Pest – Chicken Split (Ninja)
South East London’s muso collective release the second single from their off-the-wall LP, Necessary Measures. Pest’s members have backgrounds in classical music, techno, hip-hop and jazz and you can tell: Chicken Spit (“a kind of love song for mutually consenting fowls”) fuses a ragged hip-hop jam with a catchy loop and the odd jazzy tangent. A typical Ninja release then. Lovely.

Chicks On Speed – We Don’t Play Guitar (Labels)
Posturing electro gimmickry featuring the vocal, er, talents of Peaches. It’s taken from the Chicks’ new album which the NME will probably wet themselves about.

Turin Brakes – 5 Mile (Virgin)
A new track from London’s acoustic duo which will be included on a re-released version of Ether Song. Sadly, they seem to be getting more “dad rock” with each release.

Echoboy – Good On TV (Mute)
The anthem for Pop Idol rejects: “It’s never going to happen to me/cos I don’t look good on TV.” It’s got a bassline that’s completely beyond the talentless fame seekers too.

Guided By Voices – The Best Of Jill Hives (Matador)
It’s a bit like REM only duller. Taken from their recent album, Earthquake Glue.

Matt Walton 26 September 03

All singles released 29 September 03.