Having released their poignant debut EP END/START earlier this year, Edinburgh duo Aneshka Pelowska and Dave Tynan – aka PELOWSKA – create stirring, trip-hop inspired soundscapes rooted in experiences of trauma. Ruminating on personal themes of abuse and the feelings of both depression and empowerment that can follow, it offers a beautifully honest and deeply moving collection. As a swirling, brooding emotion ripples alongside glitchy, immersive sonic cacophonies with shades of the likes of Portishead or Massive Attack, it showcases PELOWSKA’s ability to create exquisite sparkling reflections on life’s – all too often tumultuous – journey.
We caught up with Aneshka to talk about the influences behind the EP, the immense power of PELOWSKA’s live shows and the importance of communities lifting each other up. Have a read and make sure you check out END/START wherever you get your new music now.
Hi PELOWSKA! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! How are you doing today?
Great, thanks! Still riding the waves of excitement after our EP launch last month. It’s that surreal high that hits you when something you’ve poured so much heart into finally lands, and lands beautifully. I keep replaying the crowd singing “we are not enough – we are more than enough.” Ohhh yes. Magic.
Are you able to tell us a bit about how you both met, and what initially inspired you to start creating music?
I wrote my first song when I was six — the lyrics were hilariously cheesy (as expected), but the melody… Honestly, I still might use it one day. Growing up in Poland, I fronted a metal band, hitting the high notes and growling the low ones. Over the years I moved through bands across different genres, always searching for the sound that matched the storm that was going on in my soul. The real turning point was for me was learning how to write, record, produce and mix my own music. That opened everything up. PELOWSKA as it is now really came from that lifelong pull to create something emotional and honest – for both Dave and I. We’d been friends for years before we ever made music together, which makes the whole journey feel even more natural and grounded.
I love the fierce trip-hop inspired power and soaring, captivating emotion of your songs, but who would you consider to be your main musical influences?
Thank you! My roots are in the darker, heavier side of the ‘90s – Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Type O Negative and so on… When it comes to metal bands, Paradise Lost or After Forever amongst others. These days I soak in lots of music, especially Temples, Phantogram, So Below, Ila Brugal, SBTRKT, Trentemøller and so on… A big fan of Roniit too. If something carries weight, minor-sounding beauty or previously unheard sounds, genre doesn’t matter, I’m in.
You’ve just released your fantastic debut EP END / START – congratulations! It’s said to be a poignant reflection on trauma and connection, but are you able to tell us a bit more about it and the main themes running through the collection?
Everything that had fallen apart before this EP came to life. I escaped a cycle of abuse that left me homeless, lost in trauma, and confronting the raw reality of depression and PTSD. It is the way of dealing with enmeshment, and coming out on the other side. Finding oneself.Fighting for oneself in the midst of manipulation and gaslighting, and the strength in learning to protect one’s boundaries. This work touches on the presence of elements of nature – especially the power of water; fire – that, although potentially dangerous – gave me safety and motivation; and earth, the grounding, beautiful eyes of connection with people who supported me through the pain. Although difficult and tough, that experience was the transformation I needed in order to rip my sense of identity off my past, and find a new meaning and an idea for myself. Redefine what it meant to be me. The elements were the guide on my journey. They gave me strength and brought me back under the wings of the benevolent Universe. Finding myself through nature wasn’t just about calm or serenity in the traditional sense, it was aboutintentionally seeking out and harnessing the elemental forces around me. I felt the overwhelming power of sea and oceans in my veins, fires were burning my soul and shedding the old layers of my identity with painful speed. The earth was full of charged particles travelling through my body and giving me strength and confidence in order to fight for my survival. Nature didn’t just comfort me, it transformed me. It made me into a witch, and became my compass. That transformation echoes through the sound and spirit of the EP. We chose a raw, alternative path – one that steps away from polished perfection and instead embraces struggle, emotion, and human complexity. But just as much, it’s about connection; connection to the listener on the other end, someone who might need music that purges, that purifies, that empowers. Tracks to accompany your anger, your courage, your healing, and to help you reconnect with nature, and in turn, with yourself. This EP is a document of survival, and transformation. A journey through chaos, and a homecoming to oneself. May it help you move through your own fire, and come out stronger on the other side.
And how was the process of recording the EP for you?
Cathartic. Screaming into a mic alone late at night. Recording an idea for ‘Venom’ straight into the project on my laptop on a plane to Turkey. Jamming new melodies straight into the tracks we worked on with Dave: I looped ‘You Said It’s Gone’ once he sent it over to me and simply stepped up to the mic, feeling into the music and going with the flow. ‘Calton Hill’ literally started as a phone recording of me playing around on a wee Juno synth in the countryside in the Scottish Borders one afternoon. That exact phone clip is still in the song, layered with other sounds I grabbed from lakes and forests in Poland in summer 2024. It was all about following intuition without overthinking for me. Letting feelings become sound… All that until it came to the mixing process in which we got really technical and did our best to fine-tune the mixes, training our ears and learning heaps in the meantime.
You recently played a special launch show at Leith Cricket Club – how was that for you, and what can fans expect from your live shows?
It was electric, such a beautiful experience. Every headline show we’ve played so far was particularly full of love, but this one has been our best yet, and this is just the beginning! You ask what to expect in our shows? Raw energy, a bit of headbanging, emotional whiplash in the best way, and the occasional pep talk slipped between tracks. We like switching between soft vulnerability and big, feral power. Vocals are my joy so I go all in. Lately I’ve been having a blast playing synth and messing with its sounds in real time – you can never get it the exact same way twice and I love that! Dave’s guitar/bass brings both heaviness and melody in equal measures. His sense of humour is amazing – during one of the shows this year he spilled a whole pint of beer on his laptop, and didn’t even flinch upon noticing whilst people from the crowd rushed to help (that laptop is still fine, which I read as a clear sign from the Universe that we have its blessing to carry on!)
And has there been a specific show you’ve played that stands out as a highlight?
Every show has its own flavour, so it’s hard to choose just one — especially when the most recent one is still buzzing in my body. But a real ‘pinch me’ moment was opening for the legendary Polish rock band Lady Pank. I grew up watching them as a kid, never imagining I’d one day be sharing a stage with them so it was a full-circle moment.
When you’re playing gigs are there any particular essentials that you like to have with you to keep you going?
Water and coffee – probably in the reverse order. Also recently I purchased my own smoke / haze machine for gigs so I’ve been having a lot of fun with that! I literally bring my own atmosphere to events.
Originally being from Poland, how would you say the music scene, and the experience of playing live music, differs here in the UK?
On the mainland, being a musician often carries this sense of doing something almost magical – there’s a particular atmosphere at gigs, a kind of intensity and emotional involvement from the crowd that’s hard to describe unless you’ve lived it. In the UK, people approach music in a slightly different way – more technical, craft-focused. Audiences here really listen; they pay attention to your sound, your gear, precision. Both scenes have their strengths, and playing in both definitely shaped me.
As we’re an organisation with a focus on supporting new and marginalised artists, I just wondered how you feel the industry is for them at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the years in its treatment of female and queer artists?
Honestly, I’m not feeling particularly great about the state of the world and/or creative arts at this point in time. It’s quite hard to say something positive when I see so many people having it so damn hard. It’s tough out there. I’m grateful to know some truly badass female and queer music producers, engineers, and songwriters though. The sense of community is strong – we look out for each other, we lift each other up, and that gives me hope. There’s more and more of us, and I hope this trend continues. There’s progress, but also a long road ahead. I really hope the industry starts acting like it understands that.
And are there any other new bands or artists that you’d recommend we check out at the moment?
Her Picture are a cool Scottish band, music in the vein of Ethel Cain – my ears have heard ‘Muscle Memory’ plenty of times. Still Blank just released a brilliant self-titled album last month. And Mastaki is a producer who imho deserves far more attention.
Huge thanks to PELOWSKA for answering our questions!
You can listen to the poignant new EP END/START now and watch the video for recent single ‘Calton Hill’ here.
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