PREMIERE: Sukie Smith – ‘Into The Light’

Having released critically acclaimed albums with her band Madam over the last decade, as well as collaborating with the likes of Tricky, multi-disciplinary artist Sukie Smith has now announced the release of her debut solo album, The Glass Dress and a Ringing Bell.

Taken from the album, new single ‘Into The Light’ reflects on summoning the power to leave a turbulent relationship that Smith found herself trapped in during lockdown. Showcasing her rich vocals alongside scuzzy hooks and a ’90s reminiscent whirring energy, a gritty, empowering spirit glistens throughout, creating an impassioned, yet catchy, indie anthem. A fierce ode to survival and understanding our own strength as women, from a truly innovative artist.

‘Into The Light’ is accompanied by an artfully created new video, directed by James Alexander, which beautifully portrays the sparkling energy and fizzing sense of celebration at the heart of the song. Watch, for the first time, here:

‘Into The Light’ will also feature an additional remix by Adam Franklin of Swervedriver, so keep your ears peeled for that too! The Glass Dress and a Ringing Bell, the upcoming debut album from Sukie Smith, is set for release on 8th March.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: James Alexander

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New Track: Moor Mother – ‘Guilty’

Following critical acclaim for her 2021 album Black Encyclopedia Of The Air, innovative artist Camae Ayewa – aka Moor Mother – has now announced the release of her 9th studio album, The Great Bailout.

Our first taste of the album comes in the form of new single ‘Guilty‘, a collaboration with Lonnie Holley, Mary Lattimore and Raia Was. Oozing a mystical energy, it encapsulates the sentiment of the album – a poignant and necessary message, bringing to our attention crimes committed by our ‘fair isle’. With a glistening splendour, layers of chiming instrumentation swirl together with vocals, intertwining to create a truly stirring anthem. As its whirring musicality provides a backdrop to lists of ‘great’ Britain’s injustices against humanity and the harsh realities of colonialism, the juxtaposition of the horror of ‘Guilty’s message with the beauty of its musicality is stark. At over ten minutes long, I urge you to immerse yourself in this hauntingly beautiful offering; one that we need to pay heed to, now more than ever. An urgent message encased in an evocative sonic grace.

Of the track, Ayewa explains:

“Displacement and its effects are not discussed enough… The PTSD of displacement should be a focus, and as we have the opportunity to learn about things happening in the world, we also have the opportunity to learn about ourselves. We’ve been through so many different acts of systematic violence.“

Watch the affecting lyric video now:


The Great Bailout, the ninth album from Moor Mother, is set for release on 8th March via ANTI-. Pre-order here. Catch Moor Mother live in London or Bristol in March, info and tickets here.


Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Ebru Yildiz

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Five Favourites: Montañera

Having recently released her captivating new album, A Flor de Piel, London-based Columbian artist María Mónica Gutiérrez – aka Montañera – creates innovative immersive soundscapes fusing together traditional South American musical influences with contemporary ambient electronics. Breaking through the confines of genre, the album offers a poignant reflection on Gutiérrez’s experience as an immigrant; an artist; a human being. Shimmering with a sweeping twinkling splendour and stirring raw emotion throughout, the album takes the listener on an exquisite sonic journey.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of A Flor de Piel, we caught up with María to ask about the music that has inspired her the most. Read about her five favourite songs and listen to latest single ‘Santa Mar‘ below!

Sona Jobarteh – Fasiya
Sona’s album has been a great inspiration for me since the moment I became interested in Senegalese music. Her voice and kora playing were a true inspiration alongside traditional griots who carry this tradition. Her style was a referent for me when I composed ‘Me Suelto Al Riesgo’ – a song I made whilst learning about Senegalese traditional kora music with my amazing teachers Kadialy Kouyate and Lucy Duran in London. I have always found kora music to be very soothing and almost celestial, the timber of its strings captivated me right away. Sona’s album, however, allowed me to understand this tradition through a lens that was in-keeping with my own music. I really enjoy how kora music makes me feel when I listen to it; the same sensation that I was looking for when making my new album A Flor De Piel.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=muKYuDVs_kk%3Fsi%3DexNgYZqXCzV98u1Z

Lido Pimienta – Miss Columbia
I have been a massive fan of Lido’s music for quite a while now. However, when she released Miss Colombia, I really identified with her music as a singer and as a songwriter. She is one of my favourite singers, I love her voice, and production-wise, her album was a great inspiration for my music as well. I love how she blends traditional Colombian music with very fresh, fun and well written arrangements. The sonic world of her music is full of colours – I wanted to achieve something similar in my album, but through my own aesthetic, heavily constructed by synths.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Cje1mE92Ymg%3Fsi%3DbZMF9UyJc1WhXJgy

