MANS

MANS are described as “an Iranian entrepreneur, an Italian metronome, a heartbroken Mongolian and a failed American Svengali”.  Given that, plus comparisons ranging from Prince to Ed Banger via Robin Gibb, they were never going to go quietly.  Released ahead of a forthcoming debut LP, the live-recorded Various Lovers grooves along like an hip, highfalutin peacock.

Be&Bea – God Knows

Based between London and NYC, the enigmatic boy/girl duo Be&Bea return with this glossy, synth-edged, r’n'b-flecked number, as smooth and polished as a Galaxy chocolate bar:

It follows the cosier pop tones of Grows.

A Grave With No Name

Gently-whirring synths, whispery vocals, an underlining pop melody and a generally groggy air – all quite Veronica Falls, all perfect for those times where sitting still is the best medicine.  Alternatively, A Grave With No Name‘s new single is also the perfect soundtrack for kicking leaves around on a slow Sunday, or daydreamy bus rides home after unremarkable pints in an unremarkable pub.

Aurora comes from the new album, Whirlpool, released through new London label Stare Records (currently no website that I can find) on 1 July.  A Grave With No Name is essentially Alexander Shields plus, in this current existence, a rotating line-up including Echo Lake‘s Linda Jarvis, Akiko Matsuura of Comanechi and singer-songwriter Alanna McArdle from Ides and Joanna Gruesome.  All, some or none of those will join Alex at AGWNN’s headline, album-launch show at Birthdays on 17 July.  It’s McArdle who features on Aurora.  (via Sexbeat / Deerlodge / The Line of Best Fit)

Is Tropical – Dancing Anymore

Instead of the usual Friday Films, today’s post will just focus on one new video in particular: the one to accompany Is Tropical‘s Dancing Anymore, their latest single from the new record I’m Leaving.  A comic and compelling watch, it features a horny, house-sitting French teenager, with masturbation scenes that immediately got it banned from YouPrude.  As for the song itself, I can’t recall Is Tropical ever being so ice-cream poppy, but they sure pull it off the style with aplomb.

If the video strikes a familiar chord, then here’s why: it’s a loose follow-up to Is Tropical and Megaforce‘s previous collaboration on the infamous The Greeks video, which presented a much gorier boyhood fantasy.  This latest effort is set a few years hence, with the boy’s thoughts having turned from guns to girls.

Freddie Dickson

There’s an old-fashioned, warm element to Freddie Dickson‘s debut song, Shut Us Down. and the arrangements therein.  For all that, however, the 24-year-old Freddie’s a tortured soul and no mistake: openly bruised and personal, this swirling anti-ballad describes the agonies of a probably-doomed relationship.