Welcome to The Soundtrack, a column where we plumb the depths of our musical knowledge to bring you the best* (subjective) music to listen to for very specific life situations. This week, we help you walk home alone at night with a touch more confidence.

There’s really nothing quite like a solo stroll. Calming, good for the environment and introspective – even cathartic – we wholeheartedly endorse walking as a mode of personal transportation. However, walking alone at night can bring its own set of issues. Of course, violence can occur at any time of day, and let’s dispel the myth of “a stranger hiding in the bushes” being the primary cause of it right off the bat. But that doesn’t mean that most of us don’t feel a little uneasy when trotting home under cover of darkness by ourselves. That goes double for those who identify as women/non-binary/LGBTQ. I’m not saying we’re fragile lil kittens who need constant reassurance we’re going to be okay (altho that does sound pretty nice tbh), but the reality is that these groups are by and large the most targeted by this particular brand of assailant. Of course, listening to music isn’t going to assure physical safety, but what it can do is provide a much needed confidence boost when you’re thinking about recent incidents in your area and flinching at every shadow or cicada noise. We gotchu.

friendships – When I Feel Like Killing, I Murder

I’ve always felt unreservedly intrigued by friendships. The Melbourne duo are more of an art project than a band, pairing Nic’s audio with Mischa’s visual to hypnotic effect. This cut, driven by dark, skittering synths and a monster-esque pitched-down vocal, is positively horror movie worthy. BUT you’re the one listening to it, so guess who the big bad wolf is that everyone within five suburbs should be terrified of? You. You’re a force to be reckoned with, and friendships are gonna make sure you don’t forget it. Ignore every passerby with a steely glare. They scatter to the sides of the pathway as you cleave through the streets to your dwelling with only one thing on your mind: that really great book you’ve been reading and a cup of herbal tea.

Sleigh Bells – Rule Number One

Pretty much any song in Sleigh Bells’ discography would be right at home on this week’s The Soundtrack. But this track – which I’ve already sung the praises of – honestly takes the cake. Pop rocks and coke make your head explode, according to Alexis Krauss, but we beg to differ. It’s this song that really puts you in danger of cranial combustion. And we mean that in the best way possible. Rule Number One marks the part of your journey were you really start to get your strut on; the strut of a person who could burn their enemies to the ground with a snap of their fingers. Nobody is a match for you and your immense power. May god have mercy on the souls of all who’ve wronged you, because you won’t. You’ll just unhinge your jaw, eat their souls, and launch them into the sun.

Grimes – Kill V. Maim [Little Jimmy Urine remix]

One of our favourite things about the endlessly talented producer is that she flat-out refuses to write about romantic relationships, preferring to mine more unorthodox premises for her art. According to the almighty Grimes herself, this track is basically about The Godfather if all of the mobsters were vampires. How fantastically batshit is that? Anyone familiar with this song will know it’s already as ferocious as a rabid jaguar, the sort of song that threatens to throw the earth off its axis. Maybe invest in some anti-gravity boots to wear on your walk, or something, because this remix takes it to a level we didn’t actually know existed. Personally, when I’m feeling a little anxious walking home alone, I like to take one earbud out for maximum awareness of my surroundings, but like I’m not rly sure that’d even make much of a difference with this one cos it’s so ~hectic~.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll [A-Trak remix]

Ahhhh what a classic – except – different? If you saw that (imho) very dumb movie Project X a couple years back you’ll recognise this from the soundtrack of that. Erase that memory and from this day forward, only recognise it as being from The Soundtrack Of This. This is equal parts threatening and bouncy, so you can kind of get your walk-dance on while you give the mental middle finger to the world for being so awful that the simple act of walking home is troubling. There’s enough of a blatant party vibe here to get lost in that hopefully you won’t have the energy to freak yourself out over whether that white car is the same as the other white car that passed you ten minutes ago. That is *not* to say don’t be alert and safe. It’s just to say, take care of yourself, babe.

Sampa the Great – F E M A L E

This is definitely the most chill track on this playlist, sonically speaking. How many tracks in your collection boast a bloody upright bass? Hell yessss, that is cool as heck, and that’s to say nothing of Sampa The Great and what she unpacks on this track. Sampa is a certified badass and she’s all about shouting out to empower others. This song will help you focus on all the things that make you such an untouchable boss. The adversity you’ve overcome (and keep overcoming every day)? I can’t speak for everyone, but that shit feels like water off a duck’s back while I’m mouthing along with Sampa: F E M A L E, F E M A L EEEE. Would recommend screaming the same at anyone who ever gives you grief over the course of your life, honestly.

Image: The Mary Sue/A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night

Brooklyn thrash-pop duo Sleigh Bells have released Rule Number One, which is presumably the second taste from their upcoming fourth album, and hoo boy. If you’re having trouble getting in the zone today, this is your cure.

