BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 08/08/2025: Fcukers, Nourished in Time, Tame Impala and more...

This week features new bangers from Fcukers and Nourished in Time, plus a rather disappointing end-of-summer anthem from Tame Impala. Other artists featured include dr.rift, Les Ailes, Rocket, Lavinia Blackwall and Tuxi Giant.

THE BEST:

‘Play Me’ – Fcukers

Fcuk yeah! A new track from Fcukers. They’ve gone in a D&B direction with this one. I’m absolutely loving Shanny Wise’s confrontational-but-calm vocals and the Nero-style wobbling bass. It continuously shocks me that these guys are from New York and not the UK. I’m convinced they’re secretly British.  

‘BABY BABY’ – Nourished by Time

This is my first time listening to Baltimore rapper Nourished by Time, and I’m pretty excited by what I’m hearing. The beat is a crazy mishmash of chopped up vocal samples, twinkly synth chords and lo-fi rock guitars. This is paired with casually delivered acerbic bars like ‘the sex ain’t even fun yet/sick of all the blood tests’ and ‘if you can bomb Palestine, you can bomb Mondawmin’. Its rugged production and IDGAF attitude are similar to JPEGMAFIA (who is also from Baltimore. Is this the Baltimore sound?). However, his music also feels less hostile and noisy than Peggy. You can spin this without scaring the hoes.

‘Like A Charm’ – dr.rift

Dr.rift is the project of award-winning Winnipeg artist Kyle Halldorson. This new single ‘Like A Charm’ is a feast of fun fidgety riffs with some playful syncopated vocals (that rapid-fire ‘can’tshakeitaway’ bit is such an earworm). Full of sharp transitions, it throws the listener around like a ragdoll, and yet none of it feels disjointed.   

‘Seducer’ – Les Ailes

Off her upcoming album Lou Heron, Washington singer-songwriter Les Ailes (who I’ve featured on this blog several times before) delivers this new suitably seductive single ‘Seducer’. Her voice gets more angelic with every new single she drops. I particularly like the ‘eh-ay-eh-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay’ bit (not the easiest lyric to transcribe).

‘Wide Awake’ – Rocket

Rocket kept showing up in my YouTube recommendations, so I finally checked them out, and I’m so glad I did. This is that 90s fuzzy and moody alt-rock sound that I adore. They sound like Veruca Salt, but with a more daydreamy vocal style. 

‘We All Get Lost’ – Lavinia Blackwall

I half-expected a black metal track after seeing the spooky press photo, but what followed was very different and very unique. Lavinia Blackwall is a classically-trained soprano singer who has previously fronted Glasgow psych-rock band The Trembling Bells. This single ‘We All Get Lost’ comes off her new solo album The Making, and it’s a captivating mix of folksy chord changes, gothic organs and haunting vocal melodies.

‘Days’ – Tuxis Giant

There are too many indie acts to keep up with nowadays. This is something that Tuxis Giant are well aware of – hence the self-deprecating title of their upcoming album You Won’t Remember This. Judging from my preview listen, this might actually be one of the more memorable indie albums to drop this year. Centred around frontperson Matt O’Connor’s gender journey, the record features a selection of tender and playful indie-folk tracks. ‘Days’ offer a glimpse of what to expect. The sparse and semi-spoken delivery keeps you hooked, and I love the pulsing bass, which encapsulates the song’s theme of trudging onwards through the day.

THE WORST:

‘End of Summer’ – Tame Impala

Kevin Parker has been spending too much time with Justice and now it looks like we’re getting a Tame Impala house album. I’m partial to a bit of house, but this is honestly a bit dreary.