LISTEN: Sunflower Thieves – ‘I Don’t Know Why’

A gentle reflection on the disarming realisation that your connection with someone you love is off kilter, despite your best efforts, Leeds-based dream-folk duo Sunflower Thieves have shared their latest single ‘I Don’t Know Why’.

Combining charming vocal harmonies and soft guitars to create their delicate pop-folk sounds, Sunflower Thieves write tunes inspired by personal narratives and nostalgia. Their musical creations have blossomed out of a sixteen year long friendship between band members Amy and Lily, and their single ‘I Don’t Know Why’ is another tender offering rooted in a desire to understand the gaps in communication that can happen in any relationship.

“The track is about how complicated close relationships can be. How the differences in the way we live our lives and follow what we think can affect our understanding of each other, and equally of ourselves,” the duo explain about ‘I Don’t Know Why’. Through their earnest lyrics, tentative guitar picks and soft beats, the pair navigate this emotional grey area with tact and compassion.

The single is also accompanied by a visualiser, full of natural, tranquil scenes of the world going by on and around a canal, fitting with the sonic peacefulness, introspective lyrics and steady pace of the track. The pair are set to to release their new EP this year, featuring previous single ‘Sirens’ and this new offering too.

Listen to ‘I Don’t Know Why’ below.

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

Photo Credit: Sophie Jouvenaar

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: French For Rabbits – ‘The Outsider’

In a luscious third single, New Zealand’s ethereal dream-pop outfit French For Rabbits share ‘The Outsider’, a haunting track stirring in anticipation of the band’s upcoming record, set for release next month. 

Delving further into the delicate world French For Rabbits have created with their poignant album title track ‘The Overflow’, ‘The Outsider’ is a shimmering slice of folk-strewn indie. As Brooke Singer’s impassioned vocals greet the ears with an immersive hushed splendour, she sings her truth in a way that feels like a raw secret. 

Whilst heavenly keys and synths coat the track’s bed, space is created for Singer’s gentle nuancing through inner turmoil – “If I could let go, would I fit in? Would I be what they want without all my inhibitions?”. Singer ponders solitude’s comfort and her struggles in a social setting as she reveals “pushing myself, but I’m faking”. As anxious feelings ruminate, minimal percussion trails across the soundscape of ‘The Outsider’ and pulls the track’s dreamy mix forward with motivation. 

Finally, in a captivating sonic eruption, the track breaks in catharsis as instruments evolve and ‘The Outsider’ comes to a grand finale. French For Rabbits have hosted a multidimensional take about being the ghost in the room wrapped in the sounds of indie, folk and even a hint of emo. Developing such a blissful soundscape in ‘The Outsider’, French For Rabbits have set the stage for The Overflow to be a truly calming escape.


The Overflow, the upcoming album from French For Rabbits, is set for release on 12th November via Reckless Yes (UK) and AAA Records (Australia/New Zealand).

Jill Goyeau
@jillybxxn

Photo Credit: Lily Paris West

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Introducing Interview: Izzie Walsh

Having received acclaim from the likes of BBC Radio Two’s Bob Harris and BBC Introducing Manchester, alt-folk artist Izzie Walsh has just released her eclectic new EP, Ideals. Flowing with a twinkling, uplifting energy, the EP showcases Walsh’s emotion-strewn rich vocals and a soaring, catchy musicality.

We caught up with Izzie to find out more… Have a read!

Hi Izzie Walsh, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I love to perform on stage and create music that I hope connects with people. I like to try new food and go for a beer or two. And occasionally go running to balance my calories out!

How did you initially start creating music?
I was quite late to the game and only started creating music when I was 17. It all came about when I started learning the guitar and then I realised I could hold a tune singing as well. 

Your new EP Ideals is out today – congratulations! Can you tell us what it’s all about? Are there any themes running throughout the EP?
This EP is about how ideally the world could be a different pace to what it is now – for both others and myself. It addresses themes of class escapism, and the impact of modern-day capitalism. 

You’ve been compared to the likes of Wallis Bird and Lisa Hannigan, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
My main influences at the moment are Margo Price and Stevie Nicks, but I also love big band sounds, ranging from the likes of Arcade Fire to Slipknot. 

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
Yes! The local music scene in Manchester is great. It can sometimes be bogged down by the next reincarnation of The Stone Roses typical indie boy band scene, but there is always an alternative and culturally different act to go and see if you take the time to find them. The open mic scene is great as well! 

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
They can expect brand new songs as well as the classics – I want to bring high energy and high musicianship to lay the foundations of my touring show for years to come. I think the best artists at the moment have the ability to translate their recorded medium into an entertaining show and that is what I aim to do!

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
Yes, definitely! Check out Toria Wooff, Harriet Rose and Chloe Foy. All incredibly talented females creating some amazing music and making their mark on the industry.

And how do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
It is extremely difficult to get noticed, especially if you are different to the norm. In the past it seemed the more unusual you were the more you got noticed, but now I feel as if the industry are just looking for really safe bets. As you would expect money plays a huge factor as well in terms of the advertising side of things. 

Finally, what does the rest of 2021 have in store for Izzie Walsh?
Besides the tour I am going to hunker down and finish writing off an album – hopefully I can get it into production, ready for a massive 2022!

Massive thanks to Izzie for answering our questions!

Ideals, the new EP from Izzie Walsh, is out now.

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Track Of The Day: Koppies – ‘Hospital Song’

A gorgeous contemplation on passing through the motions of life, indie-folk band Koppies have released their new single ‘Hospital Song’. Koppies, the South African-British collective of five long-term friends and collaborators, all musicians with their own acclaim, are finally united on record and the result is utterly captivating.

There is a spaciousness in ‘Hospital Song’. Victoria Hume’s commanding vocal leads the piece, with soft and arpeggiated piano playing accompanying. The effect is beautifully stark, freeing space in both the higher and lower registers that other artists may feel they need to fill. The choice to keep this composition simple is a sign of confidence in the songwriters – an instinct to hold back and preserve the raw emotional core of the song. Later, minimal, droning, synthesizers appear as well as stuttering, driven drums. These later additions create a sense of urgency, pushing the tempo and pace of the music (perhaps reflecting the growing anxiety of hospital visits) – though that sense of space remains. The rhythm sections seem to become the heartbeat of the song, bringing a new sense of life to the music. 

Koppies blending of traditional folk instrumentation with synthesizers creates a unique ambiance which is both parts nostalgic and contemporary. This combination beautifully represents memories of the past fusing into present experiences, just like when Hume sings “I think of being twenty-one, we were all stoned, everything blows…” 

The vocals are hypnotic and convey a sense of detachment from the music and reality as Hume sings “… a storm broke on your house” with an eerie sense of calm. This creates a beautiful contrast. Though the lyrics are deeply personal, when Hume sings, you may hear your own stories and experiences reflected back at you, providing reassurance. 

Of the track, Hume explains: “It’s a pretty literal song about a period of time when my mother was unwell, and the strangeness of driving to and from the hospital along these beautiful Dorset roads that I’ve driven since I was a teenager, heading out to see friends.”



Once you give ‘Hospital Song‘ a listen and inevitably want to hear more, don’t worry – you won’t have to wait long! Koppies’ self-titled debut EP is set for release on 2nd July via Lost Map Records.

Jazmine Kelly
@surfjaz

Photo Credit: Jacqui van Staden

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