Shygirl + Arca
Unconditional
Nothing else out this month sounds quite so hypnotically otherworldly as Shygirl’s team-up with the sonic polymath Arca. Deceptively minimal, the south Londoner carefully quilts a cappella, Auto-Tuned vocals with soft, pulsing feedback to create a pretty much perfect post-everything Gregorian chant.
Orion Sun
Mama’s Baby
Written after she was thrown on to the street by heavy-handed police during a Philadelphia Black Lives Matter protest, here Tiffany Majette – AKA lo-fi R&B newcomer Orion Sun – creates something beautiful out of something brutal. “Face on the ground / I dream of paradise,” drift heartworn vocals in this gentle but potent display of defiance.
Kaleida
Other Side
A brief history of our lockdown exercise routine: so genuine back in March; slightly less enthusiastic in April; basically a token gesture in May; and all but gone in June. This earthy but icy electronic thumper from transatlantic duo Kaleida is the only thing we’ve found so far that makes us want to retrieve our saggy-crotched leggings from the washing basket and flail around the park for a few knackering, largely pointless minutes.
Mr Bungle
USA
The highest Covid-19 death tally and a global spotlight on police brutality have led to Mr Bungle sharing their thoughts on the un-united state of America with a cover of this 1982 hardcore number by the Exploited. With Mike Patton of Faith No More and Scott Ian of Anthrax leading the charge, their first recorded material in 21 years is as succinct and punishing as you’d hope.
Travis
A Ghost
Remember the year 2000, when Travis were happily getting on with being the biggest guitar-carrying everymen in the UK? It was all going so well until Coldplay sauntered along and somehow out-Travised even Travis. Since then, it’s been hard to remember quite what a Travis song actually sounds like, but here is A Ghost to remind us: jolly jangling layered over moody minor chords and, tucked away deep in the mix, Chris Martin whispering: “I see you, Fran Healy.”
