FIFA’s known for the amazing platform it gives to its soundtrack choices, and FIFA ’18 has some surprisingly eclectic ones, from ODESZA to The War on Drugs. The full playlist at the bottom of this page is worth following – and FIFA will add to it over the course of the season – but to give you a taste, here’s NME’s top 10 picks.
1. ‘Heart Attack’ – Oliver feat. De La Soul
The groovy one
LA producer duo Oliver love funk and disco, and it all comes together on this brilliantly fun, synthy cut featuring smooth hip-hop trio De La Soul. The vocoder doesn’t hurt.
2. ‘Slip Away’ – Perfume Genius
The defiant one
Radiant IDGAF spirit crystallised in song, ‘Slip Away’ was the first taste of ‘No Shape’, album four from the Seattle-based baroque-pop laureate. Be warned: if you’re not careful it’ll blow out your speakers.
3. ‘Ça Va Pas la Tete?’ – Témé Tan
The optimistic one
On this song, which translates as ‘Are You Out of Your Mind?’, Belgian-Congolese artist Tanguy Haesevoets asks: “Ou est passé ton bonheur?” (Where’s your happiness gone?) This is the one you want to hear after losing 10-0 with your rubbish Ultimate Team.
4. ‘Something For Your M.I.N.D.’ – Superorganism
The trippy one
Samples of apple-munching and Korean speech dot about this brilliantly wiggy, synthy drawler by the mysterious transcontinental eight piece. Don’t get lost.
5. ‘Never Enough’ – Rex Orange County
The indie one
Tyler, The Creator‘s favourite new singer is from Surrey and featured on the rapper’s latest album ‘Flower Boy’. Here he gets stealthily sad on a storming guitar track, which smartly mixes drum machines with the real thing.
6. ‘Get Lost’ – Washed Out
The vibey one
Leaving behind most of the hallmarks of the chillwave sound that defined his early albums, Georgia-based singer/producer Ernest Greene goes for house-y piano, jazzy sax and fuzzed-out vocals on this undeniable late-night jam.
7. ‘Helpline’ – Mura Masa feat Tom Tripp
The one about Gina
Mura Masa‘s self-titled debut album was crammed with memorable tunes, but the roving bassline on ‘Helpline’ finds ever new ways to burrow into your brain. Shoutout to Tom Tripp’s light-touch vocals, and “Gina“, wherever she may be.
8. ‘Supercut’ – Lorde
‘The One’ one
One of NME‘s Songs of the Summer, ‘Supercut’ distils Lorde’s class album ‘Melodrama‘ into five minutes, mixing introspection with euphoria over a shuddering, Robyn-style bassline.
9. ‘Dangerous’ – The xx
The one with the intro
Immediately recognisable – the dream challenge for Never Mind The Buzzcocks‘ intro round – this massive opener to the south London trio’s third album ‘I See You‘ is the perfect fusion of standard xx moodiness with the production clout Jamie xx showed us on his solo debut ‘In Colour’. Huge.
10. ‘Best Friend’ – Sofi Tukker feat. Nervo, The Knocks & Alisa Ueno
The bassy one
This collaboration between four (yes, four!) different artists is actually a massive banger – so much so that Apple have put it on their new iPhone ad. It’s got a virulently good bit in the middle with a ‘Ja’ sample that you, reader, will soon find yourself ‘Ja’-ing along to.
Take a listen to the playlist in full above and let us know your favourites in the comments.