mvm.

Young Fathers: Heavy Heavy: “Still young, after some years, even as the heavy, heavy weight of the world seems to grow day by day.” An unrestrained passion of energy and soul rips into the very fabrics of Young Fathers’ new chapter. From day one, (or TAPE ONE) Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and G. Hastings we’re never going to do things by halves. Constantly going against the grain of the usual, a joyous burden against the horrendous, Young Fathers have been thriving with alternative-soul flavours since well… TAPE ONE. If this didn’t stampmark their existence into the surplus, then no doubt DEAD did; earning their first Mercury post-2014, as they constantly pushed the boundaries of what it is takes to make music. From avant-grade realism of JUST ANOTHER BULLET, to gospel-soul exposition of Rice, Heavy Heavy is just another reason to down tools, forget what you think music is and immerse yourself in a coming-of-age chapter dripped in charred soul, coaxed with the smoothed granite of that leading bass. Sublime.

Sunny War: Anarchist Gospel: Sunny War enlivens traditional folk and blues by freshening her musical attack and writing lyrics that reflect 21st century concerns. Renowned as Venice Beach folk-blues after relocating, Sydney Lyndella Ward lightens up any coveted bar walk, stage door she finds herself in, as a chaining to the rhythm begins. From the sultry undertones of off-shore Higher to the electric mesh of Black Keys-esque No Reason and finally settling on electro-acoustic seduction, New Day (less we forget the gorgeous string accompaniment), Anarchist Gospel is the magic act in the intertwining roots of blues and folk.

The Go! Team: Get Up Sequences Part 2: music for putting your glide in your stride, The Go! Team are an all-absorbing Fantasy Land of juicy fruit flutes, racy rhythms, razzmatazz bass-inets all into one super smoothie of alternative-dance whisks – all to just let your hair down with the magic of music. If you liked Get Up Sequences Part One but wished for more, then I think you’re in luck. Start with Mariokart race theme, Gemini and jettison yourself into sheer euphoria from there. Take a fully ammo’d 6-piece instrumentation and mix it with the catchy edging of dance-pop Confidence Man, and you’re about halfway there with these crazed maniacs. Whammy-O and Look Away, Look Away show offerings of blitz rapping and ‘European Eurythmics’ as opposed to just full band ethos, if you’re one of those who wants for a little bit of everything in your albums.

Somebody’s Child: Somebody’s Child: Starting his musical journey aged five in Paris, Cian Godfrey (aka Somebody’s Child) took to playing the piano in the family apartment. Upon moving back to Ireland, he gained an interest in songwriting, enabling him to tell his own stories. These narratives often reflect upon difficult mental health experiences, as well as the endearing happenings of a youngster growing up in Dublin. I mean, that’s his artist bio at face-value. But something tells me that you don’t take one of the hottest prospects out of Ireland at face-value. Brought along with his snappy and electric live shows, it seems that word-of-mouth alone has brought along his self-titled debut in 2023 – since his tenure in late 2018. You may call it “indie landfill”, you may even call it “Irish’s answer to Geordie’s Sam Fender,” but you can’t argue the irresistible ride-along indie-rock works that are being chugged out at a knots’ rate – and not just in Dublin, mind. I Need Ya and Broken Record are standouts, harking back to the likes of 00’s The Drums and Local Natives.

The Waeve: The Waeve: here comes the waeve… the coming together of two musicians, a sprawling side project, working together forming a singular, sonic identity. Graham Coxon (Blur) and Rose Elinor Dougall (The Pipettes) deliver blunt optimism through the art of music – despite the mass disparity engulfing our very nature. This juxtaposition offers up a topsy-turvy trombone world of The Waeve, an unsettling notion of psychedelic sounds if Blur never went to the races. Kill Me Again is a prime example of this fleeting phenomenon of a super duo’s project. Every bit The Lounge Society and The Velvet Underground. Brilliant stuff.