Track Of The Day: Bitch Falcon – ‘Gaslight’

A striking, brooding observation on what you see vs what you get, Bitch Falcon have shared their latest single ‘Gaslight’. Released today (16th July) via Small Pond Records who the band have recently signed to, the track marks a change in the Dublin trio’s writing style, blending “melodic intricacies” with their trademark heavier sound.

Formed of Lizzie Fitzpatrick (vocals/guitar), Barry O’Sullivan (bass) and Nigel Kenny (drums), Bitch Falcon have been firm favourites of GIHE since they played live for us at The Finsbury Pub with Trash Kit in 2017. Since then, they’ve shared stages with the likes of Girl Band, Fontaines DC, Torche, Black Peaks, and Pussy Riot.

Full of seething bass lines and savage guitar licks, their new single is a stirring reflection on the way we perceive other people’s truths. Fitzpatrick’s powerful vocals permeate ‘Gaslight’, soaring over Kenny’s crashing beats and O’Sullivan’s heavy bass hooks, fusing their grunge-meets-dream-pop sound together.

Speaking about the track, Fitzpatrick explains: “‘Gaslight’ is a song that came together quite fast. Barry started playing his riff and I played along messing rhythmically, just making noise. It sounded so weird and intense so quickly. I remember us all looking at each other and saying this is the one.

I wanted to describe the feeling of what you see is not necessarily what you get. The holy grail of public display, and worth to others. Expressing yourself puts you in a vulnerable position, and I think a lot of people embellish the truth. In that way, an unachievable status is shoved down our throats, and we play into the game every day.”

Listen to ‘Gaslight’ below and follow Bitch Falcon on Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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FIVE FAVOURITES: Francis Of Delirium

Formed of 18 year old songwriter Jana Bahrich and collaborator Chris Hewett, Francis of Delirium create swirling guitar tunes that centre around Bahrich’s personal experiences. The Canadian-American duo recently released their new EP, All Change, via Dalliance Recordings and it’s full of fuzzed up, cathartic guitar sounds.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspired them to write in the first place. We caught up with Jana to ask about her “Five Favourites” – five albums that inspired her song-writing techniques. Check out her choices below, and scroll down to listen to Francis Of Delirium’s new EP at the end of this post.

 

1. Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left
I can pinpoint the exact moment I heard ‘River Man’ for the first time. That song is so special, everything about Nick Drake is really special. It legitimately made me feel like my soul was lifting out of my body. His voice, the chord progressions, the string arrangements, everything adds so much. It might’ve affected me so much because it’s this singer-songwriter but it feels presented in a way that is completely new and so grounded in the earth. Both Chris and I have a special love for Nick Drake. We played this kind of brutal show and then came into the studio the next day and watched a Nick Drake documentary so there’s something comforting about him and his music, in particular this whole album.

2. Caroline Polachek – Pang
I think this is just an excellent pop record. The vocal melodies she’s choosing are so angular and unexpected but accompanied with really emotional and lush production. She has such control of her voice. There’s a KEXP session she did that was just her and a piano and I had to keep pausing the video every few seconds because I was so overwhelmed by how insane her voice is. It sounds out of this world.

3. Solange – When I Get Home
As a listener it feels like there’s so much intent with everything Solange does, maybe I’m cheating because there is literally an interlude on the album that says “do nothing without intention”. Both visually and in an auditory sense. She did a performance that was a medley of songs from When I Get Home on Jimmy Fallon and that was really important to me. I love choreography and shows that are big and planned but have a way of maintaining intimacy. I think that’s really hard to pull off. It’s something I think about a lot for our live shows. Obviously venues we play are pretty small, so it feels important to keep a closeness between the performer and the audience but I would like to incorporate something theatrical without alienating the audience so it doesn’t feel like I’m not there with them anymore. To me, Solange achieved that with her performance on Jimmy Fallon and the album is great.

4. The Microphones – The Glow pt.2
Phil Elverum’s music always centres me. It reminds me why I like Chris and I figuring out how to record music on our own and how getting it wrong but it still feeling right and ultimately that being what matters the most is really important. Phil always creates such a wonderful sense of space which makes me feel like I belong in the album he’s making, in particular this one, there’s this sense of home. Whenever I listen to him I want to go and try new recording techniques and try new things, listening to his music is like instant inspiration for me.

5. James Taylor – Greatest Hits
We grew up with a lot of “best of” albums around the house, which I never really realized until a bit recently. We had the R.E.M CD with the hand on it, the Nirvana black album, the wings best of, The Beatles one album so I really grew up on bangers only. Sometimes I want to do these huge ambitious orchestral albums and I still want to make a musical but James Taylor always reminds me, if you have something simple and pure and honest it can be just as arresting as anything else. He makes it seem a lot easier than it is and always reminds me to really check and double check if what I’m adding is serving the song.

Thanks to Jana for sharing her favourites with us! Listen to Francis Of Delirium’s EP below.

Photo Credit: Patricia Marets

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Track Of The Day: Aphty Khéa – ‘Pengvibe’

A captivating blend of glitchy beats and hypnotic synth samples, Aphty Khéa has shared her latest single ‘Pengvibe’. Released via her own label Midnite Kanni, the track is an energetic offering inspired by the producer’s activism.

Currently based in Kreuzberg in Berlin, Aphty Khéa is a half Greek, half British artist who combines sonic and visual elements to create her stimulating, exciting electronic music. ‘Pengvibe’ and its accompanying video are a shining example of this. Khéa’s fast-paced editing matches the vivid beats of the track, designed to empower listeners and spread good vibes – or “pengvibes” as she’s accurately dubbed them.

The single initially came to life in a refugee squat in Athens, and the visuals take fans on an intimate journey through the shared experiences of multiple individuals and intertwined friend groups, many of whom met at the squat. It offers a deeply personal perspective on “an ordinary life”, from London house parties and walks through Berlin, to Lahore markets and Kaohsiung dragon boat races.

Watch the nostalgic video for ‘Pengvibe’ below and follow Aphty Khéa on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Song Sung – ‘The Mind’s Eye’

A dreamy musing on dual feelings of hope and doubt, Song Sung have shared their latest single ‘The Mind’s Eye’. Lifted from their upcoming debut album, This Ascension Is Ours, set for release on 31st July via Night Time Stories, the track is a tumbling, ethereal soundscape that shimmers with positivity.

Formed of twin sisters Georgina and Una McGeough, Song Sung grew up in Monaghan, close to the Northern Ireland border, before moving stateside to New York a decade ago. Since then, the pair have been dabbling in music software and creating their own sounds, working with David Holmes (Unloved) to produce their debut EP, I Surrender, which they released earlier this year.

Speaking about their new track, the band explain: “This song wrestles with doubt, but is fought with hope. It’s provocative and resilient and in a way, quite anthemic. We can fall down together, but in defiance, we will stand up forever.” The band’s hazy vocals and lush synths lure listeners in to this blissful state.

Listen to ‘The Mind’s Eye’ below and follow Song Sung on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

 

 

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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