The Cut: The 1975, Drenge, Spring King and more

Another week, another batch of new music to check out. It’s almost like this is becoming a regular thing, right?

With so much going on, we’ve cut down to the essentials – new tracks from the likes of the 1975, Drenge, Spring King, Death Cab For Cutie and Billie Eilish, all of which have appeared online over recent days ready for your New Music Friday.

So, without further delay, here are the new records you should be sticking in your carefully curated playlists today. You can hear the full thing on Spotify here, or, if you want to get the new cut every Friday direct to your Spotify account, follow the main playlist here.

Don’t forget to vote for your favourites in the Dork Buzz Chart. There’s a new rundown every Sunday at 5pm on Dork Radio. Get more info and the current top 10 here, and find a full list of every track you can vote for here.

The 1975 Love It If We Made It

“Fuck your feelings,” Matty Healy proclaims on the pop culture feed reader “Love It If We Made It’. It’s an ironic pull, given the latest track from ‘A Brief Inquiry’ feels almost spiritual in its approach to the church of online noise. A stream of higher consciousness, this is the 1975 looking outwards, reflecting the world back at itself. Never has ugly sounded so damn pretty.

Drenge Before The War Begins

With a new EP due before the end of the year, Drenge are firmly back in the saddle. ‘Before The War Begins’ takes a different route to first track back ‘This Dance’ – a windswept but firmly planted statement as opposed to a frantic indie dancefloor banger – but it’s still a calling card for one of our very best.

Spring King The Hum

If writing bangers was as easy as Spring King make it sound, everyone would be at it. “Are you listening? Is it coming?” they demand in the rise to a chorus that’s already kicking down doors and demanding receipts. “Don’t let your energy drop,” ‘The Hum’ demands. No chance of that, lads.

Death Cab For Cutie I Dreamt We Spoke Again

If there’s one way to sooth ourselves into this weekend, it’s through the soothing balm of Ben Gibbard’s comfy tones. Death Cab’s most recent album shows all the signs of tagging back to the past, while still driving the story forwards, ‘I Dreamt We Spoke Again’ does that perfectly. A quiet evolution, we’ll take whatever they’re selling.

LANY Thru These Tears

If you get nothing else out of a break-up, ‘The Bands’, at least get a decent track. That’s exactly what LANY have done, with a track about frontman Paul Klein has managed, writing about a relationship with A Really Very Now Famous Pop Star. Idle gossip isn’t the point, though. ‘Thru These Tears’ is the relatable edge of a band building a buzz far louder than the rest of the world has realised yet. Album two is on the way – expect it to explode.

Billie Eilish you should see me in a crown

The odd capital letter is all pop prodigy Billie Eilish is lacking right now. Like the Lorde of Darkness, there’s a brooding cool and a dark edge to ‘you should see me in a crown’. We will, Billie. And soon.

Brockhampton 1998 Truman

If Brockhampton are the sound of now, then now wants to make a noise. ‘1998 Truman’ is a melting pot of ideas, all of them more than willing to lay down a challenge. There’s no half measures, no quarter given. In refusing to smooth off the edges, Brockhampton sound more essential than ever.

St. Lucia Walking Away

When you’ve got it, you’ve got it, and when it comes to thumping the alt pop door down, St, Lucia are fully licensed. With the swagger of Scissor Sisters and a disco infiltrator on day release, ‘Walking Away’ isn’t shuffling off. This is a full on strut.

The Lemon Twigs Small Victories

A band out of time, the Lemon Twigs insistence on moving to their own beat remains their greatest strength. Classic in the best way, ‘Small Victories’ is humble about its ambition. In a playlist full of future sounds, the past stands out.

Wild Nothing Partners In Motion

Everyone loves a bit of sax, and Wild Nothing is no different. ‘Partners In Motion’ is an 80s groove with a side order of saxy times, making sure the route to Jack Tatum’s fourth album ‘Indigo’ goes down like soothing honey.

Yonaka Fired Up

Yonaka’s rise continues to throw itself from pillar to post with ‘Fired Up’. The attitude of previous track ‘FWTB’ remains, but this time the band have dragged themselves out of the fight and onto higher planes. There’s no shortage of ambition for a band striving to find their place. Wherever they end up, you can be sure they’ll be heard.

Ben Khan The Green

There’s a satisfying squelch to Ben Khan’s latest offering. “Your time has come,” he proclaims. While he might be calling out the end of the road, it’s a fitting refrain as one of the most long awaited debuts finally prepares to rear its head.

Deaf Havana Holy

If anyone was in doubt at the sincerity of Deaf Havana’s Big Pop Transformation, ‘Holy’ should set them straight. A million miles apart from everything that’s come before, it’s the sound of a band polished to a sheen and sent out to make an impact. The song underneath remains true to their path, but the clothes it wears mark out a whole new direction. Love it or hate it, fascination is inevitable.

The Prodigy Need Some1

We know. You’re knackered. It’s been a long week. Rather than reach for that seventh coffee, though, give the Prodigy a try. Back to their original buzzing best, age will not weary a band whose first choice has always been a bullet between the eyes. You’ll be wide awake in no time.

The Candescents Chinese New Year

Two tracks in, and the Candescents are always sounding like a classic band in waiting. ‘Chinese New Year’ brings out the sunshine on even the cloudiest of days. A grin inducing jangle from a band of genuine promise, it’s the perfect way to set your weekend up right.

Words: Stephen Ackroyd