New Boots editor Phil Moore takes you through the best new tracks this week.
Kinetik ‘Don’t Act Like’
Northants DJ and DnB producer has been building up his arsenal behind the scene, now dropping sizzler number three. It take no prisoners as it sits up in your ears from second one, this collaboration with Dispute is as fierce as they come, mixing in grime elements to the old skool DnB flavours. His delivery is faster than a coyote, and he’s shaping a bright post-lockdown future right here.
Krankhead ‘Cut Throat’
Steelpans dominate this short cut; two minutes of low-riding hip-hop courtesy of Northampton duo Patchy The Rockstar and Mio Flux. “I’m a certified baller” shouts the former. And who are we to argue? Once you get over the oddness of the backing track, this is actually another absolute classic from these cats. Talent Unlimited right here.
Great Adamz ‘Hold Me Down’
Leaving the afro-pop at the door for a change, this is a minor-key singer-songwriter piano ballad in the most traditional sense. It is still dominated by the huge voice and personality of its ShoeTown author, and it is really is a lovely, moving thing. Check out the video too, he always produces mini-epics, shot in his ends [and this one has snow in it, for extra coolness points].
Beneath Flowers ‘I’ll Meet You’
This is not a time for rock music. The pandemic has been a boon for bedroom pop and urban music, but drummers and guitarists have struggled to do their thing. So these Bedfordshire alt-rockers with metal-esque screamo vocal moments are a welcome momentary return to Da Rok, and this is a particularly intense intro track to a three-track EP which really hit home with me.
REMIEWORLD featuring Vince Law ‘Pitchforks’
Two of the best of the new breed rappers from the NN come together to create something quite amazing. My favourite song off Remie’s second EP ‘Born Six Feet’, he’s without question got personality to spare; his lyrics always worth cocking an ear for. I mean, there’s not enough songs referencing the A45, is there? ‘Pitchforks’ is a song about the haters inevitably, and Law is concerned that “the devil keeps ringing”. Turn this up ONE LOUDER.
Marieke Vink ‘Until Then’
Having waited so long to finally record her songs, it’s enlightening to see the Danish singer-songwriter put out her second so quickly after the first. This is less than two minutes in length, but within it gently fits in a lush tale of love, loss, and redemption. Her music is as scenic and vast as the Welsh valleys she’s now moved closer to, so everything works out in the end I reckon.
Kira-Jade ‘The Thing About Us’
A first appearance on the playlist for this Northants singer-songwriter. There’s a demo-like innocence/natural naivety to this one, which just adds to the overall charm of this song, which is dominated by Kira-Jade’s surreally good voice. At just 19 there’s still plenty to come, and you can be sure to read about it here.
Jon Martin ‘Long Time Coming’
“Come and spend some quality time with me”. If you insist, sir. The last time we spoke to Jon he was rather wonderfully soft-rocking it up in late 2018 with the trio Counterpart. Now he’s unleashed his debut solo album that he hinted at over the past few years. And it’s brilliant, naturellement. He’s calling it ‘Yacht Rock’, which it very much is. It’s obviously forever 1976 in his mind, and that’s no bad thing when what comes out of it is tracks like this radio-friendly poppy goodness. Gigs next, pretty please.
DJ O.P.1 ‘Fotheringhay’
When we interviewed Robin back last September about his first recorded output he wasn’t on the streaming services. Now this week he finally is, and so we have an opportunity to shout about his new album since that interview, 2021’s Silhouettes & Runways. It’s seriously good cut and paste beats music, samples flying everywhere in glorious harmony. We chose this chilled track simply for the local repping title.
Foreign Age ‘La La La [It’s Okay]’
New project time. Macca-esque bedroom recorded pop-rock from Kettering legend-in-his-lunchtime Max Mclean [The Abrahams, Miyagi Car Wash, Kenneth J Nash]. “I guess it’s only rock’n’roll” he sings, falsely. It is a lovely layered piece of harmonic escapism to get you in the summer mood.
