Track Of The Day: Adia Victoria – ‘The Needle’s Eye’

An atmospheric, introspective exploration of personal exile; Adia Victoria‘s latest single ‘The Needle’s Eye’ is a slow-burning confrontation between one woman and her anxieties. The track is taken from her forthcoming album Silences, set to be released on 22nd February via Canvasback.

Two years after the release of her debut LP Beyond the Bloodhounds and after an extended period on tour and in the spotlight, Victoria turned her vision inward. She explains: “I found when I went back home that the thing that disturbed me the most was the lack of activity. Having to deal with myself once again on an intimate level.” Reading and literature helped her counteract this feeling of discomfort, and tracks like ‘The Needle’s Eye’ are the result of this honest period of soul-searching.

Speaking about the new single, Victoria explains: “I decided to look my fears head on – fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of the unknown. I understood that hitherto that moment, I had been avoiding all the small terrors tugging at my heart. ‘The Needle’s Eye’ is the result of allowing all the exiled parts of myself their due, to dance with warring drums. To allow every part of myself to be seen, felt, and heard.”

If the rest of Silences – which was produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner – is as poignant and intriguing as ‘The Needle’s Eye’, then 2019 is set to be a successful year for Adia Victoria. Listen to the new track below and follow her on Facebook for more updates.

Adia Victoria European Tour Dates 2019

23rd March – Paris, France – Le Pop Up du Label
24th March – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Cinetol
26th March – Berlin, Germany – Auster Club
27th March – Hamburg, Germany – Nochtspeicher
28th March – Cologne, Germany- Artheater
29th March – Antwerp, Belgium – De Roma (Foyer)
2nd April – London, UK – Electrowerkz

Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Anteros – ‘Drive On’

The death of the Earth by plastic is imminent, right…? Anteros’ new single ‘Drive On’ pragmatically splices alt-pop with perfect candour, drawing attention to our methodless attitude to recycling and plastic waste.

A backwards burp of meandering, digitalised melody and robotic Star Wars-esque cries are braided with clean-cut guitar and bracing drums. Meanwhile, lead singer Laura Hayden poses bewitchingly as an angel, wings and all. Our saving grace.

In an elegantly effortless fashion, Hayden sings of a dreamlike vision of a better world, carrying on “through the wasteland”, whilst embracing her inner ballerina, twirling and cocooning herself with giant sheets of plastic wrap. This chorus is like a plague, easily infectious, hard to get rid of, and surely will be the death of me…However, despite the sinister undertones that we’re living in badlands, ‘Drive On’ remains ironically upbeat and anthemic, with its spangles of chirpy guitar and jangly dancefloor tempo.

I just wonder what they did with all that plastic after they filmed the video. Until I find out, I’ll just enjoy the tune…

When We Land, the debut album from Anteros, is out 22nd March via Distiller Records.

Megan Berridge
@noisygal_

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

LIVE: Anna Calvi @ The Roundhouse, 07.02.19

The buzz around the catwalk is already palpable. You could cut the atmosphere with a butter knife and anyone who’s seen Anna Calvi live before will know that she can and she will. She’ll forego the butterknife for bright red lipstick, jet black hair, and the bruised Telecaster that’s been by her side since long before she ever found herself screaming into the historic Roundhouse.

Do you think the designers knew that what started as an engine house would end up having the kind of acoustics that could make any audiophile’s expensive headphones melt off their ears? Doubt it, but that’s what happened on 7th February 2019, when Anna Calvi—alongside her band, Mally Harpaz and Alex Thomas—brought Hunter to Camden Town.

Opening the show were two LGBTQ artists-cum-DJs, Austra and Victoria Sin, spinning tracks that both enlivened us queer indie kids and the more seasoned (cis-oned) fans alike. As well as being palpable, it was equal parts emotional. As the stage went dark and screams echoed around the ‘house, there was a strange but enlivened twist in the air: Calvi was home.

Playing songs from Hunter and her self-titled debut, there wasn’t a single soul in the crowd left uncaptivated. Even at the bar, people were being coughed at by bar tenders when they’d forgotten to order; too busy watching art unleashed on the stage in front of us.

The synergy between Calvi, Harpaz, and Thomas lead to the kind of artistic improv Marina Abramović could bathe in – and while I say these things as a fan of both, if you don’t feel nauseous at at least one point of a great gig, your Stendhal moment is still there waiting.

Anna Calvi is an artist to remember. She is, in my humble (gobby) opinion, the greatest living guitarist we have. And she left her mark during every second of the Roundhouse show; from beginning to end. Some cried, some came, and most of us would willingly live through that concert again and again.

Em Burfitt
@fenderqueer

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Foundlings – ‘Enemy’

If there were a Venn diagram for dreamy indie pop and raucous alt rock, Foundlings would be sat comfortably in the middle along with Parquet Courts and Courtney Barnett. Having been praised previously by BBC 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, Foundlings are ready to release their debut. Hailing from Brighton and South London, the ferocious four piece have released the first single from their upcoming EP. ‘Enemy’ comes straight out the gates with lingering lyricism from front-woman Amber Price, jagged off-beat drum patterns and guttural guitar riffs reminiscent of the Dirty days by Sonic Youth.

A structurally dynamic tune which is filled with twists and turns, almost edging upon math rock territory, it’s filled with echoed backing vocals, layered over shrill guitar riffs, cementing Foundlings’ dreamy indie-pop sound.

We highly recommend you check out ‘Enemy’ and dance your worries away with this rocking headbanger.

 

The eponymous debut EP from Foundlings is out 1st March via Last Night From Glasgow.

Amy Grace 

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment