Last week the indomitable Arctic Monkeys released âThereâd Better Be A Mirrorballâ, their first single since 2018 full-length âTranquility Hotel Base & Casinoâ. The release â given the five-star treatment here at NME â arrives hot on the heels of their momentous third headlining performance at Reading & Leeds, following a string of shows around Europe.
The elegant slow-burner is also our first preview of the groupâs seventh studio album, âThe Carâ. Alongside the yet-unreleased âI Ainât Quite Where I Think I Amâ (which theyâve been road testing in recent shows), âThereâd Better Be A Mirrorballâ gives us an intriguing look into the next era of the bandâs sonic explorations.
âThereâd Better Be A Mirrorballâ is our latest addition to the NME Radio A List, alongside other new tracks including Gorillazâ collaboration with Tame Impala and Bootie Brown, a standout track from KhakiKidâs new EP, and the latest jams from I.JORDAN, Crawlers, Special Interest, and more.
Check out the newest additions to NME Radio 1 and 2 below:
On the A List:
Arctic Monkeys
âThereâd Better Be A Mirrorballâ
Arctic Monkeys make their grand return to the spotlight with âThereâd Better Be A Mirrorballâ. Following the experimentation of their last studio album, the newly released track finds them not only choosing to double down on their inclination towards slower tempos and lusher instrumentation, but also further refining the sonic formula of âTranquility Baseâ.
Against jazzy drums, Alex Turner croons about the demise of an intimate connection (âSo if you wanna walk me to the car / You oughta know Iâll have a heavy heartâ). This romantic mood is elevated to cinematic heights by sweeping strings which take over the final quarter of the song. In NMEâs five-star review, we hailed the track âthe sound of a band with the headlights on full beam, following their muse to a destination only they can knowâ. – Eli Ordonez
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Gorillaz
âNew Gold ft. Tame Impala and Bootie Brownâ
Gorillaz singles can themselves serve as blockbuster events considering their knack for assembling unlikely collaborations with some of musicâs biggest names. âNew Goldâ, the latest preview of their upcoming full-length album âCracker Islandâ, certainly delivers on that front, bringing Tame Impalaâs Kevin Parker and Bootie Brown along for the ride.
The funky disco track turns up the bass with a punchy rhythm section, holding it down for its esteemed guests, as Parkerâs vocals float along its hypnotic refrain, and Brown delivers some of the quirkiest rhymes youâll hear in a while (âLiposuctionâs scheduled for granny / She want to save some, add to her nanny girlsâ tripâ). – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
KhakiKid
âBabybrownâ
Dublin hip-hop newcomer KhakiKid has released groovy new track âBabybrownâ, off his latest EP âElevator Musicâ. The bouncy number features the rapper spitting witty lines with a buttery flow and effortless finesse (âDon’t call my phone man I literally don’t pick it up / Get off that shit bro, you really do not live enoughâ) over a slick, jazzy instrumental. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the B List:
I. JORDAN
âHey Babyâ
English house producer I. JORDAN has returned with hard-hitting new track âHey Babyâ, one half of a new double A-side they released with âI Had The Best of Timesâ. Swapping out their usual euphoric house formula for a lean techno palette, âHey Babyâ has the producer stripping dance music to its bare essentials: a propulsive kick drum, rigid hi-hats, and an acidic bassline sure to bring any raver to euphoric heights. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Crawlers
âI Donât Want Itâ
Merseyside alt-rockers Crawlers have released their ferocious new single âI Donât Want Itâ, off their upcoming debut mixtape âLoud Without Noiseâ. Serrated guitars bash away as Holly Minto delivers searing lines that âencompass what it is like to be growing up in the current state of societyâ, honestly tackling body image (âWould you start to love me if I tried to lose a little weight? / I just want your attention ’til the very next dayâ) and the crippling humdrum of adulthood (âCry when we turn twenty-one / ‘Cause life is over, not begunâ). – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Special Interest
âMidnight Legendâ
New Orleans dance-punks Special Interest have released âMidnight Legendâ, the second preview of their upcoming full-length debut âEndureâ. The track showcases the bandâs skill for fusing dance sounds with punk grit. Guitar feedback wails in the background while a post-punk bassline bludgeons away over a chilled-out house beat. Vocalist Ali Logoutâs soulful-yet-commanding vocal delivery serves as the cherry on top of their unique sonic mix, imbuing the track with irresistible charisma. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
KYE
âBossinââ
Melbourne-based R&B newcomer KYE represents her background at the club with her new single, âBossinââ. Singing in both English and Shona (from her native Zimbabwe), she unabashedly declares herself the life of the party: âI be spendinâ it often / Donât care what itâs costinâ / Anywhere that I walk in, thereâs space for me, no problemâ. The delightfully nostalgic garage beat is also guaranteed to take any partygoer back to the glorious â90s. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the C List:
Rina Sawayama
âPhantomâ
Rina Sawayama returns with âPhantomâ, the latest preview of her upcoming album âHold The Girlâ. The cut â with its swinging time signature, acoustic guitars and soaring melodies â is reminiscent of the best 2000s pop balladry, complete with a blazing guitar solo. As per prior singles, the track finds Sawayama demonstrating disarming vulnerability as she confronts the inner child sheâs lost trying to please a big and insatiable world: âI don’t want to do this without you / I don’t want to do this if you’re just a ghost in the night / I tried everything to fill up the void that you left me withâ. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
TSHA
âDancing In The Shadows ft. Clementine Douglasâ
TSHA brings us another dance banger with her latest single, âDancing In The Shadowsâ, the third preview of her upcoming Ninja Tune release âCapricorn Sunâ. The effervescent track sees the London producer running the gamut of UK dance, incorporating elements of garage to acid house, all the while imbuing the mixture with an uplifting energy by way of sweeping strings and anthemic chords. Clementine Douglasâ dreamy vocals grace the track with lyrics about euphoric surrender to the dancefloor: âIâm moving in the dark again / For your love I will endeavourâ. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Headie One
âIllegalâ
Tottenham rapper Headie One returns with stellar new tune âIllegalâ. On the track, the drill star continues his streak of hard-hitters, delivering relentless rhymes that recount his past days of hard living before bragging about present successes (âMe, I’m just lookin’ at this top floor penthouse / Wrist so wet, it’s lookin’ like a sea viewâ). The M1OnTheBeat-headed production ensures Headieâs bars hit with maximum impact, underpinning his delivery with heavy bass and slick hi-hats. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Alaskalaska
âTV Dinnersâ
English art-pop collective Alaskalaska take us on an aural voyage on âTV Dinnersâ, the third preview of their upcoming second album, âStill Lifeâ. The track builds upon a minimal foundation of a motorik beat and a synth bassline, before slowly introducing more elements which lighten the mood, including glistening synthesisers and delicate acoustic guitars. The trackâs refrain finds Lucinda Duarte-Holman hypnotically repeating the lyrics, âAnother TV Dinner is nothing newâ, reflecting the monotony of a quiet, simple life. – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Chet Faker
âIt Could Be Niceâ
Australian singer-songwriter Chet Faker has released âIt Could Be Niceâ â a track originally released as an Amazon Music exclusive â on all platforms. The seductive tune delivers much of what weâve come to love of the downtempo veteranâs music: moody chords, brooding bass, and Nick Murphyâs fragile vocal delivery wafting through the mix. The songâs refrain finds the singer showcasing his soaring falsetto as he sings, âIt could be nice / Wouldnât you say?â – EO
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
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The post NME Radio Roundup 5 September 2022: Arctic Monkeys, Gorillaz & KhakiKid appeared first on NME.
