Here at Musick we like to think we've got our fingers very firmly on the pulse. We're so near the zeitgeist that we've got zeitgeist splinters in our fingers and little shavings in our eyes. Let's look at the evidence shall we- here are just some of the brand new acts to have appeared on these pages; Haddaway, Mariah Carey, Beck, Elastica, Linkin Park, to name but a few. We're so now that I even had a request from a reader to find out about this hot new singer called Kavana. With that in mind, I thought I'd get in before anyone else with these two hip new bands. They go by the names of Friendly Fires and XX Teens and I can guarantee that neither have been featured in NME, Artrocker, or any tips for 2008/9 and have probably never been on an episode of skins. It's all box fresh.

- Friendly Fires are a trio who specialise in what used to be called 'punk funk' but now just gets called 'dance music made with guitars' and are really quite alright. You can hear what they sound like here. Their self-titled debut album is out at the beginning of September on XL records and fingers crossed I might even have a preview copy of it sometime in October...oh.

- XX Teens are five young scamps from London who are about to release their debut album, entitled Welcome To Goon Island on Mute records. Some people have called them the new Velvet Underground. Seems a little premature. Single 'Only You' is rather fun. Listen here.

Don't say I didn't warn you. I'm like Mystic Meg on acid or something.