News This Week In New Music (12th January 2013)

New music got out of second gear following the Christmas break this past week, so we’ve recharged our batteries and we’re returning with our New Music round-ups, documenting the very best of the past seven days. Musical comebacks have dominated the typing hands of music hacks the world over, with seemingly long-lost loves returned in a day and age where a 6 month break counts as a hiatus. But in amongst all the hyperbolic chatter of JT and Destiny’s Child fans, some fresh faces were making their mark on 2013.

TRACK OF THE WEEK
Wolf Alice - Fluffy


There were quite a few new’uns competing for this space but what with the week Wolf Alice have had it’d seem ill-fitting to give Track of the Week to anyone else. First, they unveiled this monster of a track, complete with dogs-in-love artwork to boot. Then they headlined our first show of the year, saying ‘Hello 2013!!’ in full voice, wiping away the 2012 cobwebs. And then we all remarked on how great that show was, and how Wolf Alice are the most hyped band around at the moment but totally deserving of such attention. ‘Fluffy’ - grunge-era or dawning of a new era? We can’t quite decide. But it’s a keeper.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Foxygen - San Francsico


Forget about the drugs, the antics, the obvious influences, the worrisome cocksureness of the two of ‘em. Foxygen have enough about them in their debut ‘proper’ ’21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic’ to remove all doubt from your mind. In fact they have so much going against them, and they’re so clearly going to face a backlash in the form of know-it-all types who cling to their copy of musical theory saying ‘This can’t be possible!’, that a song like ‘San Francisco’ and its Bowie-meets-Dylan-meets-Reed baggage can only travel.
The video’s a blatant attempt at showing Foxygen’s extremes, and it works brilliantly. Sam France brattishly paces around like he owns the psychedelic decor and his hand gestures, raised eyebrows are all belonging to a guy who wants you to think something. And we don’t have enough bands like that at the moment. That’s why we’re embracing every little bit about Foxygen - because they’re clearly one of the coolest bands on the planet.

DISCOVERY OF THE WEEK
Jack Magma


A pick from this week’s Neu Bulletins, which have just returned to offer up a selection of new music tips and such, Jack Magma is a bedroom artist who’s going against type. ‘Cat Gotcha Tongue??’ is squeaky clean R&B that’ll have gotten major labels into a hot fuss. It’s primed for the airwaves but it’s also nigh-on overloaded with ideas that we quite simply haven’t heard anything like before. Original? Check. Catchy? Check. Something we’d happily let soundtrack the entire year? Check check check.