Huuuuge returns from Massive Attack, Boards of Canada, Madonna, Olivia Rodrigo and a ton of interesting new music.
Single of the week: holybones and Baxter Dury – SLUGBOY
In a week of heavyweights, the sheer WTF of this track just tips it over the winning line. holybones are a band that first popped up in 2024 and released a really good EP last year. They are an anonymous grouping, appearing covered in bandages both live and in their video releases. They eschew genre and move in many directions. On the back of his placing at number 3 on our Best Albums of 2025, Baxter Dury provides one of his more memorable rambles with some cracking zingers over the top:
“You walked away like a female Rasputin
You had aftershave like an arms dealer”
And then there is the video, a whole deep dive into madness entirely of its own. Shheeeeeesh.
Massive Attack and Tom Waits – Boots On The Ground
A staggeringly heavyweight combo. This is the first proper new music from the Trip Hop creating Bristolians in a few years and they haven’t put out an album since 2010. No word on if this a one-off, or if more might follow. Apparently, this was recorded a couple of years ago, which seems ridiculous, as it couldn’t be anymore on the nose about the USA in 2026 if it tried. The video, comprising photography from US photo artist thefinaleye, is immensely powerful. A true document of our grim times.
Boards of Canada – Tape 05
Massive Attack would have been a comfortably large enough a comeback on their own until strange images and random VHS tapes connected to Warp Records could only mean one thing – the most enigmatic of Scottish duos Boards of Canada were back. ‘Tape 05’ is a typically haunting three minutes. Music Has The Right To Children and Geogaddi remain two of the most seminal electronic albums of the last fifty years. Consider us very excited at the thought of a new album.
Pain Gain – Turning Point
Boards of Canada might also approve of this fantastic modular synth-based offering from an Australian side project with real legs. The group comprises Chloe Kaul (Kllo), Hamish Lefevre (SWIM), and Samuel Cooke (CRUSH3d). This is their debut single.
The Haunted Youth – Wake Up
Another stunning track for this blessed week curtesy of one of Belgium’s best musical acts. This dream indie-pop soundscape brings to mind Youth Lagoon and Ekkstacy in all the best ways. Their debut 2022 album Dawn Of The Freak is well worth checking out.
Madonna – I Feel So Free
Most of Madonna’s recent output wouldn’t even merit a mention here, but as soon as the teaser made it clear she had been working with the mercurial Stuart Price again we got very, very excited. Confessions On A Dance Floor remains one of her finest albums and this first taste suggests that lightning might well have struck twice.
Lana Del Ray – First Light
If you listen to this and think, “Wow, that has a real Bond title song vibe to it” then all involved parties succeeded in their intentions. David Arnold, who scored five Bond films from Tomorrow Never Dies through to Quantum of Solace is the co-writer of the track and it has been made for a new James Bond computer game also called ‘First Light.’
Rosalía – Focu ‘Ranni
If LUX wasn’t already one of the more extraordinary albums released in the last decade here comes the Complete Works version to add even more excellence. This new single, ‘Focu ‘Ranni’ means “big fire” in Sicilian. It is another hugely emotive slice of inventive alt-pop music.
Radiator – Carnival
Somewhere between Editors and Fontaines D.C. come Radiator. We were very impressed by this band when they appeared at The Purple Turtle last month, ones to watch closely.
Feral Family – The River
Another great indie band who hugely impressed us at the Purple Turtle this year, as part of Only The Poet’s Battle of the Bands.
Olivia Rodrigo – drop dead
There are better tracks than this buried in the rest of the playlist this week but we had to talk about this one. Olivia Rodrigo not being on the bill for Reading this year or last year is one of our biggest disappointments as she feels like a great Reading Festival fit. Damn you glastonbury, for getting in their first. This is a very different return compared to the high drama of ‘Vampire’ last time around. This leans far more pop than the rockier end of her output, almost uplifting musically with a decent chorus. The last two albums were great, can she complete the hat trick?
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