LISTEN: Ailbhe Reddy – ‘Last To Leave’

An intricate re-framing of the extended emotional hangover that often sets in before the end of a big night out, Irish musician Ailbhe Reddy has shared her latest single ‘Last To Leave’. Taken from her upcoming second album, Endless Affair, which is set for release on 17th March via MNRK, the track is a relatable reflection on taking things too far, and wanting to atone for potentially embarrassing behaviour – whether personally, or vicariously.

“’Last To Leave’ is about having an infatuation with someone who you find frustrating and watching as they make a fool of themselves at a party, while knowing you might be doing the same thing,” Reddy explains about her new single. The songwriter explores this scenario through the lens of a bystander, but is all too aware that she may also be guilty by association. Reddy acknowledges this via her endearing, yet excruciatingly raw lyrics and crystalline vocals. “It’s not just your drink you’re spilling / to anybody who will listen” she observes, over gentle beats and considered instrumentation, softening the awkward reality of the situation.

Following on from her debut album, Personal History (2020), Reddy’s upcoming record Endless Affair is inspired by her romantic relationships and her fractured memories of many a fun night spent partying in her early 20s. It’s both a poignant and playful offering, that sees her tap into the need to be with others, to soak up the experience as much as possible, and to remind listeners that they’re not missing out – even if they have to leave the party early.

Reddy will be playing the revered SXSW festival in Texas in March, before returning to the UK and Ireland in April and May to play a string of headline shows. Full dates are below.

Listen to ‘Last To Leave’ here:

Ailbhe Reddy 2023 UK & Ireland Tour Dates
12 April – Portland Arms, Cambridge, UK
13 April – Louisiana, Bristol, UK
14 April – Gullivers, Manchester, UK
15 April – Hug & Pint, Glasgow, UK
16 April – Brudenell, Leeds, UK
18 April – Moth Club, London, UK
05 May – Whelans, Dublin, IE
06 May – Whelans, Dublin, IE

Follow Ailbhe Reddy on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo credit: Niamh Barry

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: Ritual Forms – ‘Down’

A brooding, atmospheric soundscape that explores the way our moods fluctuate during uncertain times, Ritual Forms have shared their latest single ‘Down’. Lifted from their upcoming debut album, Nighttime Economy, which is set for release on 2nd March, the London-based trio’s new offering is another captivating blend of hypnotic loops, steady beats and intoxicating vocals.

Formed during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, good friends Anna Marcella, Curtis Elvidge and Joe Cross decided to combine their distinctive musical backgrounds into a new project. Under the moniker of Ritual Forms, the trio wanted to remove all of their self-imposed constraints and rediscover themselves in an a new and uninhibited creative process. This culminated in their debut single ‘Dreaming‘, which seamlessly shifts between the lighter and darker shades of human emotion, and the band’s latest offering ‘Down’ flows in a similar shadowy vein.

“’Down’ was planted in retro territory when Curtis created a warped 90’s hip-hop sample, which in turn inspired me to create impactful lyrics and groove melodies around a unique song structure,” vocalist Anna explains about the track. “The lyrical backdrop here is both personal and politically charged, but we wanted to layer sounds and textures to bring a sullen and dreamy vibe that represents both the anxious undertones many of us are feeling, along with the flow and relief of moving forward.”

Ritual Forms will be playing a FREE show at Hoxton Underbelly on Wednesday 25th January in order to celebrate the release of their new single.

‘Down’ is accompanied by a cinematic monochrome video which you can watch below.

Follow Ritual Forms on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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New Track: Death Valley Girls – ‘Sunday’

Having been big fans of LA’s Death Valley Girls for a few years now, I’m super excited to hear that they will be announcing their new album at the end of next month. Our second taster from the upcoming release (following 2021’s ‘It’s All Really Kind Of Amazing’) comes in the form of truly dreamy new single, ‘Sunday‘.

Oozing a glistening, ethereal splendour, ‘Sunday’ offers a sweeping slice of anthemic, soul-strewn psych-rock. Building with a fizzing energy, it harks back to the psychedelic sounds of the ’70s California scene, whilst showcasing the bands’ ability to create something that is utterly unique. Reflecting on the process of addressing your pain and being honest with yourself, it’s a beautifully immersive trip into the cosmic world of Death Valley Girls; stepping away from some of their previous scuzz-filled post-punk offerings, but no less stirring. So, bathe in ‘Sunday’s blissful haze as Bonnie Bloomgarden’s distinctive impassioned vocals ripple throughout this uplifting shimmering soundscape.

Of the track, Bloomgarden expands:

“Recently I realized I have been numbing, medicating, intellectualizing, and avoiding my pain and feelings for most of my life. Over the past few years I learned you have to feel and move through your feelings or they get stuck, and then you become a vessel or container for all the feelings you are trying to avoid! If you acknowledge, feel, and process them, you get to release and move them out of you! This song is to honor that process! Feel your feelings, be so sad you wanna cry forever, and then move on, you gotta keep moving!”

‘Sunday’ is accompanied by a wonderfully trippy, animated, Alice-In-Wonderland-inspired video, directed by Arturo Baston. Watch here:

Islands In The Sky, the upcoming new album from Death Valley Girls, is set for release on 24th February via Suicide Squeeze Records – pre-order here. And catch Death Valley Girls live when they’re over in the UK next month – more info here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Neto Velasco

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New Track: girl with dream – ‘HRT’ (Heart Replacement Theory)

A creator of dreamy, bittersweet “songs to make or break your heart,” Montreal-based artist Chris Lawson aka girl with dream has shared her debut single ‘HRT’ (Heart Replacement Theory). Full of hazy riffs, gentle beats and Lawson’s smooth vocals, the track is a warm reflection on the transgender songwriter’s own experiences of transitioning, as well as an anthem for others, urging them to embrace and celebrate their own identities.

Playing as a bassist in indie-rock band Dresser and many other musical outfits gave Lawson the skills and experience they needed to begin making their solo offerings. Working alongside drummer Rhys Climenhage, Lawson crafts vulnerable, yet buoyant indie-folk sounds under her girl with dream moniker, with ‘HRT’ being the first of many lullaby-esque tunes to come from the new artist.

girl with dream has developed from a private outlet for Lawson to explore her own inner thoughts, into a platform that is connecting communities and sharing the joy of queer and trans stories. Lawson’s music centers around “the sacred power found in embracing yourself and participating in an act of healing, guided by self love and harnessing agency.”

Speaking about her debut single ‘HRT (Heart Replacement Theory), Lawson explains: “This song is as much a celebration of transitioning, an anthem for those who are set free by taking that step for themselves, as it is for everyone facing the struggle to connect with others and to show them who we really are and how we really feel – even when that casts us into vulnerability.”

Listen to ‘HRT’ (Heart Replacement Theory) below.

 

Follow girl with dream on bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook & Instagram

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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