New music guide The Neu Bulletin (Fish, Temptress, Boys Forever & more)

Where did this come from? London group Fish have penned one of the year’s darkest songs, the equivalent of a deadly ghost hiding in your bedroom for decades, picking their moment. Playful, grunge-inspired goo with the lights firmly switched to ‘off’, ‘Wished’ is just a demo, but it’s a more-than-promising track from a band who’ve already supported Wolf Alice in their short existence.

Strip Whitney of their sunshine and it’d no doubt take a similar form to Temptress’ debut. Framed by a fragile falsetto - one that sits far too close for comfort, ‘Lies’ is a billowing, xx-like dip into noir-pop. “I just can’t help myself,” they whimper, proving ‘Lies” core to be every bit as Earth-shattering as the subject of its title.

There’s nothing complex about ‘Tapestry’, a pure and simple introduction from Liv Dawson. The newcomer’s debut single spins a new web out of intimate soul. Nothing to hide, vocals are clear as day, built from basic parts into something truly majestic.

Few songs come as perfectly titled as New York natives Maybird’s latest, ‘Looking Back”s lyrical reflections on the formation of early memories set to a vintage-haze of warming, string-led Americana. Accompanied by its VHS footage video, it’s the complete retro package, from a group who are clearly just as fully-formed themselves.

Neu favourite Fake Laugh’s no stranger to swirling fuzz, but it’s never sounded so rocket-powered. The title track of his incoming EP (out July 1st), ‘Ice’ is as slick as its namesake - a much-needed shot of sugary syrup to the coffee-riddled anxiety of Kamran Khan’s previous bouts of bedroom psych.

Former Veronica Falls member Patrick Doyle has started from scratch as Boys Forever. For this project, he finds solace in simple, strummed numbers that’d work just as well on a scrappy four-track as they would in a plush studio. As it stands, ‘Voice In My Head’ is somewhere between the two settings, jangly guitars in safe hands.

Time and time again, Melbourne duo Kllo (formerly Klo) find a new way to tackle heady electro pop. Rooted in the club with one eye on the charts, ‘Walls to Build’ is a dazzling combo of assured vocals and playful, ever-changing synths, like if Ryan Hemsworth decided to rewrite the pop rulebook.

Tags: Sorry, Listen, Features, Neu, Neu Bulletin