EP: Berries – ‘Live From Big Smith Studios’

Fuelled by the riff-driven melodies of Nirvana, the massive choruses of Biffy Clyro, and the punk rock attitude of Riot Grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill, London based trio Berries have spent the last five years releasing an incendiary blend of grunge and garage rock, culminating in two explosive extended plays; 2016’s Those Funny Things and 2019’s Lies.

The three-piece – consisting of Holly Carter on guitar/lead vocals, Lauren Cooper on bass/backing vocals, and Lucie Hartmann on drums/backing vocals – recently signed with London-based label Xtra Mile Recordings, dropped the single track ‘Copy’, and have now released their latest EP, Live Sessions from Big Smith Studios; a collection of four tracks recorded live in Antony Smith’s studio.

Opening Live Sessions from Big Smith Studios, Berries immediately launch into a live rendition of their latest single ‘Copy’, a high-energy performance that gives the riff-laden track even more of an edge. Lauren’s raucous bass-lines, Lucie’s pounding drums, Holly’s distinctive lead vocal delivery and scuzzy guitar hooks are so flawless that you would be forgiven for mistaking this for the original track; if not for the various nuances between the two (“Don’t copy it exactly / Rough around the edge”).

The remaining three performances – ‘Dangerous’, ‘Silent’ and ‘Lies’ – are live versions of their respective tracks taken from the EP, Lies. Recorded for John Kennedy’s Radio X show, along with ‘Copy’ and ‘Lies’, ‘Dangerous’ is the highlight of Live Sessions from Big Smith Studios; an infectious collision of drum strikes, pulsating bass guitar, and distorted riffs combining indie, grunge and punk to cause a euphoric shock to the senses. Holly creates a sense of danger with her haunting lyrics, inspired after travelling home late one night after a gig: “All of the thoughts and feelings of walking the streets alone at night and the different personalities you meet on the way.“

Recorded for the virtual single launch of ‘Copy’, the band let loose on ‘Silent’, channelling the spirit of punk rock, and evoking Black Sabbath at the same time, with a fast-paced rhythmic foundation that elevates the track’s off-kilter hook, leading into a metallic breakdown that will have you banging your head! ‘Lies’ concludes the EP with a seemingly effortless performance oozing razor-sharp guitar licks, duelling drum and bass grooves, sassy vocals, and intense shredding.

Raw, complex, and full of little flourishes, Live Sessions from Big Smith Studios showcases the band’s signature style and strength as a live power trio. And it won’t be long until Berries are able to replicate this noise in front of a live audience! Worthy of repeat listening, this four-track extended play will scratch that rock and roll itch until we can all get together, drink warm beer, dance, and sing along with Holly, Lauren, and Lucie.

Watch the live video for ‘Dangerous’ here:

Live Sessions From Big Smith Studios is out now, listen on Spotify and download/buy here.

Ken Wynne
@Ken_Wynne

Photo Credit: Cae Sato

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ALBUM: Lost Chimes – ‘Lost Chimes’

Lost Chimes is Gemma and Nicky Kirk, an indie-folk duo from north London. The husband and wife team have now joined musical forces after ten years of playing in separate DIY, folk, punk-rock and post-hardcore bands.

Their new captivating self-titled album blends traditional folk with a contemporary twist. The storytelling lyrics, delicate finger-picked guitar and memorable melodies keep your ears enticed from the first track to the last. 

Opening track, and first single, ‘Island’ is a soothing track about a mystery island. Gemma’s smooth, crystal clear vocals gently bob over lush and jangly guitar lines like a boat upon the waves, with the second verse painting a beautifully nostalgic picture: “You’ll do a lot of talking and I’ll do a lot of listening and one day the records will come out of their sleeves / the one that has my name on the back and the one that has the secret track, and everything between the backdoor and the sea wall…” The accompanying video of overlaid singing, sea, and birds perfectly complements the musical content, which evokes thoughts of nature and water.

My personal album highlight, ‘Voices’, offers a traditional folk-inspired melody, encompassing a fiddle which weaves around the vocal lines with a waltz-like rhythm. The sparse yet present drum beat gets your foot tapping and gives it a sea shanty feel. Gemma’s vocals may be delicate, yet they emit a strength bringing to mind Pentangle’s Jacqui McShee.

‘Stone Steps’ offers Nicky’s most interesting guitar riff on the album, a melancholic yet hopeful refrain. Gemma’s lullaby vocals in the verses erupt into something more powerful and reminiscent of Delores O’Riordan’s vocal in the chorus. Later on in the song, a spoken word section is introduced, giving your ears a new element to enjoy.

The duo’s cover of Joy Division’s iconic song ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ is both atmospheric and haunting. The finger-style of the guitar combined with the cinematic vocal arrangement does this tricky-to-cover song justice, retaining its sadness and depth whilst adding Lost Chimes’ own spin.

