NEW TRACK: Circe – ‘Riot Of Sunlight’

A commanding, euphoric rush of cinematic dark-pop, London-based musician Circe has shared her latest single ‘Riot Of Sunlight’. Taken from her upcoming EP, Drawing Wings From The Light, which is set for release on 19th July, the track is a delightfully disorientating blend of reverb-heavy riffs, dizzying synths and seraphic vocals, all delivered with Circe’s distinctive and vivid charm.

“I wrote ‘Riot Of Sunlight’ when I was a teenager, now 10 years later I’m finally releasing it in its final form – all because of some magic I was blessed enough to encounter twice,” Circe explains about the context of her new track.

“When I was 15, completely by chance, I watched Jez Butterworth’s + Mark Rylance’s critically acclaimed play Jerusalem [now hailed as the greatest play of the century]. A week prior to this, I was disregarded by a frustrated science teacher as an ‘ungrateful fantasist obsessed with glamorising the occult’ — so when my wide eyed teenage self was witness to Jerusalem — a play and performance of such colossal, glorious, gigantic magic — my heart was completely derailed, and by the end of the play I existed on an entirely different plane to the one I walked in on. The next morning I wrote the first incarnation ‘Riot of Sunlight’ – a disciple-like sonic ode to Jerusalem.

Skip forward 10 years I was feeling disillusioned, suffocating under a soulless corrupt government when Jerusalem — like the fucking marvel it is — unexpectedly returned to theatres and I watched again, as ‘a rainbow hit the earth + set fire to the ground’ and I finished the song.”

Inspired by this collision of her past and present, Circe has created another passionate, rapturous offering on ‘Riot Of Sunlight’, which becomes more addictive each time it’s listened to. “Take my blood instead of wine” she offers, as the track builds to its blissful conclusion. This single is the opening track to her upcoming EP, and we can’t wait to hear the record in full.

Listen to ‘Riot Of Sunlight’ below.

Follow Circe on Spotify, bandcamp, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter & Instagram

Photo Credit: Zak Watson

Kate Crudgington
@kate_crudge

 

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EP: The Ethical Debating Society – ‘Mutual Indecision’

Writing bubblegum pop melodies before tearing them apart with riot grrrl moxie, The Ethical Debating Society’s (TEDS) DIY punk attitude and multi-faceted lo-fi sound has been preserved on their latest six track extended play, Mutual Indecision; a collection of previously unreleased songs recorded at Sound Savers – Mark Jasper’s Hackney warehouse studio.

Produced by Jasper (Witching Waves), mastered by Dai Jones, and released by Radical Possibilities, the Mutual Indecision EP features vocalist/guitarist Tegan Christmas, vocalist/guitarist Kris Martin, and drummer Eli Tupa obliterating rough DIY indie with cathartic and justified rage! Opening with pop-punk anthem ‘Poor Liam‘, the three-piece examine the “alright-jack-shit generation” under the microscope; the “petri-dish for patriarchy”. “You have, and you are, a tool / That’s so fucking precious…”

‘Emoticon‘ – another whiplash-inducing headbanger – disturbs with distorted chaos, Tegan and Kris harmonising over obnoxious guitar riffs, frustrated with social change. Kicking over her drum kit and strapping on her guitar, Eli shreds lo-fi sludge on ‘Prawn Operation‘; screaming Spanish lyrical angst against male entitlement, before switching back to percussion for the punishing ‘Paywall’ – life as commodity: “Buy, buy, or bye bye.”

‘Pantomine‘ follows with equally irresistible visceral lyricism; challenging alpha male bullshit as abrasive riffs strain under the ferocity of raw instrumentation. Closing with ‘London Particular‘, the London-based trio implore you to look around: your estate regenerated and community lost… “…the fog clears and your heritage has gone. Now all the flats and all the shops ask you for money you haven’t got.”

Following their 2015 debut LP, New Sense, and in anticipation of their long-awaited sophomore record, Mutual Indecision delivers equally spontaneous scuzz, sounding as if TEDS got together in the studio, hit record on analog, and jammed unapologetically through the feedback – an imperfect punk record that is chaotically perfect.

mutual indecision e.p. by the ethical debating society

Catch The Ethical Debating Society playing live for us next month, on 19th May at Shacklewell Arms, supporting Hypsoline with Rom Coms. Tickets here!

Ken Wynne
@ken_wynne

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NEW TRACK: O Hell – ‘it heals so quick’

Following on from their previous singles ‘pixel‘ and ‘I Watch The Women‘ – which made our Tracks Of The Year list in 2022 – Brighton-based artist and producer Lucy Sheehan aka O Hell has shared their latest offering, ‘It Heals So Quick’. Underscored by their desire to explore the duality of past and present, and the inner processes of emotional relapse and recovery, O Hell delivers their extrapolations on sexuality, ritual and sacrifice with compelling and gritty conviction.

After years spent touring and recording music in alternative bands around the UK (including Brighton trio PROJECTOR) Sheehan ventured into fresh sonic territory under their new moniker O Hell back in 2021. Influenced by a love of the eclectic sounds of PJ Harvey and Mark Lanegan, Sheehan’s music sees them explore and deconstruct themselves over brooding electronics, twitchy beats and crystalline vocals. On ‘It Heals So Quick’, they continue this dismantling, taking inspiration from Irish modernist literature as well as their own experiences.

“The song was inspired by the novel At Swim-Two Birds by Irish author Flann O’Brien,” Sheehan explains. “Aside from being completely surreal and hilarious, I love how it pushes together gritty modern life in contemporary Dublin with the strange, colourful mythology of ancient Ireland, Gleann-na-nGealt – or ‘the valley of the mad’ – I guess I was exploring my past through that structure, where the past and present are always intertwined.”

‘It Heals So Quick’ is also accompanied by a captivating video, which Sheehan directed and edited by themselves. “I was interested in the idea of human sacrifice, and how ancient cultures prepared willing victims with a combination of love and cruelty,” they explain about the context of the visuals. “Some victims were force fed hundreds of sloe berries, had their hair cut off, were dressed in their best clothes…I wanted to explore that strange duality.”

Watch the video for ‘It Heals So Quick’ below.

Follow O Hell on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Bridie Florence Cummings

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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New Track: Cosmic Ninja – ‘Cardiac Unrest’

Living up to the vibe you might expect of a band called Cosmic Ninja, their newest track ‘Cardiac Unrest‘ is a fast-paced futuristic banger. 

Kicking off with a low but bouncy bass riff throbbing through the first few bars, it rapidly ramps up with a raucous, powerful rage, as strings and synths leap into the fray. The resulting soundscape feels like a battlefield – exciting and dangerous, rushing with righteous adrenaline. The lyrics match this energy; phrases like “step up step up, we’re not messing around, we’re gonna hold our ground” are delivered with an infectious passion. It’s difficult to listen to this song and not end up on the band’s side against the oppressive forces they’re facing off against.

Blending a sense of personal determination (“I’m doing my own thing and i don’t give a fuck what you think”) with an undefined foe that feels much wider-reaching (“we’ve got to put a stop to this somehow”), the lyrics are left open for you to project your own concerns onto, whether you’re worried about bigoted governments with too much power or a single bully persecuting you alone. Regardless, the energy is the same. The synths scream and the drums roll like thunder; inspiring all the fury and confidence required to stand up and fight back.

The track ramps up to a screaming crescendo, before rolling back into the chorus then ending abruptly on the “we aren’t fucking backing down”. There is no room for misinterpretation here: ‘Cardiac Unrest’ is a statement, a promise and a threat all in one.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

Photo Credit: Rupert Gammond

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