Track Of The Day: Maja Lena – ‘The Keeper’

Maja Lena is the latest moniker of Marianne Parish, formerly of Low Chimes. Following bewitching singles ‘Sacred Practice’ and ‘Birch’, she has now shared new offering ‘The Keeper’ – the title track from her debut solo album, set for release this summer. 

Maja Lena’s music is ethereal and beautiful, led by a haunting and unpredictable vocal melody. The song is meditative and introspective, as Parish explains: “…the song name ‘The Keeper’ to me resembles the keeper of the self…” She adds that it “… is about our relationship to ourselves and how we view ourselves. Whether we hold trust in ourselves and if the way in which we strive can ultimately lead to us feeling less satisfied in life.”

The instrumentation is folk-inspired, with nylon and acoustic guitars in conversation with an eerie double bass. Rachael Dadd’s backing vocals weave together with Parish’s lead, culminating in a psychedelic mantra-like chant. Rob Pemberton’s synth, warm and warbling, complements the classic folk sound alongside the haunting dissonance from the cymbals. Together, it creates a serene and natural ambiance oozing a spellbinding magic.

The video, with a witchy charm, was made together with Parish’s husband Luke Oakley-Smith and filmed on a ’90s VHS camcorder to reflect an eerie nostalgia. Abundant with pastoral imagery, beautiful animals and Kate Bush-like dancing, it captivates and reflects the introspection and curiosity inherent of the song.


The Keeper is out 23rd July via Chiverin Records. Save / pre-order the album here to find out what other magical realms it will take us to.

Jazmine Kelly
@surfjaz

Photo Credit: Aloha Bonser-Shaw

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ALBUM: Fears – ‘Oíche’

An intuitive artist who has transformed her darkest moments into graceful electronic soundscapes, Fears aka Constance Keane has shared her debut album Oíche. Released via her own label TULLE, the Irish-born, London-based musician balances her intense ruminations on trauma alongside delicate synth loops and tentative beats to shine a light on a personal metamorphosis.

Much like the coarse fabric she used to create her unique dress on the album’s artwork, Fears allows her lived experiences to take up space and permeate this record, which swells with unflinching honesty and elegance. Oíche – meaning “night” in Irish – is a graceful collection of shadowy lullabies that spans five years of emotional territory for Fears, and the result is a truly immersive and enlightening body of work.

Since it was written & recorded in the music room of the hospital she was once an inpatient in, opener ‘h_always’ has remained untouched. “I’m black and blue / on the inside too” she softly repeats, juxtaposing her emotions alongside ward paraphernalia and atmospheric guitar lines, capturing a mindset that is revisited, dismantled and rebuilt over the course of Oíche.

She taps into the fluctuating nature of her mental health with magnetic synths and soft percussion on tracks like ‘bones’, ‘daze’, ‘vines’ and ‘Blood’, each embellished with vocals that ache with gentle sincerity. Her cyclical, buoyant synth loops mirror intrusive or recurring thought patterns, whilst her lyrics capture the mental push-and-pull of processing, accepting and learning to let things go. This is epitomised on ‘Fabric,’ which resonates deeper each time it’s listened to.

Her moving account of gripping her knees tightly while confessing “I’m so sorry for the mess I a made” on ‘dents’ is deeply affecting and marks a change in the record’s tone. The instantly mood-lifting ‘Brighid’ – a home-recording of Fears’ sister and late Grandmother in casual conversation – invites listeners to share in an intimate family moment. It beautifully precedes ‘tonnta’, where Fears weaves memories of her Grandmother into her lyrics, crafting a fitting tribute to the person who originally taught her how to sew.

The resilience of her familial relationships are acknowledged on the album’s poignant closing track ‘two_’. Whilst it centres around Fears’ own experiences of self-harm, the repeated sentiment “If not for my family / I’d never have healed” is deeply moving. It’s this unwavering love and support – whether from others, or mined from deep within herself – that’s helped to shape Oíche and why it’s such a cathartic, cohesive collection of songs.

It is a privilege to listen to this considered, intensely personal record.

Order your copy of Fears’ debut album Oíche here

Follow Fears on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook
Follow TULLE on Instagram & Twitter

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Fräulein – ‘Pretty People’

Originally hailing from Northern Ireland and the Netherlands respectively, London-based duo Joni Samuels and Karsten van der Tol – aka Fräulein – have been winning us over since we first became pretty obsessed with last year’s single ‘Drag Behind’, and then continued to be totally hooked on its follow up, ‘Mary’. So, we were excited to hear that they have now shared an equally impressive new offering.

Reflecting on the shallow world of fashion, ‘Pretty People’ is inspired by a party that Joni attended at which it was highlighted that if you didn’t fit the right look, clothes or clock in the right number of followers online, you’d be dismissed. Propelled by sparse beats and stripped back hooks, the track builds with a captivating dark energy as Joni’s sweeping vocals create a majestic, grunge-infused atmosphere.

Oozing that trademark whirring, lo-fi twang that we’ve come to know and love from previous singles, ‘Pretty People’ showcases the duo developing and honing their sound with a more polished finish. With an anthemic scuzz, Joni’s vocals flow with a visceral passion, exuding a bewitching, gritty splendour.

Of the track, the duo sum-up: “The song is about refusing to be small, even if the people around you are telling you to be.”

And so my obsession with Fräulein’s sound continues. I cannot recommend these two strongly enough; I really think they have something wonderfully nostalgic, yet ultimately unique, to offer. And, as soon as it is safe to do so, I cannot wait for them to blow us away live at one of our gig nights!

Shot by Emma Swann and edited by Luke Macpherson, and filmed entirely on Mini DV tape, watch the new video for ‘Pretty People’ now:

Mastered by Noel Summerville (The White Stripes, My Bloody Valentine), ‘Pretty People‘ is out now via Practise Music. If you’re lucky enough to have tickets, you can catch Fräulein live at The Windmill, supporting Butch Kassidy, on 26th May.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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LISTEN: ARXX – ‘DEEP’ (Alice Go Remix)

The characteristic mark of an Alice Go remix is the heart that goes into it. It is clear that her work is a gesture of love for the tracks and artists that get her personal treatment.

As much as any other song, this is true of her recent remix of ARXX’s ‘Deep‘. It retains the core components that made the original a powerful alt-pop anthem, but preserves those raw elements in Go’s own way.

The Dream Wife guitarist’s remix comes in more gradually. The original’s punchy start is replaced by a smoother opening that eases you into the meat of the song and allows it to carry you off on a wave. It takes ARXX’s growling guitar and rich vocals and cleverly weaves moments of quiet around them. This creates a delicious tension in the early bars that swoops fluidly into the juicier midsection.

The vocals have been treated with a touch of autotune in a way that plays into Hanni’s natural talent as a singer as well as lending itself to Go’s new feel for the track.

The remix is stripped back, with a subtler beat that throbs beneath the melody. The song is changed enough that the experience of listening to it is distinctly different. But all the elements that make the original so powerful are still there, only bared in a sharp new way.

You can listen to another special remix of ‘Deep‘ from Brighton band LIME’s Annie, and keep your eyes and eyes peeled for a new one from Linda Burrato!

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

Photo Credit: Jessie Morgan

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