The best new tracks, picked by our staff
Rated by The Face: a playlist featuring Lava La Rue, Fontaines D.C, Debby Friday and Clavish.
Music
Words: Davy Reed,
Jade Wickes
Photography: Claryn Chong
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Fontaines D.C. – Starburster
Fontaines D.C. are back, and not just with a new single: their fourth album, Romance, will be released via XL Recordings on 23rd August. The album’s lead single Starburster blends elements of trip-hop and nu-metal to dizzying, slightly menacing effect. Inspired by a panic attack frontman Grian Chatten had at London’s St Pancras station, the song sees him half-sing and half-rap with brash urgency, in-between sharp intakes of breath. Produced by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Blur), Starburster marks an unexpected sonic left-turn for Fontaines, who have also debuted a bit of a new look for the occasion: think club kid meets Keith Flint. JW
Lava La Rue – Humanity
“See the kid over there? /Used to be in my class back in ‘012 /Now she got a new stare /Class A glaze, gave up on any help,” Lava La Rue sings softly on Humanity, the second single from their forthcoming debut album Starface. Anchored by a pulsating guitar riff, it’s a vulnerable tune that plays out like a short story, as Lava pleads that grace and sympathy be extended to a friend who’s lost herself to addiction: “I know you are scared /I’ll still love you radically”. JW
Debby Friday – To The Dancefloor
Here’s some powerful DJ ammunition for the summer. On this dark club track, which features co-production from the rowdy ghettotech group HiTech, Canadian artist Debby Friday demands that the girls head to the dancefloor. Drop this one if you get booked for the awkward 9pm opening slot. DR
Odumodublvck – Technician ft. Blaqbonez
It’s been just over a year since Odumodublvck (pronounced “O‑doo-moh-doo-black”) went viral with his track Declan Rice, and he’s maintained his rep as one of the freshest-sounding artists in Nigeria ever since. On Technician, he enlists the rapper Blaqbonez to flex with him over strings and a throbbing amapiano logdrum, also shouting out his Nigerian label, Native. DR
Clavish – 10th Floor ft. Potter Payper
Clavish has a name for himself with notoriously chilly lyricism, and usually picks beats that are morose or melancholic to match. But on 10th Floor, the North West London rapper and his guest Potter Payper spit over slick soul samples, making their harrowing traphouse flashbacks sound strangely cinematic. DR
