"This Momentary" - Delphic

Delphic are one of the most hotly-tipped bands for 2010, praised by the Guardian, NME and Radio 1's Zane Lowe to name but a few. The latest offering from Manchester's hotbed of musical talent, they seem to be taking over the electro-pop reins previously held by MGMT and 2009's Passion Pit - so expect eternal summers and pulsating hedonistic excess with unrequited loves abound. "This Momentary" is a heady mix of ambient club beats and abstract, mesmerising vocals. Add that to sutble touches of guitar (Akin to The xx, maybe?), and you have on your hands an excellent, if templated electro-indie crossover track. Sure, Delphic are the pick of the bunch, the leaders in this new psychadelica - they're hypnotic, fresh and different. But even by the first minute, "This Momentary" drifts into clubland territory, a concession to mainstream dance and flatpack indie.

If Delphic could refrain from pandering to non-indie fans, they could be one of the best electro-indie acts ever; they could make it as a serious, purist independant artist. "This Momentary" is still a great song, but its failures highlight the pitfalls of Delphic's sunny reverb. Where Passion Pit and MGMT soared on electronic thermal drafts, Delphic merely glide.

Genius Reccomends; White Lies, Chew Lips, New Order, Friendly Fires, Crystal Fighters

"Killing In The Name Of" - Rage Against The Machine

I won't be reviewing any new Free Singles until the holidays end, I need a break like everyone else. Someone else deserves a break; Zac de la Rocha. If RATM weren't already awesome enough, this time they've slain Simon Cowell. So adding to their "kill list", which I guess includes the US government, capitalism and the KKK, is the X Factor. Thankyou, Tom Morello - your revolutionary's anthem has saved British music for us all. Only in Britain could a screaming, bawling, flaming metal song that ends in a scorching crescendo of earthquake guitars and the immortal line "fuck you I won't do what you tell me", reach number one to defy the pop puppetmaster. It didn't have to be a "good Christmas song" (do those exist? Are you one of those people who actually likes "Mistletoe and Wine"?!), but it was the perfect song for the occaison. But enough waffling, here's my Christmas present; a damn good Christmas Number One.

"No Time" - The Heavy

No Time is a biting, growling, whiskey-sodden tune, a delicious rock song with an ice cold southern drawl. Fans of The Black Keys, early Kings of Leon and The Dead Weather will feast on this gorgeous rock and roll treat. Taken from their second album, The House That Dirt Built, "No Time" tears its way through the air to land in your ears with a crash. Southern blues, made punch-drunk and mixed in with sharp acid funk give this track a modern twist on blood n'tears brawler rock.

With fast, lyrically fireborne vocals juxtaposed to the introductory riff and percussion, funky horns and brass, and eardrum-crunching guitar, Kelvin Swaby's first haunting wail fires the starting pistol for Dan Taylor's opening guitar salvo. Overall, No Time is delicious. It's got a fanstastic, uplifting chorus that blends heartache and alcahol-blurred rock, and is a thouroughly enjoyable track for followers of that rockin', rollin' star in the sky.

Genius reccomends; The Go, The Black Angels, Port O'Brien, Marmaduke Duke, Drummer

"Pon de Floor" Major Lazer & Vybz Kartel

The collaborative project of DJs Diplo and Switch, Major Lazer is - apparently - a veteran of the secret Jamaican zombie war of 1984; he rides a hoverboard, battles nocturnal nasties such as vampires and the undead, and "parties hard". Moving aside from the musical persona of the Major, the duo have just ended a US tour and were nominated in the MTV Video Awards for Best Breakthrough Video (for Hold The Line)

Taken from the debut album "Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do", Pon de Floor is remeniscent of Basement Jaxx, Santigold or Chemical Brothers; catchy repetetiveness hooked up to an beat. If you wanted more of a sound compass, vocalists such as Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal and Nina Sky. Pon de Floor is a turbulent, choppy track, slipping in and out of consciousness - a rolling, thunderous electronic sea. It should be used as the soundtrack to a mobile phone advert. Basically, if Mr T was into dub, this is what he'd come out with.

Genius Reccomends: T.O.K., Chase & Status, Diplo, Turbulence, Vybz Kartel

"Apple Bobbing" - Joe Goddard

The first single from ex-Hot Chip Joe Goddard’s debut solo album, “Apple Bobbing” is an eclectic, blissful skydive through a kaleidoscope spectrum. Or, it sounds like the original Donkey Kong theme tune – depends how cynical you are, really.

“Apple Bobbing” bears all the hallmarks of Hot Chip’s easy-going repetitiveness – all hooks and lines; rarely a sinker. Goddard has created truly kineticised electro pop here and the beats and keyboard-riffs vibrate like atoms colliding in an audible chain reaction - the burning heart of a musical star.

Genius Reccomends: Bibio, Hot Chip, Capacara, Fuckpony, Zomby

"Some Misunderstanding ft Mark Lanegan" - Soulsavers

"Some Misunderstanding" is a resurrected antique from times past. With a delicious guitar that could have been lifted from a Neil Young song, and searingly emotive vocals, Soulsavers have created a gorgeously listenable track. Their third album shows a marked departure from previous efforts, and this new direction adds gravity and authority to Lanegan's rough-edged sound.

A slow-burning, flame grilled epic of a song, "Some Misunderstanding" could be likened to O.A.R., early Stereophonics or even late Oasis - filled with grinding voices, raging guitars and classic rock/folk/americana influences. Overall, it's a sturdy, heart-rending track, tinged with melancholy, a reverbrating rock soliloquy.

Genius reccomends: Pissed Jeans, Star Club West, Graham Coxon, Theoretical Girl

"Living The Life Of A Dreamer - Mr Scruff Remix" - Alice Russel

"Living The Life of a Dreamer" is pretty rubbish. Even the description on the iTunes store doesen't sound very enthused, instead pointing out the rather ambigious fact that Alice Russel has been featured on Free Single before.

However, aside from the initial bad impressions, Russel sounds a lot like Laura Izibor or even Belleruche, with clear influences of Stevie Wonder and 70's funk/soul. Skillful vocals mix in with a toe-tapping beat and in general is a fun party song. But seven minutes of slipping in and out of soul, jazz and dubstep gives a haphazard, haywire feeling. The song lacks focus and direction, having no clear themes and lacking any sense of collection - a winding, unexciting and self-indulgent track that could be from a bad 90's Pringles commercial.

Genius reccomends: Kylie Auldist, HardKandy, Diplomats of Solid Sound, Uptown Funk Empire and The Boogoos.