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LISTEN: Brimheim – ‘hey amanda’

An ode to friendship in all its bittersweet glory, Danish alt-pop artist Brimheim has shared her latest single ‘hey amanda’. Taken from her upcoming album, can’t hate myself into a different shape, which is set for release on 28th January via W.A.S Entertainment, the track is a celebration of platonic love, brimming with nostalgic lyrics, warm guitar sounds and tender vocals.

“Obviously there are plenty of great romantic love songs, but for some reason there aren’t a lot of love songs about friendships, even though they’re often just as crucial and formative as any crush or relationship,” Brimheim aka Helena Heinesen Rebensdorff explains about the context of her new single. “Amanda and I became best friends when we were 10 and it is one of my closest relationships to this day. The impact our friendship has had on my life is hard to overstate – especially because we grew our shared interest in art and music together at a very formative time in our lives. I feel like that’s pretty special – to have grown into the adult versions of ourselves and still be friends.”

Brimheim recalls her teenage memories of talking on the landline for hours and biking over to Amanda’s house with genuine warmth, earnestly admitting “in my heart we’re still kids messing around / just like we used to.” Emerging from the shadowy grandeur of her previous single ‘poison fizzing on a tongue‘, the buoyant ‘hey amanda’ is a gentler, but equally as emotive track that showcases Brimheim’s talent for capturing a moment in its purest form.

Listen to ‘hey amanda’ below.

Follow Brimheim on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Sofi Hellberg Olsso

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

November 19, 2021November 19, 2021

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Prima Queen – ‘Chew My Cheeks’

Inspired by the swirl of emotions that an unhealthy infatuation with someone unobtainable can bring, London-based duo Prima Queen have shared their latest single ‘Chew My Cheeks’. Released via Nice Swan Recordings and produced by The Big Moon, best friends Louise Macphail and Kristin McFadden explore their ailing fascination and mixed emotions via soft vocals and sultry guitar twangs, giving the track its buoyant, relatable charm.

“‘Chew My Cheeks’ is a song that centres on an unhealthy obsession with someone who is slightly out of reach,” the band explain. “We wrote it in lockdown last year when we were remembering what it was like to idealise people you don’t know and to use them as a form of escapism. We ended up watching The Matrix in isolation together around the same time and were really inspired by the world in which the movie creates.”

Smoothing over these desires and fantasies was made all the easier with GIHE favourites The Big Moon on production duties. “It was incredible being able to work with The Big Moon since they’ve been such a big inspiration to us and we look up to them so much,” the duo comment. “They really understood our vision for the song and we were so impressed with how they were able to bring it to life.”

Listen to ‘Chew My Cheeks’ below.

Follow Prima Queen on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

November 18, 2021

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

WATCH: SOFT LAD – ‘Singapore’

An upbeat, cathartic reflection on the tender and important time between a break-up and moving on to something new, SOFT LAD has shared her debut single ‘Singapore’. Full of relatable lyrics, shimmering melodies and soft vocals, the track is a comforting exhale providing listeners with an optimistic moment of clarity.

SOFT LAD aka Sophie Galpin has spent the past fourteen years as a multi-instrumentalist playing alongside the likes of Tom Greennan, The Breeders, James Vincent McMorrow, Jessie Ware and most recently SOAK and SELF ESTEEM. Now, she’s stepping into the spotlight to share her brand of honest pop, with her debut single focusing in on the multi-faceted nature of queer relationships. “Now I don’t have to wait for your updates, honey / well I can heave a sigh for the last time, and leave you behind” she muses, her vocals floating over buoyant riffs and driving beats.

“This song describes a break-up and that bit initially after where you look back for one last time, then take that first step forward as a person on your own in the world,” Gaplin explains about ‘Singapore’. “You feel like shit, and your friends tell you that you’re going to be fine and although intellectually you can rationalise it, you can’t truly feel it for a while until you get the perspective. And intertwined with that feeling of loss, you also have this feeling of relief of at least knowing where you stand and breathing it all out. You suddenly have time and re-realise you can do whatever you want at any given time.”

Accompanied by a video directed by Olivier Richomme and Sarah Jenny Johnson, ‘Singapore’ is SOFT LAD’s optimistic statement about life after love, and it’s gentle euphoria is infectious.

Watch the video for ‘Singapore’ below.

Follow SOFT LAD on Twitter & Instagram

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

November 12, 2021November 14, 2021

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

LISTEN: BLAB – ‘Gemini’

A guarded, but playful reflection on the pain of unrequited love filtered through an astrological lens, Southend-based multi-instrumentalist BLAB has shared her latest single ‘Gemini’. Released via Cool Thing Records, BLAB combines catchy guitar riffs with her bittersweet lyrics to work through her mixed emotions.

“’Gemini’ is my sad girl-astrology-emo-garage-anthem,” BLAB aka Frances Murray explains. “It’s about unrequited love but I didn’t want it to feel super sad. I kinda love how it’s super garage-y and ravey, but the lyrics are really heart-breaking, a bit like ‘Mr Brightside’. When I start dating someone, I always find out their star sign and try to suss them out a bit, see what I’m working with personality-wise. I always end up looking past the bad aspects of someone and this song is the realisation “oh, you’re such a Gemini” like, I now see you for who you actually are. I hope people can two-step and cry to this tune at the same time because that’s what I’ll be doing.”

Through her catchy beats and direct lyricism, BLAB cuts through barbed emotional moments on ‘Gemini’, softening unsettling realisations like “she looks like me and I look like her / a trait that I despise.” With her previous singles ‘Eton Mess’, ‘Casual Sex’, ‘RIP’ and ‘Insurance’, BLAB firmly communicated her anti-establishment, anti-ego message. With ‘Gemini’, she reaffirms her narrative of independence and individuality, but showcases a slightly softer side, tinged with a relatable melancholy.

BLAB is currently working on her debut album with Sam Duckworth (Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly) and Rees Broomfield at SS2 Recording in Southend, channelling her riot grrrl attitude into a collection of witty, infectious anthems.