Track Of The Day: girlhouse – ‘concussion’

A hazy, bitter sweet reflection on the unexpected challenges of overcoming heartbreak, US bedroom-pop artist girlhouse has shared her latest single ‘concussion’. Taken from her upcoming record the second EP, the track is a gentle, lo-fi offering inspired by girlhouse aka Lauren Luiz’s own experience of being involved in a both physical and emotional car crash.

“‘concussion’ is about a monumentally shit day,” Luiz explains. “My first and favorite car got smashed (it was a bright orange 81 Honda Civic with a stick shift), next thing I knew I was lying on the ground, being harassed by LA firemen while a woman was screaming at me calling me a dumb bitch. I just have no idea what happened, all I could think about was this person that had just broken my heart, somehow nothing else mattered. I think I used that relationship as a distraction in a big way, it was that moment where I realized that person was taking up a lot of mental real estate and I needed to make room for actual problems in my life and move on.”

Luiz has transformed her ruminations on this traumatic event into a bright, playful slice of bedroom-pop. Moving on from the anxiety that underscored her debut self-titled EP, girlhouse’s new efforts look set to be just as emotive, but more mature in sound and delivery.

Watch the video for ‘concussion’ below.

Follow girlhouse on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

ALBUM: Lingua Ignota – ‘SINNER GET READY’

“And all that I’ve learned / is everything burns” laments Lingua Ignota aka Kristin Hayter on ‘Pennsylvania Furnace’, the fourth track on her latest album SINNER GET READY – an apt sentiment for a record that blazes with a unique orchestral agony.

Released via Sargent House, Hayter’s fourth full length offering is an emotional exorcism inspired by the severe brand of Christianity in rural Pennsylvania where she currently lives. Its strictness permeates her vision to the core; her lyrics, majestic hymn-like instrumentation and gothic aesthetic smoulder with a righteous thirst that can only be sated by the blood of Jesus – a recurring lyrical and visual motif on the album.

Whilst it’s clear that Hayter has made a distinct departure from the furious, visceral sounds of CALIGULA, her sensational vocals are still the lifeblood of SINNER GET READY. She uses her voice to devastating effect, harrowing up the soul with her effortless ability to switch from a soft, divine cry to a cord-ripping, desperate plea. She is like a one woman version of the chorus of ancient furies that saturate Greek mythology; Medea-like in her repulsion, relentless in the revenge she reeks upon the souls who cross her path.

From the unsettling, majestic keys of epic opener ‘The Order Of Spiritual Virgins’ on which she warns “Hide your children / hide your husband / I am relentless / I am incessant / I am the ocean” to the theatrical, cathedral-worthy organ on ‘I Who Bend The Tall Grasses’, Hayter’s furious summons often give the impression of a preacher who has lost their way. Her guttural, spitefully shouted lyrics “I don’t give a fuck / just kill him / you have to / I’m not asking” on the latter are matched by the violent imagery on ‘Repent Now Confess Now’ – “He will knock the breath from you / he will ram your eyes with glass” – all culminating to create a palpable sense of dread.

A vessel for exposing rage, hypocrisy and suffering; Hayter leaves no stone unturned. She blends self and social flagellation together effortlessly on three tracks that centre around the questionable sincerity of disgraced American Evangelist TV Preacher Jimmy Swaggart. The audio of his televised confession is layered over the instrumentation at the end of ‘The Sacred Linament Of Judgment’, featuring his “blood of Jesus'” remark which Hayter then uses as a lyrical backbone for the sombre ‘Perpetual Flame Of Centralia’. It’s bookended with ‘Man Is Like A Spring Flower’, which opens with the audio of an interview with the prostitute who brought Swaggart’s indiscretions to the surface, embellished by Hayter’s potent, destructive lyric “The heart of man is a furnace.”

With her archaic song titles, immersion into Christian iconography and distinctive vocal delivery, Hayter invites her listeners to dwell in the chaotic, divine abyss on SINNER GET READY. “Do you want to be / in hell with me?” she asks – if hell sounds like this, we’ll gladly walk into the flames. Even without a full understanding of the album’s religious context, SINNER GET READY provides a profound emotional release.

Follow Lingua Ignota on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

LISTEN: Jaz Beeson – ‘Coffee Machine Sounds’

A charming ode to breaking free from obscurity in order to become the person you want to be, Lincolnshire-based songwriter Jaz Beeson has shared her new single ‘Coffee Machine Sounds’. Defining her music as “sunflower pop”, Beeson’s gentle vocals and hazy guitars urge listeners to trust their instincts, take their own initiative and explore the world beyond their doorsteps on her latest track.

“I wrote ‘Coffee Machine Sounds’ at a time where I felt trapped in the monotony of small town life,” Beeson explains. “It really helped me to process that feeling and it’s one of my favourite songs I’ve released so far.” Through her observational lyrics and yearning vocals, Beeson softly communicates her desire to escape the status quo and experience the richness of a life somewhere else beyond the four walls of the office in her hometown.

Self-described as making music for “curtain-twitch ditchers, the designated drivers, coming-of-agers and cottagecore daydreamers,” Beeson’s single will resonate with those who know they need to move forward, holding their own hand as they embark on a new journey of self discovery.

Listen to ‘Coffee Machine Sounds’ below.

Follow Jaz Beeson on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: BLAB – ‘Insurance’

A gritty reflection on how our definition of success changes as we grow older, Southend-based multi-instrumentalist BLAB has shared her latest single ‘Insurance’. Released via Cool Thing Records, BLAB combines direct lyrics and restless guitar lines in order to deliver her cutting observations on how we avoid being crushed by the pressures of conformity.

“I was really inspired by Gang Of Four when I was writing ‘Insurance’,” BLAB aka Frances Murray explains. “It’s about questioning whether your life actually makes you happy or whether you’re just following the crowd. Working in insurance or in a city job has become such a universal experience for 20-somethings. ‘Insurance’ peers behind the façade at the unfortunate truth that external markers of success don’t always equate to a life of fulfilment. It touches upon my own realisation of this fact, and how due to social media and societal expectation I had a very warped view of what a happy and successful life for myself would be like.”

With her previous singles ‘Eton Mess’, ‘Casual Sex’ and ‘RIP’, BLAB firmly communicated her anti-establishment message. Now with her latest single ‘Insurance’, she pushes these boundaries further and reaffirms her narrative of independence and individuality, completely on her own terms. She’s 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.

Listen to ‘Insurance’ below.

Follow BLAB on Spotify, Instagram, Twitter &  Facebook and for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment