Track Of The Day: Berries – ‘Wall Of Noise’

Following last year’s raucous extended play, Live Sessions from Big Smith Studios, Berries have further embraced their influences – pulling from the indie pop melodies of Wolf Alice, the scuzzy distortion of The Breeders, and the raw punk rock power of Sleater-Kinney – releasing the anthemic ‘Wall of Noise‘; a frenetic track that thematically explores the unwanted static that so many of us find interfering with our own thoughts.

These feelings of insecurity and isolation are tackled by the London-based trio – Holly Carter on guitar/lead vocals, Lauren Cooper on bass/backing vocals, and Lucie Hartmann on drums/backing vocals – with lyrical angst and meticulous, yet raw instrumentation; an honest introspection into mental health with propulsive basslines, angular guitar riffs, infectious drum grooves, and a vocal twang. “The wall of noise / Threatens to leak all the things we don’t see / Distorted voice / Blink and it’s gone but for now it lives on.”

In the music video, the band are confronted with repetition – an endless amount of stairs – representing common obstacles that Holly, Lauren, and Lucie approach differently each time, by either “running straight at them, cautiously, following others, courageously or alone”.

Berries promise that their forthcoming debut LP will explore mental health extensively, based on personal experience. If the record is anything like ‘Wall of Noise’, we can expect a confident combination of riff-driven melodies, layered noise-rock and a “fuck you” punk rock attitude.


Recorded and mixed at Big Smith Studio, the debut album from Berries is set to be released this Summer through Xtra Mile Recordings.

Ken Wynne
@Ken_Wynne

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Track Of The Day: Queen Cult – ‘Beautiful Psycho’

The very earliest opening notes of Queen Cult’s new track ‘Beautiful Psycho‘ drop you into the song’s fiercely unique duality. The combination of heavy, rumbling chords and lighter melodic notes over the top juxtapose darkness and playfulness that feeds every choice made in the track.

The contrast is reflected in the structure of the song; the bright, chirpy verses crescendo into the throbbing, heavy chorus, before returning to the upbeat poppy sound. The potentially conflicting styles work together really well to leap between churning emotions.

This creates the perfect backdrop for the lyrics. Delivered with rich, powerful vocals, they embody feelings of obsession. Without naming the object in question, the song is left open for you to project whatever dangerous thing captivates you into its narrative, but its careful choice of words and bold delivery absorbs you into the feeling behind it so effectively that you hardly notice the lack of specificity. It evokes exactly the feeling you need it to.

Together, the different elements of the song draw you into a pattern of infatuation that cycles between thrilling high points and lows in which you are forced to recognise the looming, painful end. The desire to cling to the experience battles against the knowledge that it is ultimately doomed to a tragic collapse, but in the meantime it (and the track) are a wildly fun ride.

Creative and intelligent from the very first bars, ‘Beautiful Psycho’ establishes Queen Cult as a band with a distinctly intense sound and a flair for crafting depth.

Catch Queen Cult live tonight opening our night at The Shacklewell Arms with The Menstrual Cramps and pink suits! Tickets still available on Dice.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

Photo Credit: Madeleine Fisher

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Track Of The Day: Secret World Orchestra ft. Circe – ‘It’s All Over’

A tender electronic musing on the fluctuating nature of love, Secret World Orchestra and Circe have shared their new collaborative track ‘It’s All Over’. Taking musical and lyrical cues from Circe’s previous single ‘Mess With Your Head‘, Secret World Orchestra aka Jules Konieczny (who is one half of alt-pop duo APRE) has extrapolated on the original piece, providing listeners with a warm rush of euphoria via his glitchy beats and atmospheric synth textures.

“I really wanted to capture that feeling of being lonely on the dance floor at the end of the night, where all your friends are around you but you still feel as if you are the only one there,” Konieczny explains about the new track. “It was born out of an accident and became its own collaborative monster without a second thought between Circe and I, so it feels like the perfect way to introduce Secret World Orchestra to the world.”

By blending Circe’s tender, alluring vocals and enigmatic lyrics with his glistening electronics, Konieczny softly reveals the realities of loneliness and love on ‘Its All Over’, something which Circe elaborates on:

“This song is like waking up after a fight with your love on a dance floor, and they are still there next to you. Your heart is fluttery, your face is sparkly, their body is warm and it’s all okay. A line from the song is from Shakespeare: ‘you gave me your heart / so I gave you a pound of flesh’. Measuring a relationship as a series of exchanges, the currency of love: swap you a fragile heart for the heat of a body? It encapsulates that moment after the honeymoon phase where you see each other for real. That exact moment where you see them at their worst, and you forgive them and you still love them – that’s where the beauty of life lives.”

Listen to ‘It’s All Over’ below.

 

Follow Secret World Orchestra on Spotify, Twitter & Instagram

Follow Circe on Spotify, bandcamp, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter & Instagram

Photo Credit: Secret World Orchestra and Circe

Kate Crudgington
@kate_crudge

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Track Of The Day: BATTS (feat. Sharon Van Etten) – ‘Blue’

Soaked in nostalgia for a far away place, the new single from Melbourne artist Tanya Batt – aka BATTS – is a lusious treat for the ears. Having previously toured with Sharon Van Etten in 2019, the pair have a unique bond, so BATTS felt Van Etten to be the perfect musical partner when writing ‘Blue’ in her mother-in-law’s home. 

BATTS speaks of being drenched in grief while writing ‘Blue’, feeling her days heavily passing as she watched Antiques Roadshow on loop. In many ways, ‘Blue’ encapsulates both those feelings of reflection and sorrow with a stirring splendour: “I wish I could see the blue babe, but all I do is feel the blue”, BATTS sighs. It is with the weight of the world that she seems to muster up her strength to poignantly sing in a beautifully hushed disposition. 

The vulnerability of ‘Blue’ is tangible while its resonant lyrics hang in the air, gently floating along as the folk-inspired track progresses. Warm, honey-like guitar tones coat the track with a vintage sparkle while minimal percussion pulls BATTS’ melodies along with just enough speed. With delicate instrumentation and captivatingly satisfying harmonies between BATTS and Sharon Van Etten, it sounds as if it could have been produced decades ago with its retro folk-strewn musical authenticity.

The vintage feel of ‘Blue’ paired with a euphoric build in the final chorus feels like a refreshing brush of wind coasting across your cheeks. BATTS and Sharon Van Etten have created a warm, comforting space that feels like returning to your childhood home.

Watch the stirring new video for ‘Blue’ now:

Jill Goyeau
@jillybxxn

Photo Credit: Lisa Businovski

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