Kate Crudgington

Track Of The Day: Wilsen – ‘Feeling Fancy’

A shimmering guitar ode to the softly spoken; Brooklyn-based trio Wilsen have shared their latest single ‘Feeling Fancy’. Taken from their upcoming album Ruiner, which is set for release on 21st February via Dalliance Recordings, Wilsen’s new song celebrates introversion and inherent shyness.

“Quietness can be mistaken for insecurity while it’s often the opposite”, explains vocalist and guitarist Tamsin Wilson. “It’s being comfortable in your own presence without needing to be heard at every moment.” Wilson applies this approach to ‘Feeling Fancy’, as her steady vocals float confidently over Johnny Simon Jr. (guitar) and Drew Arndt’s (bass) off kilter riffs.

“Making this record was somewhat of a coming of age process,” Wilson continues. “We’re getting older and becoming more deliberate, less precious, less measured. Overthinking less and trusting instincts more.” Perhaps it’s this trust and refusal to self-sabotage that led the band to partner with acclaimed producer Andrew Sarlo (Big Thief, Bon Iver) and mastering engineer Sarah Register (Protomartyr, U.S. Girls) on the new record.

As Wilson states in the song; “Everybody’s got a story”, and regardless of the volume it’s told at, it deserves to be shared and acknowledged. Watch the video for ‘Feeling Fancy’ below, and follow Wilsen on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Pre-order Wilsen’s new album Ruiner here.

Photo Credit: CF Watkins

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

January 21, 2020January 20, 2020

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

VIDEO PREMIERE: Mevrouw Tamara – ‘Jij Fantaseert Liever (You’d Rather Fantasize)’

Sang in her native tongue, Dutch artist Mevrouw Tamara released her latest single ‘Jij Fantaseert Liever (You’d Rather Fantasize)’ earlier this month. Now, she’s shared a beautiful accompanying video that she collaborated on with Dutch dance collective, MAN||CO.

Taken from her recent album In Je Hoofd (In Your Head), Tamara’s track is centered around the theme of depression. She hopes that by singing about mental health, she will “break the taboos” surrounding it, so it “becomes easier to solve the obstacles that are going on between our ears.”

The music video for ‘Jij Fantaseert Liever’ is a cinematic affair, featuring wonderful choreography from the dancers at MAN||CO. Their movements are the perfect mediator between Tamara’s soft, tentative vocals and the gentle orchestral elements that permeate the track. Even if you’re not fluent in Dutch, Tamara’s exploration of low mood translates in both her voice and the movements of her collaborators.

Watch the video for ‘Jij Fantaseert Liever’ below, and Follow Mevrouw Tamara on Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Fenna Jensma

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

January 20, 2020January 21, 2020

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Petrol Girls – ‘Monstrous’

”This is not all of me / I choose the parts you see” reveals Petrol Girls‘ vocalist Ren Aldridge in the opening lyrics to the band’s latest track, ‘Monstrous’. Stretched over visceral riffs and piston-like percussion, Ren’s lyrics compliment the single’s accompanying video (filmed by Martyna Wisniewska), which shows Ren and her band mates sharing intimate moments both on, and off stage during their tours with Refused, Thrice and La Dispute.

Ren articulately explains the feelings that inspired ‘Monstrous’: “(The track) is about feeling mined and drained and too much and not enough and, ultimately, monstrous. It’s also about how I sometimes feel on stage or on social media. Sometimes I find fronting a feminist band too much pressure from too many different directions.” Whilst Ren’s insecurities are laid bare here, with the band’s cathartic backdrop of noisy guitar and knockout drumming, ‘Monstrous’ feels like a lesson in spine-strengthening self awareness.

Petrol Girls are currently on their UK tour, and are set to headline Oslo in Hackney tonight (16th Jan – event details here). The band will then head to Scotland and Ireland later this month, before heading off to play European shows in February. They’ll also be visiting North America for the first time, where they’ll be playing SXSW and New Colossus later this year. 2020 looks set to be another successful year for these feminist punks.

Watch the video for ‘Monstrous’ below and follow Petrol Girls on Facebook for more updates.

Petrol Girls UK & Ireland Tour Dates 2020
Jan 16: LONDON @ Oslo
Jan 17: NOTTINGHAM @ The Bodega
Jan 18: MANCHESTER @ The Deaf Institute
Jan 19: GLASGOW @ Nice & Sleazy
Jan 21: BELFAST @ McHughs
Jan 22: DUBLIN @ Whelan’s
Jan 23: LIMERICK @ Kasbah Social Club

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

January 16, 2020January 14, 2020

Kate Crudgington1 Comment

Track Of The Day: Riotmiloo – ‘Want: I don’t want it’ (Riotmiloo & Eva|3 remix)

Blending Riot Grrrl ethics with dense industrial sounds, London-based Riotmiloo has shared ‘Want: I don’t want it’, a remix of New Zealand trip-hop artist Scalper’s track ‘Want’. Working alongside her musical collaborator Eva|3, Riotmiloo has deconstructed the original song and altered its context to reflect her feelings about consent and the #MeToo movement.

“When Scalper asked me to remix one of his tracks, I chose ‘Want’. It had to be this one,” Riotmiloo explains. “What if I approached it with the “Don’t want” idea? News, various articles and experiences around me lit up my feminist flame. I had never tackled the subject of consent in a song and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I asked Eva|3 if he would agree and then our remix was born.”

A cathartic, raw experience, the dual vocals on ‘Want: I don’t want it’ relay a menacing encounter centered around consent. The role reversal by the end of the track reflects Riotmiloo’s belief that the issues surrounding consent can be dealt with. She extrapolates on this: “Consent is more than ever a subject that ought to be discussed. Social movements like #MeToo and Balance ton Porc (Report your Pig) in France have been decried. Questions like: ‘What was she wearing then?’ or ‘Wasn’t she looking for it to advance her career?’ have been said. There’s no need to say them – ‘no’ means ‘no.'”

Riotmiloo released her debut album La Pierre Soudée, on German label Ant-zen in 2015. Each track is inspired by a real life story which highlights the suffering of women. Listen to ‘Want: I don’t want it’ below and follow Riotlmiloo on Facebook for more updates.