LISTEN: YINYANG – ‘Poison Darts / Boyish Charms’

In a murky, heavy-hitting track that embodies the dark of night, Irish hip-Hop artist Lauren Hannan – aka YINYANG – arrives smashing in her new release ‘Poison Darts / Boyish Charms’.

With bending pads sweeping across haunting, moody percussion, ‘Poison Darts / Boyish Charms’ is spinning fiercely from the start and waiting for no one. With the presence of Hannan’s fearless vocals, a vigorous tone is set for this track – earnest and ready to break her silence. “What do you think about when I’m not there?” asks YINYANG as she unravels her headspace with no filter, captivating in her disposition.

Heavy driving effects surround her vocals as the soundscape creates an illuminated gothic world of its own. Nailing the sonic atmosphere between gritty and polished, YINYANG showcases her ear for the honesty of DIY, executed in the clarity of a radio-ready mix. The personal anguish of YINYANG shines through the cacophony of layers, chaotic to a near hypnotising level. With a massive guitar-led outro that sparkles against shadowy vocals, ‘Poison Darts / Boyish Charms’ remains astonishingly cinematic until its demise. YINYANG’s recipe for electronic hip-hop and hard hitting guitars creates the perfect storm for a cathartic release that all too many can relate to.

Jill Goyeau
@jillybxxn

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Track Of The Day: BLAB – ‘Eton Mess’

A righteous assault on the many failings of the UK government, Southend based multi-instrumentalist BLAB has shared her latest single ‘Eton Mess’. Released via Cool Thing Records, the track is a rumbling “anti-fascist anthem” that proudly sticks two fingers up to the establishment and snarls in the face of the apathetic, privileged men who were born into running it.

“’Eton Mess’ is about the consistent negative impact the Tories have had on the lives of average people,” explains BLAB aka Frances Murray. “It’s about a government so out of touch with people’s everyday lives and a culture of ignorance and apathy amongst the wealthy elite. I am furious at how we can turn a blind eye to a prime minister who is openly racist, homophobic and sexist. How inequality is perpetuated by upholding archaic values in society and continuing to enable a broken system where politicians from the same few private schools in the country are elected. I wanted to find a way to vent my anger and disillusionment with the government and the lives they have jeopardised through austerity and a lack of NHS funding.”

Fuelled by her disdain for current political policies and backed by her anarchic lyrics and riotous guitar riffs, BLAB’s message on ‘Eton Mess’ is clear: speak up and speak loud. She’s currently working on her debut album with Sam Duckworth (Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly) and Rees Broomfield at SS2 Recording in Southend, channelling her riot grrrl attitude into a collection of witty, infectious anthems.

Listen to ‘Eton Mess’ below.

 

Follow BLAB on Spotify, Instagram, Twitter &  Facebook and for more updates.

Photo Credit Shot: James Mannion

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: Ali Comerford – ‘Knots’

Kilkenny-based Ali Comerford has recently shared ‘Knots’, a beautifully understated meditation on anxiety. It’s the title track of her upcoming folk-based and classically inspired debut album.

‘Knots’ is poignant in its simplicity, with stunning raw vocals accompanied by tender piano arpeggios. Such barebones instrumentation creates space and allows us really to focus on the vocals and what Ali has to say; there are no distractions. The music is intimate, as though Ali were sat in the room playing just for you, providing comfort and reassurance that you are not alone. Of the track, Ali explains:

“‘Knots’ is a song I wrote about anxiety, something we all struggle with at one time or another. At the time, I was going through a stage of intense anxiety. I worried about the fact that I hadn’t released any music, about whether people would enjoy my songs or not and also over-analyzed every little thing I had ever done wrong. I wasn’t sleeping properly and found I was lying awake at night replaying old conversations and feeling ashamed and embarrassed.”

In the chorus, she sings: “Because I worry like no other / It’s always one thing or another”. It paints a bold picture of how we can all feel when our minds are full of anxious thoughts, whirring like an overworked machine. “It keeps me awake and it makes me wonder / If I am alone in this” – these final lines show how lonely it can feel in times of anxiety, but with Ali’s generous self-expression and relatable content, we can feel it together.

Ali Comerford has impressive musical credits, having toured the world, performing classical viola on stages such as the New York Carnegie Hall, the London Royal Albert Hall and Dublin’s National Concert Hall. Her years of experience in the classical music world have evidently been extremely valuable, teaching her to make every note count, as is showcased in this poignant latest solo offering.

Watch the lyric video for ‘Knots’ here:

Knots, the debut album from Ali Comerford, is set for release on 29th July.

Jazmine Kelly
@surfjaz

Photo Credit: Shane Hatton Photography

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Track Of The Day: Nun Habit – ‘Marigolds’

A song about eczema, ‘marigolds’ by London five-piece nun habit packs way more of a punch than that description might lead you to expect.

It comes in hard and fast, leaping immediately into a big sound – there’s no gradual build up. Instead, this tightly-structured song is the kind of atmospheric track designed for speakers that make the floor throb. Rich growling bass balances out the shriek of the guitars, interweaving the strings to form an excellent platform for trippy burbling keys.

The low, aching vocals give the song a sense of vulnerability. The lyrics themselves are simple and self-aware, with a lot of feeling in every line and the emotion behind the words is clear. The song drips with anxiety, with exhaustion with toxic-masculine culture; with the resolve to stop caring about the ignorant, judgemental things people say. The vocals draw their power from the lyrics and their grounded tone is uplifted by the roaring music behind them.

There’s a sharp drop part way through; a great use of silence that trips you up, but quickly sweeps you back into the intoxicating sound. This, followed by the abrupt ending, reinforces how well ‘marigolds’ lures you into an entirely different headspace. It sucks you in and spits you out and leaves you wondering where to go for more. (The Kickstarter for their new album hedge fun is a good place to start.)

‘marigolds’ comes with a B-side consisting of a moody house edit by producer Josh Albiston. This version is lighter and slower-paced. It’s spaced out so you can feel more of the texture in the piece. Whilst it’s almost twice as long, it doesn’t feel it. The bright, popping sounds are softer, with gentler drums and vocals that are stripped right back. There’s still a chirpy rhythm to it, but it feels more house party than club dance floor. It fades away until just the throbbing bass line is left; until everything eventually drifts away into silence leaving you, still, eyeing that Kickstarter page.

‘marigolds‘ is out now, ahead of the release of nun habit’s debut album, hedge fun, set for release in August.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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