There's always an underlying sense of deadpan humour and laid-back nihilism to the way Kurt Vile approaches his music. This is especially true on his previous two records (2015's b'lieve i'm goin down and last year's collaborative effort with Courtney Barnett Lotta Sea Lice) as well as his latest, Bottle It In, which marks his first new solo work in three years. Recorded in several locations around the US while on tour, the 78-minute album is helmed with assistance from indie rock's upper echelon of producers including Rob Schnapf (Elliot Smith) and Peter Katis (The National, Japandroids), plus fellow artists ranging from Kim Gordon to Warpaint's drummer Stella Mozgawa.
Opening with Vile's trademark fingerpicked guitar backdrop, Loading Zones comes equipped with the sentiment not dissimilar to b'lieve i'm goin down. I'm An Outlaw: "I park for free/ One stop shop life for the quick fix/ Before you get a ticket/ That's the way I live my life." Mind you, this isn't the first time he's been vocal about his laissez-faire attitude towards life (see Life Like This) and won't be the last, either (see his spot-on cover of Charlie Rich's Rollin' With The Flow).
Elsewhere, there's Hysteria, a love song in which he essentially tells the woman he's crushing on that she "gave [him] rabies" and that he's "feeling very loopy" after drinking a "head dream smoothie". He then extends the love to all kinds of people in his life on One Trick Ponies. "Loved them all through many a lifetime/ Some are gone, but some still strong/ Some are weird as hell, but we love 'em/ Some are one trick ponies, but we embrace 'em," he croons alongside soaring backing vocals from Mozgawa.
The album's psych-folk rock standout Bassackwards glistens with sharp lyricism as he grapples with "an all-burning feeling in [his] chest to fill the void". And just when the meditative languidness is getting a tad overbearing, outliers like Check Baby and the title track are there to cut through the monotony with their subtle electronic elements -- a pleasant surprise we're hoping to hear more of in his future releases.
Relatable lyrics: "The mutinies in my head keep staying/ I take pills and pills to try and make 'em go away/ Small computer in my hand explodin'/ I think things were way easier with a regular telephone." (Mutinies) Listen to this: One Trick Ponies, Bassackwards, Mutinies, Skinny Mini.
The Playlist
Palmy/Sohn Glin
Palmy has been hinting at her fifth studio album for a while now, starting early last year with the propulsive pop-rock number Nuad, followed by the molam-inspired Mae Kiew. The third cut, Sohn Glin, is a synth-pop ballad reminiscent of some of the biggesthits by Chiang Mai's 80s revivalists Polycat. "Catching a gentle breeze/ Tears fill my eyes," she begins as she laments the absence of a loved one. Like its predecessor, the song makes use ofliterary lyricism with the same metaphors conventionally used in poetry. Its title, for starters, alludes to tuberous, a night-blooming flower whose name in Thai literally means "hiding fragrance". Palmy expands on the notion of how certain scents evoke undeletable nostalgia ("As fragrant as the old days/ When the breeze drifts right on by"). At the same time, she realises that the past cannot be relived and this yearning has to remain "hidden" ("Sohn glin -- sublime and exquisite/ Woven into a garland/ Forever wearing it in my heart"). Truly gorgeous.
Rich Brian/History
Depending on your own personal experience with your ex, Rich Brian's Historycan either bring happy tears to your eyes or fill you with rage. Lifted from Heads In The Clouds, Rising88's talent-showcasing compilation on which a Brothers Higher remix of Phum Viphurit's Love Boyalso appears, the track finds the Jakarta rapper musing about a former lover and essentially wishing he didn't break it off with her in the first place. "Didn't realisegood ones exist in the world 'til I lost one … I rained on yourparade and I just wish you the best," he raps over lilting flute motifs and sputtering hi-hats. "I think it's time for me to bounce soon/ I just wish I had someone to say 'I'm home' to."
Sia/I'm Still Here
With invincibility-themed hits like Titanium, TheGreatestand Elastic Heartunder her belt, it's no secret that Sia is pop's reigning queen of life-affirming anthems. And, if anything, her latest cut, I'm Still Here, will only cement that status even further. Released to coincide with the launch of her first fashion collaboration with French company Maison Repetto, the song is a mid-tempo offering decked with an encouraging message: "I'm winning the war now/ I'm winning it all now/ Watch tears while they fall down … I'm winning from ego/ I'm lighting thelong way home." Whether this will also signal a follow-up to the Australian singer-songwriter's 2006 studio album, This Is Acting, yet remains to be seen.
Little Dragon/Lover Chanting
Hot on the heels of their collaboration with Badbadnotgood on the cosmic jazz-infused Tried, Scandinavian synth-poppers Little Dragon announce their new EP, Lover Chanting. The eponymous lead cut sees vocalist Yukimi Nagano and drummer Erik Bodin exchanging verses over a sleek disco production. "Do you wanna be my girl? I wanna be, be your man," Bodin inquires, to which Nagano replies, "Wanna be mine, wanna be mine? Lover chanting/ Do you wanna lose your mind?" Meanwhile, a clavinet provides a healthy dose of funk, giving it a bouncy groove.
Connan Mockasin/Les Be Honest
On his recently released, star-studded third LP Jassbusters, Connan Mockasin lets his freak flag fly with unprecedented abandon. Well, except for the ballad closer, Les Be Honest, which does adhereto some conventional song structure and sonic approachability. Supported by a backing band, the delightfully eccentric singer-songwriter croons in the feathery falsetto. His tone is crestfallen and the production here leans towards folk and country with twangy accents and fret noise sprinkled throughout.
