ALBUM: BCOS RSNS – ‘BCOS RSNS’

London DIY post-punks BCOS RSNS‘ eponymous debut album is the kind of release that cements a band’s place in a musical landscape just waiting for them to come and take their rightful place at its heart. Every track is clearly drawn from an authentic place, whether it’s a fond memory of a night out or an examination of personal experiences of bigotry. This gives the whole album a sense of vulnerability that makes listening to it feel like you’re in the easy company of friends.

The music is stylistically uncomplicated, with simple rhyme schemes that make it easy to absorb the point of each song. The lyrics are straightforward and accessible, delivering thoughts clearly and frankly. These are set to upbeat rhythms and buoyant guitars that make for a very enjoyable listen. Elements that really shine in every track are the incredibly catchy hooks that bounce around your brain long after the album ends.

The album as a whole showcases a diverse range of musical styles and skills, but the one thing every song has in common is its honesty. Every line comes from such a real place; the songs feel like the band is opening up to you, trusting you with the important things they feel about the world around them. The album carries you along on a rich emotional journey that is intensely personal, yet still relatable. You’re invited to dive into their explorations of everything, from conspiracy theories, to being ghosted, to how they would go about their dream revolution. 

Through the two singles that have been released, we’ve been perfectly introduced to the tone of the album with its direct approach to emotions and generally wholesome vibe. Then as it gets underway, it eases you into deeper territory. The fun rhythms and authentic lyrics give the album such a gentle pace you almost don’t notice how intense the subject matter becomes. BCOS RSNS begins with a love letter to live music, ‘(First On At) The Buffalo Bar’, and continues to pay tribute to the scene simply by contributing the band’s own fantastic new introspective and insightful gems.

BCOS RSNS, the eponymous debut album, is out now. Listen / download on bandcamp now. And keep your eyes peeled for BCOS RSNS on a stage near you!

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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LISTEN: pink suits – ‘Be Good To Yourself’

A distinctly pink suits take on the self care anthem, ‘Be Good To Yourself‘ combines the fierce drums, screaming guitars and passionate vocals the band are known for with an unmissable wholesome message. It’s easy to ignore empty platitudes telling you to live, laugh, love, but pink suits take a more insightful and defiant approach to self-care.

The track acknowledges how hard an instruction as simple as “be good to yourself” can be in a world where everyone is struggling for one reason or another with support increasingly difficult to access in the rare places it is available. A world where people feel more isolated than ever, despite the tools we have for connection, because of the dog-eat-dog nature of contemporary society; where you are made to feel guilty for not being on the grind every waking moment of your day; where the controlling elite profit when you feel bad about taking the time out to practice even the slightest moment of genuine self care (assuming, that is, you ever manage to practice genuine self-care, and not the self-care defined by capitalists involving spending money you don’t have on things that only really offer short time comforts). 

pink suits point directly at the cause of the problems likely to be weighing on you and make it impossible to argue with them when they tell you to find a way to be kind to yourself anyway. Every reference to the issues making self-care a struggle comes as a comfort. ‘Be Good To Yourself’ is a track designed to make you feel seen; the rage integral to pink suits’ energy echoes the frustration of self-care feeling so elusive. That energy makes you want to be good to yourself in spite of all the elements of the world around you seemingly designed to make you feel awful.

In a world that is cruel, and makes a particular target out of people who are already marginalised, this song redefines self-care as an act of rebellion and defiance. It hammers home how truly vital it is to ensure that, when there is no guarantee of compassion or kindness from anywhere else, you, at the very least, will be good to yourself.

‘Be Good To Yourself’ is taken from pink suits’ immense new album Dystopian Hellscape. Listen / buy on bandcamp now!

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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WATCH: Roller Derby – ‘Dreams’

‘Dreams’, the latest single from Hamburg-based Roller Derby, is a sparkling, ethereal song about the intensity of relationships. The track is a captivating blend of synth-pop, drawing inspiration from the genre’s early origins, while infusing splashes of a contemporary indie sound.

