Release Radar: New Tracks This Week
Here’s some of our favourite tracks from this week that you shouldn’t miss.
Yesterday, south-London psychedelic post-rockers ‘Fat White Family’ released their latest single, ‘Bullet of Dignity’. Less broody and glib than their late 2023 release ‘Religion for One’; in doing away with classy Parisian core we are plunged into a filthy arena of dance-terror from the beloved group described fittingly as a ‘drug band with a rock problem’. Singer Lias Saoudi groans of ‘eco-political dread / on a bedroom sized bed’ before a dance break-down punctuated by elated (or troubled?) whinging. The accompanying video captures an attempted blowjob on a saxophonist wearing a harness and has already been banned from Facebook. This comes with news of their 2024 album ‘Forgiveness Is Yours’ out via Domino Recording on 26th April. I make no attempt to predict what will come of this.
State 51’s ‘Bingo Fury’ has been all a-buzz in South-London no-wave circles, and has this week released new single ‘Mr Stark’, detailing the character’s experiences. Sultry sax and titillating piano are interspersed around a constant metronome-like ticking. This song builds upon what’s already been proven by the artists’ current discography; everything cartwheels quietly, frenetically, and in its silence an exciting take on form and style is birthed. Though the ending comes a little too soon, this single proves that Bingo Fury’s up-coming album, ‘Bats Feet For A Window’ out 16th February, is certainly one to watch.
Another State 51 signing, Blue Bendy, have released their first single since October 2023, ‘Come on Baby, Dig!’, alongside announcement of their first album ‘So Medieval’ out on April 12th. The latest single is shorter than most of their unorthodox epics but remains just as genre-elusive and mystifyingly dark, promising more playful innovation evident in highly-praised 2022 EP ‘Motorbike’. The band are more confident than ever; here we have ‘Aphrodite’s boozy trauma’ and ‘death on the other line’ paired with the Peckham-filmed music video by @mjulings starring some immovable weight, a rope, and the six-piece staring on, eyes sunglass-heavy and still brimming with malaise… Plenty of chaotic content for fans new and old to sink their teeth into.
Just when we’re tempted to shelve the ‘anxiety rock’ of London band Squid for self-preservation purposes through this dull, grey January, and delete obsessive videos from their excellent 2023 tour to save phone storage, the band are back with a surprise single ‘Fugue (Bin Song)’. It’s excellent, exploding in the middle into a euphoric thrashing, and closing again with a self-assured pace. Squid here prove themselves always relevant, instantly recognisable, and forever innovative. The single art by Oscar Torrans is funky and fresh too.
Last week, Brighton four-piece ‘Lime Garden’ released ‘Mother’ from their upcoming album ‘One More Thing’ out 16th February by So Young Records. It details the levelling of mother-daughter relationships that comes with clarity in adolescence and is refreshingly honest, making for an instantly relatable and replayable track. It’s simply a joy to listen to – too far into dry Jan and it might bring a tear or two.