"Don’t Judge Gravity Fellowship"
New music this week from FKA twigs, Headie One, Fred again.., serpentwithfeet, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Fredo, Dave
Welcome (back?). This week has been tumultuous to say the least. The headline that dominated much of the last few days is the GameStop bonanza (of which this RollingStone article gives a comprehensive overview and offers a reading of the events that makes a whole lotta sense - and is also really well written). SOPHIE passed away in a tragic climbing accident and tributes poured in; a demonstration of her impact both as a musical genius and of the way she moved through the world with kindness and hard-won assurance. Her legacy will live on through the music of today and tomorrow. This week’s best new music below.
--- Absolute Faves ---
Don’t Judge Me - FKA twigs, Headie One, Fred again..
FKA twigs is signaling a new era with a skeletal offering inspired by last Summer’s global reckoning and wake-up call following more of the same atrocities Black communities have endured for the longest time. twigs is not content with delivering some of the most intricate and high-concept music of the past decade, she’s constantly studying her sound, evolving and looking forward. This Headie One collaboration draws a tentative outline of what to expect from MAGDALENE’s follow-up; and it sounds nothing like its predecessor. ‘Don’t Judge Me’ plays with density and contrast while making its message clear. Conceptual meets nitty-gritty and twigs’ angelic vocals sure help.
Fellowship - serpentwithfeet
‘Fellowship’ is about community and healing - timely? you don’t say! There’s something extremely DIY in the tinkering percussion, the growing chants and Josiah’s slippery vocals. Speaking of vocals, RUNS! The way they slither and run from ear to ear so smoothly gives the listener a whole new understanding for the chosen stage name. The track provides much needed warmth in the middle of the coldest season in the Northern hemisphere where yours truly resides.
--- other great tracks ---
Holy Water - Lil Mosey
Lil Mosey isn’t an artist whose releases get me particularly excited to be honest. There’s a lot I’ll pass on, not because they are especially bad but generally mediocre - and when there’s so much music out here why would I waste time and energy on something that doesn’t float my bloat? ‘Holy Water’ goes to show that, once in a while, even artists you might not feel a strong connection to can make music worth the detour.
O.N.E. - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
KG delivers yet another desert microtonal odyssey. To those that say they’ve done it before (and perhaps better?): yes, so? If something’s not broken, why fix it? I’m personally not sick of it, it seems like they’ve hit a stride. And if you know the band, you know that the moment you get comfortable with a particular sound of theirs is generally the moment they switch it up. Betting that KG still surprise us in 2021.
Gravity - Brent Faiyaz, DJ Dahi (feat. Tyler, The Creator)
“Brent Faiyaz smoothness, meet IGOR-era Tyler”. Match made in heaven. It marries a hyper melodic approach with the lo-fi roughness of IGOR in an explosive concoction. Songs that sound like they bring the best out of each of their actors are what all artists should strive for when they decide to collaborate. ‘Gravity’ is the prototype of what happens when you hit that sweet spot.
C’est La Vie - The Killers
The Killers just released the Deluxe of Imploding The Mirage (which prompted me to write my own review of the record). ‘C’est La Vie’ is the previously unreleased song that is seeing the light of day. It’s less majestic than the bulk of Imploding The Mirage and more chirpy, less daunting than a lot of its peers on that record. It provides a nice contrast and sheds lights on many of the production choices made on other tracks while letting us imagine what the album would have sounded like if it were more like ‘C’est La Vie’. Side note: being French and seeing this phrase plastered everywhere is mind-boggling; no, we don’t really use it, it’s incredibly corny.
Faut que - Venlo
Change of pace. Venlo’s brand of pop r&b is tame and brooding - the kind to make it onto TikTok and never leave. ‘Faut que’ is one of its better iterations.
Money Talks - Fredo (feat. Dave)
‘Money Talks’ is a step in all the right directions for Fredo. Aside from collaborating with one of Britain’s hottest acts (and rightly so), the track delivers with immaculate production that doesn’t distract from the message one bit. It’s my monthly reminder that I need to listen to more UK rap. Any recs?
Need even more? Also check out (YouTube links):
Thanks for reading, happy listening!
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Best Releases January 2021 Spotify playlist: here
Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! Hope you enjoyed it
Twitter: @REDTAKES1
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