The track opens sparsely with a vocal line accompanied by a washy synth, until a stirring drum beat and warm synth bass line enters, giving the track a blissful foundation. The highlight musically comes as the swirling guitar licks ooze a captivating New Wave energy, bringing to mind Depeche Mode and The Cure, and giving the track a darker edge. 

Lush harmonies enter, accompanying the well-delivered vocals and melancholic melody as the song grows into something much larger, taking you on its journey, gradually introducing new elements and sounds in the textured and layered soundscape. A real pleasure for the ears; a testament to the slick production style of Moses Schneider. Building from melancholic to euphoric, the lush musicality mirrors the emotive theme of the reflective lyricism.

Since forming in 2020, Roller Derby have swiftly been making waves – having performed at festivals and prominent showcases such as SXSW and Reeperbahn Festival, as well as recently selling out a headline show for us at The Shacklewell Arms; continuing to captivate audiences with their unique blend of synth-pop and indie influences.

The accompanying music video, directed by Stephanie von Beauvais, perfectly visualises the ethereal atmosphere of the track with a trippy, psychedelic allure, vibrant colours and rippling imagery. Roller Derby are clearly a band who have a truly well thought-out vision and know what they want to achieve, and I look forward to hearing more from them throughout 2024.

Ella Patenall
@ella_patenall

Photo Credit: Johann Kressin

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PREMIERE: Dream Phone – ‘fogo’

Having completely won me over playing live for us supporting Me Rex last year, and now fresh from being utterly brilliant once again playing with Ray Aggs last week, Oxford duo Dream Phone are back with a brand new single. With acclaim from the likes of BBC 6Music and BBC Radio Oxford for last year’s eponymous debut EP (which was one of my faves of 2023), Jenny and Hannah have already showcased their ability to create utterly unique glitch-pop soundscapes touching on subjects ranging from social anxiety to Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Reflecting on the fear of going out (rather than the fear of missing out), ‘fogo’ offers a comforting ode to anyone who may not enjoy going out as much as they used to – whether that’s due to age, increased post-pandemic anxiety or simply just relishing being comfy and safe in your own space. Musically perhaps more melodic than previous offerings, this new single loses none of the duo’s vibrant charm and fizzing punk-pop vibes, playfully intertwined with their sugar-sweet augmented vocal harmonies. Of the track, Jenny and Hannah explain:

“‘fogo’ is basically about us not getting as much joy from going out as we used to! What can we say, we’re older and a pandemic changes you. It’s also about the guilt you can feel about seeing your friends less. It’s one of those songs that almost wrote itself – it started with us mucking about on the synth in the rehearsal studio, and coming up with the riff that opens the song. That got stuck in our heads, and everything else came quite naturally from there.“

Delivered with a playful riot grrrl-inspired spirit, ‘fogo’ showcases all there is to love about Dream Phone; listening to its scuzzy layers of shimmering musicality, I feel instantly uplifted by its infectious quirky allure and blissfully danceable energy. And, watching the accompanying video adds even more joy to the experience. Made by Hannah from the band, it quite beautifully highlights the conflicting feelings of wanting to go out but not feeling able to, whilst depicting the simple pleasures of staying in: cats, Green Day, dancing in your dressing gown, what more could you need?

Cementing Dream Phone firmly as one of my most favourite bands, ‘fogo’ is the relatable, euphoric glitch-pop anthem you didn’t know you needed. If you having a bad day, one listen to its swirling cacophony and you’ll feel instantly brighter… And, if you’re having a good day; turn it up loud, put on your dressing gown and dance around your bedroom with your cat.

‘fogo’ will be released on all platforms tomorrow, 1st May, via Divine Schism. Catch Dream Phone live (you must!) on tour with Teenage Sequence throughout May – info here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Agnes Diaconu

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