Here at NME weâre still recovering from the wild weekend that was Reading & Leeds 2021 â and what better way to do that than by reliving some of the standout musical moments of the weekend. After enjoying Blossoms and Sam Fender on the Main Stage, we’ve added their latest offerings to the NMEÂ Radio playlist, alongside the new ones from Self Esteem, Caribou and Miles Kane.
We’ve also added new material from Halsey (crafted with Nine Inch Nailsâ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross), Gorillaz (taken from their surprise EP celebrating Notting Hill Carnival) and Scruffpuppie (released on Phoebe Bridgersâ Saddest Factory Records).
Here are all this weekâs additions to the NME 1 & 2Â playlists:
On the A List
Blossoms
âCare Forâ
Indie-poppers Blossoms channel the Bee Gees and ABBA on their new ’70s-laced track âCare Forâ. The disco-infused melody, funky strings and an atmospheric, vibrant piano riff accompany refreshingly earnest lyrics that make for a modern twist on a retro love song: âItâs all that you care for / Iâm here and this is / Loveâs true devotionâ. – Qistina Bumidin
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Miles Kane
âDonât Let It Get You Downâ
All fuzzy, distorted guitars, warm melodies and funky brass licks, Miles Kaneâs new single âDonât Let It Get You Downâ is a soulful belter. Accompanied by a music video that shows off a swaggering James Bond-styled aesthetic, âDonât Let It Get You Downâ gives listeners an intriguing first taste of Kaneâs upcoming album, âChange The Showâ. – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the B List
Self Esteem
âHow Can I Help Youâ
In this genre-defying, empowering anthem from Rebecca Lucy Taylorâs upcoming second album, âPrioritise Pleasureâ, the pop star criticises the sexism and objectification women face with a fiery clapback of vigorous percussion, gritty vocal chops and tongue-in-cheek lyrics: âWant me eternally youthful, never grow old / Iâll always be wet, always be up for it / Politely sit, but I donât know shit /Do I? I donât know shitâ the NME cover star spits over the cantering drums in a scintillating glimpse of her anticipated next record. – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Sam Fender
âAyeâ
Sam Fender rages at the establishment on âAyeâ, the second track released from his upcoming album âSeventeen Going Underâ. The song takes aim at the polarising nature of politics, and, as Fender explains, âitâs also a rant about my disdain for the greedy tax-dodging billionaires of the world.â With Fender’s powerhouse vocals spun over reverberating guitar riffs, we see him decisively assert: âThey watched the atom bomb reduce two cities to dust / And paint the whole narrative as totally justâ. – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Amber Mark
âForeign Thingsâ
Amber Mark embraces change in the third single ahead of her upcoming debut album. According to the New York-based singer-songwriter, ââForeign Thingsâ is about the excitement of new experiences, the thrill of newness.â This infectious, joyful R&B-influenced track â completed by Markâs stunning, silky vocals â is an upbeat reminder to live life in the moment. – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Gorillaz
âMeanwhileâ ft Jelani Blackman & Barringtone Levy
Gorillaz gave everyone a pleasant surprise when they dropped the âMeanwhileâ EP, a joyous celebration of Notting Hill Carnival, out of the blue last week. West London rap newcomer Jelani Blackman kicks off its title track with compelling verses, his smooth, husky voice a perfect match for the twinkling synths, trippy beats and 2-Dâs nostalgic vocals. – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the C List
Remi Wolf
âQuiet On Setâ
American artist Remi Wolfâs âQuiet on Setâ, the latest glimpse of her anticipated, upcoming debut album âJunoâ, is endlessly good fun. Wolf has described the effervescent cut as âfull on psychoâ, explaining in a statement that itâs a reflection of herself at the time she made it: âoverworked, manic, reckless, and childishâ.
Its idiosyncratic lyrics and wonky, psychedelic music video embody Wolfâs eccentric, yet lovable charm. All kaleidoscopic synths, stomping beats and woozy vocals, it’s an absolute treat. – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Halsey
âI Am Not A Woman, Iâm A Godâ
Halsey’s new single âI Am Not A Woman, Iâm A Godâ, taken from their recently released album âIf I Canât Have Love, I Want Powerâ, is bleak yet anthemic. With sleek, dark synths courtesy of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and Halseyâs anguished vocals, it unfolds with the artistâs poetic reflections on mutating identity, a sense of belonging and emotional emptiness: âI am not a woman, I’m a god/ I am not a martyr, I’m a problem / I am not a legend, I’m a fraudâ. – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Caribou
âYou Can Do Itâ
Caribouâs new single âYou Can Do Itâ is built around deep house synths and dreamy chords, which accompany the cathartic repetition of the songâs titular mantra. The accompanying music video boosts the encouraging vibes with a wholesome montage of furry pups running around and playing frisbee â it’s a satisfying balm for our current unsettling times. – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Efterklang
âDragonflyâ
Efterklang navigate the temporality of love in their new dreamy single, âDragonflyâ. The insect, the Danish indie rock trio say, is a âmetaphor of love, [one] that is difficult to hold in one place, how it cruises around and you never quite know where it is until it lands right in front of youâ. The folksy string plucks, melodic percussion, and the accompanying bohemian music video will sweep you away to a blissful and carefree place. – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Scruffpuppie
âAssignment Songâ
âAssignment Songâ is Scruffpuppieâs honest retelling of personal struggles of addiction. The new signee to Phoebe Bridgersâ Saddest Factory Records shared that the pop-punk single reflects their experiences while in treatment, saying: âThese experiences have been a fuel to the fire of our using, but how when we’re together, we are whole, and safeâ.
Scruffpuppieâs vulnerability, delivered through gritty, distorted vocals, turns âAssignment Songâ into an affirming anthem for the struggling soul: âWe need to know that we can ask for help / so we donât fall again.â – QB
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
The post NME Radio Roundup 31 August 2021: Blossoms, Sam Fender, Self Esteem and more appeared first on NME.
