This week's key live music releases

Image: The Maccabees 

This week's been slightly turned on its head by the announcement of upcoming releases turning our heads towards the future. Foals were at the forefront of that, releasing an estranged 13 second clip of noise before announcing their fourth album What Went Down.

Still though, we've seen some steady drops infiltrating our playlists; PINS brought us Wild Nights, Franz Ferdinand linked up with Sparks for FFS and Of Monsters and Men cropped up with a long awaited record. 

Beginning with PINS, the all female four-piece from Manchester, we were perhaps most excited for their progression since debut LP Girls Like Us.

We'd already been exposed to the majority at an electrifying gig in June, and staying true to form the remainder of the album followed suit (Read the review here). "Moody Cool" was how we pinned the album, a fuzzed up exploration of dream-pop that arms them suitably for the US leg of their upcoming live dates. 

On slightly more unsuspecting terms, Franz Ferdinand linked up with Sparks to bring FFS. It was more 'WTF' than 'FFS' however, an oddly formed spiral of dance-pop that appeared to be recorded in an ever revolving time machine. 

Of Monsters and Men dropped Beneath The Skin, a wondrous journey of orchestral pop, evidencing the bands blossoming into Arcade Fire's understudies. It's another huge step forward for the Icelandic band and etches them firmly into our festival season bucket list. 

Looping back to our opening gambit, Yannis and the boys fourth coming arrives in August and a new single lands next week. The Maccabees shared 'Something Like Happiness' (below), another slice of the July bound Marks To Prove It pie.

Wolf Alice ramped up the hype for their debut cut with 'You're A Germ' and Mac Demarco teased 'The Way You'd Love Her' from his upcoming mini LP Another One in the back of cab at Field Day, giving us plenty to get excited for in the coming months. 

We headed to Manchester this week to witness DIIV and Spring king in action at Night and Day Cafe - read the review here.