Check out our writers' opinions of newly released tracks of February '23.
bleedthemtoxins – Temps
bleedthemtoxins is the latest single from James Acaster’s genre-bending project, Temps. Consisting of some of his favourite artists worldwide, Acaster’s project seeks to explore the limits of collaborative music by incorporating all these unique voices and styles. This project highlights the incredible talent of Quelle Chris, who Acaster collaborated with on Straight Shot back in 2019. His sharp lyricism coupled with the gentle, almost haunting vocals of Joana Gomila make for an unlikely yet ultimately satisfying duo on this track. The layered harmonies create a colourful soundscape that appears to be Acaster’s signature on this piece; this is busy music, embellished but never excessive. Party Gator Purgatory, the debut album from Temps, is set to be released on 19th May. Named after the costume that Acaster has donned for being the face of this project, the album as a whole promises more colour and experimentation than we could ever expect, and is certainly something to keep an eye out for. Tabitha Smith
Bone Church – Slipknot
It’s no secret that Slipknot are one of my favourite bands in the world, in no small part due to their heaviness. This song is naturally still heavy at moments, it features elements of heavy music, however, it’s not intrinsically heavy. Rather, this sounds like if Thom Yorke had collaborated with Slipknot to create a Slipknot-styled song to fit on OK Computer. The song twists and winds its way through a varying sonic landscape, making for an eerie and uncomfortable journey. Lyrics like “We kill what we love, we love what we kill” are almost custom-built for raising the hair on the back of your neck, as is the Slipknot way. It feels like the band have touched base with the slower side of their debut album and updated that sound for their modern incarnation, to present us with a song that’s both modern and timeless. Bone Church is a truly creepy song, and I’m firmly of the opinion that the only band in the world who could’ve written this is the almighty nine piece out of Iowa. They haven’t missed yet, and somehow I don’t think they ever will. Jake Longhurst
Two Tens – Cordae ft. Anderson .Paak
Four years since their last collaboration on the track RNP, Cordae and Anderson .Paak have reunited, and they’ve even got J Cole back again on the beat for Two Tens; a smooth, chill track that still brings the funk, as you’d come to expect from a trio of this calibre. The track is a conversation between .Paak and Cordae about the pitfalls of falling for women in bars when you’re rich and famous. .Paak, on the irresistibly catchy hook for the track, shows his interest in two girls he’s met on a night out, leading Cordae to respond with all of the reasons why he shouldn’t be listening to “the brown liquour” that makes him “feel like Denzel”. It’s that all too familiar situation on a night out when you want to have fun, but your friend thinks they’re in love with someone they’ve just met, presented in a way that is equal parts funny and irresistibly catchy. Together with J Cole and Dem Jointz’ deliciously nostalgic production and the charisma oozing out in each bar, it’s the perfect tongue-in-cheek track to put a pep in your step on the way to uni in the morning. It’s been on a loop both in my head and in my earphones. Izzy Morris
Just A Call Away – Don’t Panic
The first thing that strikes you upon listening to this band is how genuine and endearing the sound is. They sound like they’re having fun; the song feels honest and open and whilst it has flecks of sadness imbued within it, the song at its heart is an infectious singalong that’ll have both your hands up in the air or wrapped around your neighbour. Don’t Panic are doing their best to create music that’ll get you bouncing up and down, and Just A Call Away is absolutely a success in that category. The Pennsylvanian quartet are two albums deep already but haven’t stopped bringing smiles to faces, so if you’re in need of a song to get you feeling good then this is as good a start as you could hope for. Jake Longhurst
Gemini – The Go! Team
Are you ready for a sensory overload in the best possible way? The Go! Team are back with their highly unique, kaleidoscopic concoctions for their highly anticipated album, Get Up Sequences Part Two, and Gemini is already proving to be a fan-favourite cut from the project. This bright, dazzling blast of colour takes the braggadocios nature of rap and takes it one step further, to the stars, loud enough to be heard “cross the milky way”. Ninja’s energetic and highly conceptualized flow on the track is rousing, exciting and punchy, leaping out even amidst the beautiful chaos instrumentally from the Brighton-born sextet on the track. Jam-packed with synths, theremins, steel drums and the kitchen sink, this maximalist track has it all, just as you’d expect from the group. This might sound overwhelming to some, but as usual, The Go! Team manage to turn up the saturation and add their unique spice, flair and zest without losing focus – it still feels cohesive and beautifully packaged. If you’re in search of an extra dose of swagger to take to the cosmos and beyond, this is absolutely the track for you. Izzy Morris
Edited by Roxann Yus
Cover image courtesy of The Go! Team via Facebook.
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