LISTEN: Song Sung – ‘Come To The Water’

Hypnotising vocals, atmospheric electronics and echoing beats permeate ‘Come To Water’, the latest single from Song Sung. Taken from their debut EP I Surrender, set for release on 27th March via Night Time Stories, the duo have a talent for crafting alluring, melodic soundscapes.

Formed of twin sisters Georgina and Una McGeough, Song Sung grew up in Monaghan, Ireland before moving over to New York a decade ago. Since then, the pair have been dabbling in software and even creating songs over second-hand bass lines from a nightclub DJ that used to rumble through the floor of their East Village apartment. Now, the duo are working with David Holmes (Unloved), who co-wrote and produced their EP along with his bandmate Keefus Ciancia. The pair have previously worked on scores with Holmes too, including The Fall and Killing Eve (for which they won a BAFTA).

Speaking about the new single, Georgina of Song Sung explains: “‘Come to the Water’ is a song caught somewhere between obsession and vulnerability. There’s a fragility in the tone, a yearning within and an uncertainty in the end.” It’s this blend of emotions that makes the duo’s new track so captivating, and has us eager to hear more of their beguiling sounds.

Listen to ‘Come to the Water’ below, and follow Song Sung on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Erica Freas releases new EP ‘Young’

A moving ode to friends and loved ones; Bristol-based, Olympia-born songwriter Erica Freas has shared her latest EP, Young. Released via Specialist Subject Records (and as a self-release in the USA), Freas has taken a step back from fronting punk bands and created a sentimental, soft-sounding record instead.

Recorded over the past two years, the eleven tracks on Young are all love songs for Freas’ friends who needed support during moments of big change and transition. The songwriter reflects on what inspired her to write this deeply personal record: “We’re so caught up in this moment with all the real pressures and challenges that mark our lives right now; this all-consuming moment. With these songs, I was thinking about what world we’re welcoming the next generation into and, similarly, how we approach our own futures and histories as we grow. These songs are about being alive, whether we’re new to it or have been around awhile.”

We’re enjoying Freas’ sounds that urge her listeners to slow down and appreciate the smaller things in life. Listen to Young in full below, and follow Erica Freas on Facebook and Spotify for more updates.

 

Erica Freas UK Tour Dates 2020
29th Feb – Bristol – radio/ON
1st Mar – London – Water Into Beer with Cristy Road Carerra
9th Mar – Brooklyn NY – Trans Pecos
14th Mar – Anacortes WA – The Business
24-26 April – Manchester Punk Fest 2020
1-8th May – European Tour (via YoYo Records)
9th May – Berlin – Miss The Stars Fest VII
7th Jul – 2000 Trees Festival UK

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Photo Credit: @gingerdope

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LISTEN: Wargirl – ‘Dancing Gold’

A sultry dose of funk, psych, and garage rock; Wargirl’s latest single ‘Dancing Gold’ is a smoldering, soul-infused gem. Released via German-based label Clouds Hill, the track is an exciting teaser of what’s to come from the Californian six-piece over the next year.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the track, the group explain: “In Costa Rica at sunset, the sky turns a million colors, sometimes the last sunlight is golden and it dances on the evening water and time stands still and you remember that all of life is a crazy miracle. All of us people are magical living beings, some of us get lost along the way, but at our best we are all ‘Dancing Gold’. This is a song to remind us to really live life as it is a gift and not be stuck in negativity.“

Vocalist Samantha Park’s voice projects powerfully over the band’s funk-fused beats, snaking bass lines, and psych-inspired riffs. ‘Dancing Gold’ is full of good vibes, and that’s what the band want to create. Guitarist Matthew Wignall extrapolates on this: “We want to make great, unique, interesting music with messages that are universal and true, encouraging the listener to take a deeper look at this life, to ask questions about what we all accept as normal.”

Wargirl will be touring the UK & Europe in March to celebrate their single release. Check out the video for ‘Dancing Gold’ below, and follow Wargirl on Facebook and Spotify for more updates.

