Five stages of hearing St Vincent's new single

DENIAL: Something's up with YouTube. Everything sounds wrong.

ANGER: Oh, for Christ's sake. This is exactly what happens when you tour with David fucking Byrne. Just because something's discordant doesn't mean it's "art".

BARGAINING: Oh well, maybe the second single will be better.

DEPRESSION: No, this is awful. I might as well give up all hope and wait for a new Ed Sheeran single.

ACCEPTANCE: Hold on a moment – this chorus is magnificent. I take it all back.

Yes, after a shaky start, St Vincent's new single Digital Witness is one of those records that makes you instantly reach for the repeat button. I've listened to it five times in the last 15 minutes, in fact. I particularly love how the dissonant verses and rickety, syncopated saxophones resolve into a gloriously catchy chorus (that sounds ever-so-slightly like Abba's The Visitors).

Here's what the press release says.

St Vincent - aka Annie Clark - has revealed Digital Witness from her self-titled fourth album (due out 24th February) via BBC 6 Music's Breakfast Show this morning, where it's featured as the Song of The Week.

The track tackles identity in the era of Instagram, with Clark singing, "If I can't show it / If you can't see me / What's the point of doing anything?" Digital Witness follows the first sneak preview of the album, Birth In Reverse, which garnered a Best New Music nod from Pitchfork.

Stream the song, which will be available for instant download with iTunes pre-orders beginning 14th January, here.

Or just watch the video below... Closely.

St Vincent - Digital Witness (audio)

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