SO.CO Team
New Music Monday: 25th September 2023
We've got everything this week... spoken word, shoegaze. mellow lo-fi reflections and legit Hollywood A-list... so what are you waiting for? Pour a drink, strap-on those headohones and wrap your ears around the best of this week's new singles.
Big Pharma - Sleaford Mods
By now we all know what to expect from Sleaford Mods. Jason Williamson's schizophrenic monologues over Andrew Fearn's glitched out beats. Yet every time it feels like they break new ground, and Big Pharma is no different. Railing against the 'everyone's opinion is valid' online culture, Williamson's barely contained rage is infectious. It will make you angry, but it needs to.
Phone Machine - HotWax
Hastings alt-rock trio HotWax are everything you want in your new favourite band. They're young, they're loud and whilst they're not quite the finished article just yet, you can see exactly how they might get there. Phone Machine is the latest in a run of superb singles. It's two and a half minutes of irrepressible joy, and I challenge you to only play it once.
Everything At Once - Bleach Lab
There's just something about Bleach Lab that, whilst impossible to pinpoint, is utterly compelling. There's bits of The Cure, The Smiths, Mazzy Star and even the Stone Roses in here, but with an indefinable 'more' that elevates this track over a million indie shoegaze tracks that disappeared into the ether. Everything At Once is a beauty of a track which shows just how good Bleach Lab can be.
The Earth Is A Very Small Dot - Matt Maltese
British-Canadian songwriter Matt Maltese has been making waves for a little while now with his emotionally charged ballads that have more to say than a lot of his contemporaries. The Earth Is A Very Small Dot is reminiscent of some of Eels' better tracks, with a little Arcade Fire thrown in. It's a truly beautiful track.
Rolla Coaster - Idris Elba
I ummed-and-ahhed about including Rolla Coaster this week. There's something that feels 'off' about including a track used in a video-game soundtrack... but it's just too good not to give a mention to. I'd have felt more comfortabel if it were a Young Fathers or Childish Gambino track (which it easily could be) but dammit if it's not catchy as all hell.
Words: Thomas Jackson