Track Of The Day: deep tan – ‘tamu’s yiffing refuge’

Following the recent release of their stirring, and utterly unique, EP creeping speedwells, East London trio Wafah, Celeste and Lucy – aka deep tan – return with a special one-off single taken from the label Speedy Wunderground’s new compilation.

‘tamu’s yiffing refuge‘ is as strangely kinky as the name would suggest. An explicit tale of furry hedonism, it’s propelled by a quirky, chaotic energy, as fuzzed-out hooks fizz and glitchy whirring beats keep the pace. Maintaining all the immersive, seductive allure that we’ve come to know and love from the band, this latest offering oozes an added dark, psychedelic haze and frenzied post-punk drive reminiscent of the likes of legends The Slits. With a light touch of subtle tongue-in-cheek wit, the result is a truly mystical, compelling soundscape that’ll peculiarly entice you into its swirling, fur-filled cacophony. Of the track, the band explain:

“… it’s a story of furry lust. A furries convention has hit town and at an afterparty at a nearby hotel (hosted by tamu himself) there are scenes of unbridled hedonism unmatched since the days of Freddie Mercury’s legendary parties at New Orleans’ Fairmont Hotel..“

(For those who don’t know, ‘Furries’ are a community of people who dress up in animal costumes as a hobby who meet up IRL and online as their ‘fursonas’… You learn something new every day.)

‘tamu’s yiffing refuge’ is accompanied by a bizarre new video that is every bit as trippy as you would expect… If witnessing the mischief and carnal desires of human-sized bunnies is your vibe, then you’re in for a treat!

‘tamu’s yiffing refuge’ is taken from Speedy Wunderground‘s fourth singles compilation – Speedy Wunderground – Year 4 – which is out now and also features tracks from black midi, Squid and Alex Kapranos.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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WATCH: FRÄULEIN – ‘By The Water’

Originally hailing from Northern Ireland and the Netherlands respectively, London-based duo Joni Samuels and Karsten van der Tol – aka Fräulein – are fast becoming total faves here at Get In Her Ears. Now, following their majestic last single ‘Belly’ and having completely blown me away at my first post-covid gig at The Windmill a few weeks back, they have now shared a visceral new offering.

Propelled by a gritty, swirling energy and raw, impassioned drive, ‘By The Water’ reflects on the difficulty we can often have in moving on from events of our past. Building with a subtle, brooding melancholy and eerily captivating allure, the track showcases the stark, soaring power of Joni’s vocals, creating an utterly immersive wall of grunge-fuelled splendour. Yet another example of this innovative duo’s consistent ability to develop their exquisite musical prowess with each new release, firmly cementing them as ones to watch right now. Of the track, the band explain:

“It touches on the contrasting emotions often invoked by looking back at events from your past. The track is about beauty & nighttime & romanticising times & living in the past, even though you know it’s shit and that it can keep you stagnant.”

Watch the new video for ‘By The Water’ here:

Catch Fräulein live at their headline show at The Windmill tonight. Tickets here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Emma Swann

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Track Of The Day: Death Valley Girls – ‘It’s All Really Kind Of Amazing’

Following scuzzy recent single ‘Sanitarium Blues’ and the re-release of their immense album Street Venom, LA ‘dystopian punk’ band (and GIHE faves) Death Valley Girls return with a surprisingly uplifting treat for our ears.

Stand alone single ‘It’s All Really Kind Of Amazing‘ offers a swift glimpse of positivity as twinkling, psychedelic keys chime alongside the gritty twang of guitar. As the raw, impassioned splendour of Bonnie Bloomgarden’s vocals soars throughout, it seems to be slightly less doom-laden in tone than previous offerings, but is no less stirring. Oozing a shimmering, trippy allure and swirling, vibrant energy reminiscent of The Kinks’ ‘Sunny Afternoon’, ‘It’s All Really Kind Of Amazing’ immerses the listener in its glistening euphoric haze, reminding us to relish those rare moments of beauty that can keep us going through challenging times. A truly majestic sonic escape from the frequent struggles of reality; a mystically captivating retreat for the ears and mind.

Of the track, Bloomgarden explains:

“Being in a body, experiencing reality as a human, is endlessly challenging. There’s so much darkness, suffering, sorrow, and division, it’s hard to get past. Sometimes, and often for too long, I just stay in the darkness, forgetting there’s anything else. And then sometimes, my guides remind me to look around, sometimes, just look around, at this Earth, at its infinite beauty and intricacy, and simplicity, and sometimes I can feel it, that it’s all really kind of amazing.” 

