New Track: Frankie Rose – ‘Anything’

Set to release her fifth studio album this Spring, New York based artist Frankie Rose has now shared her latest single ‘Anything’ – an inspiring, exploratory track. While following the latest release of her own interpretation of The Cure’s ‘Seventeen Seconds’, Rose has dived into something fresh at this time in her career. 

Filled with beautiful ’80s-inspired electro-pop nuances, in ‘Anything’ Rose showcases her ability to fuse together new sounds with a hybrid of inspirations of her past, creating something that sounds refreshingly ultra-modern. Nostalgia for post-punk remains while ‘Anything’ glamourises grunge to a shiny finish of crisp vocals across a sweeping electronic landscape. At its core, ‘Anything’ is confident and undimmed while grabbing an array of eclectic influences into its mix of excitement for the now. 

Slowly building with sharp drums and choral synth pads, as Rose’s vocals float on top of her mix with an irresistibly catchy and contagious allure, ‘Anything’ feels like a poignant reflection, but specifically one that does not feel too heavy – executing the idea that we are in a constant state of learning. 

‘Anything’ feels like accepting that we make mistakes and must move on from them, learning from them in a way that offers not only self-disappointment, but a cycle of valuable growth. Frankie Rose is all-seeing in ‘Anything’, as she brings us along on a beautifully cathartic, optimistic sonic journey.

Love As Projection, the upcoming new album from Frankie Rose, is set for release on 10th March via Night School Records.

Jill Goyeau
@jilliangoyeau

Photo Credit: Esme Rogers Smith

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New Track: t l k – ‘Serenia’

A beautiful, soothing electronic lamentation about the nature of childhood grief and memory, Bristol-based artist t l k has shared their latest single ‘Serenia’. Brimming with emotive vocals, tender lyrics and blissful synths, the track is a poignant exploration of the timeless power of maternal love.

“Deep in a palace of the mind / held by the mother for the last time” muses t l k in the opening line of the track, inviting listeners into a deeply personal space via clear vocals and ambient electronics. Described as a “self-soothing metaphysical landscape”, the artist created ‘Serenia’ by manipulating an improvised vocal take and blending it with analogue synths, before adding percussive textures that were built from the spines of a cactus. The result is an emotive “sound bath” that evokes a sense of solace and serenity each time it’s listened to.

Using music to gently unfold themes of identity, self-hood, and the often incomprehensible depth of human emotion, t l k blends introspection, melancholy and euphoria within their sound, sometimes within the same track. Their debut EP, Strength In Tenderness (2022), was an evocative, rapturous collection of songs that seamlessly fused these two emotional states together, an accomplishment that meant the record made the cut for our Albums & EPs of 2022 feature last year.

t l k’s new single ‘Serenia’ is accompanied by an animated artwork created by graphics pro and visual artist Alfie Dwyer (Adult Swim, Eric Andre, Sad Night Dynamite, Thundercat and Flying Lotus). Dwyer’s work enhances the dreamlike, all encompassing warmth of t l k’s sound.

Watch the video for ‘Serenia’ below.

Follow t l k on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook or via their Website

 

Photo Credit: Giulia Spadafora

Kate Crudgington
@kcbobcut

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Track Of The Day: VISCERENE – ‘Zeros and Ones’

An ominous reflection on the way that technology influences our behaviour, industrial/electronic duo VISCERENE have shared their debut single ‘Zeros and Ones’. With a sound reminiscent of Pretty Hate Machine-era Nine Inch Nails, the track is a brooding cacophony of chaotic synth textures and glitchy beats, exploring what happens to our thought processes when we spend too much time online.

Formed of Charlie Beddoes and John Briginshaw, VISCERENE is the sound of two experienced musicians navigating new sonic territory on their own terms. Briginshaw is a session drummer, who wanted to create music instead of just playing songs by other people. Beddoes is a bassist and vocalist who has played in many bands, including Rub Ultra, No Santa, and most recently fronted Rock In Your Pocket and Nasty Little Lonely. Now, the pair have combined their many talents to create visceral electronic noise under their new moniker.

“‘Zeros and Ones’ is about technological determinism,” Beddoes explains about their debut offering. “The lyrics refer to how human behaviour changes because of technology, and not always for the better!” The duo explore this element of the human psyche through Beddoes’ cutting lyrics and Briginshaw’s ordered yet erratic percussion.

As well as forming this new project, Beddoes has recently released her memoir, Overdriven, which is described as “the true story of a girl with a dirty bass sound and more ambition than sense”. Her book is full of fascinating anecdotes about the 80s and 90s rock scenes, as well as her own experiences of being a women in rock and alternative music spheres. You can buy a copy here.

Listen to ‘Zeros and Ones’ below.

Follow VISCERENE on bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook and Youtube

Kate Crudgington
@kcbobcut

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Track Of The Day: DEBBY FRIDAY – ‘So Hard To Tell’

An altruistic mix of bittersweet vocals, glitchy beats and evocative electronics, DEBBY FRIDAY has shared her latest single ‘So Hard To Tell’. Taken from her upcoming debut album, GOOD LUCK, which is set for release on 24th March via Sub Pop, the Nigerian-born, Toronto-based artist’s track is a candid reflection on growth and the indecision encountered along the way, explored through her magnetic vocals and candid lyrics.

“I have a lower register and speak with vocal fry, so I don’t know what came over me when I made this track,” Friday explains about ‘So Hard To Tell’. “I have never in my life sung like this before and I had no idea I could even make these kinds of sounds with my voice. There’s no pitch effects, it’s all me.” Differing dramatically from her previous sounds on EPs BITCH PUNK and DEATH DRIVE, this single further showcases Friday’s talent for traversing unknown territory and totally acing it.

The track is accompanied by a video, co-directed by Kevan Funk and featuring Friday in many magnificent forms, effortlessly commanding attention wherever she goes. Her upcoming album, which was co-produced and mixed by Graham Walsh (METZ, Holy Fuck) at Candle Recording Studio in Toronto, and mastered by Heba Kadry in New York, documents Friday’s fascinating journey from being a self-proclaimed “club rat” to a multi-disciplinary artist. The record will be co-released with a short film of the same name, co-directed by Friday and Nathan De Paz Habib. Friday will also be playing a UK show on 3rd May at Corsica Studios, with support from GROVE.

Watch the video for ‘So Hard To Tell’ below.

Follow DEBBY FRIDAY on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Debby Friday Tour Dates 2023
Sat. Jan. 21 – Montreal, QC – La Sala Rossa w/ Pelada
Fri. Feb. 17 – Toronto, ON – Boiler Room
Wed. Mar. 15-18 – Austin, TX – SXSW
Fri, Mar. 24 – Montreal, QC – Phi Centre
Sat. Mar 25 – Toronto, ON – Garrison
Wed. Apr. 12 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
Thu. Apr. 13 – Seattle, WA – Barboza
Fri. Apr. 14 – Los Angeles – Zebulon
Sat. Apr. 15 – Vancouver – Cobalt
Wed. Apr. 19 – Brooklyn, NY – Babys Alright
Thurs. Apr. 20 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
Wed. May 03 – London, UK – Corsica Studios w/ Grove

Photo credit: Katrin Braga

Kate Crudgington
@kcbobcut

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