Back with his first new music of the year, the release of ‘Fangs’ last week had the Melburnian (via Scotland) soul-rocker challenging those who attempted to peg him as an alt-country songsmith. Instead, ‘Fangs’ is all elusive hooks and tempting grooves, rounded out by Millar Jukes’ assertive, almost frightening, performance.

Opening with a sinister organ over a stomping beat, ‘Fangs’ instantly picks up a dark, captivating swagger. Where Millar’s voice might normally sound bluesy and emotive, his rich drawl instead feels brazen and threatening - especially now that the backdrop is this stark, the only embellishment coming from some terse, pinpricked guitars that jut in and out eerily.

The tension builds as the track expands, with some fuzzed-out riffs and enigmatic backing vocals that transport ‘Fangs’ into an almost desert-rock territory - commanding as ever, Millar manages to sound completely at ease amongst this new terrain. Crucially, as ‘Fangs’ heads towards its end, Millar Jukes masterfully resists the urge to have the instrumentation explode open, and instead leaves things to teeter on the edge - the result making the whole track feel even more menacing and volatile as it saunters away.

According to Millar, the track’s dark themes stem from “my mates taking the piss out of my very pale Scottish complexion”, and he decided to adopt this vampirish persona. Naturally, the accompanying clip pairs the track’s sinister groove with a collection of clips from old horror films, adding a peculiar, offbeat touch to the uncanny atmosphere. Millar explains - “the very talented Mitchell Rubly did the artwork and put the video clip together. I wanted old horror clips like Nosferatu and he came up with a narrative using an old Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde movie from 1912.”