Track Of The Day: ĠENN – ‘Catalyst’

Taken from their excitingly diverse recent EP Liminal, the latest track by Brighton based four-piece ĠENN is a perfect slice of high-energy post-punk. 

‘Catalyst’ delivers on the fizzing chemicals its title promises; a spiky minor-key riff from Janelle Borg collides with Leanne Zammit’s stormy bass, while vocalist Leona Farrugia’s striking command to “stay awake” would jolt even the most bleary-eyed into action. The sonic intensity is complete with heavy, punching drums from Sofia Rosa Cooper, as crowd-chants and climbing chords build the energy to fever-pitch. At its crest the song swells into a rousing call to arms, a sparkling rallying cry for mass revolution both personal and international. As Farrugia explains: “Lyrically the track could be interpreted as a cry for collective change, but I had, in fact, began writing from my own perspective, realising the ‘revolution’ one can make within their own approach to everyday life; changing the rhythm of my thoughts to achieve freedom from unhealthy traditions.”

Finding freedom in frenzy (the band’s name means exactly that in Maltese) is ĠENN’s great strength, as they hop around genres to produce an increasingly exhilarating body of music.

Liminal, the latest EP from ĠENN, is out now. Catch them live at their Autumn run of dates next month – tickets here.

Leonie Bellini
@teenpeachmovie

Photo Credit: Holly Whitaker

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Track Of The Day: BERRIES – ‘The Expert’

Bursting into your eardrums with a spiky guitar riff dancing around commanding vocals, the new single from London trio BERRIES tackles imposter syndrome with uncompromising grunge-fuelled power. Following latest single ‘Copy’ and the release of their recent EP Live From Big Smith Studios, ‘The Expert‘ showcases the band’s the ferocious energy and sparkling charisma once again.

A firecracker of a track, ‘The Expert’ balances jagged punk heaviness with evocative harmonies while the lyrics take down patronising know-it-alls in the process. The mid-track instrumental is nothing short of rock perfection with its immediate call to mosh-pit inciters, pairing super fuzzy bass with a climbing guitar solo and head-bang worthy drums. BERRIES’ urgency is infectious, and – as the last note rings out – you’re left inspired to stomp around and take back control from your own so-called ‘experts’.

Of the track, the band explain:

“Lyrically, ‘The Expert’ is based broadly around ‘imposter syndrome’ and the condescending controlling people who encourage this and internal struggles often felt… Instrumentally we wanted this song to build into itself, adding layers as we journey through the track. Starting off fairly minimal and finishing with layers of effects, fuzzy bass and drums, and the repetitive guitar riff which symbolises the loud and often unwanted voices heard all around.“

Leonie Bellini
@teenpeachmovie

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WATCH: She Drew The Gun – ‘Class War (How Much)’

Liverpool’s She Drew The Gun continue to storm out the blocks with the announcement of their upcoming new album Behave Myself, set for release in September. And now they have treated us to a poetic middle finger to the Tory government, seething with corruption, on the second single to be taken from the album – ‘Class War (How Much)’. 

The track gets rolling with a catchy bassline before the languid rhetorical refrain of “how much did you get paid for that?” kicks in – questioning the ethics of high-level nepotism in military contracts and PPE deals. Shiny synths cut through perfectly, pairing well with the accompanying animated ’80s arcade music video and humorously contrasting ‘Class War’s morose subject matter. She Drew The Gun’s singular half-spoken half-sung vocals are centre stage here alongside some playful electric guitar licks, boosting the witty wordplay of lyrics like “I’m a weapon of mass distraction”.

The Merseyside-based musician explains of the track:

“It’s about how much we let corruption go in plain sight and accept a politician’s answer when these people are at the front of a ruthless class war being waged against those of us who live on the wrong side of Capital.” 

‘Class War (How Much)’ joins the excellent ‘Cut Me Down’ as fiery, politically-minded tasters of She Drew The Gun’s increasingly exciting upcoming album – Behave Myself – set for release on 24th September via Submarine Cat Records. Pre-order here.

Leonie Bellini
@teenpeachmovie

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LISTEN: Hushtones – ‘Sinking’

If you’re searching for a tune to complete your summer playlist, look no further. This slice of pure sunshine from Liverpool psych-rockers Hushtones layers golden vocals with lush keys and a gentle hit of guitar fuzz, peaking with an irresistibly catchy chorus perfectly designed for a beach road-trip. 

Taken from their upcoming debut album Greetings From The Other Side, ‘Sinking’ introduces itself with a bouncing drumbeat and gorgeous, euphoric harmonies, before launching head-first into a sky-scraping chorus and a frolicking guitar solo. Further amping up the sunshine is the ’60s/’70s rock tinge that weaves its way throughout, grounding the glossy melodies in a crunchy bass and retro synths.

Of their writing process, the band explain: “We were really lucky ‘cos we were able to write, create and build this album during the bizarre months of 2020… We have poured our hearts and souls into this body of work from start to finish. There have been actual tears! But we’re really proud of it and so excited for people to finally hear it.” 

Greetings From The Other Side, the upcoming debut album from Hushtones, is set for release 6th August.

Leonie Bellini
@teenpeachmovie

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