Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar! We’ve got another cool selection this week, taking in some punk ‘n’ roll, very dark electronica, some incredibly raw garage based noise, and the return of a funk rock powerhouse. As always, we hope the variety offers something for everyone. If you find something new to enjoy, we’d love to hear from you!
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Aiming to begin 2025 by giving everything a massive kick up the arse, Mala Vista value energy over everything else on the brilliant ‘Don’t Owe You’. A pure punk ‘n’ roll banger in the spirit of New Bomb Turks at their most vitriolic, the number works a fiercely tight rhythm guitar, adds a very rock ‘n’ roll inspired lead break and the kind of repetition that the Ramones would make soar in the late 70s. This single may well be an amalgam of two or three very obvious influences, but it’s one of the most exciting to happen to the punk ‘n’ roll scene since Thunderfucks released their one and only EP back in 2012.
A blend of acoustic guitar strums and mellotron sounds mightn’t be the most natural musical combination, but somehow, Blue Foundation make it work on the intro of their brilliant single ‘Close To The Knife’. If this were merely a way to attract attention, it certainly works. As the track branches out, those mellotron sounds begin to feel a little more natural, since they sit alongside a shimmering electric guitar – of a perfect dream pop vintage – and an almost haunting vocal from Helena Gao. This would be enough to create the perfect other-worldly listening experience – somewhere between Cocteau Twins at their best and ‘Phased’ era All About Eve – but the duo take things a step further when Tobias Wilner arrives with a counter vocal that doesn’t feel a million miles removed from an M. Ward classic or two. Overall, this is an alternative treat that’ll please fans of the style with almost immediate effect.
By opening with a bit of studio chat and a stray chord, ‘Silent Killer’ by Royal She immediately wrong-foots the listener. Once the tune emerges, however, it takes just a few seconds before its strong guitar-pop charms become apparent. Structured around a hard edged rhythm guitar and programmed beats, it sets up a pleasing contrast between the natural and mechanical, and vocalist Alison Freed uses this busy sound as a base for a massive sounding performance that adds far more of a human element. Despite that voice being really high in the end mix, there are other things of interest here: synths and guitars pierce between the flowing melodies to add a feeling of the cinematic; a slower middle eight introduces a couple of guitar stings that’d be more at home on a melodic rock track, and eventually, a busy melody twists everything into an arrangement that flaunts more of a modern pop heart. Already likened to Paramore and Pvris, this duo have released a string of enjoyable singles since 2019, but ‘Silent Killer’ is immediately one of Royal She’s best.
‘I Choose Violence’ by Psyclon Nine has been described as a “genre busting” single, and its not difficult to hear why. It comes with an intro that immediately suggests a darkwave or industrial banger, but it then adds a rhythm guitar that’s heavy enough to take things towards groove metal…without ever getting there. It then twists again, allowing a heavy EDM beat to dominate, but you could never dance to any of these sounds. Introducing a voice last, things then take a very sinister turn as the featured vocal mumbles and growls in the manner of the most extreme goth metal, sharing something that almost feels like extra instrumentation. Allowing the beats to fall away briefly, the later part of the number even moves towards drone, which almost derails everything. At best, you could tag this “extreme electronica”, but doing so would do Psyclon Nine an immediate disservice. This is frightening. Cool, possibly, but certainly frightening. …And this is the most obvious choice for promoting a forthcoming album? Sheesh.
Towards the end of 2024, Sugar Bones released an excellent EP. They’ve bustled their way into 2025 with another great new track. ‘Leave The Light On’ finds the band in an even funkier mood on a track that places hard bass grooves against a jazz inflected drum part on the quieter parts of the number, giving vocalist Corrin Cruz plenty of room for a sassy performance, before everything explodes on a rock-centric chorus. Once the guitars crank up, Sugar Bones show off a love for old school fare like Sass Jordan and The Mother Station, delivering a near perfect blues rock sound set to melt every retro heart.
Stabbing piano, crooning vocals and a vaguely unsettling mood create a semi lo-fi intro on Pink Turns Blue’s ‘Black Swan’. Even when the drums crash in, there’s something about the vocal that feels somewhat detached, suggesting that this isn’t just your average indie/post-punk number. By boosting the electric piano against a rigid bass, the bulk of the track weaves a very moody melody, again, suggesting a number that aims for a “cult” audience. It isn’t until a few louder guitars arrive to blend shoegaze tones with an almost post-rock/prog sound that this track’s full appeal can be felt. With its highlights very much coming from an instrumental break that falls somewhere between Explosions In The Sky and late 70s Floyd, this is a single with a slow burning quality, but those who “get” it will love it.
Loaded with abrasive drumming and throat rawing vocals, ‘All The Best’ by Regal Cheer is a no nonsense piece of post-hardcore. Despite the track running to barely a minute and a half, the Brighton based duo spend a surprising amount of time cranking the tension via an intro, but this really works, as once the noise explodes – coming across like a blend of early Computers, Idles and a slice of buried treasure from the early 80s US hardcore scene – it feels like a massive musical release that has no option than to make the keener punk fan feel better. With shrill tones, a world of anger and a pleasingly repetitive hook, this is an easy lesson in how to make a tried and tested sound feel pleasingly fresh.
With its light toned vocal and timeless semi-acoustic sound, Jack Drinker’s ‘California King’ sounds like a radio friendly throwback from the noughties, dressed in slightly shinier, more modern finery. Jack’s blend of voice and guitar immediately serves up something rather pleasing, but it’s when this track blossoms into a huge sounding pop chorus that the appeal becomes really apparent. The light vocal glides almost effortlessly above the pop-rock backdrop, and in doing so showcases the performer’s natural affinity with his chosen style. Although the hook isn’t entirely immediate, the main melody really shines, and a few plays will ultimately unveil the magic in a very accessible tune that’s bound to click with a broad audience.
December 2024/January 2025