New music from caroline, Roscoe Roscoe, Child3, Glasshouse Red Spider Mite, Fib, Beefhart & McQuinn and Goblyns.
caroline and Caroline Polacheck by Henry Redcliffe | Words: Dan Webster, Hazel Blacher, Brad Sked, Sydney Peterson
caroline ft. Caroline Polacheck – 'Tell me I never knew that'
We now find ourselves in the run up to caroline's aptly named second album 'caroline 2', with first single 'Total euphoria' seeing the band play themselves into a sonic supernova. Fans may have been bewildered as to what would be offered up in the wake of this decimation, but if 'Total euphoria' is the sound of a rapturous apocalypse, 'Tell me I never knew that' is the sound of the first new shoots peering above the rubble. The track carries a feeling of fresh lustre, brought to life by tender combinations of acoustic instrumentation and digitally affected vocals. Enlisting the help of Caroline Polachek (ensuring a wholly satisfying collaboration even in namesake), the guest star adds her pristine, unearthly vocals to uncanny refrains.
caroline have become known for their insistent repetitions, whether that be lyrical or instrumental. This time around, the band are anchored and guided by a cycling acoustic guitar phrase, and this foundation is embellished with looping vocal layers, rumbling horns and glistening synths. Drums creep in, almost unnoticed at first, but they quickly find their place amongst the track's restrained cacophony. The instrumentation then dismantles itself, followed by a series of recurring affirmations that, in true caroline fashion, could be read either as soothing or disconcerting: "It always has been/It always will be/It always happens." (Dan Webster)
Roscoe Roscoe – 'Before You Die'
Returning at long last with 'Before You Die', their first single in three years, East London six-piece Roscoe Roscoe draw inspiration from the likes of AIR and Sigur Rós, embodying a cinematic, psychedelic sound that is lulling, dreamy, and patient. The track opens with delicate, hypnotic percussion, and acoustic guitars layer seamlessly with shimmering electric chords that float in like an afterthought. These elements drift gently into an interlude that introduces the bridge and culminates in a swelling climax of chanting vocals, like a thought or epiphany coming into realisation. Ghostly and ethereal, the song feels like the embodiment of a warm summer breeze, underscored by pensive, somewhat haunting lyricism.
Giving both a titular and stylistic nod to Serge Gainsbourg's 'Avant de Mourir', a song from the 1970 film 'Cannabis', Roscoe Roscoe draw elements from the soundtrack's tense, haunting score and transform it into something softer and more hopeful; where Gainsbourg's piece was dense and shadowed, Roscoe Roscoe's floats on a current of surrendering weightlessness. Choosing such a weighty subject matter upon their return to the music world feels like an intentional move. "We felt sonically, the song had a special kind of energy to it, and was a nice place to begin showing people our approach and ideas again,". Perhaps there is irony in choosing a song with 'death' in the title to represent new beginnings and set the foundation for a new chapter. (Sydney Peterson)
Child3 – 'Give It To Me Now'
Heaving and screeching into motion like a gnarled, odious warning siren, Child3's debut single 'Give It To Me Now' jitters with the sort of soul-stirring dissonance that might soundtrack a feverish nightmare, right before it jolts you awake and into a state of wide-eyed, sweaty trepidation. Over the last year or so, the London 4-piece have been brewing in the soupy cauldron of the capital's grassroots live scene with no released music to their name, performing under various aliases (Chad and Child), before settling on newest iteration, Child3, and signing to cult label Permanent Creeps. Drawing stylistic parallels to the guttural, abrasive avant-rock of newer bands like YHWH Nailgun fused with the biting, industrial post-punk of say Model/Actiz or Chalk, 'Give It To Me Now' roars unrelentingly into the existential void with a fresh, unsettling urgency. (Hazel Blacher)
Glasshouse Red Spider Mite – 'Everyone Loves You'
Yet another fresh and compelling offering from the now London-based tastemaker label Memorials of Distinction, Glasshouse Red Spider Mite's 'Everyone Loves You' is a gorgeously tender and inwardly reflective journey through slowcore's most melodic echelons. Serving as both their first release of the year and the introductory single from their freshly announced debut EP 'Everyone Loves You', the track sees the Brighton four-piece lather soapy soft vocal harmonies into a pensive blend of adagio rhythms and understatedly airy guitar melodies, wandering across gentle dynamic inclines before reaching some unspoken catharsis at its final, repeating chorus refrain. (Hazel Blacher)
Fib – 'You Ruined Everything'
Emerging from the rich, salubrious undergrowth of Philadelphia's quietly flourishing music scene, Fib provide a sprightly concoction of jangly, off-kilter indie-rock on their latest single 'You Ruined Everything'. The track's dry production and skittish time signatures give it a warm, toasty crunch, and slathered with all the marmalade sweetness and citrus tang of its subtly dulcet melodies and twangy guitars, the resulting sonic spread is delicious and nourishing enough to leave you craving a hearty second slice. 'You Ruined Everything' is the final single from Fib's upcoming debut album 'Heavy Lifting' due for release on the 25th of April via Julia's War recordings, and given the quirky, characterful punch of their output to date, we'll be marking our calendars for this one. (Hazel Blacher)
Beefheart & McQuinn – 'Hand In Hand'
Hailing from Melbourne, arguably one of the most prolific hotspots for exciting new music right now, Beefheart & McQuinn emerge as the region's latest gloriously folky new outfit. A joint musical venture between William Murray (formerly of indie crooner group FUR) and Winter McQuinn (of Sunfruits and Jade Imagine), the duo have shared their debut outing via Third Eye Stimuli. 'Hand in Hand' is a breezy, sun-tinged psych-folk affair, and with its nostalgic, sixties-inspired stylistic leanings, the track could seamlessly soundtrack a Woodstock documentary, or any stock footage of the Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood during the Summer of Love. 'Hand in Hand' also arrives alongside news of the duo's forthcoming album due in 2026, with further details surrounding its release yet to be revealed. (Brad Sked)
Goblyns – 'Three Sisters'
The exquisitely named Goblyns (seriously, how was the name not already taken?) have returned once again with 'Three Sisters', a fresh, chunky slice of instrumental psych goodness. Moving away from the Thai inspired psych-funk sounds of their debut LP 'Hunki Bobo', here the Amsterdam and Berlin based trio delve into a heady, fuzz-laden elixir of Afro-Psychedelia akin to modern day legends like W.I.T.C.H. There appears to be a wealth of instrumental psych bands these days, taking influence from all corners of the globe, and Goblyns are one of the latest to join the vibrant melting pot of acts emerging within the genre. If you're a fan of the likes of Yin Yin, Los Bitchos, Goat, Kikagaku Moyo and all that great stuff, then Goblyns might turn out to be one of your favourite new bands. (Brad Sked)
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