Category: GIHE Writers

London-based self described “queer-freak-pop” Flora Jackson and Rob Paterson, aka The Vanity Project, pride themselves on creating swirling chaotic soundscapes, interweaving multiple genres and techniques. Having received acclaim from the likes of Marc Riley on BBC 6Music and Everything Everything’s Jonathan Higgins, they have now announced the release of their debut album, We Should Never Have Come Here, set for release on 29th September. Latest single ‘Eureka!‘ offers a perfect taste of what’s to come; reflecting on the daily grind of the 9 to 5, and the dangers of capitalism, it’s wonderfully wacky cacophony of empowering riotous energy and sparkling musicality.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of We Should Never Have Come Here, we caught up with The Vanity Project to ask about the music that has inspired them the most recently. So, read about their five favourite albums and watch the eccentric new video for ‘Eureka!‘ below!

Guerilla Toss – Famously Alive
If you want to know what the record sounds like, but can’t be bothered to listen to any of the songs, you could just look at the album cover: we’re talking gloopy synths, colourful hooks, squelchy bass. Everyone seems to prefer their earlier janglier stuff, but this record appeals to our desire to make music that’s wonky, bizarrely pretty and always incredibly catchy.

Left at London – t.i.a.p.f.y.h 
Let’s shoot the elephant in the room: yes, it’s the girl who said “haha, I do that” on Vine. But we’re delighted she forwent a career in professional memery because it turns out she had one of the best records in the decade in her. It covers all bases really – full of emotional gut punches juxtaposed with joyous moments, often within seconds of each other.

Black Dresses – Peaceful as Hell 
Rob has much more affinity to noise and chaos and this record scratches that itch better than any other. In places it’s borderline pop-punk but you’re never more than thirty seconds away from grinding industrial breakdowns. Unfortunately, Black Dresses broke up after this album, now only reuniting to drop yearly releases under the same name in the same genre.

Birds of Hell – Birds of Hell
This a record of weird stories, character pieces, rambles – the stuff we love. There’s a clear straight line between ‘Los Yarmouth’, a song about exploring the underwater ruins of a fading resort, to our song ‘Craters’, about aliens holidaying in a post apocalyptic Manchester. We periodically say the phrase “fizzy hummus, woof woof” in day to day life; fair warning, if you listen to the album, you will too.

Daphne and Celeste – Daphne and Celeste Save the World 
Famously, these two got pelted with piss at Reading Festival. Years later it was reported that upon hearing this perfect slice of spiky, glistening Max Tundra-helmed art-pop, every single one of those piss pelters went back to Reading, took all the piss bottles back, and donated them to a piss bank. And you can see why.

Massive thanks to Flora and Rob for talking to us about their Five Favourites! Watch the new video for ‘Eureka!’ here:

We Should Never Have Come Here, the debut album from The Vanity Project, is set for release on 29th September. And you can catch them live that night at The Cavendish Arms in Stockwell to celebrate – tickets here.