Each week on the FACT Singles Club, a selection of our writers work their way through the new music of the week gone by.
With the way individual tracks are now consumed, the idea of what constitutes a single has shifted dramatically in the last half a decade, and its for this reason that the songs reviewed across the next pages are a combination of 12″ vinyl releases, mixtape cuts, Soundcloud uploads and more. All are treated equally – well, most of the time. On the chopping block this week: Nozinja, Avril Lavigne, Ben Frost and more.
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Avril Lavigne – ‘Hello Kitty’
Chal Ravens: This poses far more questions than I can possibly answer on a Sunday afternoon, but credit where it’s due – can you think of another novelty act who’s managed such a long and lucrative career? (0)
Joe Muggs: I’m sorry, I can’t help but love this a little bit. I completely understand that objectively it’s evil, but there’s something about the perfect storm of outmoded and stupid things that makes it gripping and a bit addictive. I don’t mean in a “so bad it’s good” sense, and definitely not in some arch ironic distance sense – it’s quite the opposite of ironic distance, in fact: it’s the instant visceral thrill of disbelief and glee that all the best utter trash provides. The fact that the production of the track is so big and sincere helps too. They really thought they were on to something with this… (3)
Scott Wilson: I honestly didn’t even know Avril Lavigne was still making music until this video caused such a scandal. In fact, I honestly couldn’t tell you the name of anything she’d done since ‘Sk8er Boi’, so I guess on that level it’s a success, but lyrically and musically, ‘Hello Kitty’ makes ‘Sk8er Boi’ sound like a lost avant-rock classic. Terrible. (2)
John Twells: Someone should just loop the cheeky bassline bit at the end (at like 3:00) and this would be unstoppable. Nah, I actually quite like it though, not going to apologise. Fuck you. (6)
2.8
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Palace – ‘Touch Me’
Chal Ravens: So grotty, so functional, so yes. A pleasingly chewy quality to this one. (7)
Joe Muggs: Like this ossified grot on sewer walls, this is rock solid subterranean filth. Doesn’t really do much on its own, but in a stanky basement it’s presumably deadly. (7)
Scott Wilson: This might be the most straight up enjoyable set of drums I’ve heard in a track since ‘Getting Me Down’. Pretty much every other UK producer making weak throwback house tracks right now could do with taking a leaf out of Palace’s book. (8)
John Twells: Doesn’t sound a million miles away from the ending of Avril Lavigne’s ‘Hello Kitty’ to be honest. I feel like it would benefit from a bassline cheekier than a Carry On Blu Ray box set but it’s hard to argue with this ‘un really. Play loud (and preferably in a tricked out Nova). (7)
7.3
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Nozinja – ‘Tsekeleke’
Joe Muggs: Well, it’s a good look for Warp to put this stuff out unadorned and unremixed – indeed putting out a track that sounds —><— this close to a keyboard in demo mode. It’s really good, delirious, joyful etc etc, and it’s a nice illustration of what the Shangaan sound is, but it doesn’t really go anywhere, and it’s not really a standout as an individual track. (6)
Chal Ravens: Nozinja is a canny old dog (pun intended) and it’s heartwarming to see the fruits of his one-man mission to spread the sound of Shangaan. The track itself is actually slightly less deranged than some of the genre’s latest tunes, which treat the concept of beats per minute as a party game in which the winner is the last one to fall on his arse, but having experienced an hour-long DJ set from the man himself last year (enough time to leave me closer to death than I have been in a while), I hope to hear other DJs brave Shangaan’s impossible tempos and garish MIDI marimbas. (7)
John Twells: Anyone who had a problem with Kanye chipmunking vocals in the ‘00s is gonna have a heart attack when they hear this. Also the video is mildly terrifying. Those two things together mean this gets two thumbs up. (8)
Scott Wilson: It’s almost impossible to say anything remotely critical about the music of Nozinja – if this doesn’t put a smile on your face you may as well just give up. This guy is a true star. (9)
7.5
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Zmoney/Danny Brown – ‘Jug N Finesse’
Chal Ravens: I’ve really been enjoying hearing the bleeding edge of rap dissolve into slurred glossolalia and nonsensical blather lately. ZMoney’s diction makes Danny Brown sound like Brian Sewell, and this bangs hard enough for me. Does “jug” mean the same thing in America? (6)
Joe Muggs: That’s triffic, that is. Danny Brown is best when he’s in one of two modes – super-detailed storytelling or, as here, chanting so slurred it’s barely comprehensible. Not to glorify intoxication, you understand, it’s just that’s when he seems to take most pleasure in the sound of his own voice, and that’s infectious. (8)
Scott Wilson: I have absolutely no idea what “jug and finesse” means, so this is the kind of track that just teeters on the edge of lyrical absurdity for me, but that’s probably half the charm. (6)
John Twells: Jneal on the beat, Zmoney and Danny Brown trading verses? Fuck’s sake. We need a full tape of this shit. (9)
7.3
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Ben Frost – ‘Nolan’
Scott Wilson: Maybe’s it’s because his incredible soundtrack for Richard Mosse’s The Enclave continues to resonate with me but I’m really not feeling the euphoric stadium trance vibes here. (5)
Joe Muggs: Well, that’s just epic. Wagnerian. Apocalyptic. Ragnarok is on the horizon. I get that noise purists don’t like this guy, but I’m not one, and his massive sound design production values do it for me big time… like Monolake gone to the dark side. (9)
John Twells: ARGGGHHHHHHH. (8)
Chal Ravens: In which Ben Frost goes dancehall. Saw this live at the weekend and it sounded less like the mangled rumpshaker you hear on home speakers and more like an arrestable offence – sternum rattling and fucking huge. (8)
7.5
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Hannah Diamond – ‘Attachement’
Chal Ravens: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3, and an extra point for the lipliner. (8)
John Twells: It’s weird that a label so obsessed with synthetic pre-packaged sounds should boast some of the most blank, honest vocal takes in modern music. Hannah Diamond’s last single was a total belter, and this one’s a weepy #sadgirl anthem. I want more. (7)
Scott Wilson: It’s really difficult for me to view this as anything other than some seriously advanced level trolling. (3)
Joe Muggs: Kate Nash doing a PA at Night Slugs. (4)
5.5
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Final scores:
Ben Frost – ‘Nolan’ (7.5)
Nozinja – ‘Tsekeleke’ (7.5)
Palace – ‘Touch Me’ (7.3)
Zmoney/Danny Brown – ‘Jug N Finesse’ (7.3)
Hannah Diamond – ‘Attachement’ (5.5)
Avril Lavigne – ‘Hello Kitty’ (2.8)
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