This week, Matt’s feeling nice.

Goldfrapp – Train (Mute)

The first single preceding Goldfrapp’s second long player, Black Cherry, in a couple of weeks. It may come as a slight shock to aficionados of their Felt Mountain debut. There are no James Bond-style orchestrations and soaring strings, in fact it’s all gone a bit Moloko. Ms Goldfrapp has been hitting the decks recently and is obviously a fan of the latest trend for trashy 80s electro synth-o-rama. Ah well, each to their own.

Skalpel – Sculpture (Ninja Tune)

Jazz. Nice. Skalpel are Ninja’s latest freeform combo comprising Polish producer/DJs Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudlo. They nestle happily in the roster alongside The Cinematic Orchestra but in a much more minimalist, East European way. Drifting atmospherics and wandering bass are shepherded in the right direction by some tight, creative drumming. It’s smoky and dusty, having a fag and wearing a sharp suit. It’s jazz and it’s nice.

watch sculpture video

Blur – Out of Time (Parlophone)

It’s all gone a bit bananas in the world of Blur. Damon has got himself mixed up with a load of monkeys, out is dishevelled axe-man Graham and in is the producing fat boy Norm. Which is an intriguing background to forthcoming The Think Tank LP which, on the basis of this single, might be rather good. Melodic, yet nicely weird and melancholic, Blur still show an appetite for reinvention.

The Kills – Fried My Little Brains (Domino)

Taken from their excellent gritty, PJ Harvey-esque debut, Keep On Your Mean Side, Fried My Little Brains is The Kills at their most punk. Recorded at The White Stripes’ new favourite studio Toe Rag, it’s arsy minimalist blues that you wouldn’t play to your gran. And probably not your mother either.

The Cinematic Orchestra – Man With A Movie Camera (Ninja Tune)

In 1999, mainman Jason Swinscoe was asked if the band would like to score a soundtrack to a silent film. They did, and the film was a 1929 piece of Soviet documentary cinema, Man With A Movie Camera. Since then the band have performed a live soundtrack at a number of film festivals and are now touring theatres with it. The main theme is available as a single and, in May, Ninja release the entire thing on DVD.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Date With The Night (Polydor)

First single of the Yeahs’ lucrative deal with a major label. Having got the music press’ knickers well and truly twisted with the Bang and Machine EPs Karen O and the band are set to release an album. Unfortunately, they may become a victim of their own hype because this track really isn’t up to the standard of Bang.
Matt Walton 11 April 03

All singles released 14 April 03.