LISTEN: Deaf Surf – ‘Strangers’

“Loneliness is a feeling / not a state of mind” Deaf Surf‘s vocalist Manon frantically repeats on the band’s latest single ‘Strangers’, echoing what many of us are experiencing in a post-lockdown world. Filled with frenzied riffs and crashing percussion, the Brighton-based band tackle feelings of isolation and alienation on their new track.

Recorded & produced by Boe Weaver at Studio Humbug on the Isle of Wight, Deaf Surf have shared their second single to remind listeners that even in a world of Zoom gigs and Instagram Lives, we don’t have to be ‘Strangers’ while the music industry is suffering under the restrictions imposed by the covid-19 pandemic.

The single also touches on Brexit (remember that?) and the desperation that comes with not feeling like you belong anywhere. “It’s all in my head” sings Manon, tapping in to feelings of pure confusion in the face of unexpected adversity.

Listen to ‘Strangers’ below and follow Deaf Surf on Facebook & Bandcamp for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: The Muffin Heads – ‘Snow White’

Having blown us away with the epic, frenzied energy of their live show at more than one of our gigs at The Finsbury, GIHE faves The Muffin Heads have recently blasted into our ears once again with the release of new EP F£€$h (pronounced Flesh).

Taken from the EP, single ‘Snow White’ (which we first heard a few years back as an exclusive ‘stripped back’ version on our radio show!) is driven by scuzzy riffs and a gritty energy as the impassioned seething growl of front-woman Bex rages; building with an eerie tension to an immense riotous cacophony. With shades of the likes of early QOTSA in its reverb-strewn musicality, it’s a truly colossal slice of ferocious desert-inspired punk-rock.

 

Mastered by Pete Maher (The Pixies, Nick Cave), F£€$h  is out now.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Jon Mo / @jonmophoto

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LISTEN: L.A. Witch – ‘Gen-Z’

There’s a hazy feeling that comes with listening to the music of Californian trio L.A. Witch. Their grungy vocals and psychedelic guitars have a way of transporting you to the Californian desert with the taste of last night’s whiskey on your breath.

The band have a unique way of combining vintage appeal with fresh subject matter and ‘Gen-Z’ is the perfect example of this. A four minute track inspired by the high suicide rates among Generation Z due to the pressures of existing in a social media age. Of the track, guitarist & vocalist Sade Sanchez expands:

“When I was a kid, music and guitar was my escape. Music was how I fought through my depressions. What will the future do to get through it?… With constant pressure to be perfect and information/advertisements and brainwashing constantly being shoved in your face, you become a product of your environment. ‘Gen-Z’ is about being a slave to technology, specifically to our phones.”

L.A. Witch’s 2017 self-titled debut oozed swagger through its laidback sound, possibly due to the band’s organic and slow-paced songwriting process. But upcoming album Play With Fire came to be under different circumstances; between their hectic touring schedule, studio availability, and the timeline for releasing records, they found themselves with only two months to do the bulk of the writing.

Despite the limited time frame, however, ‘Gen-Z’ showcases a band on top form; with its gritty energy and swirling bewitching haze, it’s a perfectly hypnotic slice of psych-infused desert rock.

 

Play With Fire, the upcoming album from L.A. Witch, is set for release 21st August via Suicide Squeeze Records. 

 

Ellie Ball
@ellie__ball

 

 

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Track Of The Day: ALA.NI – ‘Lament for Emmett Till’

A poignant, deeply moving recognition of enduring grief and racial injustice, Paris-based, London-born artist ALA.NI has shared ‘Lament for Emmett Till’ to help mark the 65th anniversary of the 14 year old African-American boy’s death. Her pensive vocals and gentle instrumentation allow listeners to revisit the tragedy of Till’s story, and to question why racial injustice still has such a frighteningly profound presence in modern society.

Taking its title and lyrics from a 1955 poem of the same name by the radical activist, journalist and organiser of the first Notting Hill Carnival, Claudia Jones, ‘Lament for Emmett Till’ explores the brutal kidnapping and lynching of the 14 year old after he was wrongfully accused of sexually harassing Carolyn Bryant, a white female clerk, at a Mississippi grocery store.

When his murderers were acquitted of the crime – despite confessing their guilt in a paid magazine interview only months later – Till’s mother decided to have an open casket funeral so others could see the horrifying violence he’d endured, which lead to him becoming a posthumous symbol of The Civil Rights Movement.

The FBI have since reopened the case and are seeking to make lynching a federal crime, but a Republican senator is controversially blocking the bill and Carolyn Bryant herself admitted in a 2007 interview that she had lied about the events that led to Till’s murder. There has still been no formal apology, no compensation, and no conviction for Till’s murder.

ALA.NI’s single acknowledges this injustice, and is supported by the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, which she is an official ambassador of. The foundation is currently asking the public to sign a petition demanding justice for Till and, specifically, that the FBI release the findings of their recent re-investigation into his murder as a matter of urgency. ALA.NI’s track is accompanied by a monochrome video that shows pictures and press clippings from the time of Till’s murder, and will prompt listeners to sign the petition (which you can do here).

“We find ourselves at a pivotal point in world history, where we must act now and fast, before all is too late. This is our last chance to fight for rightful equalities before the fascists take over,” ALA.NI explains. “I’m reaching out to the people to seek justice for Emmett Till. Knowing the power of music, I hope it can be used as an effective tool to bring the much needed awareness to this long-overdue murder case. Justice for Emmett Till will set a president for the systematic reform that must take place, that we can no longer afford to ignore and wait patiently for.”

Watch the video for ‘Lament for Emmett Till’ below.

Follow ALA.NI on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Photo Credit: Alice Dellal

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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