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – Ears
This is one of my favourite Kaitlyn’s albums, it captivated me right away the first time I listened to it. Personally I think it’s one of my favourite ambient albums, her tracks are always interesting and really well crafted; they are not predictable, but allow you to flow with them, and I wanted to attain something similar in my album. I wanted to make a really carefully thought ambient album with my voice playing an important role. Her sounds and aesthetic influenced me quite a lot when composing this album with my synths, I wanted each layer to be interesting – each layer to have a purpose and not just to add sounds for the sake of it. This was also the way I wanted the producers in my album to work, and her music was also a great influence to them. Ambient is a very delicate genre, and her album was a clear reference of the craftsmanship I wanted to reach.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=c4fIZYJ1e60%3Fsi%3DYGJaRzOLkA7MOh_J

Marina Herlop – Pripyat
I discovered Marina not so long ago, but her aesthetic and uniqueness blew me away immediately; I felt very inspired by her from the first minute I listened to her music. She has become an inspiration not only for the making of my latest album, but also for my performances. She looks like a Goddess from the future, and her music is beyond anything I’ve heard. It seems as though she has arrived from the future, and that is how her music sounds. Her aesthetic and how unpredictable her music is have become a major inspiration for me.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=TAFekxeTAwE%3Fsi%3DXZGIJZ2TviT04UPs

Canalón de Timbiquí – De Mar y Río 
I love traditional music from all around the world, however, Afro-Colombian music has been a personal favourite for quite a while now. It was maybe fifteen years ago when I sang a traditional song from Colombia’s Pacific coast for the first time, and since then a huge curiosity and interest for this music was born. Nidia Gongora has become a massive influence for this kind of music for me – she represents the strength of the Afro-Pacific Colombian women, who are all very inspiring. I find this music not only inspiring for its musical vastness, but also for the story of resistance, resilience and joy that it carries. I feel immensely honoured to have a song in my album with one of the current marimba players, Cankita, and with the amazing Cantadoras de Yerba Buena. It was through a process of research to understand their musical practice which began this musical collaboration with them. They are a massive inspiration not only to make music with, but for life.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=xmtyCWSMETY%3Fsi%3DOKWdPDqjI7blHFsV

Massive thanks to Montañera for sharing her Five Favourites with us! Listen to latest single ‘Santa Mar’ here:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=UmnSALaTh0Y%3Fsi%3DlcaOQqlS86L3kivn

A Flor de Piel, the stunning new album from Montañera, is out now via Western Vinyl. Listen / order here.

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WATCH: The Menstrual Cramps – ‘Body Politics’

I’ve been waiting a long time for new music from Bristol-based punk legends The Menstrual Cramps, and now it’s finally here! Following 2019’s Free Bleedin’, and fresh from a run of dates supporting Isle of Wight punk trio Grade 2, They’ve now shared new single ‘Body Politics‘, released via the loveliest of labels, Alcopop! Records. 

Sounding as vital as ever, with ‘Body Politics’ The Menstrual Cramps draw on American philosopher Judith Butler’s idea of gender performativity (from her book ‘Gender Trouble’), and rally against the ways in which gender constructs are forced upon us all under capitalism to benefit the patriarchal structure. Seething with their trademark ferocious energy, and building to a fierce RATM-esque climax, it’s a perfectly empowering and cathartic explosion of necessary rage. 

With their return, The Menstrual Cramps continue to deliver their utterly necessary message with an immense impassioned drive; creating a perfect balance of unifying joy and rage that has never felt more urgent.

‘Body Politics’ is accompanied by a homemade new video, capturing front person Emilia’s experiences of growing up in the early noughties, surrounded by gender stereotypes in the media. They explain:

“I wanted the video to be a kind of letter to my younger self, who didn’t have the vocabulary to express everything they felt in their messy teenage brain at the time, and had minimal queer people in the media to look up to… the music video is a loop, so the end of the music video is also the start of the music video my younger self watches when turning on the TV in the bedroom. Metaphorically, it’s letting myself become who I wanted to be, or finally being happy with who I am—being inspired by myself to relive my younger years with that expressive freedom.”

Watch it here:

‘Body Politics’ is out now via Alcopop! Records. Catch The Menstrual Cramps live tonight at Oslo, Hackney for Rock Against Violence, or next Spring on a run of UK dates – details here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Dory Valentine

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