Ella Patenall
@nazandellamusic

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Track Of The Day: Soda Blonde – ‘Holy Roses’

Honest, conflicted and entirely recognisable to anyone who has lived through their twenties and paused for a moment of introspection, the latest single ‘Holy Roses’ from rousing Dublin four-piece, Soda Blonde, is the third of its kind to blaze the trail ahead of the band’s hotly anticipated debut album Small Talk. All four of Soda Blonde’s band members hail from the critically acclaimed BBC Sound Of nominees, Little Green Cars, whose debut album Absolute Zero hit the number one spot in Ireland in 2013.

Soda Blonde have thrived in crafting their novel dreamy alt-pop sound during Lockdown through a shared need to make music whilst making peace with their younger selves, amid refreshingly honest transparency. Front-woman, songwriter and mesmerising vocalist Fay O’Rourke has said that the alchemy of the project lies in the “meticulousness and devotion to every detail” prevalent in the writing process from the moment O’Rourke sends the initial sample across to guitarist Adam O’Regan, to the moment the band, who are self-producing every detail, sign off on their own artwork.

It’s this new and authentic process of creating – adding and passing on to the next band member – that has resulted in the solely self-produced single ‘Holy Roses’ which deconstructs the intricacies of religion, science, fate and choice through the band members’ twenty-something lived experiences. The track started in the hands of O’Rourke who, “with feminism on one shoulder and trans-generational catholic guilt on the other”, has admitted to finding the process of de-programming herself as an Irish woman extremely hard. By directly addressing those who “bypassed” her and stood in her way, O’Rourke reflects on this single as one of the most important on the album, closing the door on past experiences of oppression in a moment of reckoning and letting go.

The simple melancholy and raw riffs provided by O’Regan at the start of this track lay down the foundations of a progressive and poignant pop song, with both delicate and masterful melodies to soundtrack your summer nostalgia. So, it’s only fair that the introduction of Donagh Seaver-O’Leary’s understated yet vivacious bass-line takes you on a leap down memory lane as it underlines O’Rourke’s inner-most contradictory conscience. The partnership of synthetic delay and reverb, catchy and warm backing vocals in the pre-chorus, alongside the introduction of an obscure off-beat percussion section from drummer Dylan Lynch, all flow meticulously into one another to personify the shadow of painful past experiences in this perfect pop sensation.

‘Holy Roses’ is all about confronting contradictions, so it is no surprise that the chorus steals the ground from beneath our feet with its luminous and epically uplifting appeal. We are transported into our inner-most selves by O’Rourke’s ethereal and dominating vocal, hitting notes that I haven’t heard in this alt-pop setting since those heard on Rae Morris’ 2015 release Unguarded.

Small Talk is set for release on 9th July via Velveteen Records, ahead of the band’s summer tour featuring a date supporting Sinead O’Connor at Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens – not bad for a band new to the scene. This may be the first you’ve heard of them, but it won’t be the last…

Lauren Roberts
@robauren

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EP: Tokky Horror – ‘I Found The Answers and Now I Want More’

If you love The Prodigy’s ‘Firestarter’, Tokky Horror’s latest EP I Found the Answers and Now I Want More is the exhilarating debut you need to hear. Hailing from Liverpool, London and Manchester, the virtual hardcore collective made up of Zee Davine, Ava Akira and Mollie Rush layer growling guitars with EDM. The result? A cyber goth masterpiece that hits you as hard as MDMA.

Kicking wormholes through genres, the queercore group mix rave and rock to produce a record that emulates the same intense and futuristic energy of The Matrix. This is the kind of special EP you need to listen to through both earphones to fully appreciate.

Dragging us into a new dimension is the brazen, pulse-racing opening track ‘Girlracer’, which launches listeners into punk-infused drum and bass. Lyrically tearing apart the pop culture bond between masculinity and fast cars, the song revs its engine angrily at the expulsion of women from hyper-masculine spaces, which Davine notes often includes “dance culture itself.”

The beats on ‘Simulate Me’ pulse at levels that could match a Love Honey vibrator. Laced with laser synth sounds and erotic imperatives like “touch me / love me”, the song frankly takes on the topic of virtual love and dating, particularly fitting for the pandemic restriction era we are living in. Next up is ‘Godliness’, which stands out against the others and offers a slightly mellower take on electronic rock. As Davine says, “I think we show our more expansive side on ‘Godliness’…it’s us letting our guard down a bit for something more genuine.”

With croaking, shrieking vocals and distorted heavy guitar sounds, ‘Eden on Acid’ is probably the most punk-sounding song of the EP (and my favourite track too.) It’s only one and half minutes long, yet has an edge and intensity to it that reminds me of the intro of My Bloody Valentine’s ‘Only Shallow’. Finishing with ‘Sleeper’, Tokky Horror strips the opening riff from The Beastie Boys ‘Sabotage’ and creates an exhilarating build-up to a hypnotic refrain. A strong end to an EP that shows off the trio’s instrumental momentum and individuality.

Listen to Tokky Horror’s new EP, released via Alcopop! Records, here.

Follow Tokky Horror on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Jay Mitra
@punkofcolour

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