Alfie Templeman returns with yet more groove and a "Shady" undercurrent on his new track

There's no question that Chess Club signee Alfie Templeman makes confident music: the sort that instantly infiltrates your being and remains on some sort of auto-repeat for days to come. It's sweet, endearing and appealing to all ages, and his knack for explosive refrains and effervescent melodies is a perfect antidote to recent months.

It's during this uncertain time that Templeman first started working with Jungle's Tom McFarland, who co-produced his new track. The marriage of McFarland's modern soul and funk credentials with Templeman's light-hearted and delicious easy pop is a winning combination. Templeman has always had his own solid groove, but "Shady" feels more fully-fledged and almost a tad menacing with its provocative and flirtatious strings. There are nods to '70s soft rock and '80s pop that further bolster the intrigue and give it a warmth well beyond Templeman's tender years.

"It's about trying to stay true to myself doing what I wanna do in my life and trying to avoid all the arguments and shady people that come with it. No more negativity, more making sense of the past and enjoying what the present has to offer," says Templeman.

McFarland added: “Working with Alfie on this track was really fun. We started collaborating together on ‘Shady’ as lock-down hit the UK so everything was very uncertain and weird but making music always helps you through those times. He’s a great kid with undeniable talent and I think this song really shows the world where he is heading artistically. I was very humbled that he wanted to work with me and that he was such a big fan of Jungle. It’s a privilege to work with people that you respect.”

As the title suggests, and through the ambiguity of his lyrics as well as the abrupt ending; you get the feeling that someone somewhere has tried to thwart Templeman - big mistake, as his star is clearly in ascent and it doesn't look like it's stopping any time soon.