This week our three guest reviewers take on another five new tracks and give them a spin through the headphones before they then air their opinion on each.
This week's panel: Callum Wright, bassist with Sheffield band SHEAFS; Alex Burgess, publicist with marketing and PR agency, Silverdoor; Holly Carter, lead vocalist with London three-piece BERRIES.
RAAVE TAPES - K BYE
Following recent single ‘2 U xoxo’, the Australian garage-thrash punks unleash this raucous new single that captures the raw energy of the Newcastle, New South Wales trio’s notoriously wild live shows.
Callum Wright: Loud, dark and full of energy. Hard hitting sound to this, laced with grunginess. 3.5/5
Alex Burgess: Grabs you by the scruff of the neck with an interesting riff then smashes you round the head with a wall of noise. I imagine they are phenomenal live. 4/5
Holly Carter: Loving this sound: punk/riot grrrl/indie dance explosion. Raw, in-your-face vocals and fuzzy guitars brimming with energy! Definitely my kind of band - nice! 4/5
Total score: 11.5/15
LOWTIDE - ALIBI
New lo-fi shimmering single
released last Friday (August 4) through Rice Is Nice, from the Australian dreampop shoegazers who head to the UK in September.
CW: Atmospheric and moody
DMA'S-esque instrumental with ethereal vocals. 3/5
AB: Nice dreamy guitar work, needs a few more hooks to pull me in on a personal note, but fits well in the current climate. 3/5
HC: Dreamy, dreamy stuff! Loads of interesting layers building the track with the vocals placed perfectly; some great harmonies dropping in and out with the drums setting a good driving tempo, really effective guitar lines. 4/5
Total score: 10/15
TUNNELVISIONS - GUAVA
Electronic psych-house by Amsterdam-based production duo, Emiel van den Dungen and Raynor de Groot. Taken from a full-length due in November.
CW: Progressive funky little number. Plenty of poolside vibes. This has the potential to be a big beat summer anthem. 3.5
AB: Was into this from the first to last notes, an exercise in how to be interesting, but groovy; made me want to go to a festival in a sunnier land and have one of those nights it takes a few days to recover from. Props to the artwork too. 4/5
HC: This is a really well thought out track. The vocal melody is addictive and the build up with the funky guitar and hand claps draws you in until the very end when you are ramming that repeat button down. With each listen new instruments and layers of the track pop out - loving it! 5/5
Total score: 12/15
FLAWES - BLANK DICE
New single from London via Yorkshire alt-pop three-piece, out via Red Bull Records. The second track from their upcoming EP, following 2016’s ‘CTRL’ and ‘UNSPKN’ EPs.
CW: Great production value; Rnb influence, Drake etc. Catchy sound and definitely radio friendly. 3.5/5
AB: File under 'Topshop background music'. They sound like they wear extremely tight jeans and bomber jackets. Not for me, but I could understand the appeal they obviously know their way around a tune. 2/5
HC: Great dynamics with a big chorus - enjoyed the guitar licks separating the verses and choruses and a lovely tone to the singer's voice; big fan of the intro! Sensing some Bastille influence? 4/5
Total score: 9.5/15
THE EXTONS - GROWN UPS
The King's Lynn quartet who we introduced here last November, follow debut 'I Won't Leave Lonely' with this new melodic, Strokes-esque rocker of power riffs, surging basslines and hammering percussion, released last week (August 4).
CW: Raucous indie rock. Right down or up our street this. The energy is well translated. 5/5
AB: Now this IS indie pop. One part Milburn, two parts The Amazons. Has the impish sense of glamorous indie rock'n'roll, but an underlying sense of self-awareness like Weezer from King's Lynn. 3/5
HC: Great stuff! The instruments complement each other perfectly with some catchy guitar lines, punchy drums, driving bass, awesome melodies travelling with you throughout the track! Channelling some Catfish and the Bottlemen & early Arctic Monkeys - really enjoyed it! 5/5
Total score: 13/15
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