Video Premiere: pink suits – ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’

Ahead of the release of their upcoming second album, Dystopian Hellscape, in April, Margate duo pink suits have now given us another taste of what to expect from the collection. Harking back to their theatrical roots, ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.‘ mashes together a handful of vocal warmups that will be familiar to anyone who was ever part of a drama club. The tune maintains the duo’s signature pink suits punk twist, but marks a slight departure from the political rage typical of their other releases.

‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ showcases both the skill, and the fun, that infuses every pink suits track with the raw, unfiltered emotion they are fast becoming known for. The screaming vocals, pounding drums and roaring guitars belting out playful upbeat riffs are as absorbing and addictive as anything they’ve released before. 

The track comes with a video that is as high-energy and playful as the track, and charming in its simplicity. The band run through the streets declaring their love for coffee and shot, snort and shower in it. The video makes clever use of limited resources to hammer home the pink suits brand, creating a delightfully engaging and witty visual skit.

While the subject matter on the surface may not seem as profound as the duo’s previous releases – not a biting take down of bigotry or a provocative examination of societal issues – its playfulness and silliness is meaningful in itself. Placed alongside pink suits’ riotous last single, ‘Refuse the Rules‘, although it appears to exude less protest energy as such, ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ subtly touches on poignant issues such as addiction and exhaustion. Of the track, the band explain:

The song is about Coffee. Which is one of a few addictions in our life. One of the less harmful ones. And there is a real necessity to being able to scream together with frantic and childlike energy about it. To have some fun in the face of it all. A lot of our music and life is punk, protest, politics, sex, drugs and rock and roll, and – if you look closely enough – they are all hidden inside this daft little song…”

‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ is genuinely fun, the kind of song you can enjoy, simply for the sake of enjoying it, the way you did when you were kid. It becomes a reminder of what the revolution is for – to create a world where everyone has the space, freedom and opportunity to be childlike and carefree, to create for the sake of creating and not as part of some larger movement; to appreciate art and beauty simply because it exists. It becomes a reminder to take and treasure those moments of unadulterated fun wherever you can.

In a world that is overwhelmed by issues begging for a lifetime of protest songs, ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ offers a break from the onslaught to pause and simply find joy where you can – whether that’s listening to a silly song, or appreciating a proper cup of coffee made in a proper copper coffee pot.

Watch the new video for ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ for the first time now:

pink suits’ second album, Dystopian Hellscape, is set for release on 1st April. And make sure you experience the immense energy of the duo live on their headline tour, details below. Tickets will be live soon, so keep an eye out on pink suits’ Instagram for info.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

WATCH: The Baby Seals – ‘Mild Misogynist’

Mild Misogynist‘ from long-term GIHE faves, Cambridge band The Baby Seals, is a song for every woman who has ever smiled and nodded silently while a mediocre man prattled on about how lucky everyone around him really is to have him in their life, secretly knowing he’s a few pints away from calling his ex crazy.

It is a high energy track with roaring guitars and throbbing drums that releases years of pent up frustration from the very opening bars. There is no attempt to soften the message, creating a cathartic energy that is difficult not to get caught up in.

‘Mild Misogynist’ is a painfully relatable song. It calls out the kind of person that might not be the most abhorrent of bigots, but nonetheless can be a hugely damaging presence in the lives of those around them with their casual approach to misogyny. The only way you don’t listen to this song and immediately think of someone who fits the description perfectly is if you are in fact that person that everyone around you finds terribly exhausting. It calls out nice guys and performative allies, the kind of person who doesn’t do anything that actually helps oppressed people, but makes a big deal out of having a friend with a minority background and is overtly, annoyingly proud of not doing hate crimes while still casually spewing micro-aggressions.

The track has a raw, unfiltered sound that comes right from the gut. There is no filter constricting this outpouring of feeling. It’s an eye-rolling purge of exasperation that comes from finally allowing yourself to speak freely. The upbeat rhythm and fun melodies stand in excellently stark contrast to the irritating subject matter. The song ramps up to its climactic ending, taking immense joy in feeling every emotion. The lines “The girls really like / The way I try / To kiss” are repeated with an increasing sarcasm that is delightful to hear, and revels in the simple yet rare pleasure of fully expressing every moment of built up frustration.

Watch the accompanying new video to ‘Mild Misogynist‘ here:


‘Mild Misogynist’ is our first taster of The Baby Seals’ upcoming debut album, Chaos – set for release this Spring via Trapped Animal. And we cannot wait to hear more of their sassy wit and empowering energy! Find out more about The Baby Seals and their upcoming live shows here.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

EP: Safari Inn – ‘Welcome To Safari Inn’

Consisting of former members of London rockers The Franklys, Jen and Lexy, Safari Inn are the super group you need in your life right now, and we’ve been loving their debut EP.

Inspired by a shared love of the 1993 Quentin Tarantino film ‘True Romance’, Welcome to Safari Inn condenses the movie’s action-packed emotional journey into four expertly crafted tracks. While familiarity with the film will surely give you a deeper appreciation of the EP, you don’t need to be a die-hard fan to enjoy it. Even with only a passing understanding of the source material, Safari Inn have infused their debut with a lot of their own character that shines through, despite very direct references to the movie.

Welcome to Safari Inn kicks off with ‘Drexl Spivey‘, named for the notorious pimp character played by Gary Oldman. As both a single and first track, ‘Drexl Spivey’ is perfectly suited to establishing the psychedelic sound you can expect from the rest of the EP. It is a whirlwind of roaring guitars and deep, moody vocals.

The whole EP has a different vibe than you might expect from the two musicians who make up Safari Inn, if you’re familiar with their previous work with garage rock band The Franklys. It’s clear that they’re experimenting in a way that leans into their strengths and the chances they take consistently pay off. Welcome To Safari Inn aches with reverb, echoing vocals and heady swirling guitars over throbbing drums that ground you even when the music threatens to carry you away from reality. With each immersive offering, it evokes a chaotic heady atmosphere that is masterfully reminiscent of the film.

Second track, ‘Blue Lou Boyle’, picks up the pace, with a pounding bass riff that rolls in from the very beginning. The quicker start slows down to lend the soaring vocals a platform in the verses; ramping up again to a rambunctious, wailing chorus. This is the chaotic heart of the EP, the action and meaning that make up the majority of ‘True Romance’ all concentrated into a thrilling 3.15 minutes.

Welcome to Safari Inn softens with the reflective ‘The Sun Sets Slowly in the West’. This third track offers a gentle come down from the excitement. It’s slower paced, with crooning vocals that linger over drawn out lilting words, processing everything now that the storm has passed. The full realisation of everything that has happened sinks in with gut-wrenching bass and drums that deliver an immense sucker-punch of the consequences.

No less chaotic, but maintaining a distinct sense of hope, the EP wraps up with ‘Dinosaur Corkscrew’. It puts the debilitating trauma of True Romance behind you and looks forward to a world where you can emerge on the other side still holding onto faith in a normal, happy life.

As a collection, Welcome To Safari Inn offers a swirling whirlwind of psychedelic splendour; a truly immersive debut that leaves you desperate for more.

Welcome To Safari Inn is out now. Listen / buy on Bandcamp now.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

Video Premiere: pink suits – ‘Refuse The Rules’

If you’re at all familiar with pink suits, you’ll recognise their unique energy in every element of their new music video for ‘Refuse The Rules‘, the first taste we’ve had of their upcoming second album, Dystopian Hellscape. The whole video drips with their signature style and unapologetic passion.

The video takes place entirely within a two cubicle toilet, wallpapered with newspaper pages. The logos of The S*n and Metro (owned by The Daily Mail Group) leap out at you. An article about gender self-ID “fears” is placed right in the centre of the shot. Before the music even begins, you’re presented with instant commentary about the quality of contemporary journalism – rampant media bias and the painfully uncritical approach to publishing political agendas in the modern press.

‘Refuse The Rules’ is not a long or complicated song. It hones in on its point perfectly. Boiling down the tiresomely endless hours of identity debate into a concise song that barely breaks 100 seconds in length, it is short and sharp, instantly cementing pink suits as expert creators of today’s punk anthems.

With just the opening line – “Our existence doesn’t threaten your existence” – the song immediately highlights the most draining elements of the whole debate. It calls out the hypocrisy of anyone actively threatening another person over their identity, which wouldn’t have any impact at all on other people’s lives if they didn’t choose to stick their oar in. At a time when human lives are under threat every day from war / climate change / poverty / homelessness, even in the wealthiest countries on the planet, this track points out just how ridiculous it is to waste your energy being bigoted. 

The delivery of every line is sharp and urgent, a scream that evokes all the pain, frustration and fear underlying the song’s message, roared over a foundation of aggressive drums and shrieking guitar riffs. The track is packed with earworms that capture the rage effortlessly.

Despite the darkness that necessitates this kind of commentary, ‘Refuse The Rules’ is ultimately uplifting in its defiance – “We refuse the rules. We refuse to bow.” It’s a rejection of conformity and of the hypocrisy of those who manage to conveniently ignore all the real problems in this dystopian hellscape of the modern world to take issue with another human being’s self expression. It’s a riotous call to action for anyone who needs a little extra motivation to embrace their true selves. 

Completely created by pink suits themselves, this new video captures the raging energy of ‘Refuse The Rules’ perfectly. Watch, for the first time, here:

Produced by Halo Halo studio in Margate, ‘Refuse The Rules’ is out now, ahead of pink suits’ second album – Dystopian Hellscape – which is set for release in Spring 2024. But keep you ears and eyes peeled for more teasers in the meantime!

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

Photo Credit: Stephen Daly Photography / @stephendalyphotography