Track Of The Day: Like Swimming – ‘Strike A Pose’

Quirky Swedish alt-pop trio Like Swimming (Claes Carlström -vocals, guitar; Ida Hedene- vocals, guitar; and Petter Wesslander- drums) return from the pop wilderness with their new single, ‘Strike A Pose.’ It is a politically charged electronic locomotive, steering towards the first part of a double EP: Resistance / Relations. The division of the album into a two part EP will see the band address their political frustration in the first part, Resistance, to make room for the ups and downs of personal battles in the second part, Relations, coming later this year.

As with previous offerings, ‘Strike A Pose’ blends an upbeat, danceable hook with eccentric, yet insightful, lyrics. It builds up from a synth-laden ’80s feel, with Ida’s strong vocals coming to the fore, allowing the song to strike its pose.

A sketch of an unthinking character as a political mouthpiece, the track builds as Ida’s searing vocals rise to the anthemic chorus – “I am the one you want, I am your poster boy. I am the shallow start of intellectual fall.” Full steaming ahead, the song presents the present political reality: “tell me your thesis in a thirty second piece…”

In less than three minutes we learn that shallow politics wins out – “you don’t stand a chance as I strike a pose” – as the song comes to a sudden halt leaving you wanting more. It all goes swimmingly well, and you can dance to its infectious beats while you reflect on its poignant theme.

 

Resistance, the upcoming EP from Like Swimming, is out on 20th April via DigSin.

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

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Track Of The Day: LibraLibra – ‘Animali’

The first single from vocalist Beth Cannon and multi-instrumentalist/producer Joe Caple – aka LibraLibra – ‘Animali’ is a vibrant and dynamic listen. Having just returned from touring with Simon Raymonde’s new venture, Lost Horizons (Bella Union), Cannon has received praise throughout her career, with comparisons to the likes of Kate Bush and Bjork, whilst Caple’s mastery of rhythm transcends simple percussion, as he creates majestic layers of sound.

A truly uplifting offering, ‘Animali’ oozes a ferocious power as a frenetic tension builds throughout. With shades of the likes of tUne-yArDs or MIA, the soulful splendour of Cannon’s vocals flow alongside tribal beats and a soaring, frenzied soundscape. A sheer sonic delight guaranteed to reinvigorate the senses on first listen from this exciting new project.  

Of the track, Cannon explains:

“‘Animali’ is an unapologetic war song in which I am ready to fight for equality. Since I can remember equality has been at most fleeting, if never fully achieved… I feel a shift in society right now, people’s eyes are opening and, now, more than ever, I feel a sense of community that we are ready to fight, ready to admit that the way we are perceived and treated can’t be our reality anymore.”

‘Animali’ is the first in a set of unique singles from LibraLibra to be released over the next year, with the debut album due to land in 2019.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

 

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ALBUM: Soccer Mommy – ‘Clean’

“I always wrote songs just for myself. I did it for fun, I didn’t think anyone would notice,” explains Nashville’s Sophie Allison aka Soccer Mommy about her music. After listening to her debut album Clean, it’s clear she’s an artist afflicted with false modesty, as the record showcases her impressive talent for crafting affecting, emotional indie tunes.

Released via Fat Possum Records, Allison teamed up with a full band and producer Gabe Wax (War On Drugs, Deerhunter, Beirut) to curate this new collection of poignant songs, all of which were mixed by Ali Chant (Perfume Genius, PJ Harvey). The result is the “cohesive” record she was looking for, a “piece” of her life that addresses “similar themes” and comes together as a whole. These themes include love, lust, uncertainty, self-doubt and Allison’s trademark “soft anger”.

The tentative ‘Still Clean’ opens the record, with her gentle, clear voice lamenting the bittersweet pain of drowning in the water after a lover has washed her from his “bloody teeth.” Second track ‘Cool’ – which Allison says “comes from a place of insecurity and idealization” – is polished and uplifting in its delivery. She has a gift for transforming frustration and insecurity into upbeat gems through her laid-back vocals and melodic guitar riffs.

‘Your Dog’ is another sublime example of this. Her frank admission of “I don’t wanna be your fucking dog” is a cathartic, emotional uprising against neglect that seethes and soothes in equal measure. On ‘Flaw’, Allison documents a loss of romantic faith, but she finds a quiet confidence again on following track ‘Blossom (Wasting All My Time)’. The song’s content will strike a painfully familiar chord with those carefully breaking out of their caged heart, taking tentative steps towards a new love.

Much like ‘Cool’, ‘Last Girl’ is an upbeat take on insecurity and a wish to have the “everything” that other girls seem to have. ‘Skin’ is a smoldering assertion of lust – “Back in the alleyway behind your Father’s home / I’m clawing at your skin, trying to feel your bones” – Allison’s urgency is palpable here, but so is her fear on following track ‘Scorpio Rising’. The hopeful opening lyrics are unraveled by her poignant image of being overlooked – “She’s lovely and sweet like coca cola / I watch from my drink as you look her over”. Her loves are unsustainable sugar rushes, but she longs for longevity and sincerity.

‘Interlude’ brings some brief respite from Allison’s exquisite negativity. It’s a reverb-strewn instrumental that leads in to closing track ‘Wildflowers’, exploring the depths of her “grey and shriveled” heart. Even when she sings of her emotional fragility on Clean, Soccer Mommy’s skewed self perception is raw, honest and remarkably strong. Definitely invest in this record if you like confessional, beautifully modest indie music.

Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Grace Gillespie – ‘Restoration’

Grace Gillespie is a London-based artist and producer originally from Devon, who spent much of 2017 touring as part of 4AD’s Pixx. Now she’s making her own sounds, and ‘Restoration’ is the first of many introspective, dream-pop singles from this promising new artist.

Grace’s sound is influenced by folk, psych and dream-pop traditions, and it’s this blending of genres which saw her early demo of ‘Restoration’ tipped to Q Magazine by Newton Faulkner, and brought her to the attention of Kaleidoscope, who are set to work alongside her to produce her first solo releases in 2018.

Listen to ‘Restoration’ below, and follow Grace Gillespie on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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