Låpsley
Womxn
Four years ago, the then-19-year-old emo-synth singer Holly Lapsley released a debut album that was a) Really quite incredible (yay!), and b) Largely ignored (boo!). Thankfully, she didn’t decide to sack it all off, and her second album campaign kicks off with this undulating, thumping doom-pop battle cry. Happily, it also includes the straight-up greatest sound of the 1980s – a Tango in the Night-era Fleetwood Mac faux-woodwind toot.
Gorillaz ft Slowthai and Slaves
Momentary Bliss
Damon Albarn has spent the past 30 years pretending he is an ancillary member of Madness, so the ska-funk shuffle of Momentary Bliss should come as no surprise. A proper boys-going-down-the-dogs-and-sinking-loads-of-pints knees-up, it features guest oi’s from Slaves (lads!) and Slowthai (lad!) and runs a very real risk of spinning for eternity on the jukebox of Camden Town’s Good Mixer.
Julia Bardo
I Wanna Feel Love
Born in Italy but based in Manchester, there is a deep 1960s Europop energy to Julia Bardo, who, had she been born 50 years ago, would no doubt be constantly turning down offers of a breathy collaboration with Serge Gainsbourg. Sure, I Wanna Feel Love doesn’t really go anywhere, but neither will you after you joyfully put this on after skipping back from Aldi with a wicker basket full of cheap bottles of Chianti.
Caribou
Never Come Back
Finally, after what seemed like maybe 13 days longer than usual, the eternal January has come to an end. And what better way to celebrate the finish of the draggiest of all months than with one of Caribou’s slinky dancefloor destroyers. Plinky piano house shuffles up against actually quite depressing lyrics – so what, though? January is over! – to give you the first real reason to go out dancing since New Year’s Eve.
Elon Musk
Don’t Doubt Ur Vibe
Perhaps even more awkward than calling a selfless diver rescuing some kids trapped in a cave a “pedo guy” is this, Elon Musk’s attempt to make like the missus and release his own silky electronica ballad. If the thought of the fabulously wealthy Tesla boss whispering into your ear mid-comedown keeps you awake at night, avoid this sinister EDM soul-sucker at all costs. Grimes: please can you password-protect your Ableton software the next time you nip out to a neighbouring dimension?
