Reviews – Page 54 – Get In Her Ears

WATCH: Girl Ray – ‘Everybody’s Saying That’

Following the release of 2021’s ‘Give Me Your Love’, London trio (and GIHE faves) Girl Ray have now shared another much-anticipated buoyant new single.

Reflecting on themes of new love and self-doubt, ‘Everybody’s Saying That‘ is propelled by a swirling disco-inspired energy, oozing the band’s colourful charisma and uplifting charm. Flowing with funk-fuelled hooks and a sparkling danceable allure, it showcases the smooth lilt of Poppy Hankin’s distinctive vocals perfectly. Fizzing with all the shimmering blissful zest that we’ve come to know and love from Girl Ray, it’s the perfect Friday anthem; just one listen will elevate your spirits, leaving you ready to hit the dancefloor/roller-disco/bedroom with a revived sense of optimism.

Of the track, Hankin explains:

“The lyrics on this single were inspired by the straight-to-the-heart simplicity of the disco greats. I wrote it while missing my partner while on tour in 2020, and it plays on themes of new love and self-doubt. Musically we took reference from the nu-disco resurgence that seemed to be taking off in 2020, in particular from the likes of Kylie Minogue (Disco), Jessie Ware (What’s Your Pleasure?), Dua Lipa (Future Nostalgia) and Róisín Murphy (Róisín Machine). We were really inspired by all of these women re-imagining disco.”

‘Everybody’s Saying That’ is accompanied by a joyous Studio 54-inspired new video, directed by Alice Harding. Watch it here:

‘Everybody’s Saying That’ is produced by Poppy Hankin and Ben H Allen (M.I.A, Christina Aguilera), and is out now via Moshi Moshi Records.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Chiara Gambuto

February 17, 2023

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WATCH: Emily Magpie – ‘Hotline Bling’

Having been supported by the likes of Tom Robinson on BBC 6Music and supported bands such as This Is The Kit and Let’s Eat Grandma, Bristol based Emily Magpie has been charming us with her whimsical dream-pop soundscapes for some time now, with her latest single ‘Last Train‘ receiving over 90,000 plays on Spotify. Now, with funding from Help Musicians, she is set to release a new EP this Spring.

Ahead of the EP’s release, Magpie has shared a brand new live video – her own rendition of ‘Hotline Bling‘, a unique fusion between Drake and Tame Impala. Oozing her crystalline, celestial tones and majestic ethereal splendour, she adds her own shimmering grace to the original. Flowing with a soaring, twinkling allure and soulful energy, it offers a beautifully uplifting interlude; a blissful, sunny respite to these cold February days.

Of her decision to record the track, Magpie explains:

“I’d come across an Erykah Badu cover of ‘Hotline Bling’ and it felt like such a different vibe to the original which got me thinking, I love covers that are unexpected or flip the original song. I feel like there’s a darkness and sadness to the track and lyrics – this jealous ex who’s being a bit desperate and unreasonable, but the song itself sounds like this catchy pop-bop. So we joked we should make a doom-pop cover of it and started jamming it and totally loved it, then found it could slide into Tame Impala and that was that. People always love it when we play it as a surprise at live shows.“

Watch the charming new video here:

Mari Lane
@marimindles

February 10, 2023February 10, 2023

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LISTEN: King Isis – ‘in my ways’

A bittersweet grunge-infused anthem that tackles feelings of frustration, King Isis has shared their latest single ‘in my ways’. Taken from their upcoming debut EP, scales, which is set for release via Dirty Hit / No Matter later this year, the Oakland-based artist attempts to overcome their jaded thoughts through shimmering guitar sounds, driving beats and relatable lyrics on their new offering.

“‘in my ways’ is about being stuck in a cycle of your own creation,” King Isis explains. “You don’t quite know how to get out of it just yet, and you’re not really trying. It’s willfully ignoring shadows, but it’s ok cuz we’re dancing.” The multi-instrumentalist – whose name pays homage to their great-great-grandmother Omega King, one of the first Black opera singers in Chicago – seems to thrive in the uneasy space between light and shadow on their latest single. This is a theme that permeates their upcoming EP too.

“[My Grandmother’s] name holds a lot of power in my house and in my family,” Isis comments further, “A big part of the reason my artist name incorporates hers is to remind me that there is power in my voice, that music has always been a deep-rooted part of me, and to keep going.” This perseverance is reflected not just in King Isis’ sound, but in their activism too. They volunteer teaching music classes for low-income communities in Los Angeles, and have worked with the FreeStudio Program of Rikers Island, which creates a safe creative space for incarcerated youth and the children of incarcerated adults.

King Isis is an ardent believer in the empowering and healing nature of music, and their authentic and infectious indie-grunge sounds are a tonic for life’s more testing moments.

Listen to ‘in my ways’ below.

Follow King Isis on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Cole Maslansky

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

February 8, 2023

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LISTEN: Kara Delik – ‘Strange Attractor’

An altruistic blend of post punk, spoken word and experimental sound, Berlin-based trio Kara Delik have shared their latest single ‘Strange Attractor’. Taken from their upcoming mini EP, Singularities 1, which the band will be self-releasing on 17th February, the track is a brooding, hypnotic exploration of the strange ways that we interact with each other as we meander through life at conflicting paces.

Formed of Baris Öner (Istanbul Ghetto Club), Andi Sommer (Henry Fonda, Afterlife Kids, Yacht Communism), and GIHE fave Eilis Frawley (Anika, Laura Lee & The Jettes, I Drew Blank), Kara Delik are three friends brought together by “coincidental kitchen encounters” and a shared enthusiasm for the Berlin DIY music scene. Inspired by everything from 70s Anatolian rock music, traditional Turkish folk, to German Krautrock and 80s punk, the band deliver their “odd timings for odd times” with gritty flair. The trio shared their debut EP, Tamam, in 2022, and now they’re preparing for another year of new music releases and live shows.

“‘Strange Attractor’ is a continuous stream of thoughts – some conscious and some unconscious – about the way in which people communicate and stumble through life,” Kara Delik comment about their latest single. “Musically you can expect to be lost in a 5 minute long dub trance.” Through a combination of Frawley’s distinctive spoken-word lyrics and percussion, and Öner and Sommer’s jagged riffs and distortion, the band grapple with clashes in communication and the strange and stunted paths we often find ourselves following (“too old to be relevant / old enough to be resented / everyone’s talking / but the conversation’s dead”).

Listen to ‘Strange Attractor’ below.

Singularities 1 will be available both online and on 7 inch vinyl.
Pre-order here