We Pray
by Coldplay
Despite the indifference and sometimes best efforts of critics, Coldplay keep on keeping on. And broaden their musical influences, as with this chart-bound hit which brings in a global village of elements from Afrobeats (courtesy of Burna Boy), rap (Little Simz) and singers Elyanna (Palestinian-Chilean) and Tini (Argentina). Result? A life affirming chunk of memorable, lyrically catch-all pop which touches a lot of musical bases and can be sung from terraces to barrio. From the forthcoming Moon Music album due October 4, just over a month before the band takes up a residency at Eden Park. – Graham Reid
Dafodil
by Jamie xx, Kelsey Lu, John Glacier, Panda Bear
The second-to-last single from Jamie xx’s upcoming album In Waves, Dafodil samples J.J. Barnes’ I Just Make Believe with plenty of vinyl crackle. Given the Jamie xx treatment, it blends an R&B serenade with the euphoria of the dance floor. John Glacier’s vocals come in halfway through – her spoken word delivery seamless over the patchwork of piano, synth stabs and glitchy drums. The track was first teased in 2020 on internet radio station NTS – before a live rendition this May at London’s Venue MOT, and more recently at Notting Hill Carnival. – Sam Clark
Daisy
by Phoebe Rings
Previous tracks by the Auckland quartet with a penchant for airy art-pop have appeared in this column on a regular basis and let this be another recommendation. Daisy is sun-dappled song that shows the distinctive melodic gifts of singer-keyboardist Crystal Choi while her delicate band get busily bossa nova-adjacent behind her. It’s the first track from a self-titled EP due next month and the first release since signing to US indie label Carpark Records, home of The Beths. – Russell Baillie
Ōhākī
By Mokotron
With the momentum of his last two projects, Mokotron (Ngāti Hine) brings goosebumps on Ōhākī, a single from his upcoming album Waerea. The heavy breakbeats and sub bass give way to plaintive kōauau (flute), where you might otherwise hear a synth lead. Purerehua (bull roarer) is also used to create additional deep and resonant frequencies. Sculpting a sound that’s entirely his own, the vocals are distorted and delivered at pace with the drums. The lyrics question the legacy of colonialism in Aotearoa and challenges the Crown to uphold Te Tiriti – represented with a striking animated music video (see below). – Sam Clark
Crush
by Sachi
Somewhat obvious but enjoyable dancefloor filler from expats Nick Chrisp and Will Thomas (as Sachi, now based in Los Angeles) with New York-born singer Kyla Imani and Polish techno producer Hellboy bring home the house. – Graham Reid
Living Daylights
by Liam Finn
Stepping outside Crowded House and setting aside the crafted pop of recent solo albums, this Finn reverts to noisy, ragged and enjoyably shouty and bratty teen-rock, advance warning of his forthcoming album Hyperverse. – Graham Reid
Krenek, Serenade for Clarinet Quartet in B Major, Op. 4: I. Moderato.
By Kilian Herold clarinet, Florian Donderer violin, Barbara Buntrock viola, Tanja Tetzlaff cello
Ernst Krenek lived to be 91, but the Austrian composer’s early life was complicated. His 1924 marriage to Mahler’s daughter Anna lasted mere months. It was followed by a tempestuous relationship with Australian violinist Alma Moody, who gave the debut performance of Krenek’s violin concerto, and became the model for the figure of Anita in Krenek’s opera Jonny spielt auf. Jonny was Krenek’s most successful work, but it eventually became even more problematic than his entanglement with Moody. The title character was a Black jazz musician, leading Krenek to become associated with Entartete Musik, the “degenerate” music denounced by the Nazis. Krenek fled to the US. You can hear absolutely none of that early turmoil in this sunny piece for clarinet and string trio, composed when Krenek was still a teenager. – Richard Betts