Wargirl UK Tour Dates 2020
13 March London, Old Blue Last
14 March Bristol, The Crofters Rights

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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INTERVIEW: A.A. Williams

A creator of heavy, beguiling soundscapes; London-based musician A.A. Williams has been compared to the likes of Chelsea Wolfe and Emma Ruth Rundle, but she’s captivating in her own right. Her 2019 self-titled debut EP caught the attention of critics and fans, and now she’s set to return to the prestigious Roadburn Festival in April this year, as well performing a headline show at London’s Southbank Centre in March. We caught up with Williams to ask her about her EP, her collaboration with Japanese instrumental giants MONO, and her anticipations for her London gig…

 

It’s been just over a year since you released your debut EP (Congratulations!) What are you most proud of about this record? And do you have a favourite track?

Thank you! I’m so pleased that the songs resonate with people. Hearing so many positive words from people at shows makes me very proud of what these tracks have become. I don’t have a favourite song. They are each important to me in their own right.

You beautifully cover Dolly Parton’s track ‘Jolene’ on the EP. If you had to pick someone to cover one of your tracks, who would you pick?

I think Johnny Cash would have done a beautiful version of ‘Control’.

The EP also features three “stripped down” live rehearsal recordings. What process do you go through when deciding which songs you’re going to strip back? What elements of a live recording do you enjoy the most?

Generally, each song can be stripped down, because each song begins in that form, as a voice and with either guitar or piano. The hardest thing is to decide how to treat the instrumental sections, sometimes I’ll sing a guitar line or incorporate a few melodies into one piano part, but generally the main focus is to ensure that the arrangement has enough space and doesn’t sound too mechanical. I love all elements of recording, I’d spend every day in a studio if I could. The best thing is to press record when you’re running a song, just in case, even if you don’t feel fully prepared! You never know what magic will happen.

You’ve just released a split EP with MONO. We know you toured with them last year, but talk us through how this collaboration came about, and what the reaction to the record has been like so far.

Taka heard my EP and got in touch to see if working together would be something I’d be interested in. I’d met the band briefly at Roadburn 2019 (I was performing with them during their headline show. They performed ‘Hymn To The Immortal Wind’ with a string quartet, of which I was a part), I couldn’t wait to take on the opportunity! We emailed some ideas between us and gradually found the time to record in July last year. I’ve been so pleased with the reaction. It’s great to see that fans of instrumental music are open to the inclusion of vocals and a slightly different approach.

You’ll be making your Southbank Centre debut when you headline The Purcell Room on March 12th (tickets available here). What are your anticipations for this gig?

I’m so excited for this performance. I’ll be extending the full-band line up to include a string quartet and adding some guest vocalists too. Up to this point, all of my shows have been supports or festivals, so it’ll be a joy to be able to spend more time on stage and create a fuller show.

Do you have plans to release new music this year?

I’m always writing, so fingers crossed!

Who, or what inspires you to create your music?

I find writing a very therapeutic process, so I’ll often begin working on a song because purely because I find it enjoyable. I don’t deliberately write inspired by anything or anyone, though ultimately we are each a sum of everything we’ve ever heard, seen and felt.

You’re returning to Arctangent festival this year in August. Is there anyone on the line-up you’re looking forward to seeing?

I’m really looking forward to seeing Maybeshewill and Amenra, and I’d like to catch Swans and Svalbard too! The weather was so awful last year that I didn’t really get to see many other artists, so hopefully I can remedy that this time around.

As we’re a new music blog, we always ask the artists we interview to name a new band or artist they’ve been listening to. Who would you like to recommend?

Gaupa’s 2018 self-titled EP is so good! It’s as if Björk had formed a psych-stoner band. Also, I know they’re not new, but I was recently introduced to Khemmis. I’ve really been enjoying their album, Absolution.

Thanks to A.A. Williams for answering our questions.
Follow her on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

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