ALBUM: Fenne Lily – ‘On Hold’

Tentative, pensive and poetic, Fenne Lily has the ability to bruise and heal her listeners all within the space of a single track. Raised in Dorset and now based in Bristol, her debut album On Hold is a beautiful collection of soft, yet seething guitar ballads that strike the heartstrings in a brutal, yet beautiful fashion.

Wary of being “pigeon-holed” after her over-night Spotify success with self-released single ‘Top To Toe’ a few years ago, it’s clear from opening track ‘Car Park’ that Fenne is self-aware when it comes to her songwriting style. “I’ll be the first to admit that my songs are far from uplifting,” she explains, “but while ‘Car Park’ chronicles yet another period of false hope and turmoil, it was written following the realisation that damaging patterns are enabled and suffered by the passive. I cannot and will not blame my heartache on anyone but myself, so this isn’t a song about pain, it’s a song about power.”

It’s this quiet “power” that permeates her record, so even in moments of genuine sadness there’s a sense of relief accompanying many of her tracks. ‘Three Oh Nine’ may ache with desperation, but her brave revelations about fearing abandonment make it a therapeutic listen – “it’s a first for me, it’s a pain I need.”

The urgent and quietly consuming ‘What’s Good’ extends a somber but beautiful invitation for connection, and it flows wonderfully into the heavy grace of ‘The Hand You Deal’. The gentle nod to learned experience from others on ‘More Than You Know’ is pure and compassionate and this is mirrored in her simple acoustic guitar sounds.

Title-track ‘On Hold’ is a grateful ode to small acts of kindness, whilst ‘Top To Toe’ documents the seemingly inevitable changes you start to make when mixed feelings start to appear – “So I’m changing all my days to make your nights / it’s just not right.” The light, refreshing honesty of ‘Bud’ follows, with the charming ‘Brother’ behind it, before the penultimate ‘For A While’ opens more tender romantic wounds. ‘Car Park Overflow’ bookends this melancholy but hopeful record.

With the aid of producers Tamu Massif, James Thorpe, PJ Harvey collaborator John Parish, and the mixing skills of Ali Chant, Fenne Lily’s debut album is set of delicate but passionate laments about the pain and the clarity that comes with falling in and out of love with others, and trying to be kind to yourself. Don’t put it On Hold, invest in her music immediately.

On Hold is available online and in stores now. Order your copy here.

Catch Fenne Lily live at London’s Moth Club on April 10th (tickets here).

Follow Fenne Lily on Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Hollie Fernando

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

ALBUM: Black Gold Buffalo – ‘Black Gold Buffalo’

A shimmering example of the East London band’s patience and dedication to creating atmospheric, dark-pop gems, Black Gold Buffalo‘s self-titled debut album is a precious body of work that’s been well worth waiting for. Line-up changes and relocations have altered the band’s output since their conception in 2014, but their new record, released via their own label Buff Rekkids, is a sharp exploration of personal experiences, frustrations and disillusionment with the capital city.

Hypnotic opener ‘Lay It Down’ is a sublime musical tonic for nagging thoughts and unresolved anxieties, with vocalist Keziah Stillwell’s rhetorical line “How do you feel?” echoing out over Joy Joseph’s steady beats with poignant resonance. It flows straight in to ‘Pearls Deep’, which is a blend of atmospheric bass lines from Hannah Holland, melodic guitar riffs from Marc Hayward and that consistent percussion which makes all of Black Gold Buffalo’s tracks ripple with intensity.

The rolling rhythms on ‘Weightless’ are the perfect catalyst to ‘Start A Fire’, which is a haze of smoldering vocals, fiery guitar and bass lines that cut through the smoke. The funky ‘Penkenna’ keeps the heat rising with it’s atmospheric beats which promise to “take you away”, before ‘Anntropix’ breaks the spell, playing out in a soothing, yet anthemic fashion.

Keziah’s vocals blaze in full glory on the mesmerising ‘Magnets’, while exquisite penultimate track ‘Body Of Verity’ is a swirling fusion of bass, guitar & electronics. Brooding bass and guitar melt together once more alongside driving rhythms and bittersweet vocals here, before the slow-burning ‘Amillion’ closes the record.

Combining emotion with integrity, DIY ethics with big ambitions and blurring genre boundaries with ease, Black Gold Buffalo’s debut continues to strengthen after every listen. Help them celebrate their success at the album launch at The Shacklewell Arms on April 10th. RSVP here.

Order your Limited Edition USB version of the album here.

Follow Black Gold Buffalo on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her Ears2 Comments

ALBUM: Zola Jesus – ‘Okovi: Additions’

A mixture of intriguing new electro-industrial sounds and polished remixes, Zola Jesus is set to release her new album Okovi: Additions, on 16th April via Sacred Bones. The record is a set of four previously unheard tracks and four remixes that fit together to provide an “experiential interpretation” of her 2017 critically acclaimed album, Okovi.

“These four new songs were intended to be on Okovi,” Zola Jesus (aka Nika Roza Danilova) explains. “Each of them represents a snapshot of my journey in making the record and are just as precious to me as the songs that made it onto the final track listing. The remixes are beloved in their own way, as most were born from organic circumstances, and have drawn the original songs into completely new atmospheres.”

It’s clear from opening track ‘Vacant’ these “snapshots” are as diverse and sharp as the tracks which originally made the cut. ‘Vacant’ is laced with penetrating vocals that ring out across a demanding soundscape. It bleeds perfectly into the captivating ‘Bound’, with its hypnotic, off-kilter, heavy bouncing synths and driving percussion. Her blend of industrial and classical elements makes both tracks sound like tortured hymns.

The flickering keys on ‘Pilot Light’ briefly shift away from industrial tones, but they’re still steeped in Zola Jesus’ confident delivery. ‘Bitten Wool’ flows in the same vein, with its consuming, haunting vocals. This marks the end of the new tracks and the four remixes that follow are all intricate and altruistic to their collaborators.

Johnny Jewel’s remix of ‘Ash to Bone’ doesn’t deviate too far from the original, but his introduction of sharper beats and heavy underscoring synths resurrects Zola Jesus’ lyrical lamentations about disconnection. ‘Siphon’ is transformed by Katie Gately’s anthemic, vocal layering and Randall Dunn & Aaron Weaver’s remix of ‘Exhumed’ is both warped and wonderful.

Joanne Pollock’s subtle re-working of ‘Soak’ closes Okovi: Additions on a powerful, definitive note. As Zola Jesus promises in her lyrics: “you should know I would never let you down,” and her ability to collaborate and explore her sound with others has proved this. Whether you’re new to Zola Jesus or an avid Okovi fan, these Additions will have you hooked.

Okovi: Additions is released via Sacred Bones on April 6th 2018. Order your copy here. Follow Zola Jesus on Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Laura June Kirsch

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her Ears1 Comment

Track Of The Day: For Esmé – ‘For Others’

Dazzling synths and strong feminist beliefs combine on ‘For Others’, the latest single from Toronto-based For Esmé. The track negotiates the struggle between the “impossible things” women must contemplate whilst struggling to balance a career, a family, a romantic life and an honest expression of self-identity.

The project is fronted by multi-talented artist Martha Meredith and the new single is taken from For Esmé’s upcoming LP, Righteous Woman, set to be released on 25th May this year. The album was co-created with collaborator Dave Thiel and producer James Bunton (Donovan Woods, Too Attached) and mastered by Mandy Parnell (Bjork, Aphex Twin, Dirty Projectors).

Described as “a confrontation with self and the systems that shape us,” Righteous Woman was influenced by Meredith’s ongoing work with Toronto Women in Music, a network of female identifying musicians working to support one another and claim space in a male-dominated industry. With such vital foresight and passion, we’re sure For Esmé’s music is going to inspire other women to create their own sounds and opinions in music and beyond.

Watch the video for ‘For Others’ below and follow For Esmé on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment