10 Songs To Beat Your Pyramid To
New music blog Beat Pyramid find the best new bands from across the world and write about them. Here, they pick their ten favourite tracks in the world right now.
Popstrangers – ‘Heaven‘
Even after countless listens, this still sounds completely fresh. In that swirling chorus, New Zealand’s Popstrangers have made what is one of the musical moments of the year. Something tells us their debut album (due out in February 2013) will have plenty more.
Teen Mom – ‘I Wanna Go Out‘
Though at times it threatens to veer off track and break into ska punk, its unpredictability is partially what makes Teen Mom‘s ‘I Wanna Go Out’ so great. For the most part, it’s The Smiths gone fuzz-rock but with the underlying feeling that it could shoot off in any direction.
Technicolor Teeth – ‘Crystalline‘
Opening with a gurgling gremlin and piercing noise, ‘Crystalline’ could be a lot uglier than it actually is. But once Technicolor Teeth get that nastiness out of their system, what follows is, if not soft and nice, at least listenable and verging on euphoric. A sludgy anthem for the plaid-shirted.
Blessa – ‘Open Fields‘
Another ace new band to come out of Sheffield recently (alongside Drenge, Best Friends and The Death Rays Of Ardilla, to name three) are Blessa. On an entirely different tangent to their aforementioned peers, ‘Open Fields’ is a lot cleaner but no less exciting. Constantly on the edge of taking off, it’s reminiscent of Oh Land‘s ‘White Nights’ done a hundred times cooler and fresher.
Crushed Beaks – ‘Breakdown‘
We’ve been fans of Crushed Beaks for a while now but it’s fair to say ‘Breakdown’ came as a bit of a surprise. A huge leap on from their previous material, it’s a lilting bit of guitar-pop that manages to sound fun despite Matt Poile singing lines like “I only wanted you babe, I feel so weak.”
TOPS – ‘Double Vision‘
‘Double Vision‘ might sound like it was made in the 80s but it’s actually taken from one of the overlooked albums of the year ‘Tender Opposites’, released on Canada’s coolest record label (and home to Grimes) Arbutus. It’s the perfect example of what TOPS do best – soft, glistening pop that’s cut with a diamond sheen and slight, subtle psychedelic edge.
Apple Bong – ‘Split Lip‘
Masters of writing lyrics so absurd they automatically become brilliant, Apple Bong open ‘Split Lip’ with the following gem: “There’s something about the way you wash your hair, it’s out of control.” On paper, it might not look like much but when Polly Salmon sings it so sincerely in her shrill voice, it sounds magical.
Empress Of – ‘Champagne‘
Following on from her colourminutes series, Empress Of (aka Lorely Rodriguez) unveils her debut single ‘Champagne’. Not unlike fellow New Yorker St Vincent, it’s an intoxicating combination of Lorely’s silky vocals and a tangling web of polished and prim layers.
Only Real – ‘Backseat Kissers‘
Whilst Jamie T‘s off doing whatever it is he’s up to these days, fill the void he’s left behind with London kid Niall Galvin aka Only Real. ‘Backseat Kissers’ is his debut single and features him rapping about getting romantic on buses (we’re guessing, anyway) and running from the police over dreamy pop that sounds a lot like his pals Childhood.
Dracula Lewis – ‘Permafrost‘
Creepy and ominous, it wouldn’t be too much of a shock if ‘Permafrost’ was revealed to be the work of Dracula Lewis‘ vampiric namesake. A lurching, discordant attack of noise, it’s got a weird, almost entrancing quality to it that could easily lure victims into the producer’s Transylvanian lair.
