Kate Crudgington

Track Of The Day: Okay, Bye – ‘Wasted’

An anthem that atones for the misspent time and energy directed towards saving a toxic relationship, Exeter-based “pastel punk” band Okay, Bye have shared their latest single ‘Wasted’. Informed by the band’s own experiences of living through such a draining connection, the track is full of relatable lyrics, thudding beats and raucous riffs.

Formed of Grace Harper (vocals & guitar), Abi Crisp (lead guitar, bass & backing vocals) and Tom Gilbert (drums), Okay, Bye released their second EP, Personal Hell, back in July 2020. Since then, the band have been busy playing live shows and working on new music, which comes in the form of latest single ‘Wasted’. The band re-frame their definition of love with the simple lyric “is that romantic / or is that just tragic?” – with Harper’s clear, yearning vocals reminiscent of Gwen Stefani’s during her No Doubt era.

“‘Wasted’ is the wake-up call we all wished we’d had in past relationships,” explains Harper. “It’s a cry of support for anyone stuck in a relationship with someone who drags them down; and an anthem of freedom for anyone who’s broken out of that. We want listeners to feel empowered and deserving when they hear this feisty punk banger – we all need to stop wasting time on those who don’t deserve us.”

Okay, Bye manage to push through these feelings of fear and apathy via garage-punk guitars and commanding beats, urging listeners to face up to the time they’ve lost and use the knowledge as motivation to move on and embrace a happier life.

Listen to ‘Wasted’ below.

Follow Okay, Bye on bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

June 28, 2022

Kate Crudgington1 Comment

Track Of The Day: Clara Tracey – ‘Baby Witch’

A hopeful musing on the fluctuating nature of falling in love and surrendering yourself to the feeling, Belfast-based artist Clara Tracey has shared her latest single ‘Baby Witch’. Taken from her debut album Black Forest, produced by Daniel Fox (Gilla Band) and set for release via Pizza Pizza Records in Autumn, the track is a woozy reflection on the tumultuous feelings that come with navigating the early moments of a new romance, led by Clara’s lilting keys and clear vocals.

Originally from Fermanagh but now spending her time between Paris and Belfast, Clara Tracey is inspired by the sultry heroes and heroines of French chanson and literature, from Gainsbourg and Birkin to Anais Nin and Colette. She was able to create and explore her sensual sounds during a recent residency programme in the French countryside, organised by Northern Irish art gallery Hambly & Hambly and the Centre Culturel Irlandais. Performing at local chateaus during her time there, Clara was invited back to play in a neighbouring chateau by the local mayor, which coincided with the release of ‘Baby Witch’.

“I wrote this song soon after I moved back to Dublin from Paris,” Clara explains about the track. “I was living in a shabbier than chic flat above a shop called Bohemia and we thought it was paradise. In the middle of all there was this new love story. ‘Baby Witch’ is about trying to just let yourself love someone even when it feels like your hands or mind might be tied.”

Listen to ‘Baby Witch’ below.

Follow Clara Tracey on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

June 21, 2022June 23, 2022

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WATCH: Ailbhe Reddy – ‘A Mess’

A lighthearted reflection on an early, chaotic relationship, Irish-born, London-based alt-folk artist Ailbhe Reddy has shared her latest single ‘A Mess’. Full of energetic guitar riffs, relatable lyrics and Reddy’s clear vocals, the track is a buoyant rumination on the cyclical nature of bad habits and a lively effort to move past them.

Following on from her recent single ‘Inhaling’ and her tender, intuitive debut album Personal History (2020), on ‘A Mess’ Reddy continues to balance the bittersweet nature of romantic relationships with her earnest and relatable lyrics. “The song is about not feeling good enough in a relationship and examining old patterns and habits,” she explains. “It’s about feeling fed up of going around in circles, while focusing on a throw away comment.”

Whilst the repetition of the title lyric could sting if it was delivered differently, Reddy claims it as a lighthearted label, accepting that youth and inexperience are all part of the learning process when it comes to forming healthy relationships. This humour is reflected in the single’s accompanying video, which sees Reddy fishing and dressed up as a surgeon, trying to dissect the moment that led to the relationship being branded ‘A Mess’.

“The video was directed by Georgia Kelly of CLTV,” she explains (an Irish production company who have created for videos Fontaines D.C., Denise Chaila, Pillow Queens and Inhaler.) “I wanted to keep the playfulness of the music alive in the video and make sure it was tongue and cheek rather than very serious. Georgia came up with a few scenarios that were funny representations of feeling ‘not good enough’ and giving up.”

Ailbhe Reddy will be performing at Visions Festival and Latitude this summer, with more live dates due to be announced soon.

Watch the video for ‘A Mess’ below.

Follow Ailbhe Reddy on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Collective Dublin (CLTV)

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

June 16, 2022

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Track Of The Day: Double Helix – ‘Doppelgänger’

A pulsing, urgent mix of hypnotic beats, impulsive synth textures and elusive vocals, London-based duo Double Helix have shared their latest single ‘Doppelgänger’. Shared as part of Human Endeavour’s debut compilation EP, Trains Of Thought, which is due for release on 21st June, the track is an energetic blur of 90s-style acid electronica that smoulders with euphoric energy.

Formed of Patrick Smith (synths, programming, vocals), Kim Engelhardt (bass) and accompanied by a session drummer for their live shows, Double Helix have cut their teeth on London’s underground gig circuit over the past few years where they have developed a loyal following. Their eclectic live shows fuse together the sounds and aesthetics of 90s rave subculture and often include footage and visuals shot by the band themselves. Inspired by the Prodigy, Leftfield, Nine Inch Nails and Boy Harsher, Double Helix offer listeners a sonic escape with their immersive electronic sounds, with their latest single ‘Doppelgänger’ delivering just that.

The new track has been released via Human Endeavour, a sub label of Ransom Note curated and led by Rosie Ama Cain (Kiara Scuro). The label aims to provide “space for artists who are exploring the dark, deep and hypnotic corners of the musical spectrum,” a space where Double Helix’s eclectic electronic sounds look set to thrive. Accompanied by a striking new video shot & edited by the band, the visuals for ‘Doppelgänger’ feature dancer and performance artist Giorgia Pirozzi, who manipulates and shifts her body along to Double Helix’s frenzied and infectious sounds.