After those premature Stone Roses reunion rumours, this briliant new track from dance producers Alex Metric and Steve Angello spotlights Ian Brown for all the right reasons. It's a cracking good dance track, following in the spacey, empowering feel of his My Way album.
The Rocky-montage styled video is fascinating too. Playing out like a little movie, we see a boxer training up to challenge an all conquering boxing robot. Sounds bizarre, but it's a slice of wonderful surrealism. In a cruel/amusing final twist (depending on which way you look at it), the robot comes back to life after finally being defeated and punches the guy's head clean off in a dramatic and immensely gory spray of blood.
As one of rock music's great heroes, it's often easy to remember that Ian Brown, the solo artist, has come up with some stunning pop tracks over the past decade or so. My Star, F.E.A.R., Stellify - all have at their heart an incredible knowledge of a great pop melody and catchy hooks. And open your eyes stands as a firm reminder of this - dressed up in glossy electronic production, it shoots straight for the heart.
Open Your Eyes is released on 8th May.
