Video Premiere: Electric Pets – ‘That Way’

Having previously received acclaim for their debut single ‘Don’t Leave Me’ from the likes of BBC Introducing, Emma Buckley, Phil Wagg, Adam Grace and Pete Darrington – aka Electric Pets – have now announced that their debut EP is set for release later this month, and have shared a heartfelt new video.

With Buckley’s raw, impassioned vocals accompanied by a gritty scuzz-strewn musicality, ‘That Way‘ builds with a fierce emotion to an empowering anthem of self love and a two fingers up to society’s expectations of what we should be. Propelled by a jangly, lilting energy, an immersive, intimate tone soon gathers pace and intensity to create a catchy slice of garage-infused rock, oozing a bold swagger. Of the track, Buckley explains:

“You could say ‘That Way’ is my autobiographical f**k you to the music industry. I spent so long being too much of something to someone and not enough of the same thing for someone else. I needed to remind myself who I was. This song is for all the people that never quite fit in, the ones who never quite felt good enough. A reminder to unapologetically love yourself.“

‘That Way’ is accompanied by stirring new video, featuring artfully filmed footage of the band glistening with a sparkling allure. Watch it for the first time here:

Rhinoceros, the debut EP from Electric Pets, is set for release on 19th August via Reckless Yes.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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PLAYLIST: July 2022

The Get In Her Ears team have put together another eclectic mix of guitar anthems, alternative tunes & electronic sounds for your listening pleasure. Take some time to scroll through our track choices below and make sure you hit play on the Spotify playlist at the end of this post.

Follow GIHE on Spotify to hear all of our previous playlists too.

NOVA TWINS – ‘Cleopatra’
Nova Twins are the first black women in the Rock & Alt scene to be nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and we couldn’t be happier for them! They have worked so hard and pushed against an industry that has so much racism and sexism embedded in it. Turn up the volume on this track ‘Cleopatra’ taken from their second album Supernova – it’s about to get HEAVY!  (Tash Walker)

Brutus – ‘Liar’
Gritty vocals, powerhouse percussion and charged riffs punctuate this single from Belgian trio Brutus. Taken from their upcoming third album Unison Life, which is set for release on 21st October via Hassle Records/Sargent House, ‘Liar’ is a heavy lament that criticises the lies we tell ourselves in order to keep a false and temporary sense of calm. I can’t wait to see the band live at The Garage in November. (Kate Crudgington)

Real Big Sky – ‘The Same Thing’
Happy debut album release day to Gothenburg-based band Real Big Sky! Their self-titled record is now up on Spotify for you to listen to. It might be too soon to call it, but I think this might be one of my favourite albums of 2022. Cinematic, Shoegazey, melancholy bliss. Listen to it here. (KC)

Ethel Cain – ‘Family Tree (Intro)’
I know I add Ethel Cain to all of our GIHE playlists, but her sultry, cinematic tunes are so good I can’t resist. I can’t wait to see her perform them live at Heaven in December. (KC)

Miya Folick – ‘Nothing To See’
Emotional, raw and beautifully resilient, Miya Folick’s ‘Nothing To See’ is a tender ode to rediscovering yourself in the aftermath of a painful breakup. Taken from her new EP 2007, which is set for release on 9th September via Nettwerk, through her clear vocals, candid lyrics and considered instrumentation, Folick accepts that love makes fools of us all, and gracefully reclaims the time she spent changing herself to suit the needs of an unappreciative lover. (KC)

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, I love this single from Brooklyn indie band Forever Honey. Taken from their upcoming EP, Could I Come Here Alone, which is set for release on 30th August, it’s a gentle, hazy lament to the frustrated hours spent wondering what went wrong, and the more hopeful moments that follow those sometimes uncomfortable realisations. (KC)

Breakup Haircut – ‘I’d Say Yes’
Having wowed us live with their scuzzy, joyous punk-pop at our January gig at The Victoria, First Timers Fest alumni Breakup Haircut have just released their debut album, Punk Dancing For Self Defence, a collection of joyously lo-fi pop punk offerings reflecting on themes ranging from social anxiety and break-ups to bi-erasure and existing in a Capitalist society. Whether you need cheering up with some buoyant danceable anthems, or simply want to immerse yourself in the band’s raw emotion and relatable, resonant reflections on life, the album will provide you with all the aural comfort you need right now. (Mari Lane)

Currls – ‘Honey’
The latest single from Brighton based Currls, ‘Honey’ is a colourful ode to female friendship and owning your own unique individuality. I love this track’s empowering energy and unifying, singalong refrains. A truly energising and compelling anthem of self-love that’ll motivate and inspire on first listen. Hello, My Name Is, the upcoming debut album from Currls, is set for release on 11th November. (ML)

Murman – ‘Falling Down’
Propelled by swirling, scuzzy hooks and an anthemic, emotion-filled drive, ‘Falling Down‘ oozes a gritty energy in the vein of rock greats such as Bruce Springsteen and The Killers, with an added unique colourful pizazz and impassioned swooning vocals. If you’re in need of an instantly catchy, joyously jangly slice of Americana-tinged garage-rock, then look no further… ‘Falling Down’ offers a perfectly danceable antidote to all of life’s worries. (ML)

Hanya – ‘Amateur Professional’
I am loving this latest song from friends of the show Brighton dream pop duo Hanya, a marrying up of their raucous onstage energy with their hazy studio sound. They worked with Theo Verney on this one, who has also produced some of my favs Porridge Radio. The track is about “attempting to be a full-time professional in whatever it is you want, even if you feel like a lousy amateur a lot of the time. It’s a fighting song, for when you’re feeling like giving up.” Check out their socials for upcoming tour dates across the UK. (TW)

Alien Chicks – ’27 Stitches’
I’m really loving this new one from South London band Alien Chicks. Combining danceable rhythms with a riotous energy, ’27 Stitches’ blasts into the eardrums with a fierce power. (ML)

M(h)aol – ‘Bored Of Men’
I said on our recent Soho Radio show that this single from Irish post punks M(h)aol should be the new intro song for Love Island, and I stand by it. Vocalist Roisin’s frustration is palpable as she delivers her candid lyrics, underscored by a cacophony of abrasive riffs and thumping beats. I’m looking forward to hearing this live when the band play at The Grace in Islington on 29th August. (KC)

Self Esteem – ‘I Do This All The Time’
I just wanted to pay homage to Sheffield based Self Esteem as I am finally seeing her live this weekend at Deershed Festival and I CANNOT WAIT! Having been pretty addicted to her empowering and poignant album Prioritise Pleasure, and watched her incredible set from Glastonbury on iPlayer, I am massively excited. I also wanted to dedicate this track to my awesome GIHE team mates and leave you with Self Esteem’s inspiring lyrics: “Be very careful out there / Stop trying to have so many friends / Don’t be intimated by all the babies they’ve had / Don’t be embarrassed that all you’ve had is fun. Prioritise Pleasure.” (ML)

Chorusgirl – ‘Don’t Go Back To ’89’
Having announced the much-anticipated (by me in particular!) release of her third album this Autumn, Silvi Wersing – aka Chorusgirl – has now shared her first new single in a few years, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Flowing with a majestic, swirling grace, ‘Don’t Go Back To ’89‘ poignantly reflects on feelings of nostalgia and hopelessness. Propelled by a shimmering splendour and glistening celestial charm, it’s a beautiful slice of jangly dream-pop, sparkling with a glowing summer haze, whilst tinged with stirring undertones of darkness. (ML)

Nikki & The Waves – ‘E.L.C’
Manchester band Nikki & The Waves will be headlining our next gig at The Victoria on 12th August and I can’t wait! With their trademark funk-fuelled groove and vibrant energy, this track – paying ode to ‘exceptionally lovely courduroy’ – showcases all there is to love about the band. Supporting Nikki & The Waves on 12th August will be First Frontier and Panic Pocket – get your tickets on DICE here.  (ML)

TU3SDAY – ‘Evil Eye’
Utilising their experiences as a black, queer, non-binary and disabled musician into their own brand of electronic sounds, Jae Tallawah aka TU3SDAY is committed to breaking boundaries in music. This track ‘Evil Eye’ is a superb example of their altruistic energy. (KC)

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – ‘Cliché’ (Soulwax Remix)
Absolutely love these two, and it was a total pleasure interviewing Charlotte earlier this year about their album Topical Dancer. This week they unveiled this epic remix of Cliché by Soulwax! If you get the chance to watch them live, grab it with both hands – it is a night to remember. (TW)

Lynks – ‘Hey Joe (Relax)’
This single came out in March this year but I’ve been playing this over and over these last couple of months, as a staple on one of my summer playlists called Buzzzzzy. Which I think is a perfect way to describe that song, from an artist who consistently brings us tongue-in-cheek queer bangers for the ‘others’. (TW)

