Track Of The Day: Mangö – Demons

A cathartic burst of twisted psych sound; London-based Mangö have shared their latest single ‘Demons’. Released via We Can Do It Records, the track is a dark, fuzzy take down of the inner voices that fuel our stress and anxiety.

Front woman Chloe Spence explains the track’s premise further: “Demons is a power battle song intended to portray the inner workings of one’s mind, and the mental fight we have daily to remain in a positive mindset in today’s fast paced realm of society. The demons are intended to represent negative thoughts, anxieties and emotions that people who struggle with mental health feel daily. We want to portray the demons as an infestation in one’s head, the more attention you give them, the more they thrive and take over.”

‘Demons’ came together when the band were messing around in rehearsals, when guitarist Tom experimented with his whammy pedal whilst comically playing bebop jazz lines and giggling to himself. The band have affectionately dubbed this sound as “a metallic fuzzy bebop tune”, and we think that’s an apt description for this catchy, cathartic slice of psych rock.

Listen ‘Demons’ below, and follow the band on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: Nadia Javed – ‘I Hate Boris’

We’ve been massive fans of three-tone band The Tuts for a few years now (who have recently supported ska legends The Specials), and so it’s great to see Nadia Javed from the band release her first solo single. And there really couldn’t be a better time for it.

Having been admirably active and vocal with her opinions about Thursday’s upcoming election, even taking part in her local town’s FCK BORIS march, Javed’s perfectly entitled ‘I Hate Boris’ is the pop-punk anthem we all need this week. Reflecting not only on how much she hates the undeniably racist Boris Johnson, but also addressing “the phenomena of brown tories like Sajid Javid and Priti Patel”, and how they do not represent her, the track juxtaposes Nadia’s honey-sweet vocals and twinkling uptempo melodies with the stark realism and searing honesty of the lyrics. 

Combining impassioned activism with an infectious musicality – giving a sparkling voice to how so many of us are feeling right now – with ‘I Hate Boris’ Nadia Javed inspires and motivates us to get up, make our voices heard and fight the right with all our might.

Watch the new video for ‘I Hate Boris’ now:

And please make sure you vote on Thursday, and help kick the racist, sexist, homophobic turd out of Downing Street!

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Track Of The Day: Foxcunt – ‘Merry Christmas, Fuck The Patriarchy’

Ahead of their gig for us at The Finsbury on 13th December, and following their joyous and empowering debut album, DIY punk band Foxcunt (or Foxaunt for the more mild-mannered of you) have now shared a banging, anti-establishment Christmas ditty.

Filled with driving, uptempo beats, a buoyant, fist-clenching spirit and honey-sweet poppy harmonies, ‘Merry Christmas, Fuck The Patriarchy’ is a catchy, cheer-inducing blast of punk-rock fuelled by anger at a system built on structural inequality.

A perfect, energy-fuelled anthem, given all that we have to fight for next Thursday – so, feast yourself on the raging sounds of Foxcunt, raise a glass of mulled wine in the air, and get yourselves out to vote.

And then come and celebrate (we can but hope) the results on Friday 13th December at The Finsbury, with Foxcunt, Dollie Demi, Libra Libra and Screaming Toenail!

Foxcunt’s debut album A Visit From Foxcunt is out now via Bandcamp.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Micky Strickson

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Track Of The Day: MAITA – ‘Can’t Blame A Kid’

Stepping out from the shadows of a shy childhood, frontwoman Maria Maita-Keppeler works through her growing pains on ‘Can’t Blame A Kid’, the latest single from Oregon-based band MAITA. The track is lifted from the band’s debut album Best Wishes – a record so transformative that it brought Kill Rock Stars (‪Elliott Smith, ‪Sleater-Kinney, ‪Bikini Kill) label founder Slim Moon out of early retirement when he first heard it in 2018.

“She stole all the light from the room” sings Maria on the track, an apt lyric for Slim’s reaction after his wife Portia Sabin (who was running Kill Rock Stars at the time) first played it to him. Maria’s knack for tapping into feelings of introversion and uncertainty are what make ‘Blame A Kid’ such a compelling listen, so it’s easy to see why MAITA caught the attention of the intuitive label.

Maria explains the inspiration behind the song and the accompanying video: “‘Can’t Blame a Kid’ takes a stab at unpacking the insecurities that I’d built up from childhood, zeroing in on a particular relationship that bore a lot of weight on me throughout my adolescence…It really is fascinating, though unfortunate, that we are often at our most callous at the age when we are also the most fragile. The video was a lot of fun for me to make. I’d always wanted to make a finger-painting video…something that echoed the wild, colorful, cathartic nature of the song.”

Through strong vocals, indie guitar licks, and punk-tinged percussion, MAITA have created a reassuring, buoyant listen with their latest single. Watch the video for ‘Can’t Blame A Kid’ below, and follow the band on Facebook for more updates.

Keep your eyes peeled for more info about the release of their debut LP, Best Wishes, in April 2020.

Photo Credit: Ingrid-Renan

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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