FIVE FAVOURITES: Vyva Melinkolya

By tethering gauzy reverb and delicate vocals together with her intimate lyrics, American slowcore/shoegaze artist Angel Diaz aka Vyva Melinkolya sculpts emotive soundscapes that explore the awe and sublime terror of the human condition. Her second solo album, Unbecoming (2022), and her collaborative EP Orbweaving – which she co-wrote with multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer Madeline Johnston aka Midwife – both pacify the pain of the past, traversing shadowy territory in both a physical and emotional sense.

This weekend (17th-20th April), Vyva Melinkolya will be performing two sets at Roadburn Festival in Tilburg. Her shows are set to be a highlight of the weekend and we urge you to see her if you are lucky enough to have a ticket for the festival!

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspired them to write in the first place. We caught up with Angel to ask about her “Five Favourites” – and she picked five albums by an eclectic range of artists who have inspired her songwriting techniques. Check out her choices below…

 

1. Grouper – AIA:Dreamloss
There is no single musician as important or influential to me as Grouper. I’ve spent nearly a decade of my life listening to her everyday, especially before sleep. Dreamloss found me in late 2018 during the start an extremely dark period in my life. Earlier in the year, when things were less dire, I was obsessing over the other “half” of the double album – AIA: Alien Observer. Alien Observer, in every sense of the word, is dreamy. It has an effervescent quality to it, it can feel like a collection of “tape-saturated” lullabies. As my life began to change however, and I became more and more honest with myself about the things happening to me and around me, Dreamloss was somewhat of a reality check.

When Brian Eno described the genesis of ambient music, he talked of wanting to create sounds that didn’t impose themselves in a space, that could exist as a backdrop. My experience with Dreamloss, especially those first few lessons, couldn’t have been more different. The album opener ‘Dragging the Streets’ starts with the line “can you hear the sounds they make at night” which, still terrifies me. Speaking of lyrics, the words to ‘Soul Eraser’ are almost all intelligible. I have this fantasy of sorts that if I’m somehow able to figure out what she’s singing, I will disappear. Orbweaving (especially the title track) would not exist without this album.

2. Low – Curtain Hits The Cast
If Grouper is the most important solo musician to me, Low is the most important band . First of all, the title is extremely ominous, even kind of “Doomy”. I consider the first four tracks of this album to be one of the strongest side-As in alternative music. ‘The Plan’ is maybe my favorite “Mimi” song, her voice is at its warmest and has a sort of “wisdom” to it, even if the lyrics are mostly questions. Her voice always feels “motherly” to me. This album has just as many “loving” moments as it does “dark”. Two songs later, ‘Mom Says’ (one of my favorite “Alan” songs) is eerie in a way that’s hard to describe. It ends with the line “mom says, we ruined her body”, jeez.

Side B is incredible as well, with ‘Do You Know How To Waltz’ feeling like both an ascent and a descent into the cosmos or the ocean. The album ends with a song called ‘Dark’ which is essentially a children’s song about “how to not be afraid of the dark” – that one makes me tear up the most I think. I was listening to this album a lot in summer 2020, I have a very specific memory of putting it on during a drive to Bloomington, Indiana. Now I can’t do any sort of drive over 3 hours without it. Especially when it’s warm out. Low sounds best in the midwest and pairs best with the sounds of crickets and trucks going by.

3. Nicole Dollanganger – Natural Born Losers
Another album I fell in love with in summer 2020. I had listened before, but that’s when it fully “hit” me. I was spending a lot of time outside, especially at the skate park until the very early hours of the morning. It couldn’t have sound-tracked that time better. If you haven’t heard this album yet and want to (you should) wait till late May or June (it’s to be enjoyed every season though). This album is sensual, it’s yearning, it’s violent, it sinks its claws into you from start to finish. The final chorus of ‘Mean’ makes me feel like I’m being dragged across pavement, while ‘You’re So Cool’ feels absolute soaring and it’s one of the most “devotional” love songs ever.

I’ve truly learned so much from this record – and from Nicole’s music in general – about song writing. Especially how to set a scene and keep that scene in people’s minds. Production wise, the album has my favorite examples of “ebow” (device that vibrates the guitar string using a magnets) use. A lot of times when people record with it (myself included) it sounds harsh and awkward, but it just floats over this album like a cirrus cloud. Track for track, never have “pop” caliber vocals and post-rock instrumentals had a more beautiful marriage.

4. Giles Corey – Giles Corey
I think the term “concept album” is used inappropriately at times, so I shy away from using it. But if you held a gun to my head and asked me my favorite concept album, I would say Giles Corey. First of all, one of my favorite things about the record is the companion book, which I have annotated and dog-eared excessively. I would love to do something like that with a Vyva Melinkolya album one day. I’m a fan of big sounds, and as a musician I sort of default to maximalism. Giles Corey is an absolutely massive album with absolutely titanic sounds. ‘The Haunting Presence’ and ‘Buried Above Ground’ are perfect examples of this, heavily layered but with all sounds 100% essential. The album is also a thorough depiction of depression that feels universal without ever feeling “cliched”. There will definitely be some Giles Corey worship on the next Vyva Melinkokya album.