Bonnie Banane – ‘CDA’
‘CDA’ was my Track of the Show on this month’s Get In Her Ears show on Soho Radio, it comes from French alt pop singer Bonnie Banane. I’m going to let the track do the talking. All you need to know from me is that I love it. (TW)

Gemma Cullingford – ‘New Day’
Gemma Cullingford (of GIHE faves Sink Ya Teeth) has now shared a brand new offering ahead of her upcoming album release in September. Reflecting on night terrors that we can all experience even as adults, and the optimism that the morning can bring, ‘New Day’ delivers a blissfully shimmering soundscape evoking a nostalgic energy. A truly euphoric summer anthem. I can’t wait for Gemma to play a joint headline show for us with Alice Hubble at Shackewell Arms on 10th September, with support from Yay Maria. Tickets here. (ML)

Maria Uzor – ‘Winner’ (feat. Emily Winng)
Featuring vocals from Emily Winng, I can’t get enough of this track’s propulsive, immersive beats and frenzied, whirring splendour. An alluring summer anthem for all those who like a bit of electro scuzz with their sunshine. (ML)

AGAAMA – ‘Which Way’
Birmingham-based artist, composer, vocalist and producer AGAAMA blends elements of industrial pop, jazz and rave on this beguiling, fluid track. She studied classical trombone as a teenager, sang in Church on Sundays and spent her Saturday nights raving to UK bass music or in the middle of a mosh pit at a metal gig. These experiences have shaped her eclectic sounds, and I’m looking forward to hearing more from her in the future. (KC)

Hannah Schneider – ‘It’s The Season’
The new single from Danish artist, and one half of duo AyOwA, Hannah Schneider, ‘It’s The Season’ offers a perfectly celestial soundscape, reflecting on the high expectations of summer and the disappointment this can sometimes bring. I just love it’s dreamy, ethereal haze and soothing euphoric grace. if you want more blissful summer tunes, check out the guest Sedated Summer Sounds Playlist that Hannah put together for us on the website now – I’ve had it on repeat over the last couple of weeks, it’s just perfect for this weather! (ML)

Damsel Elysium – ‘Echoes of Lalia’
One for the headphones! Experimental sound composer Damsel Elysium created this track to try and express what it’s like to be a neurodivergent artist existing in a hectic world. ‘Echoes of Lalia’ is made up of voice, double bass, violin, piano and original field recordings taken from Damsel’s day in the city. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but I’m always impressed by artists who manipulate and mutate sounds to reflect their inner thoughts, and that’s exactly what Damsel does here. (KC)

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Five Favourites: Breakup Haircut

Having wowed us live with their scuzzy, joyous punk-pop at our January gig at The Victoria, First Timers Fest alumni Breakup Haircut have just released their debut album – Punk Dancing For Self Defence. A collection of joyously lo-fi pop punk reflecting on themes ranging from social anxiety and break-ups to bi-erasure and existing in a Capitalist society. Propelled by a jangly, uplifting energy with gritty angst-driven undertones, the band’s colourful charisma and sparkling charm shines through each track with a striking relatable poignancy, creating an utterly necessary listen. Whether you need cheering up with some buoyant danceable anthems, or simply want to immerse yourself in the band’s raw emotion and relatable, resonant reflections on life, Punk Dancing For Self Defence will provide you with the aural comfort you need right now.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of their debut album, we caught up with members of Breakup Haircut to ask about the music that has inspired them the most. See below for their choices of their five favourite albums, and listen to latest single ‘I’d Say Yes‘ at the bottom of this feature.

Ripley:

Pat Benatar – Greatest Hits
I could pick my favourite Pat Benatar album, but I’m going to pick specifically the random ‘Greatest Hits’ album that my Dad bought off a market stall when I was a teenager and we were living in the USA. It was one of the first albums that I basically ‘permanently borrowed’ from my parents’ music collection. I fell in love with the intense and energetic ‘80s rock sound. I have always particularly loved music that generates energy and feels kinetic and I don’t think I’d heard anything that sounded so huge, epic and all big emotions before at that age (and as a teenager, I was of course relating to big emotions particularly strongly at the time). Their music had an intense energy and sincerity that I really connected with. Pat Benatar’s powerful and emotive voice; her aspirationally cool, badass attitude in her singing and lyrics, plus Neil Giraldo’s amazing guitar solos were also a big draw. Pat Benatar is probably best known for ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ and ‘Love is a Battlefield’ in the UK (both awesome songs). I think their music was a lot more popular stateside than here, as a variety of their songs used to be played on rock radio there a lot. My favourites were songs like the emotional and epic ‘Promises In The Dark’ (the bridge vocal build and following emotional guitar solo is so amazing that I often end up listening to that section an extra time after finishing the whole song), and the inspirational ‘Invincible’ that makes you feel badass and ready for anything (it’s also a perfect inspirational training montage song).

