Well, that’s a good start! The second edition of the ‘Weekly dose’ is a week late… you may have to take the weekly part of this Substack with a pinch of salt. In my defence I did an all-nighter to help cover the UK elections on the back of being at Glastonbury (lots of highlights… Moonchild Sanelly, Billy Nomates, explaining Kneecap to a 9-year-old, Kara Jackson, Dua lipa, Coldplay put on a good show, LCD Soundsystem, Lankum, and of course N’Famady Kouyate who was my pick for the Glasto Emerging Talent Competition in 2023 and rocked the place again in 2024!)
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The Indelicates – ‘4Chan / Cold War Bop’
The Indelicates (not pictured above) are back with their first LP in an obscenely long time (2017). Having previously made a concept album about David Koresh, the forthcoming ‘Avenue QAnon’ will wander though conspiracy theories, 4chan, memes and AI.
There’s an album launch party, handily taking place 15 minutes from my house, at one of the many breweries that have popped up along Blackhorse Lane in Walthamstow, London. I’ll be heading along in September, and my brother, who introduced me to their music, is making a trip from the frozen north (Cumbria) especially. (TICKETS HERE)
I’d also recommend joining Julia & Simon Indelicate on their Discord. They’ve enthusiastically embraced AI and many of their experiments with video and audio AI tools are shared there, along with a group Spotify playlist and loads of other interesting or fun chat.
The first two singles, ‘Cold War Bop’ and ‘4Chan’ are more visually and lyrically inventive than most bands manage in an entire career. ‘Cold War Bop’ channels AI video generators into a ‘nostalgic’ look at the cold war as warped through Toto’s 80’s smash ‘Africa’. While ‘4Chan’ offers a chance to play Spot the Meme at the same time as singing along to cheerleader style chants about seedy anonymous postings.
Welcome back Simon & Julia – you have been missed.
Paten Locke & Edan – ‘Fried’
Paten Locke passed away in 2019, but his posthumously released album ‘Americancer (2022)’ recently drifted into my feed and left me wondering how I missed this first time around.
The duet with Edan, ‘Fried’ is particularly immense, with wonderfully distorted samples and strident delivery that brings to mind the best of Public Enemy along with a hint of Justin Warfield and Bomb The Bass’s ‘Bug Powder Dust collaboration. Psychedelic hip-hop and on a loop in my ears for the last month.
‘Americancer’ was described as ‘the first of a pair of albums that Paten left behind’ so we can but hope there’s more to be heard from Paten Locke. Gone but not forgotten!
Alice Russell – ‘Things / Gravity (remix)’
Back in 2009 I was lucky enough to spend a day following the lovely Alice Russell & TM Juke around SXSW as one of a series of videos I made for BBC News online about the festival. It was such a long time ago that the videos no longer play on the BBC site so having heard Alice’s brilliant new album I rooted around an old hardrive and uploaded it to YouTube. It’s not the greatest video I’ve ever made but it gives a flavour of SXSW including a memorable trip to the ‘Space cave’ in a backyard where a very 60s flower power vibe was going on complete with a mudbath and a rickety stage.
After a 10 year gap Alice is back, and along with long-time collaborator TM Juke is still knocking it out of the park. One highlight from the ‘I Am’ LP is ‘Things’ with Juke providing a lovely sparse production that allows Alice’s glorious soulful voice to shine. Absolutely beautiful.
There’s also a rather tasty club-ready remix of ‘Gravity’ by London’s Payfone. ‘Gravity (Payfone Remix)’ turns the track into a late 80’s downtempo 808 house gem which according to the press release “combines Payfone’s signature Balearic flair with Alice’s pitched-down vocals”.
Blundetto x Liam Bailey – ‘Stand Alone’
Another artists I failed to see at Glastonbury, Liam Bailey has built up a formidable reputation with his albums on Brooklyn’s Big Crown Records, teaming up with producer Leon Michaels from El Michels Affair. Hot on the heels of the ‘Zero Grace’ album Liam has now collaborated with Paris’s Blundetto for the Heavy Soul EP. All of the tracks on the EP have dub versions.
Buju Banton – ‘Slogan’
Producer Kemar McGregor is keeping the flame of ’90s dancehall alive with his Recoup Riddim. Inspired by producers such as Steely and Clevie, Sly and Robbie, and King Jammy, McGregor meticulously infused authentic dancehall elements, including classic drum patterns, basslines, and effects.
“I believe in maintaining the original dancehall sound as it is, as it is so perfect that it requires no modification”.
