Track Of The Day: Alaskalaska – ‘Glass’

Painting a sonic picture of mystery and gloom, South London’s ALASKALASKA brings a beautiful eeriness in latest single ‘Glass’. Taken from their new album release Still Life, it oozes a resistant spirit whilst confronting the question: “Do we work to live or live to work?”, pondering the unhealthy relationships we have with work and the societal expectations that come with it. 

ALASKALASKA uses a theme of choice to depict the coercive correspondence of hustle culture in ‘Glass’. Although mid-paced, everything about ‘Glass’ feels demanding while it requests our undivided attention as the track intensifies. Hypnotic synth pads and a crisp drum beat kick off ‘Glass’ with immediate sophistication that soon introduces Lucinda’s effortlessly cool vocals, the flow with. nonchalant grace while delivering their critical take on societal norms. Luncinda’s lyrics to speak for themselves, leaving room for listeners to reflect on themselves and consider their unique roles in the need to grind. 

Building from an indie-electronica base, ALASKALASKA seems to handpick elements of the genre solely to serve the disposition of ‘Glass’, whilst drawing on influence from artists such as Porches and Tame Impala to execute the track’s story. The lyrical concepts and rich mix of eclectic sounds make boundaries limitless, inspiring us to expand our philosophy on genre and society. If ‘Glass’ is just one avenue for ALASKALASKA, Still Life is certain to be a compelling journey in its entirety.

Still Life, the new album from ALASKALASKA, is out now via Marathon Artists. And catch ALASKALASKA live, currently on tour supporting Porridge Radio – details here.

Jill Goyeau
@jillybxxn

Photo Credit: Tami Aftab

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LIVE: Midwife – Cafe Oto, London 18.10.22

“I have a few more songs to play before I release you from this sauna,” joked Madeline Johnston aka Midwife to her sold out crowd at East London’s Cafe Oto on Tuesday night. Armed with her guitar, a pedal board, headphones and her customised telephone mic, she delivered a disarming collection of shiver-inducing sounds for her London live debut, the full extent of which were felt despite the high temperature of the room.

Opening with the beautifully bleak ‘Colorado’ which set the tone for the rest of the gig, Midwife’s evocative, deceptively simple lyrical motifs and guitar loops were entirely hypnotic. Her congregation of listeners were attentive to her considered sounds from the moment she took to the stage, to the point where the noise of ice clinking in a glass felt amplified to the volume of a cymbal smash. Watching the New Mexico-based musician’s considered performance felt like a privileged form of voyeurism.

Fans were granted permission to enter her dream-like melancholy world, in which introverted tendencies and unrequited yearnings blur and clash with the urgent desire to find connection and understanding. Musing into her telephone mic with her soft vocals, it felt like Midwife was in dialogue with an unknown person at the end of the line, the distance between them simultaneously expanded and minimised as she sang into the receiver in front of a room of silent strangers.

Whilst it’s difficult to pick set highlights, tracks from her 2020 album Forever seemed to resonate strongly with the crowd. The tender nature of ‘Language’, the brooding, murky tones of ‘S.W.I.M.’ and the cutting ‘2018’ all left their mark, as well as the poignant opening track on her most recent record Luminol, ‘God Is a Cop’. Pausing to take a picture before her final song – the ambient ‘Sickworld’ –  Midwife left her listeners on a pensive, transient note, encapsulated in the lyric: “I’m not here to stay / I’m just passing through”, before breaking the spell by moving to the merch stand to sell t-shirts and vinyl.

Midwife’s London debut was an understated, intensely memorable affair, heightened by the crowd’s willingness to provide her with their undivided, and much deserved attention.

Follow Midwife on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Cam Smith

Kate Crudgington
@kate_crudge

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Track Of The Day: WOLFS – ‘Take Me On’

An antagonistic anthem fuelled by driving beats and grungy guitar riffs, London-based duo WOLFS have shared their latest single ‘Take Me On’. Inspired by the need to reject the frustrating misconceptions that others often project on to us, the track is a riotous call to arms, full of cathartic vocals and defiant lyrics, urging listeners to persevere in the face of adversity,

Formed of drummer Rhi, and guitarist and vocalist Hannah, WOLFS were initially a four piece who formed via the Gumtree website. Just a few days before the band were set to record their first EP however, two of the members left, so Rhi and Hannah continued as a two-piece and have been making music together ever since. Despite living over one hundred miles apart for the first few years, the pair somehow made the band work, and both eventually moved to London after cutting their teeth on the Oxford and Reading live music scenes.

This resilient beginning has clearly shaped the duo’s sound and tenacious attitude to songwriting, something which their current single ‘Take Me On’ is brimming with. “‘Take Me On’ is a song that channels the frustrations of sexism and the people who underestimate you, which I think everyone can relate to in some way,” the band explain. The track is accompanied by a monochrome video, filmed at Glasshouse Studios in Oxford, which shows the pair performing live in the studio.

Watch the video for ‘Take Me On’ below.

Follow WOLFS on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Alex Lahey – ‘Congratulations’

‘Congratulations’, the latest single from Australian artist Alex Lahey is an irresistible slice of grunge-fuelled indie rock about your exes moving on and settling down with someone else. With its swaggering guitars and soaring vocals, it’s an anthemic, fist-pumping three-minutes, building from bittersweet to completely bad-ass.

Lahey’s songwriting and musicality really shine here. Reminiscent of Pixies and the incredible Du Blonde, this is lo-fi guitar rock delivered with such power, polish and energy that Lahey could have the power of a whole band behind her. I’m talking proper stadium rock vibes, and it begs to be played loud!

Emerging from the vibrant Melbourne scene that also gave us Courtney Barnett, ‘Congratulations’ shows Lahey is a force to be reckoned with. Her last new music in 2021, ‘On My Way’, made it to the soundtrack of Netflix’s The Mitchells Vs The Machines (NB. parents and carers to small people will have watched this at least a dozen times…) and with more new music to come from her this year, Lahey’s potential seems limitless.

‘Congratulations’ is out now via Liberation Records.

Vic Conway
@thepicsofvic

Photo Credit: Pooneh Ghana

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