Track Of The Day: Anna Wolf – ‘Silence’

Anna Wolf‘s latest single ‘Silence’ is an alt-pop banger that takes the listener on a poignant journey. The catchy chorus, the clever instrumentation and the emotionally-driven music video are all excellently executed to deliver a beautiful track and visual experience that tackle the issues of anxiety and mental health.

Delving into her own struggle with anxiety, which was born in her childhood by bearing witness to domestic violence, Wolf wanted to write ‘Silence’ to show solidarity with those of her fans (her ‘wolves’), who have shared their experiences of mental health struggles with her. Of the track, she explains: 

“It is hard to ignore the cry for help. I knew I had to dedicate a song to my fellow wolves and to let them know that they are not alone… The journey of becoming more and more silent in oneself is where I feel comfort, as this is where my true self resides. It is a constant practice of course.”

It’s safe to say that, in addition to its important message, this track is super fresh and innovative, and wouldn’t be out of place on a SIA record. Anna Wolf is a true force to be reckoned with, and we can’t wait to see where the artistic journey takes her. 

Portraying how her inner demons are the obstacles that hold her back, watch the video for ‘Silence’ here:

Janelle Borg

Photo Credit: Paul Harries

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Track Of The Day: Noga Erez & ECHO – ‘Chin Chin’

A dizzy, laid-back take on the links between sex and money; Noga Erez’s latest collaboration ‘Chin Chin’ brims with off-kilter beats and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Joined by Israeli MC and producer ECHO – known for her Hebrew language MCing on debut album Achat which put women at the centre of the Israeli hip hop scene for the first time – Erez combines intimidatingly cool vocals with her trademark defiant flair on this new release.

‘Chin Chin’ playfully takes the controversial topics of sex and money and casually dismantles them over the course of two minutes. The collaboration came about whilst ECHO and Erez were working together in the studio with Erez’s partner and co-producer, Ori Rousso. The pair decided to pick apart some important subjects, and ‘Chin Chin’ was the result of their meddling.

Erez has been impressing us with her collaborations over the last 6 months – including her orchestral album RADAR Reworked with Israel’s Camareta Orchestra – and we’re excited to see what this unpredictable artist does next. Watch the video for ‘Chin Chin’ below and follow Noga Erez on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: King Hannah – ‘Crème Brûlée’

Let’s get it out of the way – King Hannah‘s lead singer, Hannah Merrick, insists that this wonderful, mournful lilt is really, genuinely about the 1980s dessert fave. But, even if that’s true, there’s still a lot to read into ‘Crème Brûlée’: the dessert itself consists of a tough skin sitting on top of a softer side, not unlike the passionate longing of the song’s lyrics. Even how the thing is made: the burning of caramel laid in custard, not entirely dissimilar to the way Hannah’s vocals mix into the song’s thick layers of ethereal backing before a flambé of a guitar solo from guitarist Craig Whittle finishes off the song. 

It’s also entirely possible that the title and Hannah’s comments about it are merely deflection, a culinary tongue-in-cheek. That wouldn’t be too out of character for the band, whose approach to self-promotion could be described as somewhat reluctant, especially by today’s standards. And they’ve got form – in one interview, Merrick described the band’s mixture of sorrowful Americana (in the vein of Lera Lynn) as a fusion of “Flashdance and MC Hammer”. It all lends an aura of other-worldliness around a group who seem as tight, implacable and hypnotic on record as they do live.

With a moreish, deceptively simple, country-meets-indie flow set around Merrick’s deadpan Nico-style vocal delivery, ‘Crème Brûlée’ is an impressive choice for a debut release, particularly clocking in at a mammoth six and a half minutes – half of which is pure instrumentation. If you’ve seen the band live, you’ll probably be aware that, although this is a spectacular starter, it’s just a glimpse into what King Hannah can do. They’ve gone straight to dessert, so you’d better have left room for more.

 

‘Crème Brûlée’ is available to stream on Spotify now.

John McGovern
@etinsuburbiaego

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Track Of The Day: Jenny Hval – ‘Ashes To Ashes’

Sacred Bones signee Jenny Hval has shared her new single ‘Ashes To Ashes’ and it’s an uplifting electronic affair. The track is taken from her upcoming album, The Practice of Love, which is set for release on 13th September.

The Norwegian multidisciplinary artist blends gentle vocals, startling lyrics, and deceptively catchy beats to communicate issues of morality on her new record. It sits in stark contrast to her 2016 album Blood Bitch, and features the voices of collaborators Vivian Wang, Laura Jean Englert, and Félicia Atkinson.

Speaking about her new album and the themes it encompasses, Hval explains: “This all sounds very clichéd, like a standard greeting card expression, but for me love, and the practice of love, has been deeply tied to the feeling of otherness. Love as a theme in art has been the domain of the canonized, big artists, and I have always seen myself as a minor character, a voice that speaks of other things. But in the last few years I have wanted to take a closer look at the practice of otherness, this fragile performance, and how it can express love, intimacy, empathy and desire. I have wanted to ask bigger, wider, kind of idiotic questions like: What is our job as a member of the human race? Do we have to accept this job, and if we don’t, does the pressure to be normal ever stop?”

She may be humble about the impact of her voice in the wider industry, but we believe in the power of Jenny Hval’s vision and we’re excited to join her on her journey through love and otherness. Listen to ‘Ashes To Ashes’ below and follow Jenny Hval on Facebook for more updates.

Pre-order Jenny Hval’s upcoming album The Practice of Love here.

Photo credit: Lasse Marhaug

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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