Track Of The Day: Brimheim – ‘poison fizzing on a tongue’

Crawling through an eerie landscape, Danish alt-pop artist Brimheim embodies regret and resilience in the climatic new track ‘poison fizzing on a tongue‘.  

Encapsulated in stuttering synths and minimalistic percussion, Brimheim’s track embodies a sonic slate that tastefully combines influences ranging from grunge to electronic aesthetics. Drawing from legendary artists such as PJ Harvey, Brimheim’s vocals flow over a track that feels older than its time in disposition. Well-crafted instrumentals ideally complement the classic warm tone of Brimheim’s voice, nestling her words perfectly into the track’s mix. 

Brimheim’s emotive melodies release an intense catharsis, comparable contemporarily to US electronic artist, Half Waif. Feelings of what Brimheim classifies as “mundane aches” grip the track as lyrics unravel a large realisation of toxicity. As she grapples with this complex interpersonal uprising, she is overcome with the reassuring feeling of knowing that she will indeed make it out alive.

Optimism resonates parallel with devastation in each layer of Brimheim’s poignant landscape. ‘poison fizzing on a tongue’ is the experience of a new, epiphanic lens, with the comfort and encouragement of the power of nostalgia.

Can’t Help Myself Into A Different Shape, the debut album from Brimheim, is out 28th January 2022 via W.A.S Entertainment.

Jill Goyeau
@jillybxxn

Photo Credit: Hey Jack

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Track Of The Day: Lily Konigsberg – ‘Sweat Forever’

‘Sweat Forever’, the latest single from Brooklyn born and based Lily Konigsberg, is beautiful, shimmering electronic pop. Konigsberg’s intimate vocals are buoyed by a gentle, jangly ’90s guitar, somewhat reminiscent of a Dawson’s Creek soundtrack (in the very best way!), and the sweetest melodies, which make this something really special.

Konigsberg said she wrote ‘Sweat Forever’ as she navigated the break-up of a long-term relationship and some big transitions in her life. But, while it’s bittersweet, there is so much lightness too. She said: “It’s mostly about the bad part of going through a huge change in your life and the confusion surrounding that. But now I’m in the good part, so there’s something to celebrate. Sweat on brother!“

It’s proper pop music – nostalgic and polished, which isn’t necessarily something you’d expect given Konigberg’s earlier, more guitar-based singles or their work with self-proclaimed “New York’s weirdest” post-punk trio, Palberta. However, it’s testament to the sheer range of her talents. I’m looking forward to hearing more of them on her forthcoming debut album, Lily We Need To Talk Now, which is due at the end of the month.

Lily Konigsberg’s debut album, Lily We Need To Talk Now, will be released on Wharf Cat Records on 29th October. It is available to pre-order here.

Vic Conway
@thepicsofvic

Photo Credit: Felix Walworth

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Track Of The Day: Claire Pitt Wigmore – ‘Words’

Having received acclaim from the likes of BBC Introducing for previous singles, ‘Dreaming (Where Did You Go?)’ and ‘My Nostalgia’, Margate-based multi-instrumentalist Claire Pitt Wigmore has returned to charm our ears with a brand new single.

Oozing a soulful, impassioned energy, ‘Words‘ is an open letter to Claire’s younger self – reflecting on times when she was bullied and sadly experienced LGBTQ+ hate-crime. As twinkling guitar hooks shimmer alongside her rich, emotion-strewn vocals, it oozes a mellow grace; interweaving a jazz-infused musicality with elements of trip-hop and pop, it’s a beautifully heartfelt ode to carrying on in the face of adversity. Exuding a sparkling allure, with ‘Words’ Claire has showcased her ability to create truly stirring ballads, resonating with a poignant sentiment that so many of us can relate to.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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ALBUM: ME REX – ‘Megabear’

Megabear by ME REX is easily one of the coolest and most ambitious albums to come out this generation.

It is comprised of fifty two short tracks, most of which last a little over thirty seconds, with a total album length of around half an hour. Each track has a corresponding tarot card designed by artist Jono Ganz. This is so you can shuffle your tarot deck, play the tracks in whichever order the cards decide for you and experience the album in an entirely new way.

You’ll have a perfectly enjoyable time listening to the songs in the order they appear automatically on bandcamp, but you’ll miss out on the layers that make this experiment so special. These tracks are designed to be played in near infinite possible combinations. They are designed to be able to flow from one to the next, regardless of which songs might get paired. To me, this sounds like it should be impossible. But ME REX have made it work. Particularly if you listen to it on their purpose-built website – free of the risk of Spotify ads to break your immersion. It’s easy to let the site automatically shuffle the tracks for you and listen to the looping, flowing music for hours on end. If you want to look for the seams between songs, obviously you can find them. But it takes no effort at all to sit back and let them wash over you in their shifting uncanny beauty.

The music itself suits being attached to a tarot deck so well. It is clearly influenced by the movement of nature, with lyrics referencing rivers and refrains that evoke that feeling of being carried along gentle eddies through a glittering natural wonderland. There is a gorgeous dance between the keys, strings and drums. ME REX have crafted something genuinely special, forging a unique sound for themselves that is distinct, original and stunning.

The thought and effort that has gone into creating a piece that makes you think about not just the music you’re listening to, but how you consume music in the digital age is astounding. It is a thoroughly well executed experiment that deserves to be remembered for sheer ambition alone.

Megabear is out now. Buy the album, plus your very own special deck of tarot cards, on bandcamp.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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