EP: Porij – ‘Baby Face’

Balancing their love for pop & dance music alongside their social and emotional conscience, Manchester-based four piece Porij have created a bright, spirited collection of songs on their new EP, Baby Face. Whether they’re trying to rebuild the rattled confidence of women walking alone at night on buoyant opener ‘Nobody Scared’, or soothe the sting of a brief break-up on ‘Divine’, Porij do it with playful flair and infectious optimism via their dancing beats and quirky electronics.

Greatly influenced by the carefree time they spent studying, living together and playing to crowds who craved a mixture of genres in Manchester, Porij have leaned into their poppier tendencies on this latest offering. Whilst their debut EP Breakfast hinted at a love for the genre, on Baby Face they unabashedly embrace the joy that comes with writing a succinct pop song. “We’re all pop people,” vocalist & keyboardist Eggy explains. “A lot of bands are quite anti-pop, but I think the art of writing pop is ridiculous! Pop is hard to write.”

Finding method in their “mish-mash” of pop and dance, the bandmates have written four fun-sounding tracks fuelled by everything from lust to disgust. Penned after Eggy learned about the origins of the Reclaim the Night marches whilst watching a crime documentary on Netflix, ‘Nobody Scared’ is designed to empower listeners with its mantra-like chorus, lulling them into a state of security. There’s a healthy dose of self-love on ‘Divine’, with Eggy’s smooth vocals urging listeners to declare “Bitch, I’m divine” when they reach those “pearly gates.”

Guitarist Tommy’s lilting riffs on ‘Ego’ slide smoothly over drummer Tom’s buoyant percussion and James’ edgy basslines, but it’s the pure UK garage club vibes of ‘Can’t Stop’ that provides the real dancefloor-filling energy. They linger on and provide a remedy for the post-hook up blues. Lusty closer ‘Heaven Knows’ pleases with its direct lyrics, contrasting synth sounds and more of the band’s playful beats. It bookends their joyful dive into pop, patriarchy and finding pleasure in skipping through genre loop holes.

Light in all the right places, Porij’s new EP Baby Face provides a brief but lively distraction from everyday life.

Porij’s new EP Baby Face is set for release on 22nd September.

Follow Porij on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@kcbobcut

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Track Of The Day: SPIDER – ‘I’m Fine, I’m Good, I’m Perfect!’

A brooding, dark-pop tune that reflects on the grey area between feeling emotionally overwhelmed and totally apathetic, London-based, Irish born musician & producer SPIDER has shared her latest single ‘I’m Fine, I’m Good, I’m Perfect!’ Full of heady guitar distortion and raw, relatable lyrics, the track playfully embraces and dismisses life’s darker moments with its catchy chorus and smooth vocals.

Born and raised in Dublin, twenty-one year old SPIDER harnesses the strong feminine energy of the arachnid she’s named after as a totemic symbol through which she can explore her own emotional resilience. She struggled growing up as a young Nigerian girl in a predominately white country, but creating music provided her with an outlet for her most unfiltered thoughts. Now, with new single ‘I’m Fine, I’m Good, I’m Perfect!’ she continues this narrative of breaking down personal barriers to share her truth, and she does so with witty, provocative flair.

Following on from her debut single ‘Water Sign‘, SPIDER’s latest offering was created whilst she was quarantining in her South London flat during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired by songwriters like Lorde, Conan Gray and Taylor Swift, SPIDER spins her own cohesive musical webs to catch her listeners off guard, distracting them with poppy melodies as she unravels her innermost thoughts.

Listen to ‘I’m Fine, I’m Good, I’m Perfect!’ below.

Follow SPIDER on Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: Grace Petrie – ‘The Last Man On Earth’

Having been a big fan of Grace Petrie and her politically-charged, but beautifully catchy, folk-strewn anthems since first hearing 2018’s Queer As Folk, I was excited to hear that she will be releasing her new album, Connectivity, next month (read all about this and more in our in-depth interview with her). Following the release of her euphoric last single ‘Storm To Weather’, she has now shared ‘The Last Man On Earth’ and its accompanying brand new video.

Showcasing Petrie’s exquisite smooth vocals at their most angelic, ‘The Last Man On Earth‘ fuses together a heartwarming ode to friendship with a moving reflection on the confused headspace that can come from mixed messages and unrequited feelings… Flowing with lilting, folk-strewn melodies – complete with jangling banjo refrains and sweeping strings – it’s a perfect example of the Leicester songwriter’s knack for combining beautifully harmonious sounds with a gritty, stirring lyricism, and often a touch of playful wit. Shimmering with Petrie’s crystalline charm, it poignantly juxtaposes the raw emotion of its heartfelt sentiment with a refreshingly joyous musicality and instantly catchy energy. Of the track, she explains:

“… it’s a country-inspired bop that we couldn’t stop singing during the recording sessions. It’s about the age-old experience of being a butch lesbian in a slightly confusing friendship with a straight woman where you both know the lines are a bit blurred but ultimately it will never come to anything. It seemed like country was the best medium for that message, sort of a slightly satirical take on the classic “sad country music” cliche.”

‘The Last Man On Earth’ is accompanied by a fun-filled video of people young and old line-dancing along to Grace and her band; a perfect reflection of the feeling of solidarity and joy of coming together with like-minded folk that runs throughout the upcoming album. So, fling on those daisy dukes, nab the cowboy hat that’s been hanging in the wardrobe since that fancy dress party in Fresher’s week 2005, and immerse yourself in the uptempo twinkling spirit of this spirited new offering.

Connectivity, the upcoming new album from Grace Petrie, is set for release 4th October. Pre-order here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Track Of The Day: Coco – ‘Come Along’

Formed in 2019, LA trio Coco consists of Maia Friedman (of Dirty Projectors, Uni Ika Ai), Dan Molad (of Lucius, Chimney), and Oliver Hill (of Pavo Pavo, Dustrider). Now, following acclaim for their beautifully wistful last offering, ‘Knots‘, they have shared a stirring brand new single ahead of the release of their debut album next month.

Oozing a twinkling, ethereal haze, ‘Come Along‘ flows with a lilting energy, creating a dreamy, shimmering soundscape. As gentle strummed melodies provide the backdrop for the blissful allure of harmonious vocals coming together, the track bathes the listener in its sweeping euphoric splendour. With shades of the sparkling energy of the likes of Real Estate, ‘Come Along’ invites you to immerse yourself in its captivating grace; soothe yourself with its rippling sonic waves.

The track is accompanied by a new video, perfectly reflecting its breezy, uplifting vibes. The band explain:

“The skeleton of ‘Come Along’ was recorded live, all together, with Oliver on guitar, Maia on drums, and Danny on bass. The underlying chord loop plays throughout as other instruments are weaved in one by one, picking up momentum and rolling forward as everything joins in harmony. The video mimics the song in this way, portraying our individual days-in-the-life with each of us filming one another on handheld camcorders. The day culminates in our first performance together as Coco, at a houseshow in Oliver’s garage with our friends as backing band. When it all came together we were pleased with the juxtaposition of the comically low fidelity and fast-paced editing, like a homemade action movie.“

Watch the video for ‘Come Along’ here:

Coco’s eponymous debut album is set for release on 29th October.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Stella Hartmann

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