Singles for the week starting 2 May

The Computers
Music Is Dead
(One Little Indian)
* * * * *

“Igor! With the emergence of highly charged ‘50s rock and roll bands such as The Jim Jones Revue…”
“Yeshhh mashhterrr?”
“Silence! And with the duel emergence of hardcore bands like Pulled Apart By Horses… what do you think would happen if I fused the two, hmm?”
“Massshhter! Thish ish a geniush idea!”
“I said silence you fool! I think this might just work you know… set my laboratory up at once!”
So said the hypothetical mad scientist to his minion as he went to work about creating The Computers, a band who perversely use no computers whatsoever, but instead deal in the dark arts of supercharged screamcore rock and roll.
‘Music Is Dead’ isn’t quite powerful enough to persuade all the thousands of bands on earth to give up in the wake of its brilliance and therefore kill all music, but it’s sure as hell good enough to be a single of the month.
Essentially an example of what happens when serial killers lay off the slaughter for one too many months, this single is a neutron explosion of fury channelled into an insane desire to party harder and faster than John Belushi, Little Richard and (Greek God of excess) Dionysus combined. The result, as you’d expect, is mildly exciting.
Ric Rawlins

Dutch Uncles
Cadenza
(Memphis Industries)
* *

At a time of year where Britain seems to be bursting into bloom and everyone's heading down the parks... Dutch Uncles bring the ants.
As upbeat as it is dowdily repetitive, 'Cadenza' is the audio equivalent of ready salted crisps; eaten because they're there, and the only alternative is a crispless sandwich. Cadenza by definiton this is not; this single is a far cry from symphonic brilliance.
Jessica Acreman

Kitten
Sunday School EP
(Fierce Panda)
* * * *

The notion of Sunday School generally conjures up images of kids learning liturgy and being ushered into some kind of spiritual activity. LA's Kitten on the other hand, are lighting the candle for a whole new gospel of pop.
Effervescent and intricate synths draw you in, with ‘Kill The Light’ and ‘Chinatown’ providing razor sharp bouts of melodic noise pop. Later, the split-harmonies of Johnny Johnny Johnny' reveals Kitten’s ‘70s school disco obsessions, while singer Chloe Chaidez strips things back to deliver a distinctly ‘90s grunge vocal as searing finale ‘Kitten With A Whip’ bursts to life.
Think Regina Spektor, Of Montreal and New Young Pony Club and you’re on the right page: this is the noise pop duel to end them all.
Jessica Acreman

The Sounds
Dance With The Devil
(SideOneDummy)
* * *

This new single from Swedish poppers The Sounds is initially rather chilling. In a one world speech reminiscent of Queen’s ‘One Vision’ the phrase "one leader, one voice" is particularly worrying, suggesting a group of closet storm troopers.
Not to worry though, they only want to "conquer the world with dance" - and with they give it a good shot too. The track takes the DNA of David Guetta-style mass produced dance pop and makes a monster of it, bigger, better, with a hint of subversion in the lyrics. You might end up feeling that you are indeed dancing with the devil - but it's kinda fun. Stuart Gadd

The Black Angels
Haunting At 1300 McKinley
(Blue Horizon)
* * *

As the traces of hit single ‪'The First Vietnamese War‬' fade into the annals of history, Black Angels continue to lack a single with such terrifying scope. 'Haunting At 1300 McKinley' reminds us of their former glories, reflecting their snappy halcyon days. And yet as with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the group continue to push their sound forward with little payback.
Samuel Breen

Funeral Suits
Colour Fade
(FriendsVsRecords)
* * *

Funeral Suits deserve credit for naming 'Colour Fade' so aptly; it features a warm glow which bleeds through the guitar, building into a simple but expansive pulse. Over the top of this undeniably loving riff are the grating vocals, youthful and aspirational, but also as defeated as a lost soldier in their downturned phrasing.
'Colour Fade' is compelling in its simplicity but lacks the capacity to shock, surprise or even develop: this post-modern effort falls one stop short of a head rush.
Samuel Breen

Alex Metric & Steve Angello
Open Your Eyes
(Ft. Ian Brown)
(Positiva/Virgin Records)

* * *

An instrumental version of this track has been making headway on the club circuit for a few months now, and with good reason. After a euphoric synthesizer intro, 'Open Your Eyes' quickly morphs into a more bass-driven LCD Soundsystem-like tune, before returning to the big club sound for the finale.
Ian Brown has laid down a vocal here, but at the risk of being chased out of town by an angry indie mob, his dulcet Mancunian tones add little to what is already a strong track. Personally I'd turn first to the instrumental, which is also included.
Joe Woolmer