WATCH: Lala Lala – ‘Water Over Sex’

Stop-motion animation, personal anguish and drifting lo-fi sounds permeate the new visuals for Lala Lala‘s latest single ‘Water Over Sex’. The track is taken from her upcoming album The Lamb, released on September 28th via Hardly Art.

Based in Chicago, Lala Lala (aka Lillie West) says the new track is based on a paranoid feeling that any “good fortune” she encountered would be “subsequently taken away” to “balance the scales” after a home invasion. Whilst this sounds like a sad premise, Lillie’s music feels far from melancholy with its jangly guitar sounds and dreamy vocals.

The video for ‘Water Over Sex’ was co-directed by Matthew James-Wilson and Toronto-based illustrator Ginette Lapalme. Matthew explains the video’s inception further: “I know Ginette from the comics scene in Toronto and, since Lillie is a fan (with her stickers on her guitar case and a few tattoos of her drawings), I wanted to work on an animated music video with her for the new album. We spent a week straight shooting using fabric, photocopies, Ginette’s collection of miniatures and knick-knacks, and stuff we found at 99 cent stores in Chinatown. The video follows a lamb doll (which Ginette made) continually daydreaming about the objects around her while she tries to live a relaxing life. We wanted to sort of indirectly reference the conflict in the song about how your lifestyle changes after you quit drinking. Since we all live in three different cities and couldn’t film Lillie for it, I asked Lillie to send over webcam footage of her singing the song that we could animate over.”

Originally from London, Lillie moved with her family to Los Angeles, where she spent her teenage years and later to Chicago. She started Lala Lala as a way to communicate things she felt she could never say out loud; touching on issues like intense paranoia, deaths of loved ones, and re-examinations of existing relationships.

‘Water Over Sex’ is another exploration of some of these intensely relatable themes. Watch the video for it below and follow Lala Lala on Facebook for more updates.

Pre-order Lala Lala’s new album The Lamb here.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Arc Iris – ‘$GNMS’

Ahead of the release of their third album Icon of Ego on October 12th, Providence’s Arc Iris have shared their new single ‘$GNMS’. The band have carefully crafted analog sounds and seamless vocals to create a complete reinterpretation of ‘Money Gnomes’ – a track taken from their debut self-titled album.

Originally an eight-piece rock orchestra, Arc Iris have overcome industry adversity and line-up changes to become the band they are today. Comprised of lead vocalist Jocie Adams, keyboardist and sample artist Zach Tenorio-Miller, and drummer Ray Belli; Arc Iris create dynamic rhythms and catchy melodies that captivate and soothe their ears of their listeners.

Their third album, Icon of Ego interrogates the notions of celebrity, fame, and idol worship, which the band explore through both their music and their theatrical performance style. Displaying an array of costumes, flare, and light rigs, enhanced by choreographed dance moves, Arc Iris live performances are always a spectacle.

Listen to ‘$GNMS’ below and follow Arc Iris on Facebook for more updates.

Pre-order Arc Iris’ Icon of Ego here.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: Bugeye – ‘Is This Love?’

Having already received praise and airplay from the likes of Radio X’s John Kennedy and BBC Radio, ‘Is This Love?’ is the new single from Croydon’s (and our) favourite Disco Punks Bugeye.

Accompanied by a homemade psychedelic new video, ‘Is This Love?’ is a twisted play on the theme of love, taking inspiration from Donna Summer’s ’80s club anthem ‘I Feel Love’. Racing with raging, synth-driven hooks and a fierce punk grit, it’s a colourful, and completely infectious, funk fuelled anthem. Guaranteed to get you up and moving on first listen, ‘Is This Love?’ showcases Bugeye at their most animated, with the soaring vocals of front woman Angela Martin at their most powerful, with shades of the likes of Gossip’s Beth Ditto.

Watch the vibrant new video for ‘Is This Love?’ here:

Catch Bugeye live:

15th September – The Camden Mix Up, The Good Mixer, London (single launch)
22nd September – The Portland Arms, Cambridge
28th September – The Finsbury, London
18th October – Lady Luck Bar, Canterbury
27th October – Oxfam Gig, Camden

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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WATCH: Empress Of – ‘When I’m With Him’

The marvelous Empress Of has shared a video for her latest single ‘When I’m With Him’- an upbeat reflection on an uneven relationship. The track is taken from her second LP Us, which is due to be released this October.

Empress Of (aka Loreley Rodriguez) released her debut album Me in 2015 to critical acclaim, and her aptly named follow-up record Us promises to be equally as interesting if ‘When I’m With Him’ is anything to go by. Lorely handled all of the production and writing on her debut album, building a strong reputation for being a woman in command of her introspective, self-empowering electro-pop sound.

Alongside the release of her new album, Lorely has announced a collaboration with Chloe for their Fall/Winter 2018 campaign, so expect to see and hear a lot more from her in the next few months. Watch the video for ‘When I’m With Him’ below and follow Empress Of on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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