‘It’s All Really Kind Of Amazing’ is accompanied by a beautifully hallucinogenic video, created by Bradley Hale. Have a watch now:

‘It’s All Really Kind Of Amazing’ is out now via Suicide Squeeze.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: The Little Ghost/Kelsey Hart

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FIRST LISTEN: CRISP&CLASSY – ‘XTRA CRISPY’

Feminist LGBTQIA+ electro-pop duo CRISP&CLASSY (aka producer Kat Knix and singer-songwriter Plushy) pride themselves on bringing sexual liberation and self-acceptance to the UK pop scene. Now, having captured our attention earlier this year with vibrant singles, ‘Basic’ and ‘Boom Bay’, and with acclaim from the likes of BBC 6Music’s Tom Robinson, they’re excited to be releasing their debut album, XTRA CRISPY.

Fusing together an eclectic palette of genres to create something wonderfully uplifting, the collection interweaves funk-fuelled Raggeton beats and synth-driven soundscapes, as sensuous vocals offer an empowering lyricism. So, put on XTRA CRISPY, turn it up, and lose yourself in its blissful, sassy splendour and sparkling, soulful drive.

To celebrate the album’s release, Kat and Plushy have written a few words about what to expect from XTRA CRISPY…

Wanting to release an album with a selection of our best songs has always been a hot burning wish of ours, ever since CRISP&CLASSY came out of our womb. It’s been a big dream to create a body of work that was conceptual and had a sexually liberating message. Alongside our single ‘Boom Bay’, our new album carries seven more tracks that will tickle your senses and make you feel thirsty for more! 

The XTRA CRISPY album is here to celebrate duality and the battle between being sassy or emotional, being punk or pop, being sexy or needy. This album is a gender and genre bending experience. 

With a delicious mix between New York House synths, Reggaeton beats and sassy bass lines, C&C is serving you Fried Futuristic Electric guitars and Luxury Alien Spit in a glass by the beach! XTRA CRISPY takes the sexiness of Kali Uchis and Blood Orange, and pours it over the nerve of Mykki Blanco, Peaches and Prince.

This album is a combination of coping with the pandemic through creativity and tunes that we have been baking in the oven for over four years. Above staying true to the CRISP&CLASSY sound, we wanted to talk about the things that we were going through on a personal level. 

Having a lot of time on his hands, Plushy would be on dating apps like Grindr a lot during lockdown… Therefore, tracks like ‘My Nudes!’ talk about different obscure dating apps related experiences and are here to make you dance, but also encourage you to claim and own your virtual property and your sexuality, alongside tracks like ‘Thursty’. Kat Knix, on the other hand, missed being ‘skin to skin’ with someone and the hope of it leading to something more… So, ‘Spoon’ was born simply out of sexual frustration, along with Kat’s lack of romance and cuddles.

We also love writing about taking charge of your own sexuality; celebrating your sex drive by bringing equality and body positivity to bed with your lover. ‘SML4U’ expresses the frustration of a younger Kat feeling the pressure to shave before sex, in fear of being rejected for being ‘too hairy’ and not ‘feminine enough’.

We also love collaborating with fellow creatives and are lucky to have some special guests on the album. The incredible Jadeya is doing us the honour by embellishing ‘Thursty’ with her demanding and honest lyrics. Her bars are incredible and they add that juicy flavour we’ve always wanted to have on our songs. MEMA. is another talented guest on the album, who is also an incredible guitarist. We owe her a lot for joining us in developing the XTRA CRISPY sound. You can hear MEMA.’s electric guitar riffs on tracks like ‘Infatuated’ and ‘Spoon’. MEMA. helped us achieve that nostalgic and slightly cinematic ’90s sound we’ve always wanted to incorporate in our music.

We hope that XTRA CRISPY will uplift the listener to stand their ground and unapologetically be themselves EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK! Escape with us to the CRISP&CLASSY World; a safe haven, where you can be yourself and let your hair down. It’s always summer in the C&C World and here we always have a reason to celebrate ourselves and party hard. Once you’re in, you’ll never want to leave.

Massive thanks to Kat and Plushy for talking to us about XTRA CRISPY! Listen to the full album, for the first time, here:

To celebrate the release of XTRA CRISPY, CRISP&CLASSY will be playing a special launch gig at The Waiting Room next Tuesday 19th October. Tickets available here.

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