News

Glasswerk Singles Column: 5.12.14

• 5th Dec 2014

The increasingly sporadic and eclectic journey of the Glasswerk singles column continues apace today as Editor and single enthusiast Jamie Otsa rummages through this week’s offerings for the best of the tracks available. There seems to be a distinct gloomy electronica theme this week, so prepare for bass riddims, synthesizers and strange German men trying to lure you into a dimly lit side room and engage you in some questionable dancing…

Marian Hill – Lips

This little earworm is an exercise in minimalism and utilising ridiculous vocoder effects to create supreme hooks that just about destroy all-comers in this week’s single column; a futuristic slice of laid back r’n’b that’s been put through the hip hop and post dubstep mangle and come out dusting off it’s shoulders whilst it nudges everything else off your playlist. ‘Lips’ features on the Philadelphia duo’s AA-Side 7” release, out now via B3SCI Records.

Temple Invisible – Sudden Acts

Imagine a world where Massive Attack had Thom Yorke programming the beats and Trent Reznor shafting every song they made with great big shards of synthesizer – well, Temple Invisible are pretty much that world. This dark trip-hoppy number has a thick layer of lush female vocals and swirly noises that should keep you happy on the long dark evening commute. The song is taken from their forthcoming debut EP ‘Enter_’, which is set for release on December 15th.

Tourist – Illuminate

This new track from the dynamic producer features Years & Years vocalist Olly Alexander, leaving it awash with neon glowing melodies, delivering the perfect backdrop to the hypnotic animated video courtesy of director and graphic artist Nicholas Ménard. Another one to add to your late night playlist this, with it’s shuffling rhythms and soft electronica hitting all the major Rinse FM targets. ‘Illuminate’ is available digitally right now.

Is Tropical – Crawl

Glitchy, experimental and gloomy – three words guaranteed to make us sit up and take notice. Yes, we’re miserable here at Glasswerk. Deal with it. Anyway, this wonderfully weird offering from IS TROPICAL has loads of bleepy little noises and is shot through with enough abstract distortion and sexually charged vocals to provide an intriguing mix. ‘Crawl/On My Way’ 10′ will be released 8th December 2014 via the band’s new label NYC based Axis Mundi Records.

Katzenjammer – Lady Grey

We’re suckers for a bit of twee, folky pop and this new Katzen-jam sounds like Belle & Sebastian high on some really good mushrooms at a Fleetwood Mac concert. Imagine that for a moment, if you can. What an amazing feeling, perfectly recreated in this relentlessly upbeat future hit. It’s also the first single taken from their new album Rockland, scheduled for a spring 2015 release.

Lowpines – Call If You Need Me

This one’s a little lofi beauty – a bit of a rip off of Let It Be by The Beatles, but if you’re going to rip off a song, well, that’s a pretty good one to choose and it’s quite well hidden so we’ll let you off Lowpines. We’ve started off a bit negative there really but that’s not fair, because this is actually a pretty little song that’s incredibly delicate and swells into a humming, trembling finale that sent a few shivers down the spine.

Croox – Oracle

Any track that has the lyric “like a kiss in the rain” and lends itself to some serious fist-clenched, ballad-honouring karaoke singalongs was always going to make its way into this week’s list – I’m just in that kind of mood. This new one from Croox is a stuttering, sweeping belter with a buttery vocal that soars like a feelgood eagle above the staccato beats. This should come with a video of a dude on a Harley in the desert, his long flowing hair blowing in the wind as he burns off into the sunset. EPIC.