LISTEN: Stainwasher – ‘Chems’

Swedish artist Stainwasher is not one to shy away from darker states of emotion. Her 2019 debut EP, What Did I See, was a sonic journey through personal fears and unsettled thoughts, explored via soaring synths and tentative vocals. On new single ‘Chems’, released via Feverish Records, Stainwasher has crafted another dark, alluring lullaby that broods with a bittersweet anxiety.

“I always start with a sound when I’m making a new song,” she explains about her songwriting process. “This time with ‘Chems’, it came from an electric guitar, plus a bunch of effects. From there, I built the track and added stuff until it felt just as anxious as I like it. I made this song months ago, long before coronavirus, but I feel like many people might think it’s about that, but it’s a big difference between chemicals and virus infections.”

Stainwasher has a clear ability to tap in to her anxious thoughts and turn them into beguiling, cinematic sounds that showcase her talent as an emerging electronic artist. Her delicate blending of atmospheric synths, soft vocals and electric guitar on ‘Chems’ makes for intoxicating listening.

Listen to ‘Chems’ below.

Follow Stainwasher on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Henrik Lennartsson

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: The Shacks – ‘Wings’

Brooding bass lines and hushed vocals urge listeners to have a “good time” on ‘Wings’, the latest single from The Shacks. Released via Big Crown Records, the track is a cool, smooth sounding call for everyone to cut loose and enjoy themselves.

Fronted by Shannon Wise (vocals, bass) and Max Shrager (guitar, production), The Shacks have been busy working on their second full length record, which is set for release in winter 2021. The New York band have built up a reputation for crafting hazy, melodic, crowd-pleasing tunes on their 2018 album Haze, and new track ‘Wings’ is no exception.

Wise’s quiet, yet intense vocals float over buzzing guitar and bass, willing even the most reluctant listeners to move their feet and shuffle their troubles away. The band have crafted an understated, grooving track that makes letting go feel genuinely effortless. Listen to ‘Wings’ below, and follow The Shacks on Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

ALBUM: Gordian Stimm – ‘Your Body In On Itself’

A raw, experimental new offering, electronic artist Gordian Stimm‘s debut album Your Body In On Itself, is a vivid exploration of bodily autonomy. Released via independent Leicester-based label Amateur Pop, Stimm (aka Maeve Westall of itoldyouiwouldeatyou) has crafted six unpredictable, intriguing soundscapes that range from uplifting and melodic, to sparse and unusual.

At times reminiscent of early Passion Pit or Crystal Castles, Stimm’s record is a visceral collection of distorted, yet dance-able beats. Opener ‘Bleeding Out In a Septic Tank’ hosts six dense minutes of erratic synth textures and a blend of both mangled and clear vocals, that will either alienate or invite listeners in to their obscure vision. The edgy, disjointed beats and scratchy, soaring electronics of ‘Pia Mater (Sorry Mate)’ see Stimm extrapolating on the “retail price of emotional labour” and the fear of failure with an unexpected buoyancy.

The ominous, yet oddly uplifting ‘Miscellaneous Body Parts’ shows Stimm at their best, mixing the foreboding and the freeing together in one track. The dark, humourous images of tapeworms burrowing into spines on ‘The Very Best Of Friends’ provides a strange distraction, before the crashing beats and overlapping vocals of penultimate track ‘Song For Self Help’ disorientates listeners further. The atmospheric, kaleidoscopic sounds of ‘Synthetic Retinas’ close the record, stimulating the senses right until the last beat.

There’s an enjoyable violence underscoring Stimm’s vision, a gleeful, sometimes painful dissecting of the self and the social cues that help to construct or dismantle it. Your Body In On Itself is a bold, surreal listen from a bold, surreal artist and one we highly recommend.

Follow Gordian Stimm on Spotify and Bandcamp.

Photo Credit:@trashjinni

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate Crudgington2 Comments

LISTEN: In Earnest – ‘Put Me Under’

A tentative, gentle “stock take” of the mind; alt-indie trio In Earnest have shared their latest single, ‘Put Me Under’. The track is inspired by the struggles vocalist Sarah has experienced with her mental health, and acts as an encouraging nod for others to open up about their own issues.

Based in Southend-On-Sea, In Earnest formed in early 2019 after band members Sarah and Thomas left their previous outfit, Carousel. Together with new addition Toby, the trio began to focus on writing poignant tracks based on personal experiences, and recorded in an “organic” setting – captured live without click tracks or autotune. ‘Put Me Under’ is the first example of this, and is lifted from their upcoming EP.

Sarah extrapolates on the context of the new single, which is written from her perspective: “I suffer from chronic anxiety and depression, to the point where I can’t hold down jobs or be left alone for too long. In my loneliness I am awash with negative thoughts. The song is about feeling overcome by an invisible illness, but knowing it’s a lot easier to cope in the company of a dog.”

Sarah’s soft voice and confessional lyrics are paired beautifully with Thomas & Toby’s acoustic and electric guitar parts, allowing the trio to gently explore an intimate, and difficult issue. Listen to ‘Put Me Under’ below, and follow In Earnest on Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment