The Last Dinner Party – ‘On Your Side‘
In attempting to match up to the buzz of their live reputation, a lot of pressure has been placed on the ruffled shoulders of The Last Dinner Party, splitting opinion right down the middle as to whether they’ve been hyped too far, too fast. Thankfully, fourth single ‘On Your Side’ is another chunky piece of evidence in the dossier of their intrigue, proffering a swooning, candlesticks-in-the-air chorus about doing whatever it takes to be there for a lover in their hour of need. The celestially theatrical and feminine comparisons to Florence & The Machine and Kate Bush are well established at this point, but there’s a healthy dose of Coldplay’s ‘Trouble’ and Imagine Dragons ‘Demons’ at play too, revealing the scale of their stadium pop ambition.
Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Cobra‘
Her first solo cut since breaking ties with 1501 Entertainment, ‘Cobra’ sees Megan Thee Stallion embracing her independence, spitting truth to power as she sheds painful past skins. As with her most affecting work, her flow is both furious and vulnerable, calling out those who have not supported her without a stutter: “Every night I cried, I almost died/And nobody close tried to stop me/Long as everybody gettin’ paid, right?” Wherever she goes from here is entirely her own making, and this rock-infused beat feels like a very exciting place for her to be.
Scene Queen – ‘MILF‘
In determinedly proving that women belong in rock music even when they decide to wear pink, ‘metal MILF’ Scene Queen is not exactly unaccustomed to a ruffled feather or two. This time, she’s adding country into the mix, booty-scooting her way around a WAP-worthy ode to buttered muffins and sexy two-steps. It’s filthy, jarring and slightly bonkers, but when an artist is this knowingly silly, it’s pretty difficult to resist the urge to join in.
Leilah – ‘Stop Hurting My Feelings‘
Having worked with the likes of NAO, SBTRKT and Mura Masa, London songwriter Leilah has found smart ways to subtly evolve her sound, producing soulful stories that carry the warmth and familiarity of a voicenote from an old friend. On ‘Stop Hurting My Feelings’, an understatedly funky bassline lightens her emotional load, looking for hope in a faltering relationship: “Somehow I know it’s worth it/ even if I don’t deserve it.”
Lost Lyra – ‘Pastel Colours‘
Pitching spoken word against the kind of dreamy guitar ambience which will appeal to fans of The Orielles, Rozi Plain and Khruangbin, newcomers Lost Lyra paint in the same hues of their song title, wistfully trailing through pools of bobbing and baiting melody. Their musical destination isn’t obvious, but the band seem to know that their pleasure is in the sense of escape: “Pleasant, unremarkable/The edges of the world around him/Melt into the ground.”
These and more on this week’s updated BRAND NEW playlist.
