Reviews – Page 84 – Get In Her Ears

ALBUM: Soccer Mommy – ‘Sometimes, Forever’

Inspired by the concept that neither sorrow nor happiness are permanent, Sophie Allison aka Soccer Mommy cleverly nods to synth sub-genres on Sometimes, Forever. From new wave to goth, the album broadens Allison’s repertoire without abandoning the compelling melodies she’s known for.

Throughout, Sometimes, Forever is informed by historic musical movements. It’s entirely plausible that the album has been described as “a moodboard of vintage touchstones”. ‘Unholy Affliction’ and ‘Following Eyes’ both echo the 1990s grunge scene, with the use of guitars in the latter particularly drawing inspiration from Nirvana’s ‘Heart Shaped Box’. Likewise, opening track, ‘Bones’ wouldn’t feel out of place on Alvvays’ eponymous 2014 album.

Thankfully, Sometimes, Forever falls short of simply recycling old sound as the album transcends its influences. Later track ‘With U’ and lead single ‘Shotgun’ both incorporate heavier synth notes. The juxtaposition between this sound and the previously mentioned tracks separates Soccer Mommy from a sea of grunge and indie-pop imitators. The synth notes should come as no surprise though – Sometimes, Forever was produced by Daniel Lopatin of Oneohtrix Point Never, most notable for the score of ‘Uncut Gems’ and The Weeknd’s chart-topping, ‘Dawn FM’. Lopatin has an unbounded synth vocabulary, which particularly shines through on ‘With U’.

Radiating an overwhelming theme of blueness, Soccer Mommy’s album is partially galvanised by the push and pull between Allison’s yearning to produce meaningful art and her scepticism about artless careerism. The echoey vocals on ‘Fire In The Driveway’ accompanied by nothing but acoustics certainly represents this disposition. Interestingly, the downcast lyrics depicting elitism on Sometimes, Forever follow Soccer Mommy’s past successes. Strikingly, her studio debut, Clean, is one of the most beloved albums of the 2010s lo-fi bedroom-pop scene. Similarly, her sophomore effort, color theory, was GRAMMY nominated. As explorations of artistic integrity go, Sometimes, Forever is a brave effort.

Sometimes, Forever will be released on June 24th via Loma Vista. Pre-order here

Follow Soccer Mommy on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Sophie Hur

Sarah Bennett
@sarah_benn3tt (Twitter)
@zasbennett (Instagram)

June 17, 2022

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Track Of The Day: All Cats Are Beautiful – ‘Heartbeats’

Having fallen completely in love with London duo Elena and Kyle – aka all cats are beautiful (ACAB) – upon listening to last year’s album the things we made, with this love only growing further when they delivered their ‘sad dance tunes’ for us live at The Shacklewell Arms in February, we’re super happy to hear they’ve now released a beautiful new single.

With their rendition of The Knife’s ‘Heartbeats‘, acab offer a truly enchanting dreamscape. Flowing with delicate, twinkling hooks alongside the duo’s luscious harmonies, it’s a stripped back, yet instantly immersive, version of the original, oozing a lilting, blissful energy and captivating, heartfelt emotion. Maintaining all the infectious electro scuzz of the original, whilst adding the duo’s own unique resplendent grace and spellbinding allure, it builds with a whirring splendour to a vibrant, danceable anthem shimmering with a swirling, soothing charm.

Of the decision to release the track, the duo explain:

“It was conceived and recorded in just one day in January this year while we were preparing to go on tour, and is the third in our ongoing covers series (previously featuring works by Arthur Russell and Daniel Johnston). We wanted to tap in to our usual nostalgic vibe by covering a song very much more in the public consciousness, and at the same time showcase how our glitchy modern production can add a new shiny element to this beautifully written piece of pop history.”

‘Heartbeats’ features backing vocals by actor/singer Jola Jassy. Listen here:

the things we made, the beautiful album from all cats are beautiful, is out now via Moshi Moshi Records.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

June 17, 2022June 17, 2022

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WATCH: Ailbhe Reddy – ‘A Mess’

A lighthearted reflection on an early, chaotic relationship, Irish-born, London-based alt-folk artist Ailbhe Reddy has shared her latest single ‘A Mess’. Full of energetic guitar riffs, relatable lyrics and Reddy’s clear vocals, the track is a buoyant rumination on the cyclical nature of bad habits and a lively effort to move past them.

Following on from her recent single ‘Inhaling’ and her tender, intuitive debut album Personal History (2020), on ‘A Mess’ Reddy continues to balance the bittersweet nature of romantic relationships with her earnest and relatable lyrics. “The song is about not feeling good enough in a relationship and examining old patterns and habits,” she explains. “It’s about feeling fed up of going around in circles, while focusing on a throw away comment.”

Whilst the repetition of the title lyric could sting if it was delivered differently, Reddy claims it as a lighthearted label, accepting that youth and inexperience are all part of the learning process when it comes to forming healthy relationships. This humour is reflected in the single’s accompanying video, which sees Reddy fishing and dressed up as a surgeon, trying to dissect the moment that led to the relationship being branded ‘A Mess’.

“The video was directed by Georgia Kelly of CLTV,” she explains (an Irish production company who have created for videos Fontaines D.C., Denise Chaila, Pillow Queens and Inhaler.) “I wanted to keep the playfulness of the music alive in the video and make sure it was tongue and cheek rather than very serious. Georgia came up with a few scenarios that were funny representations of feeling ‘not good enough’ and giving up.”

Ailbhe Reddy will be performing at Visions Festival and Latitude this summer, with more live dates due to be announced soon.

Watch the video for ‘A Mess’ below.

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

Photo Credit: Collective Dublin (CLTV)

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

June 16, 2022

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Track Of The Day: Double Helix – ‘Doppelgänger’

A pulsing, urgent mix of hypnotic beats, impulsive synth textures and elusive vocals, London-based duo Double Helix have shared their latest single ‘Doppelgänger’. Shared as part of Human Endeavour’s debut compilation EP, Trains Of Thought, which is due for release on 21st June, the track is an energetic blur of 90s-style acid electronica that smoulders with euphoric energy.

Formed of Patrick Smith (synths, programming, vocals), Kim Engelhardt (bass) and accompanied by a session drummer for their live shows, Double Helix have cut their teeth on London’s underground gig circuit over the past few years where they have developed a loyal following. Their eclectic live shows fuse together the sounds and aesthetics of 90s rave subculture and often include footage and visuals shot by the band themselves. Inspired by the Prodigy, Leftfield, Nine Inch Nails and Boy Harsher, Double Helix offer listeners a sonic escape with their immersive electronic sounds, with their latest single ‘Doppelgänger’ delivering just that.

The new track has been released via Human Endeavour, a sub label of Ransom Note curated and led by Rosie Ama Cain (Kiara Scuro). The label aims to provide “space for artists who are exploring the dark, deep and hypnotic corners of the musical spectrum,” a space where Double Helix’s eclectic electronic sounds look set to thrive. Accompanied by a striking new video shot & edited by the band, the visuals for ‘Doppelgänger’ feature dancer and performance artist Giorgia Pirozzi, who manipulates and shifts her body along to Double Helix’s frenzied and infectious sounds.