Best New Tracks Of The Week: August 27th, 2023
This was a very stacked week for new singles and while I do keep the list proper to just five I also want to recommend the new Eartheater song Pure Smile Snake Venom, Stillblue's Wait For Me - Reprise, Bombay Bicycle Club's I Want To be Your Only Pet, and Ichiko Aoba's meringue doll.
5. Victorious - Yung Lean & Bladee
Okay consider me surprised. It's no secret that I'm not the biggest drain gang fan in the whole world but Lean and Bladee really came through with something so soaked in their cute boyish charm that I just can't resist it. Nothing here is necessarily new for them but the gentle vocal performances and icy sonic palette really work for me. Despite the hater allegations, I'm always amused and pleased to see them come through with something great.
4. Moving On - Explosions In The Sky
While I wasn't blown away by the first new single from post-rock greats Explosions In The Sky this one is much more indicative of the group's spectacular potential to emote through music. I love the anthemic compositions which are built around distant rattling drums, patient intimate strings and dynamic eruptions of everything at the same time. It's immensely satisfying.
3. ALL OF MY FRIENDS ARE GOING TO HELL - Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter
Kristin Hayter is most well known for her Lingua Ignota project which absolutely dazzled across her past two albums with expansive and uncompromising neoclassical dark wave. Now she's indulging in new music under her own name after retiring the project and leading it off with an even more direct embrace of her often religious subject matter than ever before. While the narrative heavy warning of her friends' ultimate destination is wrapped up in her whimsical charms I do think the song could use just a bit of variety across its nearly 5 minute runtime.
2. With The Other Hand - Lost Girls
Very few artists keep their fans fed like Jenny Hval. Fresh off a new solo album last year that got better and better every time I heard it she's releasing her second new album of the decade so far with her Lost Girls side project. With this new single the pair combine subtle electronic rumblings with her distinctly sensual yet conscious songwriting. She just doesn't slow down.
1. Lips - Jane Remover
The pivot to the "Jane Remover" project and the release of the spectacular Royal Blue Walls last year absolutely dazzled me and as I result I was thrilled to find out that new material was on the way. The excitement only heightened when she continued to deliver on this stunning piece of noisy synthetic emo. From the crashing drums and rumbling distortion to the sweet vocal refrains that pierce through it all every layer of the track is brushed with poetic detail and subtle texture.
