On the radar

music

words by Richard Clayton

critic’s pick

knowle west boy
by tricky
Tricky’s 1995 debut album, Maxinquaye, was among the decade’s finest; its garbled, schizophrenic beauty like an answerphone message from the inner-city. But as the trip-hopper became gruffer and more impenetrable with later releases, interest tailed off. Now, after five years’ exile in the US, and with fellow travellers Portishead and Martina Topley-Bird active again, the time is ripe for a homecoming. Enter Knowle West Boy, a return to something near Tricky’s best form. All the usual ingredients are there – impressive unknown vocalists, strangely twisted beats, 1980s atmospherics and knife-slashes of rock guitar – with tasty Jamaican ragga spicing up the recipe. Not an album for the beach but as a soundtrack to urban claustrophobia, it revives the spirit of the Specials. Respect.

Released 7 July on Domino. www.dominorecordco.com

best debut
kitty, daisy & lewis
Just like policemen, new bands seem to be getting younger and younger. After teenage tyros Operator Please and Cajun Dance Party come Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, north London siblings, aged 15, 18 and 17. What makes this trio a bit special, however, is that, instead of waving nu-rave glo-sticks, they tout old blues 78s. Recorded at home in foggy analogue with their dad, Graeme, their eponymous debut album, released by Sunday Best on 28 July, is an all-jiving, all-swinging homage to the 1950s. Its spit-and-sawdust style has rough edges but who cares when the tunes – covers mostly, including a lindy hop makeover of Canned Heat’s Goin’ Up the Country – are such toe-tappers? As revivialists go, this lot push the Puppini Sisters into a muddy puddle. www.myspace.com/kittydaisyandlewis

the big gig
sziget festival
You could spend all summer at festivals, but we recommend this one. Sziget takes place on an island in the Danube north of Budapest (fly to the city with Sterling, then catch one of the special festival trains). Headlining the first night is the mighty Iron Maiden, while REM will Accelerate proceedings on the Saturday. The five stages, include HammerWorld, where metal fans can bang their heads to Finland’s Apocalyptica, Canada’s 3 Inches of Blood and America’s Iced Earth. If that, or the prospect of Kaiser Chiefs, Roisin Murphy and Serj Tankian, doesn’t appeal, go direct to the world-music stage – Goran Bregovic, Wedding & Funeral Band will show you why Balkan beats and gypsy airs are so cool right now. www.sziget.hu