LISTEN: King Isis – ‘in my ways’

A bittersweet grunge-infused anthem that tackles feelings of frustration, King Isis has shared their latest single ‘in my ways’. Taken from their upcoming debut EP, scales, which is set for release via Dirty Hit / No Matter later this year, the Oakland-based artist attempts to overcome their jaded thoughts through shimmering guitar sounds, driving beats and relatable lyrics on their new offering.

“‘in my ways’ is about being stuck in a cycle of your own creation,” King Isis explains. “You don’t quite know how to get out of it just yet, and you’re not really trying. It’s willfully ignoring shadows, but it’s ok cuz we’re dancing.” The multi-instrumentalist – whose name pays homage to their great-great-grandmother Omega King, one of the first Black opera singers in Chicago – seems to thrive in the uneasy space between light and shadow on their latest single. This is a theme that permeates their upcoming EP too.

“[My Grandmother’s] name holds a lot of power in my house and in my family,” Isis comments further, “A big part of the reason my artist name incorporates hers is to remind me that there is power in my voice, that music has always been a deep-rooted part of me, and to keep going.” This perseverance is reflected not just in King Isis’ sound, but in their activism too. They volunteer teaching music classes for low-income communities in Los Angeles, and have worked with the FreeStudio Program of Rikers Island, which creates a safe creative space for incarcerated youth and the children of incarcerated adults.

King Isis is an ardent believer in the empowering and healing nature of music, and their authentic and infectious indie-grunge sounds are a tonic for life’s more testing moments.

Listen to ‘in my ways’ below.

Follow King Isis on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Cole Maslansky

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: GIHE on Soho Radio with First Timers Fest (06.02.23)

Tash and Kate were back on Soho Radio’s airwaves playing loads of new music from some of their favourite female, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ artists! Mari offered some of her “musical musings” too. The pair enthused about the eclectic mix of tracks on the playlist, including Circe, Ritual Forms, ALT BLK ERA and Spring & I.

They were also joined in the studio by Charlie and Mel from First Timers Fest. The London-based DIY community of musicians and activists believe that having access to creating and playing music should not be a privilege, it should be a joyful and social experience that empowers everyone. Charlie and Mel elaborated on this ethos, and shared details of the upcoming workshops and gigs that First Timers are hosting this year. You can find out more information and apply to play 2023’s festival by clicking here.

Listen back to the show below:

 

We’ll be back on Soho Radio on Monday 6th March, 12-2pm!

Tracklist
Le Tigre – Deceptacon
Jadu Heart – Sway
Phoebe Troup – Worm Dance
Boygenius – Emily I’m Sorry
Ritual Forms – Down
CIRCE – Undone
Aby Coulibaly – Weekdays
Sylvan Esso – Echo Party
Grandmas House – Desire
Piss Kitti – I’m Jammed
ALT BLK ERA – Rockstar
Jennifer Evans – Very Fond
Karen Jonz ft. CSS – ET
Kara Delik – Strange Attractor
M(h)aol – Therapy
Spring & I – I Hate Your Money
Softcult – Dress
**Interview with Charlie & Mel from First Timers Fest**
adults – all we’ve got // all we need
Coi Leray – Players
t l k – Serenia
ARXX – Ride Or Die
Death Valley Girls – Sunday
Frankie Rose – Anything
HL Grail – OTD
Emily Mercer – Soft Place
Me Rex – Jupiter Pluvius
Destiny’s Child – Girl

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LISTEN: Kara Delik – ‘Strange Attractor’

An altruistic blend of post punk, spoken word and experimental sound, Berlin-based trio Kara Delik have shared their latest single ‘Strange Attractor’. Taken from their upcoming mini EP, Singularities 1, which the band will be self-releasing on 17th February, the track is a brooding, hypnotic exploration of the strange ways that we interact with each other as we meander through life at conflicting paces.

Formed of Baris Öner (Istanbul Ghetto Club), Andi Sommer (Henry Fonda, Afterlife Kids, Yacht Communism), and GIHE fave Eilis Frawley (Anika, Laura Lee & The Jettes, I Drew Blank), Kara Delik are three friends brought together by “coincidental kitchen encounters” and a shared enthusiasm for the Berlin DIY music scene. Inspired by everything from 70s Anatolian rock music, traditional Turkish folk, to German Krautrock and 80s punk, the band deliver their “odd timings for odd times” with gritty flair. The trio shared their debut EP, Tamam, in 2022, and now they’re preparing for another year of new music releases and live shows.

“‘Strange Attractor’ is a continuous stream of thoughts – some conscious and some unconscious – about the way in which people communicate and stumble through life,” Kara Delik comment about their latest single. “Musically you can expect to be lost in a 5 minute long dub trance.” Through a combination of Frawley’s distinctive spoken-word lyrics and percussion, and Öner and Sommer’s jagged riffs and distortion, the band grapple with clashes in communication and the strange and stunted paths we often find ourselves following (“too old to be relevant / old enough to be resented / everyone’s talking / but the conversation’s dead”).

Listen to ‘Strange Attractor’ below.

Singularities 1 will be available both online and on 7 inch vinyl.
Pre-order here

Follow Kara Delik on bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook & Instagram

Photo Credit: Toni Petraschk

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Music Production For Women Announce New Scholarship Schemes For 2023!

Innovative educators Music Production for Women (MPW) are offering four scholarship places for female or non-binary individuals to take part in their upcoming year-long Master Your Music program! The Distrokid, Yamaha Music Australia, Veva Collect and MPW supported scholarships will allow the recipients to access weekly masterclasses in music production, mixing, music marketing, sound design and many more topics.

“I’m so excited about the impact that this program had on our student’s lives last year, which was the first year we launched it,” Melbourne-based MPW Founder Xylo Aria explains. “Most importantly, the confidence in our students, gained through the realisation of producing their own music when previously it was barely within the realm of possibility, has been an absolute pleasure to witness.”

Masterclasses will be taught by experts in their field, including UK-based producer Ramera Abraham, who has worked with artists including Adele, Stormzy and Little Mix, and US-based artist & producer Lillian Frances, who has shared a stage with artists such as Sylvan Esso and Shakey Graves. In addition to the masterclass access, students will also receive monthly group mentoring sessions to help them achieve their music goal for the year, access to a supportive and safe community, and loads more with the total value of the program exceeding $9,000.

Requirements & How To Apply

To participate in the remotely delivered program, you will need access to a laptop, headphones and a copy of Ableton. Ableton Live Intro will be provided to the scholarship winner, with the option to upgrade this with a special discount.

Applications for the program close midnight GMT on the 6th of February. You can find further details on the program and submit your application form by clicking the link below.

Click Here To Begin Your Application

 

More Info about Music Production For Women (MPW)

Music Production For Women is an organisation that began three and a half years ago, and has since been included on the Top 50 Innovators of East London list in 2020 and earned founder Xylo Aria a place on the She Said So Alt Power List. It has run workshops and courses to over 6,000 musicians from over 120 countries and continues to grow steadily.

The organisation was created with the aim of empowering women in music technology and prides itself on not only providing practical and actionable educational content, but also on harbouring a safe and encouraging space to learn in.

 

Follow Music Production For Women on:
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and via their Official Website

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