Top Ten Tracks: Katie Phelan, Maeve and The Blaze
Welcome to ‘Top 10 Tracks’, the essential weekly round-up of the best new music.
At the end of each week, we count down the ten essential new tracks you need in your rotation. Ranging from rappers in the Emerald Isle to boundary-pushing, experimental producers and everything in between, it’s all hits, no filler.
This week, Spill Tab releases an audible cheat code, Katie Phelan drops a final song before the year is out and The Blaze share another stunning video.
Photo: Maeve, Credit: Josh Trigg.
Uwmami Circa Circa Feat. Pinkdef
Uwmami returns with a double release ahead of a forthcoming project in 2023. Both tracks are an extension of one another but the pick of the two sees her link with Pinkdef for a piece that sounds like the end of summer.
KAM-BU ETON MESS
KAM-BU is taking aim at the establishment in a track that calls back to the thumping instrumentation of Skepta’s ‘It Ain’t Safe’.
Katie Phelan guessed it was about me
Usually, it’s the little things that feel so gargantuan. During difficult times holding on to precious moments is what makes life worth living and Katie Phelan captures this with the preciseness of a captain sailing an origami ship out to sea.
Malik Tekky
Gliders resident Malik is wrestling with his insecurities on ‘Tekky’. While the subject matter gets messy, the Dublin rapper’s bars stay lazer-focused on a buttery smooth release.
The Blaze DREAMER
It isn’t a release from The Blaze if it doesn’t land with a stunning accompanying visual. Yesterday, the French duo shared ‘DREAMER’ comes with a video shot in Dakar, Senegal.
Vanessa Alto Crossfire
We don’t know a whole lot about Vanessa Alto. Usually, the story is important to bonding with the music, but in the case of the Irish-based singer, her modest discography and quiet social presence is only making us more interested. ‘Crossfire’ follows the same cryptic, slow burning path as her debut release ‘Vendetta’ and is teeing her up for a big year in 2023.
Maeve Can We Just Get High
Maeve’s curiosity is whispered on ‘Can We Just Get High’. However, the synths are anything but, as they loudly crash and simultaneously complement the track’s orchestration in a beautiful oxymoronic cut.
Channel Tres 6am
Channel Tres has made a name with dark funk-indebted cuts, but this week he’s pulled the curtains wide open on ‘6am’. There’s shared DNA with the fun-filled numbers of pre-red carpet Calvin Harris and enough bounce to get any tired heads out of bed. Banger.
Stay Flee Get Lizzy, Knucks, Nemzzz No Refunds
Nemzzz and Knucks on the same track was always going to be a done deal. The pair are uniting north and south England on No Refunds.
Spill Tab CRÈME BRÛLÉE!
‘CRÈME BRÛLÉE!’ is the musical equivalent of using the in-game editor to cheat on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. The replay value column has been maxed out and hitting repeat is almost involuntary. It’s dynamic, sinister and playful all at once. Play it loud.
