Select Frequency #7

Your weekly dose of carefully curated chaos

A good day to all, and a very warm welcome to the second season of Select Frequency; your one-stop shop for weekly jams from all genres and all time periods, all personally hand-picked by the fine team at gatekeep!. Last season served up a gloriously weird buffet of recommendations and this time, we’re doubling down. We’re firing this genre-spliced cannonball straight through the stained-glass window of musical convention — and we won’t stop until it shatters completely. Since my music taste is absolutely fantastic (and objectively correct), today’s instalment features a mix of tracks that I’ve recently discovered or re-discovered — so hit the playlist and follow along as we harmonise our way through death metal, hip hop, industrial, pop and etc. We’ve got some real surprises lined up this season, so keep your ears peeled, and welcome back to the padded room. It’s genre roulette, only with live ammunition.

1. Fleshwater - ‘‘Sundown’’

2. Joey Valence & Brae - ‘‘HYPERYOUTH’’

3. Sectioned - ‘‘Toothgrinder’’

4. Lingua Ignota - ‘‘I Who Bend The Tall Grasses’’

5. Supertramp - ‘‘School’’

6. Kero Kero Bonito - ‘‘Trampoline’’

7. Horrendous - ‘‘Nepenthe’’

8. LTJ Bukem - ‘‘Flip The Narrative’’

9. Signs Of The Swarm - ‘‘HELLMUSTFEARME’’

10. Jam Baxter - ‘‘Go On’’

Fleshwater - ‘‘Sundown’’

From 2000: In Search Of The Endless Sky // 2025 // alternative metal

Despite their deliberate throwback sound, Fleshwater’s vibe is one I probably would’ve turned my nose up at in the 2000s. Even their first full-length We’re Not Here To Be Loved — as deservedly acclaimed as it was — failed to capture my interest initially. Their new record, though, was an immediate hit for me and ‘‘Sundown’’ is just one of several cuts that stubbornly got its hooks into me. With nods to 2000’s mallcore so pronounced and enthusiastic that it’s practically headbanging at lightspeed, this reverb-soaked, infectious ballad feels both retro and oddly futuristic; emotionally blunt but so weirdly elegant that its resonance becomes startling. The songwriting is straightforward but remarkably effective; catchy vocal lines and tight melodies do a lot with very little, and the production, too, affords the experience a surreal grandeur that should clash with the song’s emotional weight, but instead only amplifies it. There’s still a few months left in the year, but I’ve a hunch this album will eclipse a fair few others for me, and right now, ‘‘Sundown’’ is my favourite moment from it. Am I just nostalgic for the 2000s? Almost certainly. Do I need to be committed? Strong possibility. No further questions, your honour.

Joey Valence & Brae - ‘‘HYPERYOUTH’’

From HYPERYOUTH // 2025 // hip hop

Carrying the torch for a distinctly vintage style of hip hop with a modern twist, JVB have stuck to their guns for three whole albums now, and thankfully the schtick hasn’t worn thin in the slightest. Not for me, at least. If anything, their aesthetic feels fresher than ever: exuberant, cheeky and relentlessly fun, serving up a perfect antidote to the self-seriousness of so much modern rap. With witty wordplay and throwback beats, the duo tread a fine line by never tipping into full-on novelty, but always embracing the chaos through quixotic theming and riotous production, forming an excitingly varied vibe even within the niche they have opted to pursue. While their latest release doesn’t offer a great deal in the way of surprises, it serves up dollops of the wayward attitude that makes them so endearing. The title track — one of many anthemic bangers from their most recent — is perhaps the best proof of that yet. Bursting with energy, packed with personality and refreshingly self-aware, this opening cut sets the tone flawlessly and gives plenty of what we’ve come to expect from the duo, as well as some very light experimentation to diversify the palette a touch. A high-octane, technicolor blitz.

