A showcase of some of the best new music releases from the past week.
James Blake – The Colour In Anything
The themes on James Blake’s ultra-sincere new album, The Colour In Anything, are apparent from the get-go. "I can’t believe this, you don’t wanna see me / I’m sorry I don’t know how you feel,” he sings on opener Radio Silence. The explicit feeling of defeat makes for a melancholic listen, especially with the backdrop of chilly, downcast and numbing production. That’s not always a bad thing, though.
LEISURE feat. GoldLink – Nobody
The lush and breezy new single from Auckland outfit LEISURE comes with a special guest feature from GoldLink, the Washington DC rapper who gave New Zealand fans an underwhelming but hyper energetic performance at Laneway earlier this year. Coincidentally, it was his trip down our way which saw him hook up with LEISURE on the collaboration. Light some candles and press play.
Skepta – Konnichiwa
After a lengthy build-up, Skepta’s new album Konnichiwa has finally arrived. It’s his most consistent full length yet, though the downside is that the hardest hitting singles – That’s Not Me, It Ain’t Safe, Shutdown – will be nothing new to fans. Still, there’s enough moments that make up for it Try the persistent early highlight Corn On The Curb or its disorderly follow-up Crime Riddim to start with. You won’t find many misses, either way.
Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
Radiohead’s nervy new album A Moon Shaped Pool came just days after first single Burn The Witch showcased a paranoid and claustrophobic approach from the seasoned rock vets. The full length, which sees the tracklisting delivered in alphabetical order, reveals that those expectations weren’t unfounded; the record feels dark, moody and, at times, devastating. But dig around and you’ll find that a few reassuring moments, like mid-album highlight The Numbers, help to ease the apprehension.
Spycc feat. David Dallas - Ain’t A Phase
In anticipation of SWIDT vs Everybody, which is out this Friday, Ain’t No Phase sees Spycc team up with David Dallas for the latest drop from the album. The Onehunga rapper touches on the sacrifices needed to fulfill expectations while Dallas weaves together a verse which name checks the artists that have impacted the music of his own. Coincidentally, and in case you missed it, Spycc himself did something similar for us just the other day.
Kaytranada - 99.9%
99.9%, the latest album from Montreal producer Kaytranada, comes loaded with guest appearances from the likes of Vic Mensa, Syd Tha Kid, Anderson .Paak and Craig David. The versatile electronic producer is on his way back to New Zealand this October, so we suggest you take a moment to get familiar.