Last week, pop emancipator Self Esteem returned with the âBlock Them Editâ for the brilliant âF***ing Wizardryâ off her standout 2021 album, âPrioritise Pleasureâ. The unapologetic confessionalâs update is a welcome reminder of Rebecca Lucy Taylorâs effortless ability to pen modern-day anthems, which has ultimately made her a nominee for next monthâs Mercury Prize awards.
In NMEâs four-star review of âPrioritise Pleasureâ, we were won over by Taylorâs ability to detail âthe fear, uneasiness and anger of being a womanâ, while âmake us laugh at the sheer absurdity of being forced to navigate a world that has, quite unbelievably, normalised misogynyâ.
The âBlock Them Editâ of âF***ing Wizardryâ is our latest addition to the NME Radio A List, in addition to other new tracks including The Nationalâs comeback single with Bon Iver, a highlight off Aitchâs debut album, and new tunes from LĂ„psley, Willow Kayne, Chloe Moriondo and more.
Check out the newest additions to NME Radio 1 and 2 below:
On the A List:
Self Esteem
âF***ing Wizardry – Block Them Editâ
The second track off Self Esteemâs 2021âs dazzling LP âPrioritise Pleasureâ is given a fresh update with the âBlock Them Editâ. Taylor, being ever âcaptivated by the brilliant absurdity of pop musicâ, ensures the track receives the recognition it deserves by making the track even bigger than it already was with bigger vocals, deeper bass, punchier drums.
In true Self Esteem fashion, Taylor ensures that even the biggest party-starter doesnât escape the reach of her own agenda. âItâs a song about trusting and believing in what you already know,â she said of the new edit. âIf it feels like someone is taking the piss, they usually are.â – Eli Ordonez
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the B List:
The National
âWeird Goodbyes (feat. Bon Iver)â
After three busy years of contributing to film soundtracks, featuring on pop megastarsâ albums or providing Grammy-winning production work for them, indie rock luminaries The National have reunited for âWeird Goodbyesâ, their first single since their 2019 full-length âI Am Easy To Findâ, with one Justin Vernon in tow. It seems the band are ready to embrace a new sonic palette: anxious drumming has been switched out for calm electronic beats, and guitar riffage has been swapped for an elegant piano-and-strings arrangement. Nonetheless, Matt Berningerâs signature vocals remain as he ruminates with Vernon on the heartbreaking present: âThe grief it gets me, the weird goodbyes / My car is creepin’, I think it’s dyin’â – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Aitch
âBring It Backâ
Manchester rap phenom Aitch hits hard on âBring It Backâ, off his major label debut LP âClose To Homeâ. Having come a long way from Stormzy co-signs and Ed Sheeran collaborations, the 22-year-old proves he can hold his own perfectly well, as the rapper plays with words like they were toys to jaw-dropping effect: âBig taps, big belly, flip back, I sip Henny / Aim straight, click-clack, kill Kennyâ. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
LĂ„psley
âDial Two Sevenâ
Yorkâs LĂ„psley has released âDial Two Sevenâ, the second preview of her upcoming third full-length release âCautionary Tales of Youthâ. A reference to South Africaâs area code, the singer recounts her time locked down in the country at the height of the pandemic. Over refreshing afrobeat-inspired production, she conveys the excitement of relocating to a new city with understated confidence: âDial two seven in the AM / It’s north to the Cape by the PM / Ride Uber to see him in the East End / It’s sex in the city for the weekendâ. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Willow Kayne
âRat Raceâ
Willow Kayne is caught in an âexistential crisisâ in âRat Raceâ, her third single since releasing debut EP âPlayground Anticsâ. The NME 100 alum ponders her place in societyâs never-ending rat race, her first words confronting the issue head-on: âI donât have a clue what is going on / Where Iâm trying to go, if I need to runâ. Meanwhile, the track toggles between sun-kissed guitars and a claustrophobic beat at breakneck pace, as if to mirror the frenetic pace of modern life. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the C List:
Chloe Moriondo
âFruityâ
Chloe Moriondo has dropped her sugary new single, âFruityâ, the first preview of her upcoming third full-length album âSuckerpunchâ. The track brims with delightful hyperpop-adjacent energy, employing saccharine 2010s pop while exaggerating key aspects of it, from glitchy auto-tune to cutesy lyrical declarations (âSuper cutie, fresh and fruity!â). Ironic or not, âFruityâ is out to get your heart racing. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Röyksopp
âOh, Lover (feat. Susanne SundfĂžr)â
Norwegian electronic veterans Röyksopp have returned with âOh, Loverâ, off the newly-released second instalment of their âProfound Mysteriesâ series of albums. The six-minute slow-burn proves the effectiveness of simplicity; the songâs languid beat is only accompanied by an array of â80s-inspired instrumentation, from a fat arpeggiated bass, to breezy guitars and spare synth flourishes. Singer-songwriter Susanne SundfĂžr also graces the track with haunting vocals to boot.
In NMEâs four-star review, we called âProfound Mysteries IIâ a âsmooth and consistent journey through nostalgiaâ, declaring it and its first instalment âas latter-day career triumphs for Röyksoppâ. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Red Hot Chili Peppers
âTippa My Tongueâ
After shocking the world with the announcement of a new album, âReturn Of The Dream Canteenâ, hot off the heels of Aprilâs âUnlimited Loveâ, LA legends Red Hot Chili Peppers have returned with the albumâs first preview, âTippa My Tongueâ. The track delivers on classic Chili Peppers terms; with Chad Smithâs bouncy yet propulsive beat, Fleaâs indelibly funky basslines, Anthony Kiedisâ loose bars and intermittent riffage from prodigal son John Fruisciante, it is clear that âUnlimited Loveâ was not enough to exhaust the reunited groupâs momentum. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Julia Jacklin
âBe Careful With Yourselfâ
Off her outstanding album âPre Pleasureâ, Julia Jacklin ponders a life of stability with a partner in âBe Careful With Yourselfâ. Against a simple backbeat and jangly guitars, she dispenses line after line of reminders for an unnamed lover, leaving no room for her genuine concern to be misunderstood: âWhen you go driving, would you stick to the limit? / Iâm making plans for my future and I plan on you being in itâ. The song reaches a crushing end as she taps into her existential dread, singing, âOh, from now on, in you I put my trust / Now that I know thereâs nobody coming to save usâ – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
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The post NME Radio Roundup 30 August 2022: Self Esteem, The National & Aitch appeared first on NME.
