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.

On the block this week: Giorgio Moroder, Flying Lotus & DOOM, Pusha T, SZA and more.

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Egyptrixxx – ‘Transfer of Energy [Feelings of Power]’

Angus Finlayson: The cover of Jam City’s Classical Curves sported a curvaceous motorbike and a pool of golden cloth; Egyptrixx’s Transfer Of Energy is grey on grey, all cold metal and exposed mechanism. Judging by the lead track it’ll be at least as good as last year’s dystopian techno trip A/B Til Infinity, which is pretty good. (7)

Tayyab Amin: New generation aside, all of the artists releasing on Night Slugs at the moment seem to be switching up their sound. Even though Transfer of Energy [Feelings of Power] is coming via Egyptrixx’s own label, I still expected something different with the title track – it’s not so much an advancement on his previous work as it is a drawn-out version. I do like how delightfully eerie the stuff happening in the background of the track is, though, similar to Valerio Tricoli’s work. Good reason to be excited for the full thing, but I can’t see myself coming back to this outside of it’s album context. (6)

Son Raw: At this point, Night Slugs are competing with an entire generation of musicians they’ve inspired, but this proves that at their best, they’re still leading the pack. It’s a bit dour and grey compared to their club material, but as far as sound design for it’s own sake, this is a cut above. (7)

Scott Wilson: Egyptrixx doesn’t get anywhere near enough recognition for what he does – last year’s A/B Til Infinity was criminally overlooked, and I’d hope that isn’t repeated with the next album. Having said that, this track doesn’t feel like it plays much to his strengths; his music always works better when his cold mechanical rhythms are balanced out with some interesting synth textures, which are sadly lacking from this track. As a piece of sound design it’s flawless, but it doesn’t have much going for it apart from that. (6)

6.5

Neana – ‘Bow Kat’

Scott Wilson: This is an undeniably solid club track, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that there are probably other producers doing the ballroom/grime thing a little more innovatively at the moment – it’s been over a year since this first started floating around, and it’s definitely lost a bit of punch. (6)

Tayyab Amin: NOS for the dance. Elbows flying, each and every time. Usually my own. Sorry about that. (8)

Son Raw: A perfectly serviceable DJ tool, but outside the club, it’s hard to get excited about a track that so brazenly leans on that ‘Rhythm ‘N’ Gash’ sample, only to make it more accessible than the original. At their best, these club/grime hybrids serve to toughen up the former, nudging sets into harder and more adventurous territory. This mostly makes grime more palatable for trainspotters still unsure if they should commit. (6)

Angus Finlayson: Sampling ‘Rhythm ‘N’ Gash’ and dropping a Dizzee reference into your title is a surefire way to draw attention to the towering canon against which your output registers as little more than a promising speck. This is banging though. (7)

6.8

SZA – ‘Sobriety’

Angus Finlayson: SZA’s output has often favoured alt.R&B style over substance – a bit like knocking back a cappuccino only to find it’s milky froth all the way down. The sultry ‘Sobriety’ is an improvement in this respect, even if Thundercat’s contribution helps position him as contemporary hip-hop’s Squarepusher. You can just imagine the stifled groans when he arrived at the studio, axe in hand. (7)

Tayyab Amin: The production on this is hit and miss for me – sometimes it feels like incidental neo-soul sounds just happening, other times they isolate some really staggering moments. Mostly, it’s a bed for SZA, of course, and she kills it – oddball lyricism paired with symbiotic vulnerability and conviction. (6)

Son Raw: TDE’s 2014 is a write off, so even a low stakes mood piece feels like a minor victory compared to yet another crossover attempt. That said, this provides about as much excitement as you’d expect from a track called ‘Sobriety’. (4)

Scott Wilson: Just as nondescript as the nondescript chain coffee shop I’d expect to hear this floating out of. Inoffensive but ultimately lacking in any substance whatsoever. (3)

5

Pusha T – ‘Lunch Money’ 

William Skar: The last thing any of us want to do is slosh more oil on the fire of Kanye West’s ego, but ‘Lunch Money’ – beefed-up Raymond Scott brainburble of the first water – belies an imagination that’s as restless as it’s ever been. Unlike Gang Starr (who, back in 1990, Loading Video…

#t=142″ target=”_blank”>latched the same Jean-Jacques Perrey loop to the grid) West actively amps up the psychedelia. Downside? Pusha T’s rarefied taste remains a plus, but, not for the first time, he sounds a bit out of place here, like a news reporter who’s blundered into a Mardi Gras flotilla. (8)

Scott Wilson: Kanye West just keeps finding new ways to upstage people doesn’t he? I reckon most people will probably hate just how damn near unlistenable Kanye’s beat makes the track, but for me, it’s probably one of the best things I’ve heard in hip hop all year. (9)

Tayyab Amin: Yeah, so I’m pretty sure the way this came about was Kanye brought North West into the studio and she was playing with a slinky. Next big production duo, trust me. Pusha owns it though, I could listen to him flow over that b-line all day. (8)

Son Raw: In an era of squawking and vocal contortions, Pusha T can still entertain simply by rapping well, and a lot of that comes down to an uncanny ability to pick backing tracks that are just weird enough to grab your attention without seeming forced. This is straight out the ‘Numbers on the Board’ playbook, but it’s proof that Kanye’s post-Yeezus work can be challenging and fun, and any track reminding the world of how exciting Gang Starr’s beats were back in the days is a force for good. (8)

8.3

Flying Lotus & MF DOOM – ‘Masquatch’

Scott Wilson: If you were going to record a track with DOOM especially for your own radio station on Grand Theft Auto V, why would you make it this dull? I’m sorry, but I can’t see myself tearing the down the Los Santos freeway with a five star wanted rating with this on in the background, so I’ve got no option but to mark it down accordingly. (3)

Son Raw: 10 years removed from peak DOOM, it’s usually more exciting to hear his influence echo through Tyler, The Creator or Chester Watson than to listen to his current music. Teaming up with FlyLo adds an interesting wrinkle to his shtick though. A 2-minute verse isn’t not enough to herald a revival, but if allowed to spread out over a full project, this might work. (7)

Angus Finlayson: If you’d asked me to imagine DOOM over a so-so FlyLo beat – yup, about this. (6)

Tayyab Amin: There’s this brilliant video on YouTube of Yasiin Bey fully stanning on DOOM. ‘Masquatch’ sees the appreciation reciprocated as The Villain flows like Bey – I’ve never heard his syllables rumble and tumble like this so naturally before. Plus he still shows us up with expert storytelling finesse, complementing a FlyLo beat that wouldn’t stand on its own outside of an interlude. I think many of us would love to hear more work or a full project from the pair, even if they do run the risk of fully losing each other in their own smoke clouds. (7)

5.8

Final scores:

Pusha T – ‘Lunch Money’ (8.3)
Neana – ‘Bow Kat 8bar’ (6.8)
Egyptrixxx – ‘Transfer of Energy [Feelings of Power]’ (6.5)
Flying Lotus & MF DOOM – ‘Masquatch’ (5.8)
SZA – ‘Sobriety’ (5)
Giorgio Moroder – ’74 is the New 24′ (3.3)