5. Lisa Germano – In the Maybe World
Though as a listener I have a preference for bigger sounds, Lisa Germano does an incredible job of making superficially “smaller” songs hit like a ton of bricks. If Natural Born Losers is a perfect summer album, In the Maybe World is the perfect winter album, and not just because the cover art is a winter scene. I got into this album in late 2022. I had spent a couple years before that enjoying her earlier albums like Geek The Girl and Slide which are more lively and gritty in comparison to her later work. In the Maybe World is sort of mutable in the respect that, if you’re listening for the textures it reads like an ambient album (I fall asleep to it sometimes), while if you’re giving it your full attention, it’s a body of work that’s deeply confessional and heart wrenching.

Lisa Germano has an honesty to her song writing that’s a lot to reckon with at times, but validating as well. When she says “go to hell, fuck you” on ‘Red Thread’ (a beautiful, almost medieval sounding guitar ballad) I feel so vindicated every time. It’s a perfect album for breakups and troubles of the heart and when I found it back in 2022, it was relatable to a painful degree. To me, it’s also an album about isolation and a fear of the world outside — which I currently relate to, painfully. As a musician, both as a lyricist and a multi-instrumentalist (violin, piano, guitar, accordion, mandolin, other things I’m sure) I look up to her a lot and I feel like she deserves a lot more credit and exposure for decades of amazing albums.

Thanks to Angel for sharing her favourites with us!
Listen to her album Unbecoming here

Follow Vyva Melinkolya on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Hayden Anhedonia

Kate Crudgington
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INTERVIEW: Becky Laverty (Roadburn Festival)

Founded in 1999 and celebrated as an inimitable showcase of heavy and experimental music, Roadburn Festival has been on Get In Her Ears’ radar for some time. Although we’ve never attended the Netherlands festival in person, each year we take note of the eclectic line-up and kick ourselves for not organising a trip to Tilburg to see the unique presentation of new and established artists from alternative music scenes.

This year, GIHE favourite American multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer Madeline Johnston aka Midwife is one of the festival’s Artists in Residence. She will perform three different sets across the weekend (17th-20th April), including a premiere performance of her collaborative EP, Orbweaving, with slowcore/shoegaze visionary Vyva Melinkolya. Other GIHE faves on the line-up include Penelope Trappes, LustSick Puppy, Faetooth, The Body & Dis Fig, SUMAC & Moor Mother, Tristwch Y Fenywod and Witch Club Satan.

Whilst we are enamoured with the idiosyncratic and unusual sounds of each of these artists, we were also curious to know how the team behind Roadburn put together these immense line-ups every year, as well as their side programme of Q&A events and discussions. Originally attending the festival as a fan back in 2013, Becky Laverty is now a key member of the Roadburn booking team. Her enthusiasm for showcasing experimental and heavy music is evident from the moment we begin speaking on Zoom and so is her unwavering dedication to the Roadburn community..

“I’ve met so many people through Roadburn who have enhanced and enriched my life in ways I could never have imagined,” she shares. “Of course people might think that’s an obvious thing to say – this is my job – I spend hours, weeks and years of my life thinking about this festival. But I felt this way even when I was just attending Roadburn. I would meet people and make connections with them and it was always a magical experience to be at the festival. Now that it takes up more of my life, I feel that even stronger.”

Originally from East London, Becky now lives in a town called Glossop on the edge of the Peak District. “I’ve started putting on shows here which is madness,” she laughs. “The Saturday before Roadburn, I have Thou playing in a pub in Glossop. When they announced the tour dates, people were losing their minds. They were like ‘Where the fuck is Glossop? Why aren’t they playing somewhere normal like Leeds?’” We joke that she’s determined to put Glossop on the map and with her extensive experience in booking and press communications, she’s the right person to do it.

Taking a leap of faith like this is something that has fortunately paid off many times for Becky. Before she became a freelance music publicist, she worked in admin at a University. She would occasionally help friends who were in bands to organise shows and tours, but she had never seriously considered a career in music. It was a brief conversation in the back of a tour van that effectively started it all for her.

“I had booked a tour for two UK bands – a grindcore band called Narcosis and a sludgy band called Mistress – and I went on tour with them,” she shares. “The drummer from Mistress is a guy called Mick Kenney, and he was setting up his own record label with his long time friend Shane, who is the bass player in Napalm Death, and he asked me if I knew any journalists.” Becky laughs as she recalls reading the press release that Mick had drafted and telling him it was “rubbish”. She ended up re-writing it herself. “I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I did know some journalists just from being involved in music and meeting people in bands. So basically I just started emailing people. Then other bands started approaching me and offering to pay me for this work and I said yes and kept going.” Since then, Becky has worked for Earache, Relapse and various other labels as a freelance publicist over