SO.CO Team
New Music Monday: 5th February 2024
As we enter February, the UK music scene has kicked into gear again. We've some absolute bangers this week, which promise big things for new albums coming in the next month of so. So pop the headphones on, kick back, and enjoy.
The Feminine Urge - The Last Dinner Party
It's hard to even turn on the radio in the UK right now without hearing The Last Dinner Party, but there's good reason for that. Their debut album, Prelude To Ecstacy, has been preceded by a slew of superb singles, of which The Feminine Urge is the latest. The jury's out on whether they'll build on what they've done so far, but for now, they're producing some of the most interesting pop music in Europe, and it's hard not to root for them.
Willow - Bombay Bicycle Club (ft Lucy Rose)
Talking of interesting pop music, Bombay Bicycle Club have had that nailed down for years. Easily the most underrated band in the UK for a long while now, they have (along with the wonderful Lucy Rose) delivered yet another suberb track that will unfortunately fly right under the radar. Fans of Paul Simon's Graceland should sit up and take note.
The White Cliffs Of Dover - Florence + The Machine
If the upcoming Netflix series, The New Look, has nothing else, it will have a killer soundtrack. Jack Antonoff has gathered a superb cast of musicians, including The 1975, Lana Del Rey, and Nick Cave. The first drop, though, is Florence's cover of the Vera Lynn classic, The White Cliffs Of Dover. It doesn't stray too far from the wartime anthem, but it's a thing of beauty, and Florence delivers it wonderfully.
Tonight In Belfast - Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen & Mike Garry
So this one's a little bit complex. Orbital dropped Belfast back in 1991, and it was an absolute banger then. This version is based on the superb David Holmes remix of that track, but again reworked by DJ Helen, and featuring a new spoken word overdub by Manchester street-poet Mike Garry. Just hit the big red play button above. It's a thing of beauty.
The End Of The Contender - Everything Everything
Regular readers of this columm will know that we're big fans of Everything Everything here at SO.CO. A month out from the release of their concept album, Mountainhead, they've dropped another stunner in The End Of The Contender. With every release from the album it becomes clearer that the album is concerned with device addiction and the 21st century focus on online infamy. The End Of The Contender is inspired by the infamous 'Ronnie Pickering' viral video, and picks at that particular thread of needing to feel important whilst contending with actually being ineffectual. As ever, it's a delight.
Words: Thomas Jackson
Header Image: Everything Everything by Thomas Jackson