Track Of The Day: Angela Sclafani – ‘Bell Jar’

Angela Sclafani is a New York City singer, songwriter and theatre-maker with an impressive list of collaborations and accolades. With three previous independently released EPs, including Edge of Seventeen, a re-imagining of Stevie Nicks’ classics, she demonstrates song writing at its finest, time and time again. Creative imagery and unforgettable melodies are what make her latest single so deliciously appealing. Inspired by Sylvia Plath’s 1963 novel, ‘Bell Jar’ was created to encourage the breaking free from conventions and patterns that hold you down. It’s uplifting, it’s heartfelt, and it’s slick; a potent bite of pop rock genius.

The anthemic ‘Bell Jar’ is destined to be performed in big venues. The song is so driven that it pulls you right into its energy, and before you know it you are joining in and shouting back the euphoric chorus. It’s a smooth ride – the verses build up to the chorus beautifully and every part of the instrumentation feels so confident. Sclafani’s dynamic vocals command both your attention and enjoyment, and the melodies she sings are energetic and infectious, shining above the tight backing. The production is crisp with just the perfect amount of shimmer to make the track glisten.

‘Bell Jar’, whilst predominantly a pop-rock track, contains rich flourishes of Americana and folk influences, with Sclafani’s musical style sitting alongside songwriters and artists Haim, Fleetwood Mac, Regina Spector and Taylor Swift. An truly eclectic soundscape emanating Sclafani’s unique talent for creating emotionally raw, yet beautifully uplifting, offerings.

Jaz Kelly
@surfjaz

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Track Of The Day: Petrol Girls – ‘Baby, I Had An Abortion’

Having received acclaim from the likes of Kerrang!, The New York Times and BBC 6Music, for pertinent, powerful offerings such as ‘Touch Me Again’ and ‘No Love For A Nation’, GIHE faves Petrol Girls have now shared a colossal new single.

Highlighting the truth that everyone should have access to an abortion, without shame, ‘Baby, I Had An Abortion‘ oozes a brutal, unapologetic honesty, propelled by the gritty, seething force of Ren Aldridge’s vocals. A no holds barred attack on the pressures on those with a womb to procreate, and the shame they are made to feel for terminating unwanted pregnancies, the track races with a swirling, frenzied energy as the fiercely impassioned refrains of “Shame Shame Shame!” and “Baby, I had an aborition and I’M NOT SORRY!” blast out with a commanding sense of urgency.

An immense, empowering statement reflecting on Aldridge’s own experiences of having an abortion in 2018 (having found out she was pregnant the morning that the Eighth Amendment was repealed in Ireland), ‘Baby, I Had An Abortion’ offers a poignant ode to bodily autonomy. A raging cacophony fuelled by a riotous catharsis that emits both joy and anger; urging us to fight against the confines of this damaging patriarchal society and heinous pro-life laws, whilst also recognising that abortions – although often traumatic – can come with a sense of relief and happiness, and our access to them is something to be celebrated.

Of the track, Aldridge explains:

“(‘Baby, I Had Abortion’) is first and foremost intended for upsetting pro-lifers on demonstrations. The ‘Shame Shame Shame’ lyric is totally a Game of Thrones reference, and the whole idea is intended to ridicule pro-lifers’ attempts to shame us for exercising our bodily autonomy. I wanted the song to have party vibes because I feel like abortion… can be something to celebrate. I wanted to put something joyful about abortion out into the world.“

Petrol Girls will be raising money for Abortion Without Borders with this release. They’re a network of organisations that fund and support people in Poland to access abortion in neighbouring countries or at home with pills. Abortion laws were further tightened in Poland last year making it only legal in extremely limited circumstances.

Catch the incredible force of Petrol Girls live on their run of UK dates next month. Tickets and info here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Martyna Wisniewska

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Track Of The Day: Maria BC – ‘The Only Thing’

A gentle musing on relinquishing yourself to the feeling of being in love again and having that feeling reciprocated, Maria BC has shared their latest single ‘The Only Thing’. Taken from their debut album Hyaline, which is set for release on 27th May, the track is a disarming, tender reflection on the serenity that sets in once you are fully “seen” by your partner in a new relationship.

Following on from their dreamy debut EP Devil’s Rain (2021), on Hylaine, Maria BC has created another tender collection of songs that “Let the world wash over you…rather than trying to pin it to one single thing.” This immersive quality is captured beautifully on ‘The Only Thing’, through Maria’s tentative guitar picks, atmospheric beats and soothing vocals.

“The track is about allowing yourself to be seen fully by another person. When you find they aren’t afraid, you realise you shouldn’t be either,” Maria explains about their new single. “It took me a bunch of tries to finish the arrangement for this one. It felt too sparse, while the song is about that full, effervescent, sun-is-coming-up feeling of new love. I spent several weeks adding parts and scrapping them — you know, getting nowhere. Then, at some point, I realised the refrain of another song I was working on had the same chord progression as ‘The Only Thing’ refrain. I turned that into a kind of counter-melody, Liz Fraser style, and I think it tied the whole thing together.”

The new track is accompanied by a beautiful video, shot by Olivia Q. Pintair and choreographed and Performed by C Green. Watch it below.

Follow Maria BC on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Ulysses Ortega

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Evie Balfe – ‘According To Maybe’

‘According To Maybe‘, the latest single from Lincoln-born London-based artist Evie Balfe, is an echoing and life affirming anthem for anyone with a taste for indie electro-pop who needs a cheeky self esteem pick me up…

Evie’s intoxicating vocals swim effortlessly through this track creating a melody of gorgeous moods which shift from conversational to commanding as she, rightly, reminds us “not to live according to maybes”. Evie’s vocals – which carry a certain flirtatiousness to them –  invite us into a sea of soothing electro beats. There’s a sense of Alice going down the rabbit hole here as the track leads us from from blink-and-you’ll-miss-it percussion phrases, to moments where all production is pulled away leaving only the vocals to mesmerise us.

The balance between all these changing directions is brokered perfectly and, though it’s intense, this track feels full without being busy. There’s also enough passion and heart shining through each verse to ensure Evie’s true intention is never lost as she calls for us to garner enough self confidence to carve the life for ourselves we truly deserve, without ever settling for less. A welcome addition to any feel good playlist.

Do I Feel Like I’m Happy Now, the upcoming album from Evie Balfe, is set for release soon… Keep your eyes and ears peeled!

Tutku Barbaros
@tutkubarbaros

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