Listen Up
Nu-disco, ominous psych-rock, a bilingual bop and more in our weekly musical wrap-up
Holy Ghost!: Anxious
Holy Ghost! (aka Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel) has been making synthpop, nu-disco bops for a solid decade and after two years of no new music, the duo has just released a new tune. For their new track “Anxious,” they’ve worked with pioneering disco label West End Records. The tune is a flawlessly produced, almost-five-minute disco jam—with soaring, dramatic synths and a wildly satisfying, juicy bass line. Even better, a portion of all sales of the record (available for pre-order online) will be donated to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis and LifeBeat.
Yaeji: One More
Super-talented singer/songwriter/DJ/producer Yaeji (aka Kathy Yaeji Lee) has released yet another hypnotic track that blends classic 4×4 house with pop sensibilities. “One More” is a lush, layered song with Korean and English lyrics that are part spoken, part sung and part whispered. Yaeji keeps her listeners beguiled from beginning to end. Yaeji is currently touring the USA and Canada, and will head to Australia in December.
Sharon Van Etten: Comeback Kid
Sharon Van Etten returns with a big, uptempo track, “Comeback Kid.” The song accompanies the news of a January 2019 album, which follows in the wake of 2014’s acclaimed Are We There, various musical projects and a sublime performance on David Lynch‘s recent Twin Peaks revival. There’s something unexpected pulsing within, rattling to get out with the boldness and beauty Van Etten always delivers.
Elvyn Rhud: Orange is For Love
From their 7-inch split with label-mate Alpha Du Centaure, Elvyn Rhud‘s “Orange is For Love” could be from the soundtrack of a forthcoming Spaghetti Western if the cast were all French… and tripping on LSD. Or, that’s at least how it sounds. French duo Cassandre Arpin and Léo Puy comprise Elvyn Rhud and they’ve once again delivered something psychedelic and timeless.
Thom Yorke: Has Ended
“Has Ended” is the second single from Thom Yorke‘s soundtrack for Luca Guadagnino‘s remake of Dario Argento’s 1997 horror Suspiria. The psychedelic tune slowly and ominously creeps along, as Yorke calls out over the minimal piano, sitar and percussion. “The witches all were singing / and the water turned grey / and the mirrors and the phones / caught flame, caught flame,” he sings. “Has Ended” will appear on the soundtrack’s double LP—set for release 26 October on XL Recordings.
Listen Up is published every Sunday and rounds up the new music we found throughout the week. Hear the year so far on our Spotify channel.
