LISTEN: Bad Idea – ‘Happy’

An atmospheric, dizzy guitar tune about the unexpected relief a change of emotions can bring, Leeds four-piece Bad Idea have shared their latest single ‘Happy’. Released in partnership with RoseColoured Records, the track is a lush, woozy extrapolation on how refreshing your positive thoughts can be after you’ve been caught in the grasp of a low mood for too long.

Formed in 2016 on a drunken night out dancing to Madonna’s ‘Like A Prayer’, Bad Idea’s Sarah Sefton and Daniel Johnson chose the band’s name after entering into a new creative project and a new romantic relationship together at the same time. They put aside their concerns about how this might affect their musical dynamics and enlisted the help of new bandmates Charlie Peacock and Liam Lambert in 2019 to flesh out their lo-fi sounds.

In 2020, the band released their debut EP, the ironically titled I Just Want To Go Home, after recording the tracks intermittently between lockdowns in a friend’s basement. The result of their efforts is a joyful, fuzzy exploration of love, loss, nostalgia and moving on to new experiences. New single ‘Happy’ follows on from previous release ‘Winter’ and showcases the band’s ability to take simple concepts like a shift in mood and transform them into swirling, melodic aural head rushes.

Listen to ‘Happy’ below.

 

Follow Bad Idea on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: CIEL – ‘Pretty Face’

A hazy dream-pop tune inspired by an unusual type of unrequited love, Brighton trio CIEL have shared their latest single ‘Pretty Face’. Produced by Jack Wolter of Penelope Isles and mixed by Austin Tufts from BRAIDS, the track is a poetic rumination on the true story of a man who lost his wife to a cult.

“I really got into watching documentaries about all sorts of cults during lockdown 2.0, the psychology behind it really fascinates me,” explains CIEL’s vocalist & guitarist Michelle Hindricks. “This one story really struck me, about a man who lost his wife to a cult and now ten years later he’s continuing life, knowing that she’s still somewhere out there having to let go of her.” Through her soft vocals and hazy guitar riffs, Hindricks gently considers what it would be like to move on from this trauma.

“Most people probably can’t directly relate to something as extreme as losing someone to a cult,” she continues, “[but] a lot more people can relate to the experience of choosing to care for themselves, even if that is a very tough decision.” Through polished production and their dream-pop melodies, CIEL transport listeners away to a world of pleasant distractions on their latest single.

Listen to ‘Pretty Face’ below.

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

Photo Credit: Julia Nala

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Naoko Sakata – ‘Improvisation 3’

Gothenburg-based Japanese musician Naoko Sakata has now announced her new piano solo album Dancing Spirits, set for release next month via Pomperipossa Records, a Swedish label that has established itself as a beacon for avant-garde, drone, ambient and experimental music and is led by esteemed artist Anna Van Hausswolf. This will be Sakata’s second solo piano album and consists of seven free improvisations. It was recorded in August 2020 in Annedalskyrkan, a church in Gothenburg Sweden, and played on a Steinway grand piano.

‘Improvisation 3’ is the taster single from the album and is a glistening sign of things to come, being entirely free and spontaneous in character. It showcases Naoko’s innovative style, combining peace and chaos into sound. It begins with discordant, allegro piano keys signifying confusion, before becoming slower and more tranquil. It mellows out to an enchanting, light classical piece, becoming pastoral, gentle, and hymnal in turns. Oozing a graceful majesty as the twinkling keys flow, it builds to a perfectly soothing soundscape. 

Even if you might not usually listen to avant-garde piano pieces, here is your chance to open your ears and mind; let the pure expression of the music captivate you. A unique window to the world of Naoko Sakata and her intriguing interpretation of the meaning of art. A meaning that can only be heard, but not explained further.

 

Dancing Spirits will be released on 26th March via Pomperipossa Records. 

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

Photo Credit: Gianluca Grasselli

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ALBUM: Lizzie Reid – ‘Cubicle’

Glaswegian singer-songwriter Lizzie Reid pushes through post-breakup pangs and towards bold self-assurance on her debut EP, Cubicle. A mixture of new additions and pre-loved tracks, the record is a serene snapshot into a definitive healing process that enabled the singer to learn more about herself and her sexuality.

Lo-fi opener ‘Tribute’ starts with stripped back strums as Reid sings “I will try not to / laugh it off in solitude / but I don’t understand / quite why you left,” signifying the inescapable relationship post-mortem, questioning everything in order to rebuild oneself. Mesmerising melancholy continues in the equally beautiful ‘Seamless’, which showcases a Country twang to her vocals. Each hand-picked detail is painfully relatable as she admits, “I still have your clothes / I’ll be wearing your jumper,” marking the physical emblems we hold onto when we’re not ready to let go.

Reid recalls heartbreak with the same vivacity as Julia Jacklin on Crushing – each line so overtly honest and elevated with every note. ‘Always Lovely’ echoes melodies from Laura Marling that tail off throughout Once I Was An Eagle, enhancing a despondence to her tone which later forms into a choral crest that shows a determination of strength, despite exposing a palpable tenderness.

On ‘Been Thinking About You’ Reid’s vocals mirror Helena Deland, with the last lingering notes echoing those of Jeff Buckley. Cubicle‘s title track is the real clincher, the finale you can only hope for in an already stunning assortment of vignettes. “I can’t escape this night / I’m in the cubicle” Reid details feeling trapped while in a weird limbo between breaking up and moving on: “the sweet unbearable”. We’re left hearing a bittersweet surrender, signalling the acceptance of growing apart from someone.

Lizzie Reid’s debut album Cubicle is an aural elixir that illustrates storytelling in its truest form. The last notes lingering on for a long time to come.

Photo Credit: Chris Almeida

Charlotte Croft
@croft_charlie

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