territory. Their latest single ‘God Knows’ is a perfect example, taking the pair into polished, noirish pop. Laced with auto-tune, they explore feelings of tension in a relationship through cold, metallic layers of electronics, crystallising sadness and despair in each line.
Nia Archives – ‘Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall’
Rising queen of the jungle scene Nia Archives has made her mark with big beats and inventive productions and, on her third EP, she levels up that creative spirit once again. ‘Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall’, the title track from the record, marries hurried rhythms typical of the genre with something more mellow and melancholy – graceful piano melodies that weave in and out of them, keeping things grounded every time the beats threaten to rocket away.
Listen to these and more new tracks on this week’s playlist
