Track Of The Day: Muna Ileiwat – ‘Pity Party’

A lo-fi indie pop gem that gently shrugs off the frustrations caused by someone else’s “bad behaviour”, London-based, New Jersey-born songwriter Muna Ileiwat has shared her latest single ‘Pity Party’. Taken from her debut EP, Twenty-Seven, which is set for release on 19th August via Fear of Missing Out Records, the track is a hazy blend of soft vocals, shimmering electronics and steady beats over which Muna calmly refuses to take on extra emotional labour.

After going through a break-up at the start of the pandemic, Muna avoided screens and social media and turned to songwriting in order to process her emotions. The result is her debut EP, which explores the fluctuating nature of relationships in all their forms, and the resilience and freedom that comes with creating art for arts sake.

“I was trying to not be too precious about my songwriting or my art in general. It’s hindered me in a lot of ways in the past –– writer’s block that eventually turns into existential creative anxiety,” Muna explains. Her latest single ‘Pity Party’ is a natural product of this mindset. Inspired by an event that happened on the last night of her twenty-seventh year, the track is a quietly confident ode to self-autonomy.

“That year marks a time when I became somewhat of an open book,” Muna explains further. “I had no time for people’s bullshit and decided I was just going to start tackling life with 100% conviction.” This conviction is explored through lilting keys and Muna’s clear, cutting lyrics on ‘Pity Party’. Muna will be celebrating the release of her debut EP with a live show at The Shacklewell Arms in Dalston on 19th August.

Watch the video for ‘Pity Party’ below.

Pre-order Muna Ileiwat’s debut EP, Twenty-Seven, from Rough Trade here

Follow Muna Ileiwat on Apple Music, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Guy Gotto

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Forever Honey – ‘Singing To Let England Shake’

A bittersweet guitar tune about the uncertainty of not knowing where you stand with someone you’re close to, Brooklyn indie band Forever Honey have shared their latest single ‘Singing To Let England Shake’. Taken from their upcoming EP, Could I Come Here Alone, which is set for release on 30th August, the track is a gentle, hazy lament to the frustrated hours spent wondering what went wrong, and the more hopeful moments that follow these sometimes uncomfortable realisations.

Formed of longtime friends Liv Price, Aida Mekonnen, Steve Vannelli and Jack McLoughlin, Forever Honey have been working on their catchy brand of “sob-rock” over the past few years, in between “filming Trailer Park Boys-esque skits and fostering dogs.” Over the next few months, the band will be sharing tracks from their self-recorded, produced, and engineered new EP, with single ‘Singing To Let England Shake’ being the first offering form the record.

“‘Singing To Let England Shake'” is about feeling profoundly misunderstood by someone important to you, the isolation that comes from this realization, and the desire to feel a lightness again after something so painful,” guitarist Aida Mekonnen explains. “There’s something uniquely frustrating about being misinterpreted, and I think it creates an instant distance between you and the person you used to connect with.” Informed by the band’s own experiences, this single and the tracks that form Could I Come Here Alone will strike a cord with anyone who needs reassurance after a period of loneliness of disconnection.

Listen to ‘Singing To Let England Shake’ below.

Follow Forever Honey on YouTube, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Rita Iovine

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Music Production For Women – Free Networking Event and Masterclasses in London on 16th July

If you are a woman, non-binary or gender non-conforming musician who is keen to learn more about how to produce your own music and meet other people who can share their skills with you, then you should register for a free ticket for Music Production For Women’s upcoming event on 16th July at the University of Westminster in London.

The event, titled “Master Your Music – Live”, will feature sessions with MPG award-winning producer Charlie Deakin-Davies, Ableton Certified trainer and Youtuber LNA, MPW’s award-winning founder and CEO Xylo Aria and more. The day will run from 10am to 4:30pm and will feature 7 in-person workshops on a variety of topics that many independent artists today need to know such as the basics of music production, sound-design and mixing, as well as music marketing, PR and songwriting workflow.

“I’m hoping we can inspire any attendees who may have wanted to produce but felt intimidated by it, to take their first steps in the field”, explains Music Production For Women’s founder Xylo. “I know having an event like this available when I first started would have made production feel a lot more accessible to me!”

Backed by Sonnox, Distrokid, Ableton, Session and Songtrust, the event will be free for anyone who register for a ticket in advance – which you can do by clicking the link below.

Register for your FREE ticket here: http://musicproductionforwomen.com/master-your-music

 

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

 

More information 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.

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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

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