Constantly pondering on and searching for new songs has induced a reflex action: I keep finding myself diving ever-further backwards, to music that is less of the moment, and crucially/humiliatingly, less challenging.

On heavy rotation recently has been the entire Pet Shop Boys back catalogue, an assortment of 80’s electro-pop, and various Smiths B-Sides; all re-emerging from the gloom in a subconscious attempt to smother all the new, twitchy stuff I’ve had rattling around my skull for the past few weeks.

Still, every ying needs its yang, every Cannon needs its Ball, and every retreat back onto safe ground needs its dose of shimmering heavy-pop brilliance, like, for convenient example, this nugget of sonic honey from Stereo Silence.

Lone Youth, released on the open-minded Neuroplastic Records, is everything I’d want of a new song released right now: heavy in intent but floaty light in execution, snappy but woozy, hastily-assembled, but with great thought.

I mean, it’s not West End Girls, but it’s pretty close, in a surprising number of ways. Breezily lovely, diffidently punchy.

MORE: stereosilence.bandcamp.com