EP: Dear Pariah – ‘Live at Thais’

London-based songwriter Dear Pariah‘s (Charlie Hinchcliff) latest EP, Live at Thais, is a salve on frayed nerves, with its soothing presence and expansive soundscape. From the outset, Hinchcliff sets hearts aflutter with her crystal clear vocal delivery and poignant lyricism. The EP is hazy and hypnotic, yet hyper-focused on building a strong sonic base through minimalist instrumentation.

The five-track offering opens with ‘Felt Some Love’, a slow-burning rock-tinged tune, anchored by an electric guitar and Hinchcliff’s heartfelt vocals. Following track ‘Bench’ goes in the opposite direction, going for an acoustic instrumental that highlights Hinchcliff’s impressive vocal range. With poetic lyrics and a soothing sonic arrangement, this is a personal favourite and a very early highlight.

The gospel-touched delivery of ‘Not Ready’ shows Hinchcliff’s musical versatility, surrounding listeners in the warmth of heavenly vocals, and melodies that beg for more than one listen. Next comes ‘Tired’, a hauntingly beautiful tune which plays with folksy instrumentation. The track is another stand-out, with its vulnerable, melancholic setting blanketing the mood of the EP. It’s a sombre yet comforting listen.

Closing track ‘Leave Me Be’ is a quiet piece of brilliance that shines for its understated arrangement and delivery. Led by acoustic guitar and elevated by a voice that feels meditative and powerful all at once, the track brings Live at Thais to a perfect ending. Dear Pariah is an artist everyone needs to listen to at least once, and if you’re going to pick any place to start, Live at Thais is certainly the best.

Buy your copy of Live At Thais from bandcamp.
Follow Dear Pariah on Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Malvika Padin
@malvika_padin26

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ALBUM: Harkin – ‘Harkin’

Armed with experiences from a life of touring and collaborations, Harkin has taken her first steps towards a solo journey with her eponymous LP. The album is set for release on 24th April via Hand Mirror, a new label set up by Harkin and her partner, poet & live arts organiser, Kate Leah Hewett.

Well known for being a touring member of Sleater-Kinney, Wild Beasts, and Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett; Harkin has teamed up with Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint) and Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak & Bon Iver) to help record her debut album – but this doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s all Harkin, through and through.

Opening with the booming guitar of ‘Mist on Glass’, Harkin is off to a powerful start as bold, sharp vocals carry through from one track to the next. The swagger of ‘Nothing the Night Can’t Change’ gives way to the softer sonics of ‘Decade’, before the first highlight of the 10-track production comes in the form of thumping beats and husky vocals of ‘Up To Speed’. Next track ‘Bristling’ follows the same path, with a soundscape of drums and guitar.

At the halfway point, ‘Dial It In’ passes by, followed by interlude ‘Red Virginia Creeper’ before the undeniable stand out track of the album breaks through. The foreboding, looming and brilliant ‘Sun Stay With Me’ is the beginning of an eerie mood that travels through the remaining tracks of the album. Penultimate offering ‘New France’ is soaked in reverb-ridden sonics, and spoken word-esque delivery, vibrating with a presence that’s felt even after the last notes fade.

Harkin closes with the ringing acoustic stylings of ‘Charm and Tedium’, with a razor sharp focus on Harkin’s raw vocals. Completed over 16 days dotted between Harkin’s gruelling tour schedule, Harkin is a collection of gritty but smooth songs that showcase a unique trajectory; combining the warmth of nostalgia, with the glitchy pace of the modern world.

Pre-order your copy of Harkin’s debut album here.
Follow Harkin on Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Tomm Roeschlein

Malvika Padin
@malvika_padin26

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EP: Yakima – ‘Go Virtually’

Sharpening their steadily developing woozy, lo-fi sound, Glasgow quartet Yakima are set to bring their debut EP Go Virtually into the world on 3rd April. Drawing influence from their love for melodic expression and frenzied sonics, the record flits across boundaries of reality and imagination with its hazy, warm presentation.

Written and recorded in the unusual setting of a drafty gatehouse next to a nearby castle – with a ceiling made entirely of spider webs – the EP lends its echoey feel across six tracks. With production coming from Benji Compston and Jon EE Allan of acclaimed band, Happyness, the quartet’s debut record showcases an array of sounds that vary from upbeat and rock-tinged, to fragile and quiet.

Groovy, upbeat opener ‘It Helped’ establishes the observational lyricism that the band lean towards; looking the uncomfortable reality and battle of quitting smoking right in the eye. Following track ‘Judy’s Lament’ is rooted in the experience of reading about Judy Garland’s insomnia. Eventually turned in to a song about Garland’s imagined feelings about the lack of sleep, it’s a soothing lullaby that stands out as an early highlight for its smooth, quiet vocals.

‘Thanks’ makes way for a sudden spike in energy with it’s guitar-led sonics and melodic vocals, with the wild cut of ‘I’m Happy (In No Way)’ making room for the second high point on the EP, before IT loses itself in the chaotic, improvised outro of ‘Real Time’. Closing track ‘Sheep Boy, Cry Man’ (the title of which draws inspiration from “Cry Rooms” in Japan, where occupants go to relieve stress) is the most somber offering on Go Virtually.

Toying with vocal harmonies and earworm melodies, Yakima’s debut EP is an analytical creation that looks into the complex relationship between what’s right in front of you and what’s in your mind. Influenced by the likes of The Byrds, Elliott Smith, The Beach Boys, Sparklehorse, Low and Duster among so many others, the band still manage to shine with an authentic exuberance that can only be their own.

Yakima’s EP Go Virtually is released on 3rd April. Follow the band on Facebook and Spotify for more updates.

Malvika Padin
@malvika_padin26

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