SWEEP FREQUENCY #360: Endless Flaws
New tunes from Rosie Tucker, YOBS, Eljé, Real Lies, Scarlett O'Malley, and more.
OPENING RIFF: "Just because I'm a hypocrite doesn't mean I'm wrong." -- Adrian Tomine, Shortcomings
SMALL TALK: It's oftentimes easier to be an asshole than to actually grow as a person, or to criticize things instead of actually making them. It's something I've had to learn time and time again in life, and it's something explored masterfully in Shortcomings, the film adaptation of the Adrian Tomine graphic novel directed by Randall Park. While it had the misfortune of going up against the Barbenheimer juggernaut during its theatrical run, Shortcomings captures a lot of our era's anxieties perfectly, whether it's what representation and appropriation actually mean or how blind we can be to double standards. It's not perfect by any means, but it's the sort of well-made indie character study that seems to be disappearing lately, so I'd definitely recommend seeking it out. Beyond that, Nourished by Time made one of my favorite albums of the year with Erotic Probiotic 2, and he took to NTS last week for an hour of tunes with Bryce's Brother. Much like that amazing album, this show mixes beautiful left-field pop, hip-hop, and R&B for what turns out to be perfect music for settling into a calm morning. Let's get to this week's new music.
Nearly Every Song From Every 2023 Newsletter Will Be Available in Playlist Form: SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
1. ROSIE TUCKER - "UNENDING BLISS": It's been a while since Rosie Tucker graced us with her killer brand of alt-rock, but it certainly feels like the wait was worth it. "Unending Bliss" has a heavy, grungy riff as its backbone, and Tucker uses it to channel a mix of angst and anger, creating a perfect blend of personal and political frustration.
2. YOBS - "FORTUNE TELLER": I've mentioned a couple times this year that Liverpool seems to be having an exciting new wave of bands crop up, and YOBS are my latest discovery from that bunch. Despite clocking in at less than two minutes, "Fortune Teller" is a shredding shot of adrenaline that will leave a lasting impression.
3. ELJÉ - "I'VE TRIED": There's been a fun strain of music that has started applying pop and R&B sensibilities to jungle and two-step rhythms, and Eljé is one of the most exciting of that bunch. It can be tough for vocals to sound beautiful over skittering beats, but Eljé's voice shines brightly on "I've Tried," a song that feels like a melancholic club jam.
4. REAL LIES - "SHIRLEY ROAD": Real Lies are a band that I can't stop singing the praises of, and they've just announced a new EP to end the year. Where so much of their best work has focused on the sort of hungover cloud one exists in as a club kid, "Shirley Road" signals a new chapter, one that moves its synth-pop into eerier territory while focusing on the confusion of memory, and it rules.
5. SCARLETT O'MALLEY - "SAY YES TO THE GROOVE": Scarlett O'Malley has her fingers all over London's dance scene that extends way beyond her involvement with Rinse FM, and her productions are straight up floor fillers. With grooving drums, a very fun sax sample, and a sweaty tempo, "Say Yes to the Groove" feels more like a command than a request.
PARTING SHOTS: The latest issue of The Drift went to press before October 7th, but there's a great new set of dispatches about our current political moment that just went live. Speaking of which, watching Ta-Nehisi Coates on the Israel-Palestine conflict is well worth your time. A lot of great new sites are rising from the ashes of this latest crop of media layoffs, and it does feel like we're about to live through another great moment of new media as a result. I was a massive fan of Omar-S, and finding out that the house artist is an abuser is a massive disappointment.
ENCORE: "WHEN YOU SLEEP"