NME Radio Roundup 14 June 2021: Lorde, Pa Salieu, Clairo, Japanese Breakfast and more

Lorde’s back, and she brings greetings from the beach. Leaving behind the moody streets of ‘Melodrama’, she finds new life in summer’s joy, celebrating the sun and tossing her phone into the ocean: “Forget all of thе tears that you’ve cried / It’s ovеr / It’s a new state of mind,” she proclaims. – JX Soo

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Don’t doubt Pa Salieu: “I give them the best of me,” he declares. On top of kinetic drum rolls and rubbery bass, the Coventry MC delivers a fiery number defending his work ethic and status, criticism and rivals be damned. And when you add in the slick Slowthai assist, ‘Glidin’ is an absolute winner that more than proves his claim. – JXS

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Claire Cottrill returns with new single ‘Blouse’, a vulnerable glimpse into her world. Singing over a soundscape of hushed guitars and orchestral flourishes – not to mention backing vocals from Lorde – she finds herself caught between emotional connection and physical desire: “Why do I tell you how I feel? / When you’re just looking down the blouse / It’s something I wouldn’t say out loud / If touch could make them hear, then touch me now.” – JXS

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“When people hear my songs, I want them to feel hope, positivity, good energy,” Peggy Gou has explained of her hopes for her new single. ‘Nabi’ – which translates as ‘Butterfly’ – feels like more than a fitting title for her return. Teaming up with Oh Hyuk, the frontman of South Korean indie band Hyukoh, she peppers their hopeful verses with lively keyboard stabs and drum machines, as ‘Nabi’ takes flight with a lust for freedom – just like its namesake. – JXS

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Jessie Ware won’t stop dominating the dancefloor. On this ‘Platinum Pleasure’ cut, propulsive backbeats and undeniable bass grooves power an ode to instant attraction: “You get me hot and heavy / Something in your eyes / I’m willing and I’m ready / To set my heart on fire,” Ware admits. Romantic yearning doesn’t get as straightforward as this – the passion is visceral. – JXS

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“Pull up twenty deep / Bring the party to you,” featured guest Channel Tres recites on the hypnotic opening to ‘Tunnel’, setting the mood as atmospheric synths eventually build into a slinky house cruise. Polo & Pan’s accompanying groovy production is infectious and mesmerising, fusing idyllic synths, energetic arpeggiators, and thumping bass grooves, creating an intoxicating floor-filler. – Isaac Chiew

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Taken from the soundtrack of longtime music video director Nabil Elderkin’s debut feature film Gully, Dua Lipa’s ‘Can They Hear Us’ is an introspective, atmospheric, and appropriately cinematic track. The track’s lush blend of understated keys and moody strings bring out the best of the pop star’s emotive voice. “Can they hear us? / Blame it on my mind, blame it on delirious / We all die, but right now I feel like livin’ / Can they hear us? Can they hear us?” she wonders on the ethereal refrain. – IC

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Tinashe brings a laid-back demeanour to her new single ‘Pasadena’, which is an energetic and nostalgic summer anthem. Boasting a silky-smooth guest verse from Compton rapper Buddy and skittering, runaway beats, it’s a slice of hazy sunshine. – IC

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Michelle Zauner kickstarts her joyous third record as Japanese Breakfast by surveying how far she’s come. Opening track ‘Paprika’ balances triumph and self-reflection, as the indie musician ponders the nature of her long-awaited success: “How’s it feel to stand at the height of your powers / To captivate every heart?” she asks, soaring above carnivalesque instrumentation. With ‘Jubilee’, the answer is simple: it feels magical. – JXS

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“I know that I’m only human / But I manifest my delusion / And I’ve seen stranger things happen / To those who dare to imagine,” Baby Queen wistfully sings on her latest single. On ‘American Dream,’ Baby Queen and featured guest MAY-A possess starry-eyed optimism, drawing parallels between high school romances and the American dream over soaring, polished alt pop. – IC

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Even after a storied career, Rostam Batmanglij can’t evade self-doubt: “I might delay the outcome when I thought something should happen / I might disrupt my own life if it kept a thing in motion,” he confesses on ‘Changephobia’. Trading his old band Vampire Weekend’s indie rock for lo-fi haze, and closing with a cloud of buttery saxophones and muted pianos, it’s a gorgeous cut from Rostam’s stellar album of the same name. – JXS

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An ode to the power of community that’s tuned to the rhythm of the dance floor, Amber Mark’s ‘Competition’ brings an energetic bounce to her R&B-tinged sound. “This is not a competition / You are not the opposition / I just wanna see you win,” she declares on the chorus, cementing its uplifting and positive message. – IC

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The title track off Inhaler’s upcoming debut LP, ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’, is a soulful indie rock anthem. With its killer riffs, and cathartic sing-along refrain, it’s an exciting glimpse of the upcoming album. – IC

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