Sleigh Bells released their previous single, Champions Of Unrestricted Beauty, late last year. It was just as upbeat as they’d ever been, but was missing the tenacity that many had come to expect from the duo. Seems like they might have been saving all that bite up for Rule Number One, which dropped last night and was followed up by an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1.

It certainly seems the track holds a special significance for Sleigh Bells, who see it as a turning point in the way they approach music. “[Rule Number One] was kind of the first time where the gap between what I could hear in my head and what I could get out of my tools pretty much closed, which is really really hard to do,” Derek Miller confessed to Lowe. “But when that happens… I don’t know, I don’t wanna use the word ‘breakthrough’, it’s a little corny, but it was a moment for us where we realised that we kinda found this new thing. I feel like we pulled it off with this one, so it’s real special to me.”

Artwork for Sleigh Bells - Rule Number One

Artwork for Sleigh Bells – Rule Number One

Unlike Miller, we’re not afraid to call a spade a spade – “breakthrough” might be a corny word, but it definitely applies here. Sure, Sleigh Bells have been known for their frenetic style for a long time, but this is something else. There’s a hyper-industriousness to the way Alison Krauss’ vocals morph, chameleon-like, to match the red-blooded brutality of Miller’s instrumentation that feels more spirited than ever before.

According to Miller, Sleigh Bells have enough material to release an LP but are still coming up with ideas that are “better than half the stuff we had recorded” – so we’ll have to wait until the duo have whetted their creative appetites before getting a concrete release date. For what it’s worth, though, he asserts that “a record will happen, hopefully this year – [we’re] just trying to make it worth the wait.”

Give your brain a good rattle with this one – listen to Rule Number One below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YFTh0Rrc18]

Image: Facebook

After getting into a fiery plagiarism dispute with Demi Lovato last month, Brooklyn noise pop duo Sleigh Bells have treated fans to new single Champions of Unrestricted Beauty.

Combining Sleigh Bells’ characteristically crunchy beats, booming bass lines and catchy vocals with melancholy synth layers, Champions of Unrestricted Beauty evokes a more restrained and nuanced tone than many of the group’s previous tracks.

Reigning in some of the more in-your-face attitude of their pair’s signature sound, the latest track see s the group more close towards brighter electro pop.

Notably absent are the face melting guitar licks and aggressive instrumentals of early hits Riot Rhythm and Infinity Guitars.

This said, Sleigh bells remains anything but timid. Derek Miller’s pop savy musical arrangements and Alexis Krauss’ bombastic yet melodic vocals have always carried the day and Champions is no exception.

While the group’s lyrics have often taken an adversarial tone, Champions talks self-empowerment with emotive chorus line ‘And you might be a champion of unrestricted beauty/But so often you fail, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.’

The track is the first release from the duo since their third album Bitter Rivals in 2013.

While there has been little detail as to what fans might expect for the pair’s fourth LP, the tweet announcing Champions stated that the band were in the process of placing the ‘finishing touches’ on the new record.

A release date for Sleigh bells’ yet untitled album has yet to be revealed, but given how close the album is to completion there can be little doubt that more details will begin to surface in the coming weeks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJqGM0jGLl0#action=share

 

Read more: Sleigh Bells accuse Demi Lovato of illegal sampling

 

Noise pop duo Sleigh Bells (Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller) have taken to Twitter to publicly denounce former pop songstress Demi Lovato sampling two of their songs without permission.

‘Flattered’ but ultimately not impressed, the pair’s Tweet asserted that the former Disney star’s bonus track Stars from latest album Confident samples Sleigh Bells’ Infinity Guitars and Riot Rhythm without their permission.

Lovato’s producers have issued a formal statement denying the alleged sampling. But in a move that may seem like they’re accepting some responsibility for they potential plagiarism, they asserted that that the star only contributed the vocal melody for Stars, and was not further involved in the production or writing of the track.

While appropriating a few seconds of another song can be copyright infringement, it must be proven that what was taken is a substantial part of the original song.

Given the similarity of Sleigh Bells’ exceptionally catchy hooks and Stars, it seems like the U.S. duo may have a leg to stand on. But ultimately, this is something which is usually only decided as the result of lengthy legal proceedings – so who knows how it’ll end up.

The accusation comes in on the tail of end of accusations that Lovato had ripped off fellow diva Katy Perry’s I Kissed A Girl on track Cool For Summer. Something which Lovato has vehemently denied.

Whether the two camps can work something out remain to be seen but is likely that things will heat up with the band telling Rolling Stone  that they do feel that their music has been illegally plagiarised and will be seeking ‘all available remedies.’

Compare the songs here: