Track Of The Day: of all living things – ‘If I Go’

A brooding, atmospheric guitar tune that shimmers with melancholic yearning, Dublin four piece of all living things have shared their latest single ‘If I Go’. Taken from their upcoming EP On Familiar Ground, which is set for release on 8th October via Irish label Any Other City records (Villagers, Girl Band), the track is a slow-burning offering that enraptures the ears with its soft vocals, lush guitar sounds and bittersweet lyrics.

Formerly known as Nicetry, of all living things create music that’s inspired by the nostalgia of the 90s alternative scene and their own heady reflections on a misspent youth. Together, the band craft delicate yet immersive soundscapes that chime with raw emotion, and latest single ‘If I Go’ fully showcases these talents. Tentative cymbal taps and lilting guitar textures melt together throughout the track, with an ethereal vocal floating effortlessly above them.

The band recorded their upcoming EP On Familiar Ground with producer Ber Quinn in Dublin’s Sonic Studios and the record is available to pre-order on limited edition 12” vinyl now.

Listen to ‘If I Go’ below.

 

Pre-order your copy of On Familiar Ground here.

Follow of all living things on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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5 Things We Learned At Wide Awake Festival

Brockwell Park was buzzing with excited energy on Friday 3rd September, packed with hundreds of music fans keen to hear the sounds of the eclectic mix of underground talent who were booked to play Wide Awake‘s debut festival. Postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the appetite for hearing live music was unsurprisingly tenacious from the moment the festival gates opened and watching the crowds dance and sing along to the likes of IDLES, Goat Girl, black midi, Lena Willikens, Black Country, New Road and headliners shame gave us an overwhelming sense of joy (heavily aided by multiple cans of Red Stripe.)

We’ve condensed 10 hours of live music down to 5 key points that we’ve filtered through our GIHE lens and shared them with you below…

1. Self Esteem is a beacon of hope

Rebecca Lucy Taylor and her bandmates delivered a truly empowering set during their headline slot on the Moth Club stage, complete with a stunning light show and dancers too. When Taylor walked on stage with the words “But There Is Nothing That Terrifies A Man More Than A Woman That Appears Completely Deranged” lit up behind her silhouette, we knew we were in for a treat. Her powerful voice and relatable lyrics filled the tent with a sincere and playful joy.

2. Porridge Radio are great

We’re well aware most people already know this, but Brighton four piece Porridge Radio really impressed us with their stellar mid-afternoon performance on the Bad Vibrations stage. Fronted by captivating vocalist & lead guitarist Dana Margolin, the band ripped through their setlist full of indie bangers with impressive flair. We’ll definitely be catching them live again in the future.

3. Stumbling across a new favourite band feels just as good as re-visiting old favourites

We’ve missed the electric feeling that flows through your cells when you unexpectedly hear a great song in the distance by a new band you’ve never seen live before. Porridge Radio are a prime example here, but we also found ourselves drawn to the sounds of Snapped Ankles and The Murder Capital on the Moth Club stage, as well as Mandy, Indiana‘s set on the So Young stage. We were sad to miss Dream Wife, who had to cancel last minute due to contracting Covid-19, but GIHE favourites Goat Girl distracted us from this gap in the line-up with their charming yet brooding set on the main stage.

4. Brockwell Park is an ideal location for a music festival

We may be saying this solely because 2/3s of GIHE are based in South London, but Brockwell Park felt like the perfect location for a day of indie, leftfield and electronic music. Packed with independent food & drink stands as well as the main bars, it felt like we’d been transported out of London for the day when the sun was shining and the music was blaring from all directions.

5. We’ve really missed music festivals

From running into old friends, making new ones in the queues for the portaloos and generally just watching everyone else have a total blast, Wide Awake really made things feel “normal” again for a split second. We’re hoping that next year, everyone will feel confident enough to come back to Brockwell Park to sample some of the incredible bands and artists who made the festival feel as exciting and unique as it did this year.

Photo Credit: Luke Dyson (www.lukedyson.com)

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Bleach Lab – ‘Talk It Out’

A bittersweet reflection on romantic burnout, South-London based four piece Bleach Lab have shared their latest single ‘Talk It Out’. Taken from the second EP Nothing Feels Real, which is set for release on 15th October, the track is a shimmering ode to the hard won emotional resilience that’s gained after a particularly draining relationship.

“’Talk It Out’ started as a song about mental health and times when people should open up about their inner thoughts and anxieties,” the band explain. “As the song developed, we approached it from a perspective of being run down so much by a relationship that you thought you loved so much but over time realising that it’s changing who you are, all just to make the other person happy at the cost of your own happiness”.

Jenna Kyle’s distinctive vocals float over atmospheric riffs and shimmering cymbal crashes, as she works through the grief and anger of breaking away from a toxic relationship. These intense, introspective but relatable threads of emotions are what hold together Bleach Lab’s new EP, Nothing Feels Real. Produced by Stephen Street (The Cranberries, The Smiths, Blur), the record looks set to be another shining collection of dream-pop tunes with Bleach Lab’s trademark melancholic edge.

Listen to ‘Talk It Out’ below.

 

Follow Bleach Lab on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Festival Guide: WIDE AWAKE

Event: Wide Awake Festival

Where: Brockwell Park, London

When: Friday 3rd September 2021

Price: £54.45. Tickets can be purchased here.

Who’s Playing: Self Esteem, Fenne Lily, Goat Girl, Porridge Radio, Black Country, New Road, Crack Cloud, ELLES, KOKOROKO, Lena Willikens, Mandy, Indiana, Los Bitchos, DEBONAIR (DJ), Dr Rubinstein (DJ), Mandrake Handshake, Maripool, Minimal Violence, POZI, PVA, Regressive Left, Souvenir, Tina Cousins, White Flowers, C.A.R., Dry Cleaning, Snapped Ankles, The Murder Capital, SLIFT, black midi, Crows, shame, Squid, IDLES & more. Full line-up here.

General Info: Described as “a festival for music fans looking for something different” Wide Awake aims to showcase an eclectic mix of underground music talent. From left-field indie, post punk, electronica to jazz and techno, the line-up is packed with some of the most exciting bands and DJs on the scene. There will be six stages at the festival, curated by The Windmill, Moth Club, Bad Vibrations, So Young, Snap Crackle & Pop and The Gun.

Covid Policy: Admission to the festival will be granted through any of the following methods: An NHS COVID Pass or EU COVID Certificate, a Vaccination Status Letter, or a Negative Lateral Flow Test/PCR Test taken within the past 48 hours. Read more info here.

Positive Policy: Wide Awake aims to be as eco-friendly as possible by adhering to The Positive Policy. This includes a ban of single use plastic across the site, ECO toilets & a fair cup deposit scheme. Read full info on the policy here.

Who GIHE are hoping to catch: We’re already big fans of Goat Girl and Fenne Lily, so we’ll be in the crowd for each of their sets. We’re also excited to catch Maripool, Lena Willikens, KOKOROKO, Minimal Violence, POZI, PVA, White Flowers and Mandy, Indiana for the first time too!

For more information on the festival visit the official website.

Check out our Wide Awake Playlist below!

 

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