Skepta - Konnichiwa

By now you should know I hate waitin'
I got no patience
Right now man are tryna get out the matrix
Far from the agents
Tryna stay far from the devil in the red dress
Far from the pagans
Only time man are gonna see me again
Is if I share location

It's been a little while since we had any hip-hop up here, so let's fix that with "Konnichiwa" by London grime-ster Skepta. The song comes from his 2016 album of the same name. It's a fairly angsty album, and a classic capture of early 2000-style grime. Think The Streets, Dizzee Rascal and the like: grungy beats, rapid-fire vocals, quick cuts and the occasional club jam all done with a techno flair. If this wets your whistle, have a dip into his back catalog, there's a lot of hot tracks in there.

RIYL: Dizzee Rascal, The Streets, Gorillaz, Wiley

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The Royal Concept - D-D-Dance

In a room with both of your rivals
You would always turn it around
Once you go, once you get started
Always had that look in your eyes
You would always reach without trying
I didn't spend this time to fall out
Watch me take my chances on the weekends
You could always read me by heart

I know you're still green but I'll start you a scene that you can write about
When you come around
I know you're still green, girl
I'll start you a scene, girl

Always on the go, keep your head up now
Na na not quite that high
D-d-dance dance dance till you get it right
Always on the go, keep your head up now

Stockholm's indie-pop-rock quartet haven't given us anything new in a few years, but they've announced their rehearsals and that they'll be touring again soon (TBA) so maybe it's time to remind us of their fantastic debut single from 2011.

RIYL: Vampire Weekend, Phoenix, Youngblood Hawke, Smallpools

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Fictionist - Manic

I'm thinking of you thinking of me
Thinking of you thinking of me
Always thinking...
Somewhere across town
I know you're having a day
While the shoulders of powerful men
In a casual way
Maybe you don't know
You make me nervous

Well, this act just blew a hole in any hubris I was gaining from my year of deep diving into indie and alt (and pop) rock. How had I never heard of Fictionist before? They're from a place I lived for years, they have toured with bands I like, their references and influences are top notch, they came in fourth in a Rolling Stone poll... WTH? Anyway, thankfully Spotify knew I'd like 'em and added their lead single ("Manic") from their newly released album (Sleep Machine) to my Radar. So fun! I've been able to listen to the whole album a few times through now (it's short!) and it's filled with gems and interesting sounds. I almost chose the dancier "Lazarus" or the title-I-adore "We Can Sleep When We Die" but this track hits those moments and swirls in a bit of chaos and is still pop-radio-ready (which is not a pejorative to me). Seems Fictionist is a band that likes to evolve and change with every album, and it's been fun to go backwards to listen to their 2014 and 2011 LPs, all good.

RIYL: Mutemath, MGMT, Paper Route, Phoenix

Upcoming Shows