LISTEN: Chastity Belt – ‘Elena’

Dreamy, overlapping vocals and lush guitar sounds permeate ‘Elena’, the new single from GIHEs faves Chastity Belt. The track is taken from their fourth self-titled album which is set for release on 20th September via Hardly Art records, and Milk! records in Australia and New Zealand.

It’s a subtle, personal song inspired by the band’s love of author Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels, which they all read over the course of last year. Bassist Annie Truscott explains further: “We individually related to the ways in which the main character’s sense of self is inextricably linked to her desire for love and validation, both from lovers and friends. The overlapping voices on top of the whimsical wave-like instrumentals captures the universal feeling of having a conversation with yourself about yourself.”

After taking a break from band life and pursuing their own solo endeavours, it seems that Julia Shapiro (vocals, guitar, drums), Lydia Lund (vocals, guitar), Gretchen Grimm (drums, vocals, guitar) & Annie Truscott (bass) have been refreshed by their time apart, which ironically seems to have brought them closer together. The band co-produced their new album with Melina Duterte (aka Jay Som), which sees them sharing lead vocals on different tracks, and working with different instruments such as violin (played by Annie), cello, trumpet and keyboards.

“I feel like this record is a really good representation of who we all are, and I feel like we’re at a point where we’ve really come into our own” explains Julia. New single ‘Elena’ sounds like the sweetest taste of what’s to come from a band who value time, authenticity, and celebrating long-term friendship both on and off stage.

Listen to ‘Elena’ below and follow Chastity Belt on Facebook for more updates.

Pre-order your copy of Chastity Belt’s new self-titled album here.

Chastity Belt’s 2019 UK Tour Dates (with GANG)
Oct 13 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
Oct 15 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Oct 16 – Manchester, UK @ YES
Oct 17 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
Oct 19 – Oxford, UK @ Ritual Union
Oct 20 – Cardiff, UK @ SWN Festival
Oct 21 – Brighton, UK @ Patterns
Oct 23 – Southampton, UK @ The Joiners
Oct 24 – London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall

Photo by Beto Brakmo

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

PREMIERE: Kianja – ‘There’s Nothing More’

Sincere lyrics, heartfelt vocals and an understated power permeate British multi-instrumentalist Kianja‘s new single ‘There’s Nothing More’. Released via Best Laid Plans, the 20 year-old artist has demonstrated her ability to create beautiful soul-pop sounds on this latest release.

“It’s about longing for love that you can’t fix,” Kianja explains, “It’s gone, but you constantly wish you could repair it”. She wrote the song originally when she was 14, but has since reworked it and collaborated with Dan Smith (Bastille) and producers Mark Crew and Dan Priddy (Rag’n’Bone Man, James Arthur) in order to fully develop the track.

Born and raised in north-east London, Kianja moved to Durban in South Africa as a teenager. There, she experienced a totally different way of life, before moving back to London again in recent years. “Moving to South Africa gave me a shift in perspective. education is a focal point there and I went to two solid schools. I got a music scholarship for a private school. I’ve experienced two very different worlds, which I feel feeds into my creativity”

We’re certainly fans of Kianja’s creativity here at GIHE. The songwriter is set to release her debut EP Glory later in 2019, and we’re looking forward to hearing more of her smooth, soulful songs. Listen to ‘There’s Nothing More’ below and follow Kianja on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Shari Vari – ‘Out Of Order’

Multi-talented artists and producers Shari Vari have shared their latest single ‘Out Of Order’ and it’s an alt-electronic gem. The Hamburg-based duo blend elements of techno, jazz, pop and their clear cut vocals to create a catchy three and a half minutes of electro-punk joy.

Shari Vari consists of Helena Ratka and Sophia Kennedy. Both are visual artists, producers and musicians who began working together after a joint art exhibition, releasing their debut EP Life Should Be A Holiday in 2017. The duo are currently preparing to share their debut album NOW via cult label Malka Tuti on 13th September.

Speaking about the new tracks on their upcoming record, the duo explain: “Time is ticking and the questions we have regarding time and action [are] the connecting element of the songs and tracks on the album. There is mostly a dark connotation in music and lyrics, but not without a joyful outlook, fun twists and a breeze of irony. The lyrics oscillate between film-like atmospheres, comic and dark story-telling, involving fictional characters. NOW connects the individual with the social persona, while the tracks take you on a trip from the boiler room next to our studio, to a chilly Sunday in the park. It’s more a stream of consciousness than a conceptual decision we made”.

We’re happy to join the duo on their musical journey regardless of the destinations they take us to. Watch the video for ‘Out Of Order’ below and follow Shari Vari on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

LISTEN: The Big Moon – ‘It’s Easy Then’

“‘It’s Easy Then’ is really about finding strength in strange times” explains Juliette Jackson, vocalist & lyricist for formidable indie-rock group The Big Moon. “I wanted to write a song that made me feel better. Something that captured the frustrations, but also the hope and joy all at the same time” – and that’s exactly what the band have achieved with their first piece of new music in over two years.

‘It’s Easy Then’ is a lush three minutes of escapism via grand keys and breezy vocals. It’s softer than the band’s previous singles – all lifted from their 2017 Mercury Prize nominated debut Love In The 4th Dimension – but it still retains the trademark Big Moon charm with its relatable lyrics and leftfield pop melodies. The track was recorded in Atlanta with Grammy Award winning US producer Ben H. Allen III (M.I.A, Deerhunter, Bombay Bicycle Club).

Juliette extrapolates on the single’s themes of breaking away from negativity: “We work too much, we think too much, we know too much so we all worry too much. Our anxieties are stoked every day. Music has this incredible way of helping us see with a new perspective, and ties up our feelings in a way that language by itself never could”. We couldn’t agree more. Listen to ‘It’s Easy Then’ below and follow The Big Moon on Facebook for more updates.

The Big Moon will be supporting The Pixies on their 2019 UK tour on the following dates:

13th September – Cardiff Arena
16th September – Birmingham Academy
17th September – Leeds Academy
18th September – Manchester Apollo
20th September – London Alexandra Palace
21st September – Newcastle Academy
22nd September – Glasgow Academy
23rd September – Edinburgh Usher Hall
25th September – Belfast Ulster Hall
26th September – Dublin Olympia

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment