The Weeknd has delivered the eponymous track off his upcoming record Kiss Land. After entering this hedonism theme park, Abel Tesfaye so passionately croons away his most daring confessions. Amid various screams, the nearly 8 minute track quickly gains an aggressive path with an unrelenting thump of synth power. Alot of different beat changes on this, so listen closely to the horror.
There comes a song released around May every year that only needs one listen to see how much Summer hit potential it is. This year, LA’s brand new Smallpools have struck gold with their debut single “Dreaming”. This is synth-pop perfection that has massive crossover appeal and should be on every radio station in the country within weeks. Hooks that are instantaneously memorable, a huge bridge of “woah oh oh”, jangly riffs and sprightly synths all spell out the recipe for success on here. A west coast Ghost Beach comes to mind after a few listen. Sure I might hate this in a few months once this gets overplayed everywhere, but in the meantime it will stay stuck in my head.
I had this same feeling last year about Youngblood Hawke’s “We Come Running” and look where they are now. BIG THINGS are coming folks.
Stream and download below.
There’s not many more bands we love with all our heart in this world than Lexy and the Kill, and if you’ve been following HCM for any bit of time, you’ll know this adoration well. So today we are so happy to share the “We Can’t Dance Alone” B-Side, “The Ballad of Love & Hate”. A absolute powerhouse of a tune featuring a gigantic set of riffs, and Lexy’s soaring vocals that would all be appropriate in an arena setting. When her voice gets all raspy near the climax, my heart melts just a little bit. As these two most recent songs from the band show, Lexy and crew are reaching for the stars now with an amount of noise that most venues simply can’t control.
After recently being championed our British Invasions, the innovative trip Benin City debut the first single “Faithless” off their debut record Fires in the Park. The track is a darkly melodic play that uses Joshua Idehen’s Theophilus London-style vocals to spectacular use. Their signature ”electro bass” back play works wonders as the complex soundscape fools with all other emotions. Pretty much taking every gene and making something incredibly unique is what these guys do best, and this is just another demonstration on how good these guys are.
Leeds based Swimming Lessons has crafted a beautiful underwater adventure on new single “Double”. Drowning yet evocative vocals from Ben Lewis light the way over a playful and expansive electronic landscape that feels as hopeful as it is adventurous. A hugely inspirational offering that can offer our dreams a chance at reality. Close your eyes and be ready to ingest all of this sparking magic.
While sadly we still don’t have any word of new The Naked and Famous music on the horizon, the band will release a remixes and B-Sides EP on May 20th. Peaking our interest is this Kids of 88 assisted “A Source of Light” which is a reworking of Passive Me Aggressive You track “The Source”. Yes, this is technically not a new song, but this does just enough to breathe new life into a 3 year old song.
Newly signed to her own Saint Records, Solange gives us a treat in a collab with it-man Kendrick Lamar on a re-working of “Looks Good With Trouble” from last year’s Truth EP. The soulful, bedroom-approved cut has an eerie overlay that is especially noticeable once the Compton rapper starts up. Frequent collaborator Dev Hynes is once again masterfully behind the boards.
Buy the single now.
San Francisco The Dodos are gearing up to release their new record Carrier August 28th on Polyvinyl. After the very sad death of their guitarist Christopher Reimer, a slightly more aggressive sound seems to have been introduced. The pop-aesthetic is still there, but just hiding in the shadows as a more guitar-centered sound is explored. Still a great track though, and it’s wonderful to see this band back in the limelight.
Gorgeously infectious spaghetti western vibes are in abundance on the new track by London’s Men’s Adventures. The pondering of lost cowboys are on display as the sun is just about to hit the ground for the night. Never before has the feeling of giving up felt so exuberant and playful.
Their new Solitary Trip EP will be out June 24th on Dirty Bingo.
The Miami Horror-affiliated Honeymooon have dropped their 2nd single “Sure Stuck”. It a delightfully sinful combination of 70’s pop with a 60’s era psych attitude that works best if you free your mind of any stresses. A pulsating groove that is heard throughout will help us all call for our inner-hippie out on the nearest beach.
An album will be out later this year.
