QX Magazine

Pop oddities and the ramblings of an unhinged Editor…

Nine Lives feat Jaki Graham – ‘1985’
Here at QX Towers, anything that sends us into a retro frenzy of the shoulder-padded variety is guaranteed to be foist upon you, the innocent, unsuspecting reader, who came to check out the cock in the back but stayed for the banter. Brummie belter Jaki Graham has been givin’ it tuneage for over 25 years, and her latest is a nod to the date of her first single release. ‘1985’ interpolates her top ten hit of that year ‘Round and Round’ with a chunky bassline and contemporary production that satisfies both our nostalgic and thoroughly modern disco yearnings. Ms Graham still sounds fab and this cut is infectious. Welcome back, gurl!

New Look – ‘Nap on the Bow’

This hypnotic, laid back slice of afterhours tuneage arrives courtesy of Canadian electropoppers New Look. When we first heard this, we were entranced by the production and Sarah Ruba’s ethereal vocals. As gorgeous, pulsating synths reverberate around your ear canal and an enchanting, CGI video serves up some visual trickery; this is truly the biggest musical treat for stoners in a long while. Not that I’ve ever touched the stuff – I’ve always been a gak, crack and passed-out-on-my-back kinda lady.

The War on Drugs – ‘Baby Missiles’

Sometimes, when I’m a really, really good gurl, they let me throw in a thrashy indie anthem. This one from Philadelphia rockers The War on Drugs is worth the brain-scarring sexual favours I’ll have to perform on my Managing Directors for deviating from the path of Madonna. I’ve never uttered the words Bruce Springsteen in this column before, but if you know him, you know the kind of thing you should expect from this track. If you don’t, then expect a ridiculously upbeat fusion of frenzied guitars, piano, harmonica and distorted Americana. If you need me, I’ll be drinking a can of Red Stripe, whilst gurning on a sticky floor in Camden.

• Twitter QX: @QXMagazine
• Twitter Lee: @Leeroydalvin
• Catch Lee Dalloway serving up some quirky tuneage and midweek carnage at Slut Machine, every Wednesday 9pm-1am at Circa, 62 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 3JN.