For your entertainment during another working week here's five more hand-picked delights from the Scruff Of The Neck stable.

Blooms – ‘Porcelain’

Debuted on DIY just last week, ‘Porcelain’ is the latest cut to emerge from Blooms HQ. Building on the band’s idiosyncratic dream-pop melodies to create arguably their strongest release to date. While it’s breezy and optimistic instrumentation make it the perfect accompaniment to hazy summer evenings, its lyrics deal with a loved one’s mental illness, creating a pronounced dichotomy between its easy-going musicality and deep subject matter.

The Homesteads - ‘Another Mile’

Sheffield-based quintet The Homesteads peddle a brand of blue-collar indie-rock that maintains a safe distance from the LAD mentality that often dogs the genre. Latest single ‘Another Mile’ is awash in rich Americana and a vocal not dissimilar to The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle. Uplifting and emotive, it’s a track entrenched in classic song-writing traditions and not one to ignore.

Moscow – ‘South By South X Again’

Foregoing the shoegaze and post-rock often associated with Scottish bands indie-pop four-piece Moscow inject some Tropicana in to Edinburgh’s scene. Their latest release ‘South By South X Again’ is a sugary and frenetic affair; button bright guitars and evident pop sensibility drawing comparison to bands such as The Larkins. Excellent stuff.

The Nix – ‘LUNA’

Blues-driven and effortlessly propulsive, the title track from The Nix’s recently released LUNA EP is built around a chugging backline and spiky leads, its rigid, stop-start structure eventually segueing in to far less defined but no less impressive; each individual instrument pandering to its own tangent, before, seemingly out of nowhere, finding their form again and closing out the track.

3 Days From Retirement – ‘By The Power Of Greyskull’

At the other end of Edinburgh’s spectrum, 3 Days From Retirement create massively ambitious post-rock that’s both staggeringly pretty, and disconcertingly monolithic in its delivery. ‘By The Power Of Greyskull’ mounts almost from its outset. Intricate guitars build towards a towering, almost oppressive crescendo. A testament to the band’s latent skill as musicians.

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week:  ‘Full Moon’ by Private Agenda

Private Agenda first put in a relatively melancholic synth before they get the funk in and the rhythm up with a forceful bass sound and some major horn action. This all is aided by percussion and, a short while later, a synth riff that is entered. At about the minute mark we get the vocals, telling it to Take it in your stride. As the vocals keep going the bass makes sure there’s always the rhythm to lean back on, and as the song moves into the chorus the synth riff return. Just before the three minute mark there’s a slight change up, including some '80s movie soundtrack vibes that I actually kind of like. The track really bets high on the main bass sound, with the vocals a good second (and even getting a minute in the spotlight at the four minute mark). Next to these things there’s always some sort of percussion or synth combo to help out. It’s a lovely, fun track with some nice hints of other genres to add to the good vibes.

‘Colours’ by Roosevelt (Prins Thomas diskomiks)

Prins Thomas knows how to get that dancefloor feel, and here, too, he gets the beat going from the very beginning to make sure there’s something for everyone to shake their hips to. But he overrules that sound for an even faster rhythm part, upping the tempo and the momentum until shortly after the minute mark, where he continues to ride it but with additional synth sounds. More piano is added, really giving you the full monty with this one. Every so often, a slight change in the track, for example pushing the synth sounds forward, making that one louder and louder over the deep rhythm sounds, and then the shift to a new sound in the foreground. It keeps it fresh, and it gives this sense of momentum. At 2:40 we get the Roosevelt vocals for the first time, and just after the three minute mark Prins Thomas even slows it all down so we can have a good listen to that. Then, first, he brings back the synths, going for new rhythm sounds just moments later. And we know Prins Thomas can keep this up for the entire length of the track, giving you 8 1/2 minutes of dancefloor music with all kinds of rhythm & synth mixtures and the occasional dash of Roosevelt, of course.

‘Martin’ by Matthias Zimmermann feat. Olivia Merilahti

First thing we hear are the vocals of Olivia Merilahti, saying that Everyone is lying, lying, lying to themselves. Zimmermann first gives you the synths, and then the beat, culminating into the electro-pop feel that is the main stay of this track. The vocals have a melancholic tinge to them, with the beat almost tropical and the synths providing these light touches. The pace is up-tempo though, and especially in the chorus it does get a sort of party vibe going. So there’s definitely some dancing that can be done. At 2:45 the beat is stripped for a short while, but for the last stretch it makes sure to make a comeback. A four minute electro pop track that makes sure to pack a punch.

‘I Keep Forgettin’ by Rayko Moscow Discow Rework

Rayko gets the deep synth sounds in, on top of a steady beat, for this ol’ Michael McDonald classic. Whose vocals, by the way, are immediately audible right from the get go. But, from a distance, still a tad hidden. Just like the piano sound, something which I believe I also remember from the original. Rayko gets the looping going, for a long time definitely going for the “I keep forgettin’” part, seemingly inching closer and closer to the chorus before moving away and starting all over agani. Which is cleverly done, just adding that one syllable every time. In the mean time, one can keep dancing to the deep synth, the beat, and the looping vocals that keep adding the heartache of a man that Keeps forgetting that things will never be the same again. It’s one of my favorite tracks, and this looping louie of an edit gives it a new twist on top of all the edits that are already out there. And more ways to consume a classic, that’s always welcome, innit?

‘Messin’ by Gap Band (Kon Remix)

The Gap Band is just one of those classic boogie-till-you-can-boogie-no-more bands that is always good to throw in there if you want to funk the place up. Kon starts out easy though, but after the thirty second mark we get that boogie-bass, the classic horn sounds, and the steady drumbeat to make sure you’ve got something to hang your hat on to. After the minute mark we get the vocals, singing that they Don’t know what to do. And those vocals, they bring that classic soul vibe, they are just lovely. We are also treated to a nice guitar riff, working well with the horns and the rhythm section, with some extra percussion throw in there after the two minute mark. Kon makes sure to put the emphasis on that slow-to-mid paced boogie rhythm, moving along also thanks those hand percussion sounds. The vocalists sing that There you go, messing with my mind, something which this track definitely doesn’t do. This rework is ultra smooth, super clean, and a nice treat for those wanting to do a little dance in that pace range.

‘Zenith’ by Kasper Bjorke feat. Null & Void

Kasper Bjorke starts with some piano on top of a beat that moves from regular to rapidly firing the sounds off. That speediness gets juxtaposed by the slow, deep synth sound that enters. The idiosyncratic nature of the drum is repeated by the glitchy computer sounds Bjorke then adds on top of a regular drum sound. Then, the synth and beat come back in, giving this track its backbone again, showing what is the main stay there. At about the halfway point a lot of the sounds are stripped again, but obviously he works his way back to them, even adding some pace for the second half of the tune. There are no vocals to be heard here, then again, most Bjorke albums seem to have a fifty-fifty split in terms of instrumental vs. songs with actual singing in them. Especially with the sounds underneath you hear the Bjorke signature, the dark synth and the mood that one brings. And that signature is always a good thing to have in there as far as I’m concerned.

For your entertainment during another working week here's five more hand-picked delights from the Scruff Of The Neck stable.

False Heads – ‘Thick Skin’

Kicking off this week, London-based snot poppers False Heads return with their newest single ‘Thick Skin’. Woozy in its delivery and clattering in its composition, it’s yet another reason to sit up and take note of one of East London’s fastest rising bands. When Iggy Pop is championing an act, you know they’re on to a good thing.

Rock Bottom Risers – ‘Legal In A Week (or maybe two)’

Released just over a week ago, the new single from West Yorkshire reprobates Rock Bottom Risers is built around stoned, propulsive grooves that come courtesy of perfectly matched bass and percussion. The idiosyncratic drawl of vocalist Kane Scott is a steadfast as ever, providing more than enough bite and grit to offset an effortless rhythm section.

The Claremonts – ‘Money’

Drawing from a wealth of decade-spanning indie, Manchester’s The Claremont’s belie their young years through their deft musicality and on-stage chemistry. Latest cut ‘Money’ is steeped in jangle-pop tradition, falling somewhere in between The La’s and The Stone Roses at their prettiest, it’s simple and melodic, allowing the band’s promise to shine through.

RINSE – ‘Taser Party’

Spiky guitars and a chunky bass line form the backbone of ‘Taser Party’ the most recent single from Stoke alt-rockers RINSE. Frenetic and atmospheric, it’s a natural progression from the band’s last outing, ‘Not Too Late’. Building on the brooding atmosphere of the aforementioned, ‘Taser Party’ feels both subdued, and somewhat more driven in comparison, 

Bright Young People – ‘Solitude’

Following False Heads as the second band on the list signed to 25 Hour Convenience Store, Rhyl’s Bright Young People relish in their own sleazy brand of indie rock. ‘Solitude’ is the band’s first single for the label and is three minutes of blistering swagger and snarl that’s impossible to ignore.

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week: ‘To Be Free’ Tim Zawada edit

Love that on-the-low-down Chicago bass that this one starts off with, like we’re riding the inner city streets ready for whatever the night brings. Then, the jazz saxophones, which come in after a bass and percussion combo laying down the rhythm. That combination comes back, before ditching the percussion and returning to the sounds that it all started out with. Then, at 1:45, the vocals, singing that We are the one, and that, yes, We’re going far. Then, the clear singular male voice, singing We gotta get away from here, before the bass lets us flow down the river that takes us once more. This time, after the three minute mark, the bass gets the guitar and the saxophone to go along, before diving into the hazy vocals again, thinking about flying away before there’s a little growl in the male voice, insisting they’re going to spread their wings. I mean, that bass, by golly, it’s so sexy, and then with all the helping elements like the sax, guitar, percussion, and then with the vocals coming in time and again; a lovely rhythm piece to get it on to here.

‘VV Violence’ by Jessy Lanza

Jessy Lanza starts this off with some sass, saying that she May say it to your face, but it doesn’t mean a thing (just so you know, hon). She keeps up with the rhythmic vocals, singing that You don’t even talk to me, this all the while there’s some quick firing percussion going on helped out by, around the 45 second mark, a deep, bass like thing. At the minute mark the thing moves to the electro-pop side of it all, upping the tempo, going up a pitch in the vocals, and doing the thing you can dance to before dialling it back with the slow bass sound. Later in the track there is a more dance interlude, where the focus moves to rhythm and beats, though later on the vocals do make their entry again. It is a nice combination of pop, more experimental electro, and dance, giving it an edgy but catchy feel that fits the Jeremy Greenspan produced album that she put out.

‘Beau Sovereign’ by Leon Vynehall

Leon Vynehall has someone whispering in our ear about Our love, which clearly is doing something or another to this person. In the mean time the percussion and, a bit later, the actual beat come in there, kicking this deep house tune by Mr. Vynehall into gear. Then we also get the synth in, providing us with some of that house vibed goodness for the dancefloor. Apparently, our love is all that she wants, putting the sex there where it belongs (namely, in House music). At the two minute mark the synths really start to build up, making no mistake that you should be jackin’ it up on this one. There are some nifty synth shifts in there, from the old house hands to some more atmospheric sounds for the track to slow it down to. However, there are always the drum and beat for the midnight people who want to dance, giving them all plenty of opportunity to do so on this nice deep house track with some vintage elements to take us way back down the alley once more.

‘Star Tripper’ by Breakbot

That’s as close to entering space as you can get really (without risking copyright infringement, that is), with Breakbot starting this one out the way you expect Star Tours in Disney to start out (or at least, to treat you to as the waiting room music). Surely, the first minute is more about the start of a cinematic space adventure than that it is about slow burning space disco, which with the drums and rhythm sounds it veers closer to the rest of the track. And it takes until the 2:40 mark to really get the catchy in, with the bass and sans the synthesizers that basically spell out Up, up, and away. One thing cannot be denied though, that they don’t know how to put theme in their music, and when they say ‘Star Tripper’, dear me, they mean it, giving this a nice, slow space burner to do some shuffling to underneath the starts at night.

‘Keep Moving On’ by Satin Jackets feat. IsaacO

This one starts by laying down the atmosphere, with the high pitched “ooooh-hoo-ooohs” mixed with the deeper, soulful vocals announcing that They will keep moving on. Those vocals are accompanied by the piano first, before slowly but surely other sounds start to arrive. It takes a while before we get to drum sounds of this, and when they do, they are idiosyncratic as opposed to a steady beat line. It helps the head nodding on this low-paced track, giving us the heartache and the yearning through the vocals and the piano, with the drums adding to the solemness. The high pitched backing vocals keep singing the title line, as the singular drum and all the accompanying atmospheric sounds ride this one to a fitting close.

‘Starr-Let’ Dr. Packer rework (Preview)

There comes the disco and funk, courtesy of the The Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band, who’s track ‘Starlet’ is reworked by Dr. Packer. From the start, there’s this amazing disco tempo that just has dancefloor written all over it. There’s a nice bass in the back there, providing the rhythm along with the drums, and you’ve got a plethora of vocals. Especially in the verses the bass and the vocals are the starlets (…) of the show, and of course it is all about love and dance and taking a chance. Just one of those funky disco reworks with plenty of good vibes, and all kinds of pace to make sure the dancefloor stays packed. At about 3:20 that pace is dialled down for a moment, though you can already hear it gear up again, though that’s asking a bit much for a preview. Though, before it fades out you hear the guitar riff again, all the rhythm elements being back, so you know they will be at it even after sundown.