LISTEN: People Club – ‘Francine’

A soulful offering that explores what it’s like to love someone who’s caught in the grip of addiction, Berlin-based indie band People Club have shared their latest single ‘Francine’. Taken from their upcoming EP Take Me Home, which is set for release later this year, the track navigates the difficult subject by blending lush synths and lo-fi guitars with yearning, passionate vocals.

“‘Francine’ is a song about commitment and how love can fade away leaving only wickedness behind,” the band explain. “The song speaks from the voice of a partner whose lover is helplessly addicted to drugs.” The sadness in this narrative voice is encapsulated in the repeated lyric “I often said ‘I wonder if you love me / or if you just need company,'” before the yearning chorus of the eponymous name takes hold. The five-piece gently traverse their narrator’s spiral of doubt through moody, Motown-infused grooves.

‘Francine’ is accompanied by a stylish monochrome video, shot in wintertime in Berlin and directed by Felix Spitta. “The video is a play on the old idiom of ‘being your own worst enemy’,” the band explain, “a phrase which quite beautifully captures the inner critic which we know so well, especially during the course of the pandemic.”

Watch the video for ‘Francine’ below.

Follow People Club on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Bleach Lab – ‘Old Ways’

An atmospheric lament about being caught in emotional purgatory, South London-based Bleach Lab have shared their latest single ‘Old Ways’. Taken from their upcoming EP A Calm Sense of Surrounding, which is set for release on 19th March, the track is a bittersweet, stirring reflection on the conflicting emotions we experience following a difficult break-up.

“’Old Ways’ explores the angry side of the grieving process at the end of a relationship,” vocalist Jenna Kyle explains. “Anger towards the way in which they treated you but also towards oneself for still missing them regardless.” Through her emotive vocals and earnest lyrics, Kyle explores the urgent need to get past this stage of grief, with guitarist Frank Wates’ fluid riffs softening the sharp edges of her words.

Working through unexpected grief majorly informed the songs on Bleach Lab’s upcoming EP. The death of bassist Josh Longman’s father and the breakdown of Kyle’s long-term relationship seeped into the band’s song-writing, as they began to musically explore the five stages of grief – anger, denial, bargaining, depression and acceptance. ‘Old Ways’ deals with the first of these stages, breaching the habit of self-flagellation in an attempt to find emotional relief during a traumatic time.

Listen to ‘Old Ways’ below.

 

Follow Bleach Lab on Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Isy Townsend

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Kalbells – ‘Purplepink’

A vibrant, cosmic synth-pop tune that stimulates and celebrates the senses, Kalbells have shared their latest single ‘Purplepink’. Taken from the band’s upcoming album Max Heart, which is set for release on 26th March via NNA Tapes, the track is a buoyant mix of soft vocals, angular guitar riffs and lush elongated keyboard sounds.

Formed of Kalmia Traver (Rubblebucket), Angelica Bess (Body Language), Zoë Brecher (Hushpuppy, Sad13) and Sarah Pedinotti (Okkervil River, LipTalk), Kalbells are a band who promote genuine self expression, celebrating their queerness through their upbeat, psych-infused sounds. The band worked alongside Luke Temple to co-engineer their new album, which they describe as a “portrait of badass women harnessing their improvisational magic.” Single ‘Purplepink’ is the manifestation of this collective energy.

Filled with lush lyrical images like “a floating slice of angel cake / is one way I describe this lake,” the track is an effervescent, funk-infused slice of synth-pop designed to transport listeners away to a world of delightful rapture. The single is accompanied by a colourful video, conceptualized and directed by Lisa Schatz. The visuals show the Kalbells as warrior space queens, shimmering alongside animated rocket ships and a 30 foot hologram of American musician Maddie Rice riffing on guitar.

Watch the video for ‘Purplepink’ below.

Follow Kalbell on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Amanda Picotte

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Noga Erez – ‘End of the Road’

Exploring the thrill of the unknown through commanding beats and defiant lyrics, Noga Erez has shared her latest single ‘End of the Road’. Lifted from her highly anticipated second album KIDS, which is set for release via City Slang on 26th March, the Tel-Aviv based musician shrugs off the tight grip of human mortality on this catchy, sharply produced new offering.

Erez has been busy working alongside creative partner Ori Rousso since the release of her debut album Off The Radar in 2017. 2020 saw the pair release a string of superb singles including ‘NO News On TV’ and ‘You So Done’, but now the duo are set to blaze their unique trail once more on upcoming record KIDS. “These are songs about what we inherit from past generations, how we pass things on,” Erez explains about the album. “KIDS talks about humanity’s potential for both beauty and destruction.” Erez’s treatment of these binary opposites on tracks like ‘End of the Road’ makes for compelling listening.

Accompanied by a slick set of visuals directed by long-time collaborator Indy Hait, the song is a charged, slickly produced alt-pop gem that dares listeners to face their fears head on. “Walking towards the unknown with a smile. That’s what I wanted this video to be all about,” Erez reveals. “Nothing about this life is as predicted, so why am I so afraid of it? I wanted to inspire people to take a look at the magical potential of the unknown nature of life. I believe the relationship with what’s beyond our control needs to be changed. The fear of it can become anticipation. The video doesn’t show an all-optimistic journey. It shows a complex one. The beauty of being completely innocent at one moment, from militant to vulnerable and then in control. That’s true to the journey we all go through, and what this video represents for me.”

Watch the video for ‘End of the Road’ below.

Pre-order Noga Erez’s upcoming album KIDS here.

Follow Noga Erez on bandcamp, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Photo Credit: Dudi Hasson

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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