Precisely one decade ago, in the thick of the long, hot Britpop summer, hit indie singles typically featured young whippersnappers with comedy sideburns tearing round the beach on Chopper bikes singing songs about smoking cigarettes and putting them out. My, how times change. Architects of an artful gloom, Birmingham’s Editors probably do like the odd ciggy, to be honest, but judging by their third single ‘Blood’ – a fraught, white-knuckle panic attack of low-slung Joy Div bass and hollow cowbell clonk – they’re probably just as likely to consider extinguishing their own futile existence, possibly with the aid of a stool and a nice sturdy length of plastic flex. “Blood runs through your veins,” barks vocalist Tom Smith, “That’s where our similarity ends.” As sunshine-friendly sentiment, patently unsuitable; as cardiovascular exercise, certainly somewhat limited. But one of the week’s best singles all the same.
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