The riddim mixtape features versions from dancehall talent like Etana, Beanie man, Elephant Man and I Octane but for me it’s the distinctive growl of Buju Banton steals the show with a chorus that challenges big men who think they’re tough ‘like Hulk Hogan’.
Kriegshög – ‘???????????’
KRIEGSHÖG is back. Five years after their last single and 14 since their debut album, the Tokyo Hardcore band return.
‘???????????’ from the ‘Love and Revenge’ LP pummels its way through two and half minutes of hardcore metal thrash with brutal vocals.
As the band motto goes… PLAY LOUD AND DIE.
O. – ‘176’
One for the sub genre of songs about night buses… which come to think about it I can only recall Benin City’s love song to the N38 to Walthamstow. O. who are playing London’s Rich Mix in September reserve their love for the 176 to Penge. O. seem to get better with every release and their album ‘WeirdOs’ came out on Speedy Wunderground last month.
Here’s a link to their gigs so you don’t waste ten minutes trying to google their very search engine unfriendly band name.
Portraits Of Tracy – ‘The Afterparty (Disco Version)’
Portraits Of Tracy is the artist project of Tracy Amare – an 19 year old self-taught producer and multi-instrumentalist from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Over on YouTube you can see how she made the original Afterparty last year, but now there’s a sublime disco version of the track.
Big Freedia – ‘Holatta’
Big Freedia is an absolute legend of New Orleans bounce although I’ve never felt as uptight and English as I did watching Freedia perform at a club in the city a decade or so ago. The place went off!!! People were dancing as if their lives depended on it, upside down and shaking their booties while I shifted my weight slowly from one foot to the other and clasped a beer for deer life. A great night nevertheless.
Freedia has contributed a track to the ‘Noise For Now vol.2’ compilation, raising money for abortion access. It’s got all the classic call and response elements of a Freedia tune and boundless energy.
The album also includes a cracking Catatonia cover by Julia Jacklin.
Rehman Memmedli – ‘Qoc?????l????’
“Born from the streets of Baku, Azerbaijani gitara culture has evolved into a mesmerizing fusion of indigenous traditions and global influences. From the oil boom era to Soviet rule, musicians have embraced the electric guitar as a symbol of cultural expression. Rehman Memmedli, a legend in his own right, revolutionized the sound with his innovative techniques and impassioned performances”. Azerbaijani Gitara Vol. 2 is out now on Bongo Joe records”.
Sarah Kinsley – ‘Last Time We Never Meet Again’
Fresh off the announcement of her debut album Escaper, due September 6th, singer-songwriter Sarah Kinsley has shared the record’s first single, ‘Last Time We Never Meet Again.’
Sarah describes the track as the most vulnerable moment on the record, detailing the end of a friendship. “The song is meant to be celebratory, but it’s trying to make something that is really sincerely a goodbye—the closing of all these worlds that you inhabit with the people you love. A celebratory goodbye.”
Diane Birch – ‘Wind Machine’
“Wind Machine” is the first single from “Flying on Abraham”, the new album by Diane Birch.
Diane Birch has established herself as a versatile musician known for her exploration of diverse musical influences. Recently Birch relocated to the UK countryside and created her upcoming album, “Flying on Abraham,” produced by Paul Stacey (Black Crowes, Oasis, Noel Gallagher).
Recorded at the legendary Monnow Valley Studios in Wales and Studio One in London, the album features a laid-back groove and soulful vocals reminiscent of iconic 1970s singers and songwriters.
Elsy Wameyo – ‘Umva’
Kenyan rapper Elsy Wameyo is supporting Tierra Whack at the Roundhouse (London) in November, which is going to be one hell of a gig if I can persuade anyone to go with me!
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Elsy migrated with her family to Adelaide, South Australia at a young age. Experiencing displacement and unease as a young person, neither identifying as a “Kenyan” or “Australian”, the anchors for Elsy as she navigated the world during this time came in the form of her devout faith, and in music.
Describing her “safe place” as the music room at her school, Elsy developed a love for the craft as a way to express herself, but connect with a sense of identity that would flourish into her artistry in later years. Identifying a natural talent for singing early on, Elsy’s father took her to a local music studio in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, NSS (Northern Sound System), where the teenage Elsy became a go-to singer for the community of musicians and rappers there.
Charli xcx- ‘The girl’
Charlie xcx has always been one of those artists that I can appreciate the critical acclaim for, like Lana Del Ray, but have never connected with. ‘The girl’ was one of the sounds of this years Glastonbury, along with Moonchild Sanely.
That’s it for this week. Subscribe to Music Like Dirt on SubStack to receive a weekly email with the finest new tunes.
Any suggestions for tracls to include, let me know.
