The ShortListen: David Bowie (no. 203)

Who? David Bowie

What’s the story? Just over a month after it was 'officially' revealed that David Bowie would never tour again, he's unleashed the title track from his 26th studio album Blackstar (the album will be released 8 January). Frankly, we think it's a wise decision if it means we get more studio output from the great man - as this song is a crazy, varied, fearlessly bold ten minute long epic. Analysing Bowie's work is the stuff of university courses these days and they'll have a field day with this: the music veers from an almost Radiohead-esque dark, jazzy first section, into a funkier middle, before eventually twisting and turning its way back to the 'A' section. All the while, Bowie's vocals are silky smooth, with some detailed production that will reward the many listens this is going to get. The video is brilliant - a crazy sci-fi, quasi-religious epic - frankly, we have no idea what's going on, but it's great to watch. The new album had been rumoured to be more avant-garde than The Next Day, and on the evidence of this, that's what we're getting. Feast your ears and eyes on this immediately.

For fans of: Radiohead, Massive Attack, Cinematic Orchestra

In three words: The master returns