Track Of The Day: Emilie Kahn – ‘Will You?’

Beautifully melancholic and expertly produced, Montreal songwriter Emilie Kahn‘s latest single ‘Will You?’ makes for a poignant and earnest listen. The track is taken from  her second album Outro, which is set for release on 22nd February via Secret City Records.

The new song is accompanied by an equally beautiful music video, directed by Aaliyeh Afshar and Max Taeuschel. Speaking about the visuals, the pair explain: “We wanted to highlight Emilie’s performance while exploring the dark but tender feeling of the song. Playing with the mirror, blinds and faux walls, we wanted to delve into the liminal divide between life and death in a physical way”.

Emilie Kahn’s alternative pop tunes have an exquisite pain about them, and ‘Will You?’ is another shining example of the songwriter’s ability to achieve so much through minimal but focused music. Listen to ‘Will You?’ below and follow Emilie Kahn on Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: BaoNgho

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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ALBUM: Le Butcherettes – ‘bi/MENTAL’

A vivid exploration of maternal relationships, enduring grief, and coping with the many faceted mental health issues encountered along the way; Le Butcherettes‘ new album bi/MENTAL is a potent infusion of almighty vocals, hefty guitar riffs, and commanding percussion. Released via Rise Records, the band’s fourth album was produced by Talking Heads member Jerry Harrison (No Doubt, Violent Femmes, KD Lang) and recorded at his home studio in Northern California.

Cited as their most personal album to date, bi/MENTAL is an ode to frontwoman Teri Gender Bender’s mother. She states that with the aid of producer Jerry, she was able to be “vulnerable and in-your-face at the same time” and that freedom permeates bi/MENTAL. Opener ‘spider/WAVES’ is six minutes of off-kilter unhinged sound, dominated by Teri’s trademark falsetto vocals and accompanied by spoken word from Dead Kennedys’ front man, Jello Biafra. It leads in to the knockout ‘give/UP’ lamenting the struggles surrounding grief. The opening line paints a morbid picture – “I’ve been putting off for days / a visitation to your grave” – but Teri’s passionate delivery and the infectious, rolling rhythms make this track a real blood-pumping tune that’s hard to sit still to.

‘strong/ENOUGH’ is an anthem of defiance and acceptance – “I’m not the kind of girl you thought I was” – whilst ‘father/ELOHIM’ explores a narrative of reckless behaviour and freedom. ‘little/MOUSE’ follows, before the scratchy nostalgic opening of ‘in/THE END’ breaks through, developing in to a retrospective ballad about faithlessness. A seething, buzzing bass line dominates ‘nothing/BUT TROUBLE’, whilst the sultry vocals of Chilean vocalist Mon Laferte take centre stage on ‘la/SANDÍA’.

Gritty guitar and psych-tinged keys meet on ‘struggle/STRUGGLE’ where pain and grief culminate in a speaking-in-tongues outro from Teri. ‘dressed/IN A MATTER OF SPEECH’ follows, before the unsettling screams and screeches of ‘mothers/HOLDS’ conquer the next three minutes of the record. Featuring the vocals of Alice Bag, ‘mothers/HOLDS’ is an example of the dark magic that’s conjured when two assertive, defiant women come together to create art.

The heady, mesmeric sounds on the penultimate ‘sand/MAN’ are followed by closing track ‘/BREATH’. It has a gentle opening, with slow guitar and a child-like voice sample interrupting intermittently like an old memory, but that’s swiftly discarded around the two minute mark. The track kicks back in in true raucous Le Butcherettes fashion, closing the record on a willful, assertive note.

Inspired by the “the death of a living mother”, the duality of life, and the inevitable strife caused by the fluctuation of mental health; Le Butcherettes bi/MENTAL is a cathartic burst of emotional rock music designed to clear the cobwebs between your ears.

Listen to bi/MENTAL on Spotify here.
Follow Le Butcherettes on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Ex Hex – ‘Tough Enough’

At a time when the world is making us feel pretty powerless, the new single from Ex Hex offers a much-needed kick up the arse. An anthemic, empowering call to arms, ‘Tough Enough’ will have you running to the dance-floor and vowing to get shit done.

Reminiscent of the Runaways and The Go-Go’s, ‘Tough Enough’ is all massive power chords and soaring harmonies that beg to be shouted along to. According to the band, it’s about “turning on your tough switch and forging ahead through whatever storms are happening around you.” It feels like a feminist theme tune.

Described as “the power trio for our generation”, Ex Hex have spent the last few years building their reputation. And with ‘Tough Enough’, they prove that they’re still a badass force to be reckoned with. I wanna be in their gang. Or at least get hold of their new album.

Ex Hex’s second album It’s Real is out on 22nd March on Merge Records.

Victoria Conway

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Track Of The Day: HOST – ‘Taste of Your Love’

An electro-pop gem that contemplates the short-comings of an unhealthy romance; Irish artist Host has shared her new single ‘Taste of Your Love’. Taken from her upcoming debut EP Adolescent Content (set for release later this year) the synth-pop star channels her love of bands like Diiv, Wolf Alice, The Japanese House, and The Cure on her new tune.

Speaking about her new track, Host explains: “Have you ever had someone you really care about do something so idiotic that it makes you look at them in a completely different light? ‘Taste of Your Love’ is that lingering bad impression that I just couldn’t shake, and everything built with this person, this solid foundation, just turned to quicksand. It’s sad really… this idiot, that you still adore nonetheless, has now forced you to cut them out and change your entire life.”

Despite its sad premise, we guarantee Host’s new single will have you up and dancing around your bedroom in no time. Listen to ‘Taste of Your Love’ below and follow Host on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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