Sounding optimistic in 2018 is Manic Street Preachers and their current single ‘International Blue’. The new single is the first offering to be lifted from the forthcoming album ‘Resistance Is Futile’, which is the thirteenth long player from the Welsh band. With bassist and spokesperson for the Manics, Nicky Wire declaring the new single as possessing similar traits to one of the band’s earlier songs, “The track itself is carried by the kind of naive energy that powered ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’,” before continuing to add, “I’d been digesting the lyric [‘International Blue’] for five years, since being in Nice and finally joining the dots between Yves Klein’s International Klein Blue and the vast open blue of the Mediterranean Sea. It was a moment of connection that felt perfectly natural – not forced or intellectualised. A different kind of enrichment that feels increasingly difficult to find.” While there is truth in the comparisons with Manic Street Preachers circa ‘Generation Terrorists’ and their latest single, the fascination with European influences continues via ‘International Blue’ in sound and visuals, but there is more than a strong hint to the gloss that was applied to numerous songs during their sophomore effort ‘Gold Against The Soul’. With no doubts regarding the infectiousness of the rhythm throughout ‘International Blue’ that points to the optimism felt, there (as always) remains a sense of pessimism as well as realism when it comes to any new Manic Street Preachers release where ‘International Blue’ should not be taken at face value. Everything in its right place then, the new album should be something worth waiting for.

Canadian indie psychedelic outfit The Crowleys return to the fold with a new single, and follow up to the sublime ‘L.A. Sunset’ released a only few months ago. The latest recording sees The Crowleys take their sound and vision into the night air largely due to a severe bout of insomnia as ‘Midnight Blue’ is referred to by the band as “where your mind takes you on a sleepless night” and therefore where they currently find themselves. There is no suggestion of lethargy here, despite the lack of rest as the tone of the new single is rather upbeat where a surf guitar sound maintains freshness throughout and one that shines brightly with the other thousands of stars held by the night sky. The specialist skills of a cryptographer are required however, when attempting to decode the song’s lyrics (It’s always a good idea to make the listener work for their listening pleasure) as The Crowleys make use of a vocoder to give voice to the robotic figure central to the band’s music video that accompanies the single ‘Midnight Blue’, which imaginatively captures the notion that there is lot more going on behind the exterior of anyone’s facial expression. If anxiety and loneliness are the key emotions being subtly suggested here, then The Crowleys apply the same approach to their latest release by expertly handling such feelings behind an engaging and upbeat tempo that is ‘Midnight Blue’.

Hats off to (probably) the hardest working artist, DJ and producer on the planet, Benjamin Finger, who pops his creative head above the parapet with his umpteenth album that must be close to rivalling the high output set, and still ongoing, by American experimentalists, The Residents. The latest addition to the Norwegian’s catalogue of ambient mood pieces is ‘For Those About To Love’, which focuses on that very subject of its title but, more noticeably, the emotions leading to the very potential of this subject. With hints given in the song titles from ‘Lipstick Shades 1’ to ‘Eyeball Humidity’ where preparation can be everything but also not quite the outcome one hopes for when expectations falter considerably, the approach Benjamin Finger assumes in relation to his latest album is certainly all about preparation. With a real piano, as opposed to the electronic kind, wheeled out once more after working so well during previous album ‘Ghost Figures’, ‘For Those About To Love’ begins its journey from a near empty barroom waking up from the night before, and then proceeds to take its next steps out in the open and blinking in the sunlight, until becoming lost in a fog of scratched electronica and wispy vocals, such is the uncertainty expressed via  ‘Lipstick Shades 1’. The mood reverts to a darker tone (similar to previous long player ‘Motion Reverse’) during ‘Midnight Wolves’ with its futuristic sounding beats giving the impression of scanning for any sign of life or potential threat depending on your own interpretation. Taking a different turn, however, is the brighter sounding ‘Ultraviolet Light’ with its stronger use of vocal sounds, which is repeated during the excellent ‘Transparent Mind’ that exposes a whole array of thoughts continuously spinning on a carousel of sounds.  Always a difficult prospect to define in its entirety, due to the shifting shades of colour when it comes to emotions expressed by the electronic instrumentation used throughout here, not to mention the new surprises and experiences found with each and every listen, but it is the manner in which Benjamin Finger balances these various shades of colour by instrumentation (in particular the gorgeous ‘Melanphony Waltz’ complete with acoustic guitar) that sets up ‘For Those About To Love’ as one of his most complete works to date.

Jimmy Smash comprising of mid-twenties pairing Håvard Lyngstad and Mikkel Graham Guttormsen from Fredrikstad, Norway, cite some rather interesting and eclectic influences when it comes to producing the sounds rattling around inside their collective creative tank. With references to America’s urban districts mingling with aspects of their own upbringings, not to mention taking inspiration from the likes of Quincy Jones and Bon Iver to name but two of their musical heroes, the Norwegian duo certainly like to add much detail in terms of their own compositions. Take latest single ‘Fine Line’ that is wrapped in a lyrical content that is of the personal and confessional variety yet remains at a distance due to reservations of being misled when hearing the slightly camouflaged messages coming from this song. The musical backdrop of ‘Fine Line’ radiates a shimmering light of pop music mixed with R&B that is every bit as tender as the words spoken. With ‘Fine Line’ being written and produced by Jimmy Smash, and therefore applying a full hands-on approach to this, their second single, based on this evidence it would seem that these Norwegians certainly have a bright future ahead of them.

The duo of Tomi Salmi (vocals/guitars) and Sami Vuollekoski (guitars/vocals), otherwise known as Stale Lane, start their journey with their debut single ‘Pyro’. The opening track from Stale Lane arrives ten years after Tomi Salmi and Sami Vuollekoski’s previous band, MALfUNCTION, decided to call time on that particular musical chapter. Therefore, with time on their side to ponder their next move, it wasn’t long before a decision was reached, with the new project up and running and where Salmi and Vuollekoski currently find themselves under the heading of Stale Lane. Such a decision to start afresh immediately pays dividends for the longstanding bandmates as Stale Lane’s ‘Pyro’ proves to be an engaging alternative-rock track that warms its hands immediately via a buzzing guitar intro that opens out into an impressive lead that weaves a pattern between the moody vocals and main rhythm section. Think Chris Cornell, Pearl Jam and with one or two parts borrowed from Nirvana and you’re somewhere close to the sound and vision that ‘Pyro’ aims for, which really is a good place to start, and one that Stale Lane achieves admirably for this first outing.

A four-piece unit from Finland, Rylos return with second album ‘Planet’. The band’s sophomore effort follows the success of debut LP ‘Game Theory’, which recently received its official release in China. With changes in personnel happening where Rylos has seen new recruits drafted in and, in particular, drummer Misca Muhli whose story is all the more remarkable due to being blind since birth, the sheer determination of this band is probably enough in its own right to bring them continued success. However, ‘Planet’ is likely to continue such good fortune as the nine tracks on offer reveal a heavier and more aggressive side to Rylos yet links to their earlier work remain present, which will please any loyal followers. Part of the newer touches heard on ‘Planet’ are down to singer Mikko Heino’s former band Doodah where a decision was made to resurrect two of their compositions – ‘Posthuman Power Station’  and ‘Into The Gutter’. Furthermore, the addition of guitarist Mikko Hämäläinen, who was also a member of Doodah, has helped spice up the song writing by applying his skills to the likes of ‘My Capricious Heart’, a song of near epic proportions, as well as writing new material along with Mikko Heino in preparation for Rylo’s third long player. With much variety between the layers of ‘Planet’ (‘Stories’, ‘Space Love’ et al) and songs hinting at concerns of an environmental nature mixed with a general sense of loss, Rylos has managed to remain on course to bring their new album to light as well as looking to the future with a third album already in the works. ‘Planet’ is the sound of a hardworking band and one that is revelling in its current period of creativity.