FEATURE: Tracks of the Week - 21/2/14

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (21/2/14)

Every week we trawl through masses of new music to bring you the best of the rest. Here’s our pick of the most exciting new tunes over the last seven days. 

As all eyes were on the Brits, some lent their ears to Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio One show for Jungle’s latest offering, “Busy Earnin”. Rather than continue on a placid groove, the elusive soul/funk-pop duo dropped one hell of an anthemic brass blowout, embellished with big bass slaps, jewelled synths and smug harmonies. It’s now more important than ever to keep an eye on them.

Leeds-based five-piece Goodbye Chanel knew exactly how to transport us to warmer climes this week with the tropical-pop goodness of “Foreva”. Its effervescent rhythms and sparkly math guitars sit somewhere between Foals' sound of yore and US quirk-pop experimentalists GIVERS; a layered, escapist sound that is more than welcome at this bleak time of year.

Returning to the funk furrows of Jungle’s sound, JUCE dished-out the unbelievable catchy, “Call You Out”. Recalling the late 70s disco vibes of Donna Summer, the track is at once modern and old in its sound, brightened by swoon synths and soft harmonies. An exciting debut offering.

We were lucky to premiere the sonic new track by Still Corners/Hush Arbors music man Leon Dufficy, under the guise of Winter Drones. “Towns Alight” is relentless with its guitar drone and urgent motorik rhythms, basking in dream-pop murmurs and weighty multi-layers. His debut album is out this April.

Lastly, Oxford quartet Glass Animals unveiled their latest sultry experiment, “Gooey”. With frontman David Bayley’s lascivious falsetto, undulating rhythms and sketchy electronic whips, it’s an idiosyncratic offering from the band who were the first to sign to Paul Epworth’s (Adele, Florence And The Machine) Wolf Tone label. Bring on their debut album.

Listen to our selection of the week’s best new music below:

FEATURE: Tracks of the Week - 18/10/13

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (18/10/13)

Another week, another attack of exciting new music. Here’s our selection of the best tunes from the last seven days.

Elusive London duo Jungle unveiled their new track, 'Lucky I Got What I Want' and got everyone’s ears pricked up. Smooth urban grooves and richly layered vocals make for another faultless song from the nameless pair, readying us for the release of The Heat EP on Monday.

Building on the urban jungle was the latest offering from SZA, the first female signed to TDE (Kendrick Lamar/Black Hippy’s label).'Teen Spirit' trapped us in its web of dreamy RnB with the New Jersey artist threading her sultry vocals between deep beats and crisp-clean production.

There have been some startling remixes of Lana Del Rey's work over the past few years (personal favourite: Jamie Woon's, 'Blue Jeans') and Mokadem has done a fine job on 'Gods & Monsters'. Glassy synths drop on downbeat rhythms as the South London producer plays sensitively with Del Rey’s vocal. It’s all pretty doom and gloom, but completely encapsulating.

Sensuality runs throughout the lead track from Rainer's upcoming EP, due for release in November. Lyrics detail the tugging and pulling of a relationship as beats pop and synths throb to off-kilter harmonies. The song’s unpredictable nature keeps you pressing refresh until you’re satisfied you’ve got your head around it – all part of its devilish allure.

Finally, Oli Bayston of Boxed In couldn’t have impressed us more on his catchy debut single, 'All Your Love Is Gone'. Driving, Krautrock rhythms, gritty guitar solos and deliciously languid vocals seem to loop on forever and ever. Quite frankly, we don’t want it to stop.

Listen to our selection of the week’s best tracks below: