Dave’s second studio album, ‘We’re All Alone In This Together’, is locked in for release this Friday (July 23). In anticipation of the upcoming record, we’ve picked Dave’s storming new collaboration with Stormzy, ‘Clash’, to lead this week’s additions to NME Radio. The song is joined on our playlist this week by the closing track on Wolf Alice’s brilliant album ‘Blue Weekend’, as well as another standout song by Little Simz and the triumphant return of dance music legends Swedish House Mafia.
There’s ample electronic goodness to be found packed among this week’s additions: Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard has joined forces with Tycho for a blissful collaboration, Chvrches are back with another slice of euphoric synth-pop while South Korean producer Peggy Gou has delivered a retro-leaning raver.
Here’s what’s new on NME 1 & 2 this week.
On The A List:
Dave
‘Clash’ (feat. Stormzy)
Two of British rap’s brightest lights collide on ‘Clash’. Riding a hot beat and delivering infectious flows, Dave and Stormzy spit rhymes about their affluence as they flex on their Rolex watches and fresh Jordans. Name-dropping Aston Martin and, er, Jeremy Corbyn, this latest preview of Dave’s upcoming album is a dazzling showcase of cultured cool. – JX Soo
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Wolf Alice
‘The Beach II’
The intimate closer of ‘Blue Weekend’, Wolf Alice’s ‘The Beach II’ wraps things up with a serene ode to friendship. Vocalist Ellie Rowsell details a carefree, relaxed day out at the beach with friends. “The tide comes in, as it must go out / Consistent like the laughter / Of the girls on the beach, my girls on the beach / Happy ever after,” she sings over atmospheric guitars. – Isaac Chiew
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On The B List:
Little Simz
‘I Love You, I Hate You’
From bold politics to female empowerment, Little Simz has already touched on a lot en route to her upcoming album, ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’. But on this raw, emotional cut, Simz’s verses come from a more personal place as she explores her relationship with her estranged father: “Hard to not carry these feelings, even on my best days / Never thought my parent would give me my first heartbreak.” – JXS
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Chvrches
‘Good Girls’
Chvrches’ latest preview of their upcoming new record, ‘Screen Violence’, sees Lauren Mayberry staying defiant against the expectations placed on her. “Good girls don’t cry / And good girls don’t lie / And good girls justify – but I don’t,” she proclaims over sweet synth arpeggios and pounding beats. Crescendoing on a volley of ecstatic guitars, ‘Good Girls’ stands tall as a powerful track of synth-pop euphoria. – JXS
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Peggy Gou
‘I Go’
Peggy Gou may have been sentimental on her last single, ‘Nabi’, but this time round the South Korean producer dials things right back up for the club. Delivering a soulful house throwback packed with 808s and 909s galore, ‘I Go”s squelching basslines, retro synths and chiming textures make Gou’s latest not only perfect for the ’90s, but any rave on the horizon. – JXS
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Tycho & Benjamin Gibbard
‘Only Love’
Ben Gibbard goes well with synths: just ask fans of The Postal Service. On ‘Only Love’, Tycho’s washed-out sonic tapestries blissfully welcome Gibbard’s return to electronica as glistening synths, chiming guitars and gently pulsating beats soundtrack Gibbard’s utopian musings. “No last chances missed / No saviour to arrive / Just in the nick of time / Only love will save this place,” he sings. – JXS
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Swedish House Mafia
‘It Gets Better’
Swedish House Mafia are back – and it’s a slick return. ‘It Gets Better’ opens with an introduction fit for a boxing match as Sebastian Ingrosso, Axwell and Steve Angello burst through the gates with urgent kick patterns and rumbling bass. After eight years away, the trio are now revamped and reloaded with a dark, refined aesthetic – just in time for clubs reopening. – JXS
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On The C List:
Self Esteem
‘Prioritise Pleasure’
The title of Rebecca Lucy Taylor’s latest makes its message clear as day: prioritise pleasure. Taken from her second album as Self Esteem, the track is a proud celebration of self-love, delivered over distorted production and triumphant choirs. “So I’m breathing in / One, two, three / Prioritise pleasuring me / No need to wait for bended knee / I’m free,” her ensemble proclaims. – JXS
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Amyl and the Sniffers
‘Guided By Angels’
Australian punk rockers Amyl and the Sniffers make a blistering return with ‘Guided by Angels’, the first taste from their upcoming sophomore album ‘Comfort To Me’. Frontwoman Amy Taylor delivers a fiery vocal performance, her restless energy matching the track’s driving rhythm section and satisfyingly chunky guitars. – IC
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Omar Apollo
‘Go Away’
Omar Apollo’s heartfelt vocals soar over pulsing synths and laidback disco drums on ‘Go Away’, an emotionally potent R&B track that details poignant longing and heartbreak. Its understated production and lush harmonies allow Apollo’s gorgeous falsetto to truly shine on its cathartic refrain. – IC
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Mabes
‘Radio’
Mabes recalls nostalgic memories of her youth and past loves with a joyous, infectious bounce on ‘Radio’. Shimmery guitar chords and groovy drums eventually build up into a soaring singalong, channelling the British singer-songwriter’s happy memories into a feel-good, country-tinged pop track. – IC
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Preditah
‘Glucose’
Grime DJ Preditah’s latest, ‘Glucose’, embellishes its undeniable deep house grooves with modulated vocal samples and atmospheric synths. The Birmingham producer conjures up a hypnotic groove, delivering a hazy, mesmerising bop that feels perfectly tailored for the dancefloor. – IC
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Logic
‘Get Up’
On his third song since his official return from retirement, Logic spits introspective bars about persevering through hard times and being grateful for what he has over soothing guitars and laidback beats. “Every time I fall, you know I get up / Try to keep me down but I get up / Y’all say what you want but I’ma get up / Bitch, I’ma get up,” he reflects on its chest-beating refrain. – IC
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music