Here’s something to satisfy your craving for intelligent pop hooks today from Los Angeles duo Neil Frances. They’ve been actively releasing music for less than year, but have already caught the ear of tastemakers in the US and beyond, and it’s with ‘These Days’ that we’re hopping onto the Neil France express. With swaying rhythms that’ll easily have your head bopping away, the West Coast pair show a penchant for funk and disco laced with modern production through this searing nearly four minute track. It begins almost bashfully, with restrained instrumentation and a hushed falsetto, but our early perceptions are quickly altered as the duo introduce addition layers with each melodic revolution. Psychedelic guitars, a delicious bass line, the ever under-used maracas/egg shaker, romantic synth keys - all layered up in the organised chaos that is disco. It’s the rising intensity of ‘These Days’ that’ll draw the listener in, move them to their feet, finding a makeshift dance floor to ride that funk wave through the last minute. Look out Neil Frances are coming up. - HT