From Aldershot, HampshireRecommended if you like 2hollis, the Hellp, Jai PaulUp next New single Wish U out now You, like me, may be growing tired of the 2020s’ so-called “indie sleaze” revival, which has so far yielded a few good parties and not that much good music. But the music of the Twins – Aldershot-born brothers Omar and Jamal Ikram – is made of sturdier stuff. The 21-year-olds are progenitors of a sound they call “Bollywood electronic” – a strain of loud, lo-fi, ultra-glitchy dance-pop that sounds like 2hollis if his songs were heavy with screwy samples of south Asian pop.
Their debut album, last year’s Turmeric, captures the still-potent appeal of Jai Paul’s classic Str8 Outta Mumbai – which fused the lackadaisical sheen of 2010s electronic pop with the shining rhythmic and melodic sensibilities of Bollywood music – and, as is de rigueur for the contemporary era, makes it bolshie and frenetic, taking in the euphoric aggression of early Skrillex and unnerving noise of Aphex Twin. Turmeric was a minor hit, thanks in part to Fuckersby, a collaboration with on-the-rise British rapper Fakemink, as well as the Twins’ monthly NTS show, also called Turmeric, which turns one this month. (Its combination of classic British pop stars such as Lily Allen, Punjabi artists such as Sukshinder Shinda, and contemporary electronic acts the Hellp and Sophia Stel gives it the feeling of a late-night pirate radio station totally out of time and place.) The duo’s follow-up EP There&Back, released in May, polishes up the Twins’ sound a little, but not that much – if anything, their collaborations with Rada and Varg2TM on There&Back are even louder and wilder than anything on Turmeric. The duo’s future plans aren’t clear, but their mission is: “We don’t want brown kids to feel like they have to fit into anything,” Jamal said in an interview.
LS Voice Actor – High-Rise With a stunning beat by Lukid, like a house track heard throbbing across a wind-buffeted body of water, Noa Kurzweil ruminates about the psychological damage of apartment block living. BBT Sex Week – Life Is a CircleWhat starts as prettily precious folk-pop à la Big Thief or @ wilds out into thrilling hyperpop that keeps one foot on the ground (including whinnying horse samples) while spiralling ecstatically skywards. Rare to hear music so surprising.
LS JGrrey – Believe Conversational verses slam into a spirited chorus with gospel overtones – appropriate for the London neo-soul singer’s search for something to have faith in as the world goes asunder. BBT OR – Nokik MessiahJohn Talabot pivots to his actual initials (Oriol Riverola) for an album of “the most euphoric possible variant of ambient”. The first taste sounds ready to blow, with piercing synth shards colliding into an unbroken crescendo.
LS Oscar Later – The Moon Belongs to You From the Londoner’s awesomely accomplished new EP of big-room rollers, this track has an inspired conceit: old-time comical folk song Yon Yonson is turned into Ibiza-grade techno with hard-rock guitar detailing. BBT Dana Margolin – Big Beautiful Sound The frontperson of UK indie band Porridge Radio strikes out solo, and the squall of that band has abated to leave bright, clear air on this timeless folk song. Lovely Mike Mills-directed video, too.
BBT Subscribe to the Guardian’s rolling Add to Playlist selections on Spotify – or transfer it to Apple, Tidal or other services
Extract — continue reading at the source.
