We’re tag-teaming the Best New Songs column this week, so there’s a bit of discovery (Tom) and a bit of poptimism (Jillian). You’re welcome, readers.
Kevin Drumm — “Wrong Intersection”
Ambient techno wizard Kevin Drumm’s 2009 one-track album Imperial Horizon is one of your correspondent’s favorite things ever, a 64-minute head trip that is like sinking slowly into a warm bath after a long, shitty week. This new piece isn’t quite as benevolent, because just as you’re starting to zone out, in come lashings of the sort of noise that’d probably terrify Aphex Twin. But it’s just as fascinating — so grab a good set of headphones, turn on, tune in, drop out. — Tom Hawking
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TV on the Radio — “Careful You”
I haven’t been this excited about a TV on the Radio album since 2006’s Return to Cookie Mountain, which is as much about the Brooklyn rockers’ three-year break since Nine Types of Light as it is the first two singles from Seeds (out November 18). “Happy Idiot” was a new-wave ice-out (I got a Police meets NIN vibe), but “Careful You” is a bit warmer, emotionally, while still being cryptic as fuck musically (sounds a little like The Knife, RIP). I enjoy how casually Tunde Adebimpe sings the line, “You did a number on my heart.” — Jillian Mapes
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https://soundcloud.com/urbansocialmedialounge/trident-pt-2
Dean Blunt — “Trident 2”
In which Dean Blunt reads excerpts from newspaper articles about gang violence in East London over a moody, looping backing track. It works surprisingly well, even if the details of shooting after shooting are both depressing and all-too-familiar. — TH
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AlunaGeorge — “Supernatural”
It’s no “White Noise,” but the latest song from UK dance duo AlunaGeorge goes full futuristic with a La Roux vibe, loads of cowbell, and robot speak. Singer Aluna Francis’ voice has never sounded better. — JM
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Mark Kozelek — “War On Drugs: Suck My Cock”
Harmless joke or avatar of patriarchal male sexual violence? Either way, there’s something awfully catchy about this. Also, if you’d told someone six months ago enough people would know or care enough about Kozelek to be arguing about this, you’d probably have been regarded as a benign lunatic, so good job, everyone. — TH