Ishani:

Kimya Dawson – Remember That I Love You
I don’t get a whole lot of time to listen to new music – my partner actually spends a lot of time doing that, and makes this big playlist of releases of the year I should listen to which is hanging over my head. But a staple of my favourites in rotation is Remember That I Love You by Kimya Dawson. I found it when I was around 13 or 14, I remember seeing her at St Martin-in-the-Fields when I was 15 or so and meeting her. But I feel like that’s an album that has stayed with me through my years, because Kimya Dawson is someone that I take a lot of inspiration from, even a decade later – I think her work is so simple and poignant that it is really cutting. I love it because that allows for its hooks to be catchy without complication, something that relates down to the core. It’s pop, but it’s totally anti-pop. Everyone in the world would be better for listening to it once in a while, just to remember that the human condition is just a lot – and hearing it in such a simple way is kind of gutting.

Delphine:

Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American
I think I‘ll have to pick Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World. This album came out whilst I was in a difficult period in my life and somehow, this album enabled me to allow myself to feel. ‘The Middle’ is to this day one of my favourite songs of all time. It was a pep talk and in song form. I’ve always struggled with lack of self-esteem and being self-critical so it was a good reminder that doing your best is all you can do and it’s okay to not succeed at the first try. It also reinforced the idea that one shouldn’t listen to people being overly critical when they know nothing about you and your circumstances and that you should do what you want rather than what other people say you must want. 

Jordan:

Biffy Clyro – Puzzle 
My pick is Puzzle by Biffy Clyro. I can’t remember how old I was – but it felt like a whole lifetime ago – I was at this super house party. The conversation is going great and I heard ‘Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies’ come on. It was the first time both me and my friend had heard it and it instantly grabbed us. You’ve got the big build up and the shrill strings in the pre-chorus. I think we both dropped what we were doing to try to find the CD so we could steal it. For a good 9-15 months it was in contact rotation with other music we would listen to. We’d play ‘Now I’m Everyone’ whenever someone had a match or needed hyping up. I wasn’t really drumming at that time but when I started, this album became more important in trying to replicate the sound. The drumming on the album is especially interesting as it’s semi-technical and semi-mental. Some parts you just have to feel where the notes are, rather than learning the specific sticking. You also have songs like ‘Love Has a Diameter’ which are more soppy but still can maintain a strong groove and pace.

Band Combo Decision:

Green Day – American Idiot
With four of us in the band and five albums to choose, we decided to pick one album each and one shared choice. American Idiot was a young Ripley’s gateway album to a life-long obsession with rock and punk music, one of Ishani’s first discoveries from her brother’s speakers, the album that rekindled Delphine’s love for everything rock ‘n’ roll after a short stint into EDM.
Ripley’s favourite track: ‘Letterbomb’. An underrated high energy song from the latter end of the album. I always loved the intro build to this and the high energy mixed with nihilism vibes that this song gives off. It just sounded so huge, dramatic and intense to me when I was younger, with the driving bass and drums and sweeping guitar melodies. It’s one of those songs where it feels like it has so much energy that it has spare to hand over to you, and you can’t help but feel energised and ready to go by listening to it.
Ishani’s favourite track: ‘Homecoming’. I was always more of an early Green Day fan, like Dookie/Nimrod, but this came out at a time when I wasn’t paying that much attention to music beyond what came muffled out of my brother’s room. He played this a lot – I love the highs and lows, the harmonies, the theatricality of it – it feels like it was written for a stadium, it’s almost dadly. 
Jordan’s favourite track: ‘She’s A Rebel’. American Idiot was the first album I was excited to buy. I was taken up to central London with my grandma and we went into the Virgin Megastore in order to get a copy. It was so catchy and well produced, and it’ll always be remembered fondly. I say that I rarely ever listen back to this album now because having tracks 3 to 6 actually being eight songs has got to be the most colossally stupid fucking idea ever conceived. Why would you do that? ‘She’s A Rebel’ is my favourite and I have to sit through ‘Give Me Novacaine’ in order to get to it. Terrible. 
Delphine’s favourite track: ‘Jesus of Suburbia’. Mostly because it covers all the topics that encompass what a generation of disenchanted kids would feel strongly about. Green Day has always been engaged in their lyrics and giving the finger to the establishment. I guess, in this album, it’s that song. 

Massive thanks to Breakup Haircut for their amazing album choices for their Five Favourites! Listen to their latest single ‘I’d Say Yes’ now:

Punk Dancing For Self Defence, the debut album from Breakup Haircut, is out now via Reckless Yes. Buy on Bandcamp now.

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LIVE: Truck Festival 2022

After a painful double-cancellation during the pandemic years, 2022 marked a triumphant, sold-out return for Truck Festival. The sun shone the weekend through, football shirts reigned supreme (personal favourites being SOFY’s vintage Leicester away strip and an anonymous festival-goer’s Watford away shirt with ‘ACID, 7’ on the back), and of course, a cross-section of the nation’s favourite indie acts shared stages with some exciting up-and-comers and a few unexpected additions to the bill.

One of the first things that became apparent upon arrival, as raised by a number of performers, was Truck’s reputation as the home of the improbable mosh pit. The festival is defined by that particular brand of indie rock that lends itself to such a response – and it occurred to me as people hopped about to Loose Articles and then Oscar Lang, Siggy Brew cans flinging across the air – that this is really the perfect music for the British festival, itself defined by the beautiful dirtiness and community epitomised by the mosh. I was witness to some genuinely baffling pits over the course of the weekend; the award for the most inappropriate going to the Oxford Symphony Orchestra during their rendition of the Back To The Future suite.

Though the headline slots were dominated by male performers, it was mainly female-driven sets that provided my highlights for the weekend. Deep Tan played perhaps the best set I have seen from them – their usual no-chords-and-the-truth sound possessing a greater urgency and vivacity, sharpened by a year’s hard gigging and the sound at the So Young curated Market Stage. On the main stage, Kelis lived up to her legendary status, with a set front-loaded with the classic ‘Milkshake’ that progressed through an unpredictable 40-minute party that also included versions of ‘Bounce’ and ‘I Feel Love’, as well as a crowd singalong of ‘Happy Birthday’ for her son, who she brought on stage before the last song. 

Elsewhere, Lime Garden got the crowd moving from Saturday morning; lead singer Chloe Howard noting it had to be ‘the earliest I’ve ever played’. ‘Clockwork’ in particular smacked into a palpably strutting groove that would have been impossible to resist at any hour. On the same stage, Just Mustard groaned with apocalyptic intensity, the paired guitars bending a cavernous twisting pulse that blasted away at us. 

The pick of the headliners had to be Bombay Bicycle Club, who offer – alongside stomping, mosh-worthy riffs – a wonderful expansion on the format of indie four-piece complete with horn section and the vocal contributions of Saint Clair. Though their appeal was rooted in the indulgence of the tastes of my fourteen year old self, it was genuinely nice to see them playing live again. The sudden creation of a crowd of giants as Jack Steadman invited the audience to get on each others’ shoulders during ‘Carry Me’ was particularly atmospheric, if slightly offset by the slapstick failure of two people stood in front of me to achieve this pose.

After hours at Truck also saw a good time being had. Running until 2am with a choice of a silent disco and not one, but two, ‘indie bangers’ parties each night at different stages up against more traditionally dancey DJs in the Market Stage tent. Many of the weekend’s memorable moments came at this hour, the pick being the simultaneity of the sight of an individual staggering around in his own world (or at least not of this one), Newcastle shirt aloft, presumably babbling his love for Sam Fender, while we were regaled by a pair of young women explaining how they had spent their weekend ‘reverse catcalling’ men from their pathside tent. Saturday night at one of the indie rock dance tents was good fun, though I troublingly cannot recall any women artists included on the playlist, and found myself, in a brief wave of sobriety, wondering exactly which wave of feminism ‘Fit But You Know It’ spoke to.

If you are looking for a beery indie rock party, Truck is surely the festival for you. Less sprawling and destructive than Reading – and with an easily navigable site – you can catch some old favourites among a selection of the next batch of guitar hit-makers before partying into the not-excessively-small hours. And if that were not enough, there is even the prospect of moshing to a 30-piece orchestra…

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, make sure you nab tickets for next year’s 2023 festival! Super Early Bird tickets will be available from this Friday, 29th July, at 12pm.

Lloyd Bolton
@lloyd_bolton

Photo Credit: Caitlin Mogridge

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