Sectioned - ‘‘Toothgrinder’’

From Annihilated // 2018 // metalcore

Those who know me know that I absolutely adore Frontierer, the unhinged British-American metalcore project who sound like a Windows error message crossed with amplifier feedback during a power surge. Though I’ve been aware of Sectioned (the lead singer/ songwriter’s other project) for quite some time, I’d never gotten around to listening to their only full-length until recently, and as soon as I did I wanted to withhold dessert from myself for a year. With more of a structured, typical ’core sound, Sectioned nonetheless retain the intensity of their counterpart through huge riffs, chest-rattling vocals and grimy yet sharp production. Needless to say, I’ve thoroughly been enjoying this record of late, and ‘‘Toothgrinder’’ is a blistering, white-hot thunderclap of a track that encapsulates the band’s uncompromising energy perfectly. There’s a delicious, savage urgency on display that manages to sustain resonance despite the comparatively heavy-handed emphasis on melody lurking in the background, and the Nails-meets-Converge-via-Ion Dissonance combo is a wondrous stew indeed. I may not rate the project quite as highly as I do Frontierer, but they’re still cooking up some profoundly tapped metal and I mean that in the best possible way.

Lingua Ignota - ‘‘I Who Bend The Tall Grasses’’

From Sinner Get Ready // 2021 // Avant-garde - industrial - classical

Under the Lingua Ignota moniker, Kristin Hayter has crafted some of the most hideously gorgeous musical ordeals I’ve ever experienced. Occupying a fraught middle ground between industrial brutality and classical majesty, her sound reaches a kind of chaotic purity on ‘‘I Who Bend…’’- a track as wretched as it is beautiful, as hypnotic as it is violently oppressive. The haunted-house organ paired with Hayter’s operatic virtuosity and animalistic anguish creates an overwhelming sonic landscape, at once pleading, punishing, sacred and savage. I was lucky enough to see Lingy perform live in London just before her understandable decision to retire the persona, and — without hyperbole — it was one of the most extraordinary performances I’ve ever witnessed. I was especially overjoyed that she chose to perform this harrowing little ditty, doing so while stalking the audience with a caged lantern and collapsing to her knees under the emotional tumult of the more violent vocal passages. Razor-wire-bound with religious overtones and poisonously delivered admonishments, it is a truly insane, one-of-a-kind musical reckoning.

Supertramp - ‘‘School’’

From Crime of the Century // 1974 // progressive rock

It’s difficult for me to recall a more nostalgic song than ‘‘School’’, having listened to it a zillion times growing up courtesy of a cassette tape from my big brother. There’s something about the sprawl and ever-evolving structure of this introspective prog journey that gets under my skin in an indefinably poignant way, its lurches between morose, genteel and reflective consistently controlled and slickly arranged through some creative songwriting choices. The vocal performance from the iconic Rodger Hodgson only adds to the sense of wonder by perfectly capturing the track’s haunting, pensive mood, reflecting the shifting tonality of the piece with tenderly expressed emotion and raw immediacy as needed. Supertramp’s legacy today feels a little flattened, frequently reduced to hits like ‘‘The Logical Song’’ and ‘‘Breakfast In America’’ (thanks a bunch Scooter, Gym Class Heroes), but ‘‘School’’, single or not, deserves far more credit for its blend of emotional depth and pure musical craftsmanship. It remains my favourite from the band to this day.

Kero Kero Bonito - ‘‘Trampoline’’

From Bonito Generation // 2016 // electropop

Another day, another Kero Kero Bonito song coming on shuffle during a long car ride — inevitably followed by my wife shooting me a look of pure disdain and muttering ‘this sucks’. Honestly, no shade, but I can think of no better endorsement. The multicultural London-based trio effortlessly walk the slackline between electropop and their sugary J-Pop influences and, much like their other material, ‘‘Trampoline’’ is cute, charming and featherlight. With an infectious rhythm, uplifting message and singalong chorus it’s practically guaranteed to brighten your day. Unless you’re my wife. Not a great deal else that needs to be said about this one- just stick it on today for the serotonin spike you’ve been in dire need of.

