Track Of The Day: Greta Isaac – ‘how are you not freaking out?’

Welsh singer-songwriter Greta Isaac has released her expansive new single ‘how are you not freaking out?’, the latest installment to her eagerly anticipated second EP, ‘I Think You’d Hate It Here.’

‘how are you not freaking out?’ offers a change in pace to the power-pop sounds found on previous tasters to the EP (‘5’1”’, ‘NUH UH’). The song has a soft dream-pop start, with subdued hooks accompanying Greta’s vulnerable vocals -“If you saw it through my eyes… You would hate it here”. As the song builds, it introduces a powerful emotional allure as the vocals become more passionate, and the soaring guitar creates an anthemic energy, allowing us to “see the wood for the trees and they’re on fire…”

Reflecting on the need to suppress feelings or perform to expectations, ‘how are you not freaking out?’ is a truly stirring, yet instantly catchy, alt-pop earworm. 

Greta Isaac’s upcoming EP, I Think You’d Hate It Here, will be released on 6th May. And she headlines Jack Saunders’ Hopscotch club night at Oslo on 8th April. You too will be freaking out if you miss this inspiring up-and-coming artist! 

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

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Track Of The Day: Francis of Delirium – ‘The Funhouse’

“This is a call to arms” sings Jana Bahrich aka Francis Of Delirium in the opening to her latest single ‘The Funhouse’, instantly commanding listeners with her grungy riffs and clear vocals. A reflection on the manic and disorientating mindset that’s been accepted as “the new normal” over the past few years, Bahrich’s track is a cathartic rush of angst that questions what’s “left to believe” in such an overwhelming world.

“’The Funhouse’ is largely about how we are adapting to the chaos that is present in our everyday lives,” Bahrich explains about her new single. “The way it can feel that the world is crashing down around us and in order to protect ourselves, we become numb to the sheer terror of it all. Sort of like walking through a funhouse and attempting to remain un-phased by the mayhem that surrounds you.”

Through her frantic riffs, urgent vocals and conflicted lyrics, Bahrich explores the strange mix of apathy, adrenaline and dread that we’ve all been ricocheting between since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020. The track is accompanied by a self-directed video, with its fast-paced editing and flashing lights reflecting the chaos she sings of. Despite its uneasy context, ‘The Funhouse’ is a powerful dose of riotous guitar music that breaks down the remnants of underlying anxiety that originally fuelled it.

Watch the video for ‘The Funhouse’ below.

Follow Francis Of Delirium on bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

Francis of Delirium will play their first-ever North American tour supporting The Districts this spring.

Photo Credit: Pit Reding
 
Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Kathleen Frances – ‘Boy’

What a voice! Bristol artist Kathleen Frances and her mesmerising vocals are here with ‘Boy’, the third single from her freshly released debut EP Through The Blue. 

‘Boy’ is mellow and at times devastating, but strong and cathartic. Frances explores the pain of a break-up whilst offering a sense of comfort and assurance. It’s one of those songs where you feel the need to stop everything you are doing and just listen.

The simplicity of ‘Boy’ is poignant; there is a sense of restraint and balance in the sparse instrumentation. It doesn’t need anything else – it perfectly captures a stunning intimacy. The vocals will pull you into the song, as Frances’ warm baritone voice enchants the ears, creating a whole soundscape in itself and unmistakably driving the song. The track is brimming with emotion, yet somehow it finds a sense of reassuring sense of calm. Pulsing piano chords gently accompany the vocals, adding to this reflective space. Of the track, Frances explains:

“This one took me ages to write. I was really hurting from a breakup. I just wasn’t ready to go there. I had a few nice ideas but nothing that felt right. It was all too surface level. I had to find what I really felt about it deep down, underneath the feelings of betrayal and bruised ego. I had to figure out what I really wanted from this person now… Things change, people change. It’s sad but it’s also hopeful, it allows you to take stock and figure out what you really want. With this song, I was attempting to get the balance right between cathartic sadness and self-assuredness.”

Through The Blue, the debut EP from Kathleen Frances, is out now. And you can catch Kathleen Frances live on her tour this March and in May – details here.

Jaz Kelly
@surfjaz

Photo Credit: Michaela Frances 

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Track Of The Day: Maria BC – ‘Good Before’

An atmospheric rumination inspired by the joy you can find in a moment of spontaneity, Maria BC has shared their latest single ‘Good Before’. Taken from their debut album Hyaline, which is set for release on 27th May via Fear Of Missing Out records in the UK, the track is an uplifting, ambient offering that sees the songwriter embrace a sudden influx of new inspiration.

Following on from their dreamy debut EP Devil’s Rain (2021), on Hylaine, Maria BC has created another tender collection of songs that “Let the world wash over you…rather than trying to pin it to one single thing.” This immersive quality was captured beautifully on previous single ‘The Only Thing’ but ‘Good Before’ filters these tendencies through a slightly poppier lens, whilst retaining their soothing vocals and tentative guitar picks.

“I wrote ‘Good Before’ in 2019, before any of the other songs on Hyaline — and before any of the songs on Devil’s Rain, for that matter,” Maria explains. “I put it away for a while because I thought it was too poppy, but eventually I got over that. Now it holds a special place in my heart. Some of the lyrics came to me on the highway, when the sun was starting to rise, and I was running on no sleep, just Dunkin’. It’s unusual for lyrics to come to me ~in the wild~ like this. I like to block out time to sit in a spot and write. That’s just my style. When inspiration comes to me out of nowhere, I’m immensely grateful.”

Listen to ‘Good Before’ below.

Follow Maria BC on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Ulysses Ortega

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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