New Boots editor Phil Moore takes you through the best new tracks this week.
This Is The Kit ‘This Is What You Did’
Kate Stables and her merry band of collaborators [including New Boots favourite Rozi Plain] preview sixth album with this banjo-and-sax-led alt-pop ditty. Full of energised dread or [dready energy, perhaps] it’s full of multiple ideas and emotional turmoil, and is utterly essential.
Kid Distance ‘Stay’
With all the boundless energy only someone who is 17 years-old can muster, NNer Maisie E. Beckwith has put out NINE singles of 90s-style house bangers so far in 2020. From her bedroom and college she’s building up quite a following amongst the dance fraternity, and with one listen to this you can understand why.
Beach Riot ‘Wrong Impression’
Brighton’s moshy fuzzed-up rockers keep knocking it out the park with each single, and this is no different. The bee-in-a-bottle riff is a instant hook. ‘Wrong Impression’ won’t clean your teeth, but it will make you smile.
Ginger Snaps ‘Attention Seeker’
“Hello hello, I find you all boring/Making things worse, the audience snoring”. The imitable Jay Brook is back to warn us of the dangers of celebrity culture. Working his ‘maximum honesty’ motto with much gusto, this is a Hammond’n’breakbeat hip-pop slammer. “Not everything that glitters is better”, but this is superior to most.
Phantom Isle ‘Mar V’
It’s been heartwarming watching the Northampton/London band pick themselves up from recent heartbreaks and plough on with some sumptuous music. This one is definitely a curveball though; shifting the synth and electronic drums to the forefront for some LCD Soundsystem/Underworld-style kosmiche heft. It’s also bloody brilliant. With an undercurrent of lyrical anxiety, this is probably what Thom Yorke would make if he wasn’t so paranoid and cranky [love you Thom, Welly 4eva].
Dom Major ‘Both Burn Bright’
Babywoman Records artiste and perhaps Manchester’s answer to Neil Young, this latest single goes all in, utilising a full band to give some shimmering lift to his “sad bastard music”. Nice backing vocals from his girlfriend, which gives it some extra rootsy Americana flavour.
Harry Mockett ‘Thinkin About You’
Bedroom pop romp! Vintage synth sounds, great vocal melody…it’s got all the character that make him a quality future star. “Loving me isn’t easy” – not true!
Keiran Smith ‘I Don’t Need To Know’
A Kettering singer-songwriter who had some success with rockers You And What Army, he’s back in the game in 2020. This latest possess an atmospheric and smokey production; his distant-but-sultry vocal and hard hitting bass synth patterns doing the heavy work. Do investigate.
RB Capone ‘Blessed With A Curse’
Ryan Bruce has a Dave-like confessional flow on this harrowing tale of childhood trauma, and indeed all his flavours on debut album Illusive Mindset. Dark, moody beats are the non-intrusive backdrop to these Corby-based tales.
Jimmy & The Moonlights ‘Astro Children’
The home-noodling wonder won’t let it lie. Back so soon with more twisted blues tales, Jordan Noon [Parliaments] is ever-reliable. It’s all done by himself, so he can really let rip with his craft. Nice vocal echo effects, none-more-grunge guitars, and a sweet melody that quietly sparkles.
This Is The Kit photo by Florian Duboé