Horrendous - ‘‘Nepenthe’’

From Ecdysis // 2014 // death metal

Ashamed as I am to admit it, I’d never really taken the time to deep dive Horrendous despite enjoying the few releases that I’d checked. This little ripper of a death metal jam was one of the many pleasant surprises lurking in their discography and its infectious riffing carved itself into my brain quicker than my anxiety knocks up detailed timelines of things that haven’t happened. Markedly less instrumentally dense than many of their contemporaries, Horrendous have made a fair statement on the scene with their Carcass-esque brand of DM, and this influence is perhaps more prominent on this track than others. That’s not to its detriment, however, as the use of decipherable melody paired with the harsh vocal performance forms a balance between brazen barbarism and deft sharpness, all of which feels calculated thanks to the smart production and well-judged songwriting. Also, who doesn’t love a bit of Carcass? Ecdysis is a great record to be sure, but not my favourite in their discography. This track though? Top 3 song, easy.

LTJ Bukem - ‘‘Flip The Narrative’’

Single release // 2021 // D&B

It takes a certifiably talented producer to imbue a D&B track with genuine emotion and still keep it club-ready and finger-pistols-out mucky. Enter ‘Flip The Narrative’ a precise yet still beautifully fluid thumper that offers a potent injection of everything best about the genre. Though its production is mirror-shine polished, there’s no hiding the basement energy in the low end that keeps it grounded - the base layer to a surging, melodic experience that feels equal parts hyperspeeding through a multicoloured nebula and asking an unimpressed bartender for a tap water. The intricate texture of the vocal sample and other sonic elements layered over the urgent undercurrent is both boisterously stirring and impressively delicate; a jump-up stormer with the heart of an intelligent roller, full of character and intelligence. With the focus on addled crowd response so overemphasised when it comes to modern D&B, a DJ dipping more than a pinky toe into atmospherics and texture is always a welcome tonic, and LTJ never disappoints in that regard.

Signs of the Swarm - ‘‘HELLMUSTFEARME’’

From To Rid Myself Of Truth // 2025 // Deathcore

I’ve often held to the notion that Signs of the Swarm have spent their career trying to pen a better song than ‘Pernicious’, and for the most part I’ve been somewhat indifferent to their dishwater deathcore shenanigans. So colour me ‘uhhh.?’ that their latest record isn’t just good, but one of the strongest genre releases since To The Grave’s Director’s Cuts back in early 2023, full of billious froth and coated in stomach-churning production. ‘‘HELLMUSTFEARME’’ (barely-stifled lol), while undeniably drawing from popular modern deathcore tropes (looking at you, Lorna Shore), still manages to carve out its own identity, being both melodic yet monstrously heavy, with a shattering breakdown that doesn’t feel bolted on, but surgically embedded into the track’s structure- a pivot point rather than sheer pit bait. The vocals from David Simonich, which I’ve long considered the band’s best feature, are on top form here: a vicious, gravel-throated roar that liberally tars the entire mix without smothering the instruments. It doesn’t blaze new trails for the genre, but it doesn’t need to. ‘‘HELLMUSTFEARME’’ is both a modern iteration of and a curt nod to deathcore’s unhinged past; a sharpened update of the established framework, delivered with feral aplomb.

Jam Baxter - ‘‘Go On’’

From Fetch The Poison // 2022 // UK hip-hop

Having given Dead Players (with Jam Baxter as one half) some shine in a previous instalment of Select Frequency, I was hesitant about whether to include this entry. I decided I should — firstly, because I’ve been rinsing it, and secondly; because it bangs way too hard to leave out. Pulled from his genuinely brilliant solo record Fetch The Poison, ‘‘Go On’’ is a grimy little hip hop spiker with razor-sharp production and some of the iciest bars I’ve heard in a hot minute, all delivered with the callous offhandedness that only JB can dole out. The repeated mantra of ‘do it’ that intermittently punctuates the recording is a masterstroke; part hypeman, part punchline-setup and part rhythmic anchor for the flows to dance around. There’s a hazy, woozy undercurrent pervading the track that is offset by Baxter’s doleful yet still urgent delivery, whetting a psychedelic edge that affords the cut a unique energy, gliding like a ghost ship but still hammering like a steel-toed boot. Bleakly playful and unblinkingly serious little venom injection.