BEST NEW MUSIC: REX ORANGE COUNTY - NEW HOUSE

“New House,” a jaunty melody-driven pop number, is the first bit of new music from British singer Rex Orange County in two years.

Dubbed a Valentine to his fans, 21-year-old Alexander O'Connor had this to say about the track on Twitter:
“life is weird and it seems like everyone has a difficult time in one way or another. the greatest things always seem to come with a level of confusion that makes it easy to question whether anything matters….. with that being said, I must confirm that I still love doing this and that I’m beyond grateful for all the support I’ve been shown. life is good. I’m happier today than I was for the majority of last year. Thea is my valentine….. and whether you’re in love today or not, this one is for you, from me.”

Known for collaborating with the likes of Tyler, The Creator, and Randy Newman, O'Connor shows his depth on “New House”. The song begins with some slow piano while O’Connor ruminates on the state of his life and how meaningless it would all be without the presence of an unnamed lover. He pleads for commitment and domesticity in a manner that can only be described as casually desperate. 

The beat continues to build as the song progresses, melding the R&B and lo-fi elements that have become Rex Orange County’s calling card. “New House” is sweet without being saccharine or overly sentiment, incredibly catchy, heavy on the hooks without being overly dependant on them.

In short, it’s really good.  

REX ORANGE COUNTY - NEW HOUSE

Hopefully, this is the first of many new offerings from O'Connor and Co. A proper follow-up to 2017’s Apricot Princess is hopefully on the way, but as of writing all we’ve got is “New House”.

As a parting gift, here’s a live video of Randy Newman and Rex Orange County signing the Toy Story classic “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”.

Calvin Paradise is not any one thing. The half-hearted vagabond and forgetful luddite currently resides in Los Angeles and how he spends his time is none of your damned business.