PLAYLIST: August 2019

Summer’s nearly over, but we’ve selected some of the finest new music tracks to see you through August’s final weeks of sunshine and unexpected showers.Take some time to scroll through our track choices and make sure you hit play on the Spotify playlist link at the bottom of the page…

Bones UK – ‘I’m Afraid Of Americans’ 
I have Anthony & Elis of Noise Noir to thank for this B.A.N.G.E.R. I heard it during their DJ set for Siren Calling Festival and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. One of my favourite Bowie tracks covered in super cool style. I’m now an avid follower of Bones UK too. (Kate Crudgington)

Sui Zhen – ‘Matsudo City Life’
Inspired by the Japanese city of Matsudo – known by locals as a ‘sleeper town’ -, Sui Zhen’s latest single flows with infectious, ’80s inspired whirring hooks, alongside her luscious vocals. An utterly dreamy, synth-driven soundscape, it’s another slice of sparkling alt-pop from the Melbourne artist, and I cannot wait for the release of her upcoming new album, Losing, Linda, out 27th September. (Mari Lane)

Le Butcherettes – ‘Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t Have)’ 
My absolute faves Le Butcherettes have shared their brilliant cover of The Buzzcocks’ classic and I’m hooked on it. The Guadalajara-born and El Paso/L.A. based group shot a live video of the song as part of their collaboration with Fender for their Vintera Series of guitars before recording a studio version for the single release. (KC)

Cat Apostrophe – ‘January’ 
‘January’ by Yorkshire-based radically soft pop band Cat Apostrophe is taken from their debut LP Lifelong Amateurism, which is out now via Everything Sucks Music. You can catch them on their tour across the whole of the UK hitting London on 26th August at DIY Space for London. (Tash Walker)

Babeheaven – ‘Seabird’ 
Babeheaven’s cover of 70s classic ‘Seabird’ originally by the Alessi Brothers, is incredibly beautiful and has left me gazing dreamily out of many a window with it playing into my ears… so what better reason for wanting to share that with you all. It is quite simply, heart wrenchingly, sublime. (TW)

Suggested Friends – ‘Cygnet’
I’ve been completely addicted to Suggested Friends‘ eponymous debut release over the last couple of years, and so I couldn’t be more excited to hear that they have just announced the release of their second album. To coincide with the announcement, Suggested Friends have shared new single ‘Cygnets’. With totally dreamy harmonies and the distinctive heartfelt crystalline vocals of Faith Taylor, it’s filled with an infectious jangly scuzz and stirring raw emotion, complete with some impressive rollicking riffage. Turtle Taxi, the upcoming album from Suggested Friends, is out 4th October. (ML)

Wyldest – ‘Mind Over Body/Slowdance’ 
I caught two thirds of Wyldest live at Siren Calling Festival over the weekend, and their shoegazey guitars and smooth vocals melted my ears. (KC)

Hurtling – ‘Summer’
I just can’t get enough of London band Hurtling’s new single ‘Summer’. Starting off with gentle, finger-picked melodies and the luscious, delicate vocals of Jen Macro, it soon builds with sun-drenched whirring hooks and immense beats to a fuzz-filled noisepop anthem. A scuzzy dream of a track, it’s impossible not to get caught up in its sparkling, psychedelic haze.‘Summer’ is out now, whilst Hurtling’s debut album – Future From Here – is out 18th October, both via Onomatopoeia Records. (ML)

Hannah Stewart – ‘Glaze’
The new single from California based artist Hannah Glaze is propelled by throbbing beats and gritty bass-lines. Filled with the smooth allure of Hannah’s honey-sweet vocals and a driving energy, it oozes an infectious danceability and fuzzed-out groove that we can’t get enough of. (ML)

Hana Vu – ‘At The Party’ 
I am hooked on LA artist & producer Hana Vu’s down-beat disco banger ‘At The Party’. It’s a song about ““spite and how truly meaningless it is” and I can’t help but feel any sense of spite evaporate when I hear her sultry vocals. She’s set to release a new EP titled Nicole Kidman/Anne Hathaway on 25th October via Luminelle, and I can’t wait to hear more from this talented nineteen year old. (KC)

TONI&MASH – ‘LTGFU’ 
The debut electro-house banger ‘LTGFU’ by Berlin-based TONI&MASH out via Black Diamond Records. Absolute tune. (TW)

Nasty Cherry – ‘Live Forever’ 
Nasty Cherry co-wrote ‘Live Forever’ with Charli XCX & producer Justin Raisen (Angel Olsen, Kim Gordon), so it was destined to sound cool. In their own words “‘Live Forever’ is a song about being unconfined, unrefined and self-assured” – here’s to that! (KC)

Cozy Slippers – ‘A Million Pieces’
Formed at ‘Ladies Rock Camp’ – a weekend event that introduces women to rock instruments and playing in a band – Seattle band Cozy Slippers are back with a brand new single. Contrasting popular culture depictions of romance with lived reality, ‘A Million Pieces’ oozes shades of the jangly surf-pop of the likes of Real Estate or Best Coast, whilst adding its own dreamy air of romanticism. Flowing with luscious melodies, it’s filled with all the sparkling, uplifting summer vibes. We can’t wait for Cozy Slippers to come over to the UK and play for us at The Finsbury on 8th November! (ML)

Delacey – ‘Emily’  
The from LA singer-songwriter Delacey is an ode to her best friend. Shout out to her for representing the importance of female friendship, especially when it comes in the form of reverb heavy electro. (TW)

Intaya – ‘Guaguancó’ 
‘Guaguancó’ by Venezuelan born, London based Intaya is a potent amalgamation of cross-cultural music, described as a commute to an electric Latin Caribbean Island in a London Tube train. Their debut EP is due out later in the year. (TW)

Like A Villain – ‘My Hands’
The new single from New York artist Holland Andrews, aka Like A Villain, ‘My Hands’ is filled with glistening electronics and a hypnotic, haunting grace. Propelled by the emotion-strewn power of Andrews’ soulful vocals, it creates a poignant, ethereal soundscape.
Like A Villain’s upcoming album What Makes Vulnerability Good is out 20th September via Accidental Records. (ML)

BAD – ‘Sweat’ 
‘Sweat’ is a track so catchy it’s had me popping my shoulders all over London these last couple of weeks – the jury’s still out on those moves, but not on this track. Coming from NYC based duo BAD, described as Lizzo meets George Michael, this track is full of funk, soul and just enough of that throwback to Saved by the Bell that you need. (TW)

Roniit – ‘Foreign Tongues’
Self-proclaimed “Dark Queen” Roniit’s reimagination of Crywolf’s ‘Foreign Tongues’ is an ethereal, melancholy exploration of sound that gives me goosebumps. Roniit is a friend and frequent collaborator of Crywolf’s, working behind-the-scenes for the production of many of his photographs and videos. A true talent. (KC)

 

LISTEN: Ariel View – ‘Friday Nights’

Newly signed to Epitaph records, Ariel View walk the line between scuffed indie rock and adorable pop attitude on this classic slice of melodic guitar rock. While ‘Friday Nights’ is definitely the kind of care-free sounding, summery, irresistibly loveable song that you can totally lose your shit to at a live show, it’s actually a song about heartbreak according to Ariel View’s singer, Harmonie Martinez, who wrote the song following a relationship breakup.

This might explain why the song feels so heartfelt and impassioned, with the emotion of the vocal balancing nicely with the song’s strong chorus and tight guitar sound. The band make it sound easy and it’s clear that Epitaph were on to something when they signed them, as there’s a sophistication and maturity of sound here that suggests Ariel View could become very big indeed.

‘Friday Nights’ is out now.

Cazz Blase
@CazzBlase

Get In Her Ears Talks Siren Calling 15.08.19

Mari & Kate were back in the studio this week with a healthy dose of new music from ARXX, Suggested Friends, Scotch & Water, Le Butcherettes, The Big Moon, Hurtling, Future Silence, Stella Emmett and more.

Kelly from We Can Do It Records also joined the girls to talk about her upcoming Siren Calling Festival, taking place this Saturday 17th August in Hackney Wick at Studio 9294. Headliner Tess Parks will be joined by She Makes War, Rews (acoustic), Something Leather, The Cosmics, Gaygirl & many more!

Listen back:

Tracklist
Whitney Houston – It’s Not Right But It’s Okay
Le Butcherettes – Ever Fallen In Love (The Buzzcocks cover)
Future Silence – Kansas Plains
ARXX – You Got What You Want
Shari Vari – Out Of Order
Ziv – Fav Shirt
Party Fears – Dog Star (Rookes remix)
Alessi’s Ark – Sacred
Sonja Sleator – Protection
The Big Moon – It’s Easy Then
Suggested Friends – Cygnets
Frankie Cosmos – Wannago
REWS – Shine
Scotch & Water – Moving On
Tess Parks – Somedays
Valeras – Playing With a Gun
Thyla – Blue
ABBA – Gimme, Gimme, Gimme
Hurtling – Summer
Stella Emmett – Calvin Klein
Something Leather – Disappear On Me
Like A Villain – My Hands
Ennieloud – In My Room
Alana Henderson – Museum
Hannah Stewart – Glaze
Adults – Alex, Keep Yr Hands to Yrself
Wolf Alice – White Leather
Bat For Lashes – Daniel

Track Of The Day: Suggested Friends – ‘Cygnets’

Having been completely addicted to Suggested Friends‘ eponymous debut release over the last couple of years, and having being utterly charmed by them at numerous gigs in that time, I couldn’t be more excited to hear that they have just announced the release of their second album.

To coincide with the announcement, Suggested Friends have shared new single ‘Cygnets’. With totally dreamy harmonies and the distinctive heartfelt crystalline vocals of Faith Taylor, it’s filled with an infectious jangly scuzz and stirring raw emotion, complete with some impressive rollicking riffage. Of the track, Faith explains:

This song documents the uneasy process of learning to trust yourself and therefore also trust other people. It refers to ‘digital birds’ because my bird-sound alarm clock mixed in with the sounds of the actual dawn chorus and became a metaphor for discerning which messages and voices to believe.”

Cygnets‘ is accompanied by a home-taped video filmed in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, on the band’s recent 2018 US tour date. Watch now:

I just can’t get enough of Suggested Friends, and cannot wait for their new album Turtle Taxi, which is set for release on 4th October. Catch Suggested Friends live:

26th September – Metronome, Nottingham (supporting Camp Cope)
9th October – Shacklewell Arms, London (album launch show)
12th October – The Old Cold Store, Nottingham (Nottingham Pop All-Dayer)
25th October – DIY Space For London (Weenfest)

 

Mari Lane
@marimindles