Promoting and Supporting Women in Music
The GIHE girls were back in the Hoxton Radio studio with loads of new music and a few hen party classics in honour of Mari’s shindig this weekend.
They played tracks from Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something, Jessica Winter, Flesh Tetris, Maya Kally & BABii.
Listen back:
@getinherears
@maudeandtrevor
@marimindles
@KCBobcut
A taster from BABii’s forthcoming album HiiDE, ‘CARNiiVORE’ lives within a world of eerily fragile electronic soundscape that is reminiscent of early Grimes and FKA Twigs. There are mesmerising keyboard and synth sounds woven into its web of melody and, really, this is a particularly good example of what can be done with synth pop.
The song is intricate and clever while still being listenable and accessible. The dreamlike qualities of BABii’s work seem to stem from her preoccupation with her thwarted childhood dreams; there is a sense of the childlike as well as the terrifying in her soundscapes, which might be why she describes the process of making HiiDE as being her way of crying. This is an oddly beautiful single, and one that will stay with you long after listening.
HiiDE, the upcoming album from BABii, is released on 5th July via Deathwaltz Originals. Catch BABii live at the following dates:
5th May: Sounds of the Other City, Salford
9th May: The Hope & Ruin (downstairs), Brighton
10th May: The Great Escape, Komedia Studio, Brighton 2.15am
11th May: Tempest Inn, Brighton
10th July: Ramsgate Music Hall, Ramsgate
Cazz Blase
@CazzBlase
Beauty Sleep’s liquid sound and lush production have the ability to place them among the pantheon of greats that precede them. Their synth pop radiance is akin to Beach House and Acid House Kings, with interlacing vocal stylings seductive enough for an of Montreal track.
The Belfast trio’s debut LP Be Kind is set to release this month, and upon first listen will easily become your sound of the summer. In fact, the whole release drips like honey from a champagne flute.
According to a statement from the band’s label regarding their genesis: “Beauty Sleep’s music is born of the friendship its three members share,” they detail. “…While chatting, Cheylene, Ryan and Aimee discovered a powerful shared creative bond. Overcome with the rush of inspiration only the prospect of a new project instils, the group decided to seize the moment and focus their energy into forming a new band. Enter the lush dream-pop Beauty Sleep makes today.”
Taking notes from NPR-coined genre Roséwave, their shimmering vocals meld divinely with the twinkling bell tones to create catchy choruses driven by passion. Their sound gets edgy on the track ‘The Feeling Back’ where you can hear distorted guitar and group vocals in the chorus that give a feeling of shouting out into the night with your friends on a rooftop bar.
‘On Repeat’, a soaring beat driven zen overload captures the thrill of a late night “getting lost in the moment”, while keeping the vibe cool enough for an after-club coffee.
Third track, ‘Rainbow Ballroom’ (premiered below!), could easily be a modern interpretation of a Diana Ross hit. The bass funk is apparent in the verses, only to break out into plumes of sound over the chorus using synth pads to fill the sound out infinitely.
‘Lies’ is another breakout track that features the vocalists’ spoken words and airy samples in the intro. This allows the experimentation of the track to really sparkle; downright dirty bass fills carry the morphed vocals and playful lyrics. Another Standout ‘Synthetic Debris’ opens up like a prom slow dance hit from the ’80s. I sensed major deja vu from listening to The Radio Dept. in my teens. It’s quiet and intimate, sparing no details that fill in the detailed background, samples, synths and all.
The band bolsters an electric live sound as well, treating shows and festivals as “a communal celebration of music and dance.”
Beauty Sleep has vivatius and contagious power in their debut LP Be Kind is sure to leave you wanting a blissed out night on the town, slightly tipsy and full of life.
Be Kind, the debut album from Beauty Sleep, is out 17th May. Listen to brand new single ‘Rainbow Ballroom’, for the first time, below:
Luke Janke
@Jankeleg
Having captivated us with the kaleidoscopic sounds of their last EP Someone Else To Blame, as well as completely blowing us away on numerous occasions with their immense live show, Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something have now shared a magnificent new single.
Drawing on the subjects of OCD and suicidal ideation, ‘Helen Is A Reptile’ describes a human lizard hybrid realisation of dark thoughts that can creep through victims’ minds and taunt them when they’re most vulnerable. Written after Jemma had been experiencing days of insomnia, the track is propelled by a primal, whirring energy as immense swirling hooks accompany their raw, impassioned vocals.
A soaring slice of sparkling psych-rock with shades of ‘70s glam, ‘Helen Is A Reptile’ oozes all of Freeman’s trademark hypnotic majesty, creating an other-worldly sonic delight, whilst drawing attention to the extremely pressing issue of mental health.
Featuring Wendy Rae Fowler and Martina Ziewe, and directed by Black Triangle, you can watch the new video for ‘Helen Is A Reptile’ here:
Buy ‘Helen Is A Reptile’ for what you can afford on Bandcamp now. And catch Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something live for the single launch, along with GIHE faves Scrounge and Eyesore and The Jinx, tomorrow 2nd May at The Windmill Brixton.
And, not only is ‘Helen Is A Reptile’ a treat for the ears, but it’s accompanied by an utterly unique, handmade lathe cut vinyl. There are only 55 copies of the vinyl and each one has been individually hand cut by 345 vinyl in Brighton. The covers are all unique and each have a piece of lino flooring from the video set attached. On the other side, there is a unique lino print designed and printed by Jem and numbered by hand in their South London home. They will be available only at the launch party and 10 will be held back for a special silent auction online, the winners to be announced on Friday 3rd May, all proceeds will go to charity Music Support UK – a charity supporting those in any area of the UK music industry suffering from addiction, emotional and mental health issues. All details of how to get involved in the auction below:
Mari Lane
@marimindles
Get In Her Ears 