Griff – ‘Vertigo‘
As many women can attest, a chronic ailment of the female condition is often the belief that you can change a man simply by loving them hard enough. On comeback single ‘Vertigo’, this is exactly the concern that Griff is trying to shake off, building exponentially on her debut by digging into more sophisticated forms of production. Managing to simultaneously channel the metronomic synths of ‘Heartbeats’-era The Knife, the TikTok friendliness of Mimi Webb, and the intimate vocal delivery of a storytelling Taylor Swift, the crowning jewel of it all is that call and response chorus, coolly defeated in the face of a partner who seems too afraid to commit: “You’re scared of love/well aren’t we all?”
Red Velvet – ‘iScreaM Vol.25 : 빨간 맛 (Red Flavor) Remix’
Never want summer to end? Enter the iScreaM project by K-Pop leaders SM Entertainment, based upon global producers remixing classics by some of the biggest acts in the game. Mar Vista’s take on Red Velvet’s ‘Red Flavor’ is a certified stomper, hyping up an already peppy song to fist-pumping proportions of EDM.
Mannequin Pussy – ‘I Got Heaven’
The first taste of a new era, Mannequin Pussy are determined to push things to the edge, cavorting in open fields and inviting Jesus to feast upon their personal pleasure dome. Softening out into a sweeter chorus, it’s the perfect blend of Riot Grrrl divinity and angst, promising exciting things to come.
Haiku Hands – ‘Feels So Good’
The Aussie Matilda’s bid for World Cup dominance may have stumbled at the final hurdle last month, but there is something about Haiku Hand’s ‘Feels So Good’ that still feels as if it was made for a triumphant FIFA soundtrack, conjuring up images of sporting jubilation and camaraderie. Maybe it’s the bolshy Madchester drums or the spirited chant of the pre-chorus (“break the windows! shake the shackles!“), but we’re ready to play some serious ball.
Benét – ‘No Alarm‘
Cutting an easy-going path between indie and pop, Benét is making light work of his debut album with ‘No Alarm’. Cooly pondering a bed that is ‘messy, like my mind’, it’s a solid, relatable and un-demanding bop, the perfect main character accompaniment to a morning of elegantly romanticised coffee and chores.
Lots more on this week’s BRAND NEW playlist. Give it a spin.
