| The week's essential new singles, also including MLEKO, untitled freak, First Day of Spring, Iguana Death Cult, Lugnut and GUM. | | Prostitute by Steve Gullick | Words: Hazel Blacher, A. L. Noonan, Marty Hill, Alfie Sansom and Brad Sked | | | Prostitute – 'Judge (Fast)' | | A searing, festering eruption of scuzzy, untethered noise rock, Prostitute's new single 'Judge (Fast)' is an intoxicating insurrection of gritty, visceral adrenaline. One of the most thrilling new bands set to grace the hallowed UK live circuit – with last year's ferocious Windmill debut stirring up a frenzy of awe amongst the capital's most devoted mosh pit veterans – the five-piece's comprehensively sold out tour this spring is sure to be one of the hottest tickets going when the time rolls around. Hailing from Dearborn, Michigan, a town with the largest proportional Muslim population in the US, Prostitute's singular, uncompromising voice is a vital crusade against the mounting xenophobia that is plaguing our world. Frontman Moe elaborates: "I had an identity crisis, growing up, 9/11 started a lot of xenophobia and Arab hatred and all that kind of shit. I hated being Arabic. I hated Arabs in general, just because people were hating me. Through much of my 20s I felt like, 'How about I be the character you want me to be?". Challenging these religious stereotypes, drummer and founding member Andrew took that crisis and, explains Moe, "ran with it, and made the philosophy behind it, this 'radical terrorism', this crazed zealot thing." (Hazel Blacher) | | casual smart – 'she's my love' | | Sincerity is a complicated expression, not just for its openness and honesty but its susceptibility to be ripped apart and ridiculed from the outside. While the irony-sodden days of the 80s and 90s are behind us and a new embrace of sincerity is more present, the more insipid and solipsistic tides of the internet can be treacherous waters for earnestness and vulnerability. On 'she's my love', Cardiff's casual smart brave these waves and deliver a heartfelt, tender and wholly confessional declaration of love – irony be damned. Blending the twee bounce of early Belle and Sebastian with the brighter work of Black Country, New Road, 'she's my love' will melt even the coldest of hearts. Forged from spindly guitars and declarative piano chords while swooning sax lines dance between the vocals, 'she's my love' is as delicate as it is innocently sweet. With this mighty return to form, casual smart champion the day-to-day affections that make up love, eschewing the grand gestures for the small, intimate and real moments that bring two people together. (A. L. Noonan) | | It's easy to forget that Manchester seven-piece MLEKO had released just one song before this new single. They signed to the excellent Heist or Hit (home to Westside Cowboy, Her's), sold out shows at home, generated some real word-of-mouth buzz from plenty of shows in the capital, and are set to share the stage with the likes of Ty Segall and Stereolab later this year. They're a busy bunch, and if this latest one is anything to go by, they're wise to put so much effort into sharing their work. Dissonant guitar and brass motifs exchange blows across the Windmill-ian architecture of 'Tom's Tune', whilst frontman Ed Whirledge's narration strikes a balance between all-out despair and knowing meta quips. It sounds like it could fall apart at any second, shifting through textures of folk-tinged rock before snapping violently into the kind of brass-led dissonance that marked Black Country, New Road as so clearly destined for greatness when their early work first surfaced. It's another striking release by one of the most exciting new bands in the country. (Marty Hill) | | untitled freak – 'insincerity' | | A solo project can be an opportunity for a musician to break away from their band's sound, exploring emotions on their own terms away from the melting pot of collaborative decision-making. For Ali Genevich, this means shifting away from her band Laveda's dream pop sound and leaning instead towards ruminative slowcore. The latest preview from untitled freak's debut EP '7 circles', 'insincerity', is a frustrated rumination, building an uneasiness that grows with every unsteady drumbeat and bass note. Genevich's vocals, often slipping into barely audible whispers, are like a maddened soliloquy overheard – one you were never meant to hear. The song culminates in a staggering excess of noise, with its mantra "I wish I could go real fast / I wish I could make it last" sinking into the sludge of guitars, fading in grim defeat. (Alfie Sansom) | | First Day of Spring – 'THE RIVIERA (MODERN NATURE)' | | In the face of the seemingly never-ending anxiety mill of depressing news, the world can feel like a very gloomy place. London party starters First Day of Spring pay no mind to this, leading us on a crusade of joy to counter the looming quotidian spectre of hopelessness. Following on from their previous psychedelic-disco delight 'PARTYZEIT!', new single 'THE RIVIERA (MODERN NATURE)' is a vitamin D-laced dose of balmy, shimmering psych-pop effervescence. Fantastic stuff again from the exciting new outfit. First Day of Spring will be celebrating their new release this Sunday at East London's Sebright Arms, supporting fellow psychonauts LIPWORMS and Michael Georgian. (Brad Sked) | | Iguana Death Cult – 'I Like It, It's Nice' | | Rotterdam rockers Iguana Death Cult have eschewed their funky art rock sound for something simpler on their upcoming album, 'Guns Out', due for release in April via NY indie Greenway Records. Their new single 'I Like It, It's Nice' is crafted with just a few powerful elements: garage rock, a two–note bassline, and a five–word phrase that rumbles from frontman Jeroen Reek's larynx like a JCB over empty crisp packets. The percussion that pops up throughout the song (a cowbell here, a güiro there) adds a groove to the song that's broken up by a Hives–esque chorus, keeping the song from erring on the wrong side of the catchy/grating divide. It may be some positive reinforcement trickery, but I cannot help enjoying 'I Like It, It's Nice'. It's certainly a far better manipulation than that of my last release, 'I Don't Mind It, It's Alright', which was met with lukewarm reviews. (Alfie Sansom) | | New cosmic outfit, the excellently named Lugnut, have shared their self-released and humorously titled new single 'Fish Man' this week. Revelling in eccentricity across this 4-minute marvel, 'Fish Man' is a mind-boggling maniacal frenzy, melding 60's psychedelia with elements of free wielding acid-jazz and experimental art-rock. With a sound akin to Ugly – that is, Ugly, but if somebody also then threw a box of shaken, angry hornets into the room (important disclaimer: nobody ever do this…), 'Fish Man' is frenetic and bonkers in the absolute best way. An interesting new act for sure. For those intrigued, Lugnut are set to appear at Paper Dress Vintage on 19th February. (Brad Sked) | | Australian cosmonaut GUM – the moniker of Jay Watson, also of Pond and Tame Impala – has returned with 'Celluloid', a fresh, psychoactive chalice of psych-pop goodness. Released via King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard's own p(doom) records – which in itself is a collaboration of true psychedelic royalty – 'Celluloid' coalesces the mammoth, mind-bending psychedelic-pop Watson is best known for with sprinkles of acid-jazz, before morphing into a space-rock, riff-riot shuttle ride. Making for a neon-laced fantasy voyage through sci-fi city landscapes set against a dusky twilight glow, 'Celluloid' is an otherworldly stunner from one of the most important names in modern psychedelia today. (Brad Sked) | | | | |
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