Track Of The Day: Petrol Girls – ‘Preachers’

Having recently wowed us with the pertinent power of singles such as ‘Baby, I Had An Abortion‘ and ‘Clowns‘, we’re super excited to hear that Petrol Girls are now set to release their new album Baby next week.

Another acerbic offering taken from the album is new single ‘Preachers’. Propelled by a fierce energy and glitchy, discordant whirr, it’s an all-too-poignant reflection on the pressure that women and marginalised genders within radical left communities face to speak and act perfectly, and the scrutiny they are often put under for any mistakes made, in comparison to their male peers. Building to an impassioned cacophony, it immerses the listener in its incredibly relatable subject matter, that is resonant within both the musical and wider political communities.

Inspired by Adrienne Maree Brown’s book We Will Not Cancel Us, ‘Preachers’ is a raging anthem, calling on us to recognise the disparities within communities who should be fighting for the same things; throwing a spotlight on the inconsistencies of call-out culture and moral one-upmanship.

With a seething sense of urgency, it offers a perfectly riotous catharsis, taking the form of a somewhat stripped-back, frenzied barrage of sound with Ren Aldridge’s immense vocals blasting out with a raw power taking centre stage. Of the track, and the themes of the album as a whole, Ren explains:

“I get very frustrated by the lack of nuance sometimes, and the way people seem so much more interested in punishing individuals than building resilient communities of care. And I hate the way that women and marginalised genders are held to such a way higher standard than cis-men… I just really needed to reject this pressure to always act and speak completely perfectly, which has had a severe impact on my mental health by putting me in a constant state of hyper-vigilance and piling up alongside other pressures to make me mentally collapse. For me, our new album is so much about recovering from that severe depressive episode, and a crucial part of that was saying fuck it, I will never do enough, I will always make mistakes, but as long as I am true to my values and reflective, that’s fucking fine.”

Baby, the upcoming new album from Petrol Girls, is out next Friday 24th June via Hassle. Pre-order here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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LISTEN: CRISP&CLASSY – ‘Boom Bay’ (Kat Knix Remix)

Having been big fans of Feminist LGBTQIA+ electro-pop duo CRISP&CLASSY since the release of their joyous debut album  XTRA CRISPY last year, we were excited to hear that they will be sharing a special remix EP, The XTRA CRISPY Remixes, this month.

Taken from the EP comes a vibrant rendition of ‘Boom Bay‘, remixed by none other than the band’s own Kat Knix. Having been featured on The Knife’s own remix album back in 2014, Knix has gone on to build her reputation as a DJ and producer, delivering epic sets across the dance music scene throughout the UK and Europe.

Propelled by glitchy beats and danceable hooks, Knix’s remix of the colourful track shines a light on ‘Boom Bay’s frenzied reggaeton energy and swirling, euphoric spirit. With the zesty addition of racing, staccato beats and choppy vocal samples, it maintains all the sensuous, soulful drive of the original with a blissful yet dark deep-house pizazz. Another playful offering, showcasing all the genre and gender bending magnificence of this wonderfully sassy duo.

Listen to Kat Knix’s remix of ‘Boom Bay’ here:

Kat Knix’s remix of CRISP&CLASSY’s ‘Boom Bay’ is out now. And, also featuring the likes of Lizette Lizette, Arnie Wrong and High Cheru, the full album The XTRA CRISPY Remixes is set for release later this month.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Track Of The Day: A.A. Williams – ‘Evaporate’

A heavy, graceful musing on the darker side of the emotional spectrum, London-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist A.A. Williams has shared her latest single ‘Evaporate’. Taken from her upcoming second album, As The Moon Rests, which is set for release on 7th October via Bella Union, the track is a brooding blend of dramatic volume fluctuations and Williams’ effortless vocals, which mirror the raw sensitivity of her introspective lyrics.

Following on from her exquisite debut album Forever Blue (2020) and her lockdown inspired covers EP Songs From Isolation (2021), A.A. Williams’ second album looks set to be another stunning collection of cinematic, intense sounds. “Traditionally, your second album is the worry; where there’s the weight of expectation,” Williams comments, “but I must create music I like myself, and I’ve had more time on this record; I’ve felt more confidence and conviction. As The Moon Rests is both heavier and softer, there’s more texture and weight, and a string ensemble. It’s Forever Blue times ten!”

‘Evaporate’ is the first hint at what’s to come from the new record, and it’s a poetic, heavy rumination on the overwhelming nature of ones inner thoughts when they’re eventually  brought to the surface. Williams prefers not to be prescriptive about the exact emotions that inform her tempestuous tracks, allowing her listeners to extrapolate on their own terms. “It’s all part of an overriding arc,” she explains about her music. “With hindsight, some songs I figure things out, others I disappear into a hole. For example, in ‘Evaporate’, I’m trying to keep a lid on fizzy complicated thoughts, which just explode. Other times, I’m more relaxed. Mostly, writing is more retrospective, not about the here and now. The lyrics are the place where I figure things out.”

Williams’ intuition for writing elusive, tender lyrics alongside powerful, instinctive volume shifts is what makes listening to her music so enthralling. Accompanied by a monochrome video directed by Fraser West, ‘Evaporate’ is a dramatic, urgent return to form for A.A. Williams who looks set to be at the top of our ‘Albums of 2022’ list already.

Watch the video for ‘Evaporate’ below.

Follow A.A. Williams on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Thomas Williams

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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ALBUM: Horsegirl – ‘Versions Of Modern Performance’

With their debut album, Versions of Modern Performance, Horsegirl have translated the world of underground underage Chicago into 30 minutes of sludgy jubilation. Thudding drums, strangled guitar lines and catchy choruses: it’s a time-honoured formula, executed here with vigour and original flair.

The band produced this record as college freshmen and high school seniors and it is bursting with a fine balance of youthful exuberance and nuance beyond their years. Within a tight instrumental framework, the group explore a range of emphases and styles, from the more straightforward guitar pop of tunes like ‘Anti-Glory’ to textural instrumental interludes and the unusually weighted ‘Fall of Horsegirl’, in which the guitar foregrounds the vocal line.

The integrity of the artistic scene from which Horsegirl have emerged defines the sound, attitude and presentation of this music. The group are keen to champion the work of the network of fellow creatives too young to get into most concerts going on in Chicago and forced to organise shows and create among themselves. Their videos employ the talents of friends and peers who put their directorial and kitchen dancing skills to use in assertively homemade productions (check out the video for ‘Billy’). There is an infectious DIY enthusiasm in everything this band does, and this reverberates through Versions Of Modern Performance.

Undaunted by the transition from high school band to signees with heavyweight indie label Matador, the group have made a deliberate effort to remain faithful to the simple setup that has taken them this far. Describing this self-consciously as “the debut bare-bones album”, they bring the sound of their various basement rehearsal rooms to the studio. The choice of John Agnello as producer suits this aim to be true to the band’s roots, given that his CV, which includes Dinosaur Jr. and The Breeders, reads like a list of the influences you can hear working throughout the record.

Though this record takes many cues from the sound and approach of much of that American brand of alt rock that has been around since the mid-80s, the group make this sound their own. It feels like the natural outcome of three imaginative rock musicians playing in someone’s basement; an honest, instinctive debut free from contrived affectations.

Listen to Versions Of Modern Performance on bandcamp or Spotify

Follow Horsegirl on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Cheryl Dunn

Lloyd Bolton
@franklloydwleft
@lloyd_bolton

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