Listen To The Five Best Songs This Week

First off, we were again thrilled to premiere another worldly-wise psych deluge from London’s Flamingods. We say London, but Visa issues have in fact forced singer Kamal Rasool outside of the UK. The result is a trans-continent writing experiment for the quintet’s forthcoming album that could well suit their pan identity (Rasool is from Bahrain, bandmate Karthik Poduval has lived in seven different countries including Kosovo and the United Arab Emirates). Besides this fascinating context, new track “Vimana” is another oddball frenzy of Bolly, pysch and beats, unbounded in its love for colourful eclecticism. Watch out for Hyperborea on 21 July.

Atlanta singer-songwriter David Courtright aka Suno Deko dropped the prettiest piece of lo-fi guitar pop this week. “Bluets”, sprinkled with frilly guitar thirds, potted drums and rootsy undertones, would be enough to set Robin Pecknold’s (Fleet Foxes) eyes alight, but it’s probably because Courtright sings just like him. Lovely and light, “Bluets” will have you humming its delicate melodies for days.

“Bad Law”, the new track from Norwegian pop maestro Sondre Lerche, has been kicking around for the last month or so but only recently caught our attention. Like most good pop songs, it has a direct and infectious opening hook and “Bad Law” loves to play a frustrating game of déjà vu. Where, oh where, is that guitar lick from? Rather than bust brain cells over it, just get lost in its party of bold electronic booms, jaunty hi-hats and spirited singing.

Another piece of Scandi-pop - though the chalk to Sondre Lerche’s cheese - was the new song by Danish duo, Kill J. Stripped off the physical lurch of the act’s previous synth-pop killer, “Bullet”, “You Have Another Lover” is more minimalistic and emotive: more for the mind than body. You’ll be entranced for a good few minutes with its scattered echoes, lofty vocals and deep, downtempo percussion.

Certainly the most agreeably gloomy cut to reach our ears this week was “Smokesquare” by Stockholm’s Fanpage. Honestly, we wouldn’t recommend this if you’re feeling a bit “James Bleak” post-Glastonbury (thanks, Dan Carson). A cacophony of looped noise that moves from life-renouncing to life-affirming in just four minutes, “Smokesquare” is startling in its ability to conjure a seven shaded rainbow of emotions. The duo’s new EP Trip is out now via Fox Food Records.

Listen to our selection of the week’s best new music below: ​