EP: Dear Pariah – ‘Live at Thais’

London-based songwriter Dear Pariah‘s (Charlie Hinchcliff) latest EP, Live at Thais, is a salve on frayed nerves, with its soothing presence and expansive soundscape. From the outset, Hinchcliff sets hearts aflutter with her crystal clear vocal delivery and poignant lyricism. The EP is hazy and hypnotic, yet hyper-focused on building a strong sonic base through minimalist instrumentation.

The five-track offering opens with ‘Felt Some Love’, a slow-burning rock-tinged tune, anchored by an electric guitar and Hinchcliff’s heartfelt vocals. Following track ‘Bench’ goes in the opposite direction, going for an acoustic instrumental that highlights Hinchcliff’s impressive vocal range. With poetic lyrics and a soothing sonic arrangement, this is a personal favourite and a very early highlight.

The gospel-touched delivery of ‘Not Ready’ shows Hinchcliff’s musical versatility, surrounding listeners in the warmth of heavenly vocals, and melodies that beg for more than one listen. Next comes ‘Tired’, a hauntingly beautiful tune which plays with folksy instrumentation. The track is another stand-out, with its vulnerable, melancholic setting blanketing the mood of the EP. It’s a sombre yet comforting listen.

Closing track ‘Leave Me Be’ is a quiet piece of brilliance that shines for its understated arrangement and delivery. Led by acoustic guitar and elevated by a voice that feels meditative and powerful all at once, the track brings Live at Thais to a perfect ending. Dear Pariah is an artist everyone needs to listen to at least once, and if you’re going to pick any place to start, Live at Thais is certainly the best.

Buy your copy of Live At Thais from bandcamp.
Follow Dear Pariah on Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Malvika Padin
@malvika_padin26

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Track Of The Day: Temples Of Youth – ‘Suburbia’

From The Kinks to David Lynch, Arcade Fire and Hanif Kureishi – the space between the city and the country has been occupying creative minds almost since its creation, with its blend of comfort and conformity, its security and secrets, kept behind double-glazing. Now it’s the turn of Winchester-based duo Temples Of Youth to turn their gaze on ‘Suburbia’, with pretty good timing, given that we’re almost all stuck in our residences right now.  

Where previous TOY releases have hewed more towards dream pop – such as last year’s ‘Rose Tinted’, or the chillwave/synthpop of 2017’s self-titled EP -, ‘Suburbia’ has the feel of stylised, passionate rock-pop with its Cult style guitar openings, straight out of the Billy Duffy playbook, and underlying synth chords. That drive doesn’t let up, either, in the minor key vocal harmonies by members Jo and Paul, or the song’s structure, with its two lyrical verses followed by a choppy riff middle eight, that falls away and lets the track finish with synths that rise like the start of a new day. 

Lyrically, the song is deceptively simple, with most lines containing monosyllables but evoking a story rich with mystery and emotion: “Meet me in suburbia / A place to live / A place to hide… Now there’s no turning back.”

Perhaps what’s most impressive here, as with all TOY releases, is that despite the band’s DIY ethos, ‘Suburbia’ sounds the equal in its production to anything you’re likely to hear threatening the charts. With a new EP due to be recorded at some point later this year, pandemic-permitting, it seems inevitable that Temples of Youth will be heard in homes up and down the land, before too long.

 

John McGovern
@etinsuburbiaego

 

 

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Track Of The Day: Macon Heights – ‘Wake Up (The War Machine)’

Scottish duo, Macon Heights, follow up their debut single ‘The Line’ from 2018 with a perfect song for the quarantine times. 

In ‘Wake Up (The War Machine)’, Macon Heights ask us to imagine a dystopian future where all is lost and the sound of war is ever present. Singer Carrie Beattie’s fragile voice tells us time is askew, rain is constantly falling, and there’s nothing left. Set to minimalistic driving synths and beats, Alexis Beattie’s sound design adds in hypnotic fills and ornamentation. The song culminates in industrial distortions signalling the titular War Machine tearing down everything in sight. 

With a nod to ’80s films and music, ‘Wake Up”s music video starts with a 1984-esque logo sequence and Carrie’s wary and confused eyes taking in the destruction offscreen. The duo toggles between light and dark moods as barcodes and geometric graphics are overlayed across their faces. 

A truly beguiling, and perfectly poignant, soundscape for these dark times.

‘Wake Up (The War Machine)’ is available on Bandcamp and Spotify now.

Aisha Kasmir
@aisha_vocal

Photo Credit: Erin Culley

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Track Of The Day: Nuala Honan – ‘Head Undone’

‘Head Undone’ is the second single from Bristol-based, Australia-born, independent artist, Nuala Honan’s second album, which launches later this year. It marks a creative evolution for the former acoustic folk artist, and is an excellent representation of the dynamics and power punk sound of her new live band. 

With Nuala’s usual excellent storytelling, the song channels childhood memories associated with fears of going under anaesthetic, and triggered by a family trip to the Great Barrier Reef. 

Punk-metal guitars lead into a recreation of the anaesthetic, before the fast pace mirrors the chaos, as her fears run rampant.

The start-stop rhythm of the guitars is reminiscent of Nirvana whilst the bridge of the song slows to a dreamy pace, before creating a hazy, buzzing soundscape. Then the guitars seem take off like birds, a beautiful launch into a revived picking up of pace, before a cathartic solo leads to a climactic clash of drums and guitars brings the song to a satisfying end. Honan’s fears are brilliantly replayed in ‘Head Undone’ by her powerful voice, the energy of the thrashing guitars and drums, and the mystical vivid imagery of birds. 

If YOUR head is undone in these strange times, then the cathartic angst-driven beauty of this song is exactly what is needed!

Watch the homemade new video for ‘Head Undone’ now:

Listen to ‘Head Undone’ on Soundcloud and Spotify. And catch Nuala Honan live online for her single launch gig on 28th April – 7pm on Facebook Live, and 8pm on Instagram.

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

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