EP: Tina Boonstra – ‘My Concrete Heart (Will Beat Again)’

Inspired by the likes of Wolf Alice and Arcade Fire, London-based artist Tina Boonstra writes in a vulnerable yet determined vein. Her debut EP My Concrete Heart (Will Beat Again), released on 2nd February via 7Core Music, is a collection of moving, honest songs that will school listeners in empathy and introspection.

The understated ‘Prodigal’ opens the record, quietly showcasing Tina’s measured but powerful vocals. It leads into the soothing ‘I Think I See You Now’ which plays out “as steady as my heart beats / as certain as the sunrise.” Tina’s musical style may have been intended for the halls of churches (she was raised in a Christian missionary family), but it’s clear from these tracks that her sound was meant to echo further.

It’s easy to surrender “skin and bone” to the sound of ‘Occupy Me’ as it gently builds into another three minutes of hymn-like escapism. Following track ‘Concrete Heart’ is a complete change of pace, with pounding drums, heavier guitar riffs and a melodic chorus that breaks through like the “perfect love” Tina sings of. It feels like an aural emotional release, ringing with the relief you experience when you find someone worth opening up to again.

‘Only A Human’ changes the EP’s direction once more, as Tina explores the isolation of another character: a teenage boy with a suicide bomb strapped to his chest. It’s an unexpected turn and a thought provoking exploration of empathy, culminating in the honest lyric “you’re not to blame now / you’re only a human.” The gentle ‘Castle’ closes the record. It’s a carefully curated piano-led ode to a fortress of love and support and a calm ending to this soft but tempestuous debut.

Speaking of her EP, Tina admits: “I wanted to sing about faith and doubt and the very real struggle to feel anything apart from completely numb.” We’re sure listening to My Concrete Heart (Will Beat Again) will make others feel more again too.

Listen to Tina’s EP on Spotify here, and follow her on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LIVE: Fenne Lily – The Islington, London 31.01.18

Fenne Lily‘s understated, soft, yet seething lyrics captivated her sold out crowd at The Islington on Wednesday night, and we were impressed by her tentative voice and startling self-awareness. Whilst persistent sound issues kept taking listeners out of the moment, Fenne Lily managed to bring them back into it with a combination of perfect vocals and self-deprecating humour.

Whilst her songs often ring with sadness and pain, her not-so-PG stories – including one about a guy who ruined Back To The Future for her by asking for a blow job – make her live performances a real joy to witness.

Accompanied by her bassist and drummer for the majority of her set, she effortlessly performed singles ‘What’s Good’, ‘Bud’ and ‘On Hold’ as well as delivering a poignant solo rendition of track ‘Brother’. She performed the tear-inducing ‘Three Oh Nine’ in her trademark modest, stunning style and even in her sleep-deprived state – she’d spent almost a solid 24 hours hand-painting tote bags for the merch stand – she’s a beguiling, beautiful performer.

We recommend you catch her now, before she inevitably becomes uncatchable.

Support came from Oxford group Be Good, who won the crowd over with their indie-pop sounds and hap-hazard charm.

Fenne Lily’s debut album On Hold will be released on 6th April. Pre-order it here.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: La Lune – ‘He Breathes Colour When I Feel So Grey’

Let the sweeping electronic soundscapes of Brighton-based song-writer La Lune melt your ears this Saturday. The elusive 19 year old has shared her debut EP Bliss with us recently, and we’ve been playing the opening track ‘He Breathes Colour When I Feel So Grey’ on repeat.

Inspired by the likes of The Japanese House, Lorde, James Blake & Bon Iver, La Lune has been creating her own music for just over a year. Her understated, gentle, cleanly produced sounds are a soothing balm for ears conditioned to the sound of chaos and we can’t wait to hear more from this exciting newcomer.

Listen to ‘He Breathes Colour When I Feel So Grey’ below, and follow La Lune on Facebook & Spotify for more music updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Complicated Animals – ‘Show Me’

If you dig 80s music, David Lynch films and “dreamy synth-pop songs,” you’re going to enjoy Complicated Animals latest single ‘Show Me’. The Brazilian-American duo’s track is a lush electronic exploration of the magic that happens when we experience pure, genuine human emotion in a world where most of our interactions are dictated by technology.

Monica da Silva and Chad Alger debuted as Complicated Animals in 2015, with the release of their EP In This Game, but they’ve been creating music together since 2007. Having lived in both the United States and Brazil, da Silva blended the two cultures into her writing, melding indie pop and bossa nova to form a new genre, one she coined “Indie Nova.”

Speaking of the inspiration behind their latest single “Show Me’, da Silva explains: “It’s scary how detached we humans have become. Technology is great, but we’ve got to remember how important human interaction is, and not just go through the motions like zombies. For this song, Chad dug an old synthesizer we had out of the closet. We started stacking sounds and layering vocals. The production came together quickly, and virtually all of the sounds in the track were created using the same synth.”

Listen to ‘Show Me’ below, and if you’re planning on catching Greta Gerwig’s Ladybird when it’s released on 16th Feb (and why wouldn’t you?) listen out for da Silva’s song ‘Back To His Girl’, which is featured on the soundtrack.

Follow Complicated Animals on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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