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NEU!
>>>TRACKS>>>13/07/09>>>Dizzee Rascal, Jay-Z, Bloc Party, The Big Pink, The Twang

Dizzee Rascal - Holiday (featuring Calvin Harris and Chrome)
Just over a year since "Dance Wiv Me", Dizzee unleashes a second collaboration with Chrome and kinda-crap, kinda-alright dance-master Calvin Harris. Less immediate than "Dance..." and "Bonkers", the synth riff is pretty much Harris' "I'm Not Alone" but toned down slightly, whilst Dizzee sounds half asleep throughout the track. Only when it gets a bit trance at the end does it really grab any attention. Not sure if it'll be a third Number One in a row for Dizzee, but it'll be a hit either way.
7.5

Jay-Z - D.O.A (Death Of Auto-tune)
Anyone who witnessed the opening to his Glasto set last year will testify that Jay-Z cannot sing, so why his comeback single denounces something to help people sing better is a bit baffling to say the least. Anyways, it's more a "diss" (yeah I can't pull that off) on the plethora of rappers using it; Kanye, T-Pain, Lil' Wayne et al. The great guitar riff and tumbling drum beat make for an addictive tune, as well as the jazzy trumpet breaks. If this really is the "Death of Auto-tune" then good riddance.
9

Bloc Party - One More Chance
The ever changing Bloc are back, with their third one-off single (after previous in-between-album singles Two More Years and Flux). Those of you hoping for a return for the spiky post-punk of Silent Alarm may as well just give up, as Kele & co seem intent on delving deeper into a dance direction. All the elements are there, a "Blue Monday"-aping beat, the classic house piano riff, a pitch-shift on the vocals and an overly-repetitive chorus. If it was released about 20 years ago, it'd be a classic today. But seeing as it's Bloc Party and a significant amount of fans want the band to stick to the same formula as their debut, it'll most likely be viewed in the same light as "Mercury"; messy, mediocre and a mistake. Even though it's better than most of "Intimacy" and is up there with their best work, fanboys are rarely pleased.
8.5

The Big Pink - Stop The World
First came the superb "Velvet", and now this. The Big Pink are much too kind. "Stop The World" is a whirlwind of hypnotic feedback, heavy drums and one massive chorus, as well as being strangely uplifting despite the seriousness it purports. As dancey as it is moody thanks to the pulsating bass, TBP should be huge by the time their album arrives, even bigger than Glasvegas were hyped up to be last year. B-side "Crushed Water" is a more spaced out affair, sounding a bit like Massive Attack, a bit like Foals, but completely unique at the same time. This is a special band so hop on the bandwagon whilst you can.
9

The Twang - Barney Rubble
Remember them? A gang of 40 year old Brummies (well they're closer to 40 than 20) who NME salviated over a few years back, calling them "the best band in Britain" and making Stone Roses and Happy Mondays comparisons. Yet another case of NME getting way too worked up and messing it's pants over a merely "alright" band. But The Twang have soldiered on through the mass derision and return with a summery shuffle. They haven't reinvented the musical wheel and they're not making zeitgeist-riding, seminal music, but they weren't doing that in the first place and never will. Just enjoy it as something that is positive, pleasant and pretty good.
7