Genre-bending alt-pop visionary Rina Sawayama is back with her new album âHold The Girlâ. The LP follows on from her 2020 debut ‘Sawayama’ and features the anthemic track ‘Hurricanes’, which lands on the NME Radio A List this week. âI just wanted to write big songs,â Sawayama recently told NME. âThatâs exactly what I wanted in terms of the skill of a songwriter.â
Joining ‘Hurricanes’ on our playlist this week are the latest dancefloor burners from Jamie xx and Fred Again.., as well as new offerings from SG Lewis, The 1975, Carly Rae Jepsen and more.
Check out the latest additions to NME Radio 1 and 2 below.
On the A List:
Rina Sawayama
âHurricanesâ
Rina Sawayama searches for herself through storm and sunshine in âHurricanesâ. A driving rhythm and palm-muted guitars accompany Sawayamaâs breezy verses before the track explodes into life with its massive chorus, decked with slashing guitars, punchy drums and Sawayamaâs soaring, belted vocals.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the B List:
Jamie xx
âKILL DEMâ
Jamie xx’s banging new track âKILL DEMâ was created, the producer has said, âwith Notting Hill Carnival in mindâ. The xx member pays fitting homage here to the energy of sound system culture with gated vocal samples, booming bass and a bouncy tempo that invites you to set your mind free and surrender to the beat.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Fred Again..
âDanielle (smile on my face)â
Fred Again.. wants you to leave the party smiling with âDanielle (smile on my face)â, the first preview of his upcoming third album âActual Life 3 (January 1 â September 9 2022)â. Adopting a less-is-more approach, the propulsive single aims for maximum impact with a simple formula: a punchy beat and chest-rattling bass dominate the mix, as glossy ambience balances the trackâs jubilant atmosphere with a degree of moody pathos.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
DanDlion
âKnock Knockâ
East London’s DanDlion is feeling stupefied on his cheeky new single, âKnock Knockâ. The singer puts his charm on full display here, as he dedicates stacks of his buttery vocals to flirtatious lyrics about a love interest: âKnock knock at your door / Now I gotta catch my breath âcause you look amazingâ.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
SG Lewis
âVibe Like This’ (feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Lucky Daye)
SG Lewis’ âVibe Like Thisâ, the second preview of his second album âAudioLust & Higher Loveâ, boasts features from R&B fixtures Ty Dolla $ign and Lucky Daye. The retro-tinged track sees the producer combining a light groove with a deep bassline and pristine pianos which wouldnât sound out of place in a â70s disco cut. The trio of vocalists bring their chemistry and unique voices centre stage, assisting each other in the songâs hook with effortless ad-libs and swagger.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the C List:
The 1975
âAll I Need To Hearâ
The latest preview of The 1975’s upcoming fifth LP, âBeing Funny In A Foreign Languageâ, is a ballad that finds the band winding down the energy generated by their recent singles. In place of funky guitars and rhythms, we get a tender serenade that’s guided by a waltzing tempo, a rickety piano and even a swooning string section near its end.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Carly Rae Jepsen
âTalking To Yourselfâ
CRJ’s groovy new single (the third preview of her upcoming album âThe Loneliest Timeâ) features slick production which pairs chorused guitars with a synth-pop beat, highlighting the ever-pristine quality of Jepsenâs voice. The punchy chorus finds her confronting a questionable lover over throbbing bass: âAre you reaching for me making love to someone else? / Do you talk to me when youâre talking to yourself?â
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Dylan
âNothing Lasts Foreverâ
NME Radar favourite Dylan‘s latest preview of her upcoming debut mixtape âThe Greatest Thing Iâll Never Learnâ sees her pushing back against a suitor who picks up the wrong impression (âDonât be so dramatic, come on, get it together / When you gonna figure out that nothing ever lasts forever?â). Dylan has added that ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ is “a perfect representation of who I am as a person â straight to the point, honest and entirely chaotic”.
Listen: Spotify | Apple MusicÂ
These New South Whales
âRotten Sunâ
Australian punks These New South Whales return with âRotten Sunâ, the second single off their upcoming third studio album âTNSWâ. The track sees the comedy-dabbling quartet abandon the laughs for a moment as frontman Jamie Timony contemplates and finds peace in the impermanence of life (âItâs gonna take some time / All good things will die, that will never change / And still the sun will shineâ), while the rest of the band thrash about with a moshpit-friendly energy.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Daniel Avery
âWall Of Sleep’ (feat. HAAi)
Daniel Avery‘s HAAi-featuring âWall Of Sleepâ, the latest preview of his upcoming album âUltra Truthâ, sets dreamy, reverb-drenched synths off against a clattering beat to create an engrossing intensity that’ll leave you breathless.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
The post NME Radio Roundup 26 September 2022: Rina Sawayama, Jamie xx and Fred again.. appeared first on NME.
