Kraus // Photo by Damian Golfinopoulos

BEAUTIFUL THINGS PLAYLIST 

WEEK 17th - 21st OCTOBER

JONATHAN BREE & PRINCESS CHELSEA - 'DESTINY'

Jonathan Bree and Princess Chelsea have reunited to celebrate Lil' Chief Records' 20th Anniversary with a new song - 'Destiny'. The song takes strides away from the whimsical world of 'The Cigarette Duet' and the sunshine pop of 'Kiss My Lips' to dive head-first into darker, more minimal waves that feel colder than usual  - yet as fun as ever. The pair's hushed vocals infectiously fold amongst pulsating bases and sweet, melodious synths. Bree and PC singing the words together, as label mates and ex-lovers, paints the song a deeper shade of blue, the track's 80's pastiche glossing it all over with bittersweet nostalgia.

You can stream Jonathan Bree's new song 'Destiny' on Spotify here. 

APHEX TWIN - 'SYRO U473T8....etc'

This song is an all encompassing listen - a shapeshifting, electro-swirl of samples, beats and synths, sometimes ridiculous, sometimes beautiful, sometimes danceable, and always fun. The kind of music I would want to listen to if I had 5 minutes to run 10 errands. 

You can find this song on Aphex Twin's album Syro available via the Flying Nun Record Shop here. 

DEERHUNTER - 'HELICOPTER'

A hauntingly simple song that just hooks on your ears and clasps your heart in the both the sweetest and loneliest way. 

You can find this song in Deerhunter's album Halycon Digest via the Flying Nun Record Shop here. 

VAMPIRE WEEKEND - 'DIPLOMAT'S SON'

This song is a breath of fresh air in Vampire Weekend's album Contra. Reggaeton leaning drums, dinky samples and sweet, harmonious vocals and strings come together to create one of the most unique pop songs I've ever heard - endearing, a little clumsy, and very enjoyable.

You can find this song on their album Contra via the Flying Nun Record shop here. 

SKYMNING - 'ISOLATION'

The track feels like the duo's moody, goth rock take on trip-hop, with angular, riff-heavy guitars cycling over very Boards Of Canada-esque drums and spindly drones. Skymning takes a new direction with the lead vocals; layers shape shift from monotony to chaos, encapsulating the acceptance and frustrations of seclusion. 

Listen to the track via Bandcamp below. 

SOFT PLASTICS - 'EASY TO FORGET'

Te Whanganui-A-Tara/Wellington trio Soft Plastics are back with a new track today titled 'Easy To Forget'. Despite the name, the song is not unforgettable in the slightest, with its immediately catchy melodies and vibrant structure.  Their songwriting craft really shines through the simple, chugging rhythm section, brought to life by subtle dynamic tweaks. The song reaches a divine climax with vocal layers and dreamy organ arpeggios before sliding back into the swift vibe of the first half. It is effortless garage pop.

You can support this song via their Bandcamp here. 

PVA - 'BAD DAD'

PVA have burst onto the scene with their new album Blush. 'Bad Dad' involves some of those monotonous, spoken word ish vocals we all love so much (think Wet Leg and Dry Cleaning), mixed with punchy, glistening synth pop to create something completely badass. 

You can find this song on PVA's new album Blush available via the Flying Nun Record Shop here. 

FOUR TET - 'SW9 9SL'

This entire album is fantastic. Four Tet manages to create something for everybody (I remember playing this for my strictly-classical-music-only grandfather and even he was bopping his head). It's quite difficult to choose just one track to share - 'SW9 9SL' is one of the darker, house-ier cuts, very beat driven and sleek, not unlike the streamlined sounds on Kraftwerk's Tour De France album. But as I said, the whole thing is a must listen. 

This song can be found on Four Tet's beautiful album New Energy via the Flying Nun Record Shop here. 

KRAUS - 'CRUSH ON ICE'

Aotearoa sound artist Kraus released a new track last week - 'Crush On Ice'. It is immediately transcendent, little chimes and synths dancing with each other percussively underneath duetting melodies. The accompanying video is equally as mesmerising. Big love to this track, and I cannot wait to hear his entire album (his 19th!) out next Friday.

This song is from Kraus' upcoming album Fire! Water! Air! Kraus! available for preorder via their Bandcamp here. 

WOMB - 'THE DOVE'

Womb are back with The Dove — the second single to be shared from the trio’s upcoming album ‘Dreaming of the Future Again, out November 11 via Flying Nun Records. “The Dove is a song for grief. We think of the dove, or any bird really, as a messenger between this world and another, being a winged creature that can fly between the earth and sky. Something about this song feels urgent: it was written and recorded in the week of Georgette’s father’s passing and: it came out fully formed. At the same time, The Dove is about trying to find vibrancy; feeling the wind, and feeling the way in which the wind is always something living.” - Womb

You can preorder Womb's upcoming album Dreaming Of The Future Again via the Flying Nun Record Shop here. 

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