FRESH NEW KICKS: Refuse- Kevin Garrett

We’ve likened Kevin Garrett to fellow emotional tormenter James Vincent McMorrow before but it’s meant in the most complimentary fashion. Both artists create music that whispers like a last kiss; the melodies they spin anchor themselves within your bones and force you to sit and ruminate for their duration. Refuse is Garrett’s follow up to his five track April release, Mellow Drama, despite the fact it was written ‘a little while ago as I was developing my sound’, according to his NYLON magazine interview. Lyrically Garrett is adept but he may as well not be; it’s the intersection between that devastating falsetto and the insistent, throbbing beat that cuts to the quick. A building vocal sample injects more soul still as Refuse reaches climax; then it’s all over and gone before you can reach out and grab it. No prizes for decoding the metaphor.

Follow @KevinOGarrett on Twitter now.

SHORT AND SWEET

Short and Sweet gives you quick links to the hottest tracks.

Too. Many. Songs. October has ushered in a deluge of incredible music from both new and established artists just waiting to be hit by the usual seasonal blogging cliches. ‘Forget Winter- this track is fire!’ and so on. I haven’t got time to write out long tenuous paragraphs linking brilliant music to shitty weather so instead here’s a rundown of the best sounds to hit the web in the last couple of weeks.

Snakehips ft. Tinashe & Chance the Rapper- All My Friends 

Alright, so I already wrote about this here but it’s so stellar, I can’t help banging on about it. It’s an anti-anthem; a hook that burrows its way into your brain accompanied by lyrical content that’s so damn bleak it’s like Tinashe has managed to crack your phone’s passcode and read all your inebriated texts to the boy who never messages you before 10pm. Then you’ve got Chance weaving a bleak tale of the woes Xanax has wrought upon the world. This hook up between London duo Snakehips and two of America’s hottest talents is fab-u-lous while simultaneously being utterly dark- top marks.

Jack Garratt- Breathe Life 

Jack Garratt entranced us all with his stunning debut The Love You’re Given and immediately followed it with the bizarre decision to open for professional bores Mumford and Sons. Never mind- he’s now supporting the far more appropriate duo MS MR and has just dropped this tantalizing little taster from his upcoming album Phase. There’s no denying it: the man has quite the ear for a tune and his bass-heavy pop mutations are bringing him deserved recognition from all corners.

D.R.A.M ft. SZA- Caretaker 

You’ll doubtless recognise D.R.A.M’s moniker thanks to it being constantly mentioned in connection with a certain song about blinging cellphones. But the man has more strings to his bow than just an ability to cha-cha. Caretaker was originally featured in shortform on The Social Experiment album Surf and the extended version is a beautiful slow-burner that brings to mind the classic Lauryn Hill/D’Angelo collab Nothing Even Matters. SZA’s presence ups the stakes and results in a track that’ll have you lighting all the candles in your room and making that special someone’s hotline bling.

Tobi Lou- New Bish 

DIS IS DA CUTEST. Tobi Lou has already received support from both Tunji Ige and The FADER which are probably the two tastemakers you should trust above all else. Candyfloss production on a rap track? Absolute genius. Plus, his cadence when rhyming is addictive; this bubblegum mastery of rhythm is what the word ‘bopping’ denotes. A serious one to follow. 

FRESH NEW KICKS: Love For That- Mura Masa ft. Shura

Age ain’t nothing but a number now which is why 19 year old Alex Crossan is able to snag a ‘Hottest Record In The World’ nod from super-DJ Annie Mac and no one bats an eyelid. Besides, his latest track Love For That speaks for itself; glottal percussion paired with lush strings receive an added kick courtesy of Shura‘s sugary sweet vocals. ‘London, let me see your lighters’ booms a sample halfway through- this is headlining music, built to enthrall huge crowds. In less than a year, Mura Masa has gone from an underground artist featured as Pigeons and Planes’ Daily Discovery to being premiered on The FADER. Plus, Kylie Jenner recently pouted along to Miss You on Instagram. If that’s not making it, what is?

Follow @mura_masa_ and @weareshura on Twitter now.

FRESH NEW KICKS: Sharpness- Jamie Woon

By now it seems relatively safe to dub Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio a comprehensive success. Artists are premiering exclusive content over the airwaves at a rate that probably has Jay Z crying into a handkerchief worth more than your entire wardrobe. OVO, FKA twigs and Pharrell are just a sample of musicians choosing to drop new tunes on their own shows without so much as a hint of a pre-order option on iTunes. And thankfully, that has led us to this happy occurence: Jamie Woon, the original sonic mould for thousands of Soundcloud electronic R&B artists, has returned to rescue us from the musical doldrums with a brand new track that Pharrell cheekily decided to air on his Beats 1 slot, without Woon’s prior knowledge. Then Disclosure followed suit by showcasing it on Radio 1 and now the song has finally made it online for you to listen at your leisure.

Short and Sweet

Oh my. April was a rollercoaster, huh? Three glorious days of sunshine and that was it, summer had come and gone without leaving so much as a phone number or a surname. Not to fear, May’s here now to stroke your hair and whisper sweet nothings in your auditory canal. Already it’s got off to a flying start: a lady has expelled a human from her body and my Ebay order has been dispatched. Everything’s coming up Milhouse! Here’s the best sounds of the week to really turn your cherry out.

Sunless- Plaster Cast

Plaster Cast are the proof that a band by any other name smells just as sweet. Under the moniker Malta they released an album that sort of sounded like the music Craig David would make if he took a bunch of acid and got out some maracas. In a good way. Now they’re back with an Adele sample and a gorgeous rolling riff that reminds us of the bassline that drives Kings of Leon classic Knocked Up, despite the tracks being poles apart. We’re fans.

Inhale Exhale- Nao

If you’re not on board with Nao by now (sorry) then it’s time to catch up, fast. After her blistering feature on Mura Masa‘s Firefly, she’s just dropped her debut EP, February 15. Here’s a delicious taster.