It’s video roundup time! Once again, Howl And Echoes are coming in hot with the freshest, most eyeball-stimulating music videos to be dropped by the artists you love and some of the artists you don’t know you love yet this week. We do all the dirty work and herd them all into one convenient web-based location for you to enjoy every Friday so that you don’t have to. Have yourself a good old gander at the latest offerings from:
Metronomy – Night Owl
London electro veterans Metronomy have another single out. Taken from their most recent album Summer ’08, it’s called Night Owl, featuring one hell of a fat bass line anchoring the track and Metronomy architect Joseph Mount’s silky smooth, laidback vocals. The deep synths that kick in
The video, directed by Quentin Dupieux, follows Mount going on a very interesting road trip with his girlfriend through the Palm Desert in sunny Palm Springs. It features a whole lot of mysterious symbolism but it’s sunny and warm and picturesque.
Summer ’08 is out now on Warner Music.
Ngaiire – House On A Rock
The uber-soulful Ngaiire is enjoying a whirlwind of acclaim after releasing her latest album Blastoma earlier in the year to rave reviews. The latest single from that record is House On A Rock, dark and brooding with discordant rhythms and clashing synths as well as that catchy as hell chorus that has seen the track cop plenty of spins on airwaves everywhere.
Directed by Dan Segal, the music video was shot in Tel Aviv in Israel in stark black and white and depicts Ngaiire at the end of a rocky relationship, the tense atmosphere of the relationship mirroring the vibe of the song perfectly.
Blastoma is out now on Maximillion Brown. Catch Ngairre as she supports Leon Bridges on his Australian tour and at her Splendour In The Grass set next weekend.
Hinds – Warts
To Spain next and rocking all-girl foursome Hinds, out with their latest single Warts. Taken from their debut album Leave Me Alone, the track is a lot more pleasant than its namesake, sunny and evenly-paced with warm guitar licks and warped out vocals running all over it.
Shot in Barcelona, the video focuses on the same story the song tells, of a guy falling for a girl that everybody knows is bad news except him. Hinds try their darndest to save this oblivious chap and it makes for some interesting viewing.
Leave Me Alone is out now via Mom + Pop Music.
Set Mo – Comfort You (ft. Fractures)
Back to Sydney with partners in crime Set Mo, who are seeking to back up their huge 2015 breakout in 2016 and are well on their way with latest single Comfort You. It’s a melodic banger featuring a stellar vocal turn from Melbourne’s Fractures, slowly building the pace to a cacophony before falling away into a gorgeous piano-driven chorus. The intricate layers of sound only grow as the song charges along and its evident this is going to be a huge hit for Set Mo.
The video features some absolutely gorgeous scenery from around Japan, stunning natural gardens and landscapes mixed with bustling urban nightlife and echoing the warm sentiment of the song itself beautifully.
Catch Set Mo right now touring Australia in support of the single.
Banks – Fuck With Myself
Orange County songstress Banks this week announced the official release date for her next album, the follow-up to her 2014 debut Goddess as well as putting out its lead single, the superb Fuck With Myself.
A song of fierce independence, Banks’ feather-soft, spine-tingling voice shows considerable range over minimalistic, semi-industrial production to keep the focus squarely on her vocals. The video is unsettling as hell, Banks in a grimy warehouse flanked by contortionist dancers and a lifelike bust of herself, which she subjects to a lot of torment.
Banks sophomore album is out September 30th via Harvest Records.
Chvrches – Bury It (ft. Hayley Williams)
After sophomore album Every Open Eye won them stacks of new fans and saw them as one of the most critically acclaimed bands in 2015, Glasgow synthpop trio Chvrches are still releasing singles from that huge record, their sixth out this week isBury It.
Featuring gigantic synths and Lauren Mayberry’s famously powerful set of pipes as well as an alley-oop from Paramore vocalist Hayley Williams, Bury It is the kind of banger Chvrches have become so highly-regarded for. The video is comic book inspired, animated version of Williams and Chvrches meeting up and using what look like telekinetic superpowers to fly and levitate objects (we’re presuming for good).
Every Open Eye is out now via Goodbye Records.
JOY. – Like Home
Brisbane-born multitalented siren JOY. Is another of 2015’s success stories, all off the back of one mesmerizingly good four-track EP Ode and a metric shit-tonne of touring and coveted support slots. Her first solo track of 2016 is the dangerous Like Home.
Almost menacing production anchors the song, a filthy beat that is totally measured and covered in a tangible darkness, the lone source of light coming JOY.’s gorgeously lilting vocals. The video finds the singer wandering a cold-looking carpark after dark and looking as un-fuck-with-able as the song she’s made.
Let Like Home be just the tip of the iceberg for what this hugely talented young artist has in store for the rest of 2016.
Polish Club – My House
Sydney power duo Polish Club, like a lot of other artists in this week’s roundup, had themselves a massive breakout 2015. Off the back of their debut EP featuring hits like Beeping and Able and followed up at the tail end of the year with the single for their latest video My House.
It’s more of the same good old time, soul-infused rock and roll with frontman Novak’s unmistakeable raspy growl. Big guitars, thunderous drums and just a ripper two minute slice of rock from one of the most exciting young acts in Australia. The accompanying video features the two, unintentionally hilariously playing such a killer tune stock still in various rooms around the house.
Keep your eyes planted firmly on these two for the rest of 2016.