THE PLAYLIST
Migrate to the Ocean/ E Kah (Night’s Watch)
Made up of Prachya Compiranont, Sumet Yordkaew, Krit Suwanthada, Vajira Ruthirakanok and Witsawawit Tepa, Chiang Mai’s rock quintet Migrate to the Ocean have been on our radar for a while now. After putting out their excellent 2014 self-titled debut, the boys returned last month with a new single Khon Nok and here we have its follow-up, E Kah (Night’s Watch). Told through vocalist Prachya’s sprechgesang vocals, the track is about the disillusionment of adulthood and musically reminiscent of rap-rock duo Twenty One Pilots.
Haim/ Right Now
Right Now marks the first new music from the Californian indie-rock sisters following their 2013 breakthrough debut Days Are Gone. The track, lifted from the siblings’ forthcoming sophomore LP, kicks off with sparse drum machine beats as Danielle sings about an unfulfilling relationship. Este then introduces a growling bassline and background vocals, further highlighting Danielle’s role as a narrator. As the tension builds, Este and Alana step up to the drums, giving us what could easily be one of the most cathartic, epic drumming moments in pop music we’ve heard this year.
Hawaiian T-shirt/ Chantelle
LA trio Hawaiian T-shirt describe their sound as “angry music to maybe dance and punch people to and maybe laugh or cry” on their Bandcamp page and we’ve got to say they’re not too far off the mark. Lead single Chantelle finds the art-rock three-piece running a gamut of emotions from angst to elation. “Have you met Chantelle?” vocalist/guitarist Ana Ayon yelps in a tone that warrants an exclamation mark rather than a question mark. What follows is a concert of searing guitars and sprightly basslines so opulent in their lo-fi, dance-punk aesthetics — like what you would get if you were to combine early Yeah Yeah Yeahs with Le Tigre.
The Charlatans/ Plastic Machinery
Ahead of the release of their 13th studio outing Different Days due out next week, Britpop mainstays The Charlatans share with us the first single titled Plastic Machinery. Featuring The Smiths’ iconic Johnny Marr on guitar and The Verve’s Pete Salisbury on drums, the song doesn’t stray too far from the group’s signature Madchester sound and the sort of life-affirming lyrics which, according to frontman Tim Burgess, are about “finding beauty in uncertain times”.
Mac DeMarco/ One More Love Song
Judging from what we’ve heard so far from his new studio album, This Old Dog, Canadian singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco has obviously done a whole lot of growing up during the making of it. Hot on the heels of addressing heavier topics like growing old and coming to terms with a rather strained relationship with his dad, he’s now touching on the time-tested theme of heartbreak on latest cut, One More Love Song. “One more love, out to break your heart/ Set it up, just to watch it fall apart,” he croons over languid synths and soft, jazzy percussion. It’s pretty and sad all at once.