LISTEN: ME REX – ‘Eutherians (Ultramarine)’

Their two EPs and incredible 51-track project designed for shuffle play have marked ME REX out as an incredibly exciting band to watch. Their latest single, ‘Eutherians (Ultramarine)‘ comes alongside the announcement of their forthcoming album, Giant Elk. If the rest of the project is as captivating as the single, then it’s going to be an unmissable release.

The track begins gently, with soft guitars and a light upbeat rhythm; from the first bars, the vocals ache with feeling and hint at the journey the song intends to take you on. The music swells together into a throbbing chorus that burrows into your head and stays with you long after the song ends – it’s difficult not to keep tapping along to the addictive beat.

‘Eutherians (Ultramarine)’ is about the fear of losing a part of yourself, but it has an overall sense of excitement to it. It surges into its most climactic moments, echoing the way that emotions overflow when you’re contemplating the universe and your tiny, insignificant space in it. As scary as the introspection the song contains might be, it’s beautiful as well. 

The repeated “deep, deep, deep, deep ultramarine” of the unknown – whether you’re looking up to the stars or down to the depths of the ocean – evokes that terror and fascination in equal measure. But, as the song goes on, the refrain flows with a bright, bouncy energy; like the beginning of a great adventure, getting all the more thrilling and colourful with each time it repeats.

‘Eutherians (Ultramarine)’ is a deeply reflective song. If you let it, it will take you to that introspective place that can be intensely painful or blissful, but either way rewarding and profound.

Giant Elk, the upcoming debut album from ME REX, is set for release on 2nd October, via Big Scary Monsters. Pre-order here.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

Photo Credit: Benjamin Whitley

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NEW TRACK: Ideal Host – ‘The Resolution’

A tender, synth-led rumination that showcases the evolving nature of their sound, Ideal Host have shared their latest single ‘The Resolution’. Recorded and mixed by Robin Newman at SNUG/JT Soar in Nottingham, the track acts as a bookend to the band’s previous single ‘The Conflict‘, exploring the softer side of their brooding, intuitive songwriting.

Led by Heather Perkins and Sean Hughes – who are both former members of the band Slowcoaches – Ideal Host are dedicated to making music on their own terms. Now joined by multi-instrumentalist Dan Wheeler (Cheap Jazz) and synth and keyboard player Tom Goodwin, the band made their live debut on Marc Riley’s BBC 6 music show back in September 2022, where they also performed ‘The Resolution’ for the first time.

Whilst ‘The Conflict’ had a starker post-punk sound, on ‘The Resolution’ Ideal Host opt for gentler beats and melodies which spotlight Heather’s vocal range in a different way. “I’m not asking you to return / I just hope that you feel better” she repeats, over lilting keys and evocative riffs, a quiet sense of urgency spilling over right up until the music ceases to play. “I really liked the idea of taking one song and presenting it in a completely different way,” Heather explains about the track. ‘The Resolution’ takes the exact same root notes and structure as our previous release ‘The Conflict’ and creates a response to that piece that is entirely different.”

Ideal Host are currently writing and recording their full length album, which they plan to release and tour next year. “We are intent on continuing to play with our approach writing, so that this project always feels new and alive,” Heather continues. “I want to feel that we can pivot in any direction we want to. That the musical landscape is completely wide open to us.”

Listen to ‘The Resolution’ below.

Follow Ideal Host on Spotify, bandcamp, Twitter (X) and Instagram

Photo Credit: Dan Wheeler

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Trinity Mei – ‘ever be right’

Trinity Mei is a folk singer-songwriter from the sun-soaked desert landscapes of Arizona. Having honed her musical prowess at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, she blends elements of traditional folk with aspects of electronica, giving her music a contemporary yet timeless quality. 

Her debut track ‘ever be right’ has introspective lyrics that delve into the common experience of entering a relationship where emotions aren’t reciprocated. She describes tender moments in the verses – “…we’ll stay up for hours until the moon is gone / talk about secrets till the light of dawn” – but questions in the chorus whether she will ever be right for them, noting her frustrations that “guess life’s not like the movies, your heart is out of range”. 

‘ever be right’ has a beautifully chilled out energy, characterised by mellow and gentle sounds. It’s built around lilting, strumming guitar and incorporates harmonising vocals, lush string swells, and textured synth parts – providing a perfect foundation for Mei’s smooth and soulful vocals, which captivate on first listen. The production is crisp and warm, drawing you in and holding your attention. Whilst there are no belting vocals, they are delivered delicately with an immersive dynamism and raw emotion, reflecting the subject matter and giving hints of the stirring alt-pop of Phoebe Bridgers or Billie Eilish.

Already, with this spellbinding debut, Mei has demonstrated sharp musicianship in constructing a stunning and intricate soundscape with a really strong vocal performance. I look forward to seeing what’s to come next from this artist.

Ella Patenall
@ella_patenall

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ALBUM: Alex Lahey – ‘The Answer Is Always Yes’

Following singer/songwriter Alex Lahey’s idiosyncratic sophomore LP, 2019’s The Best of Luck Club, the Australian indie hero revels in the absurdity of the suburban gothic on her latest record (and debut for Liberation) – collaborating with songwriters Jacknife Lee, John Mark Nelson, Chris Collins, amongst others – The Answer is Always Yes; ten cathartic tracks of self-discovery and exploration, finding comfort in discomfort.

Opening with Courtney Barnett-esque speak-sung delivery (“Everybody is a bit fucked up, but they think they’re okay…”), ‘Good Time’ is unashamedly upbeat, with invigorating, fuzz-drenched hooks; an ode to post-lockdown nights out at the pub. Following with Nevermind-era, grunge-fuelled riffs, ‘Congratulations’ sarcastically reflects on not one, but two ex-partners getting engaged within an unexpectedly short amount of time from one another – “Congratulations / So happy for your perfect life / There’s something in my eye / I’m doing just fine without you.”

Ruminating on a tumultuous breakup, warm basslines propel power pop anthem ‘You’ll Never Get Your Money Back’, before musically intimate indie ballad ‘The Sky is Melting’ revels in the drug-induced chaos caused by consuming edibles. ‘On the Way Down’, another sardonic breakup song, is juxtaposed by the sickly-sweet lyrics of ‘Makes Me Sick’ (“I like you so much, it makes me sick and I wouldn’t change it!”), whilst ‘Shit Talkin” gets awkward with bubblegum pop melodies and introspective lyrics.

‘Permanent’ is a sombre reflection on the songwriter’s time spent at her childhood home during lockdown; a semi-acoustic lament crescendoing into feedback and fear. Inspired by the TV coming-of-age romantic comedy Heartstopper – adapted from the webcomic of the same name by Alice Oseman – the infectious ‘They Wouldn’t Let Me In’ follows, reflecting on the teenage queer experience with self-aware wit. Of the track, Lahey explains: “I spent a lot of time thinking about my own experiences growing up as a queer teenager…being excluded from conventional romantic rites of passage…feeling like I couldn’t relate to anyone around me… It also makes you realise how absurd everything is.”

Closing with the ethereal title track ‘The Answer is Always Yes’, Alex Lahey showcases her tender and emotive vocal range; realising that life is unpredictable, but we should always stay positive. If you are saying yes, you are experiencing the world and all its quirks. It’s also indicative of the rest of the record; beautifully finding humour in the absurdities of existence.

The Answer Is Always Yes, the latest album from Alex Lahey, is out now via Liberation – order here. And you can catch her live when she tours Europe this Autumn – more info here.

Ken Wynne
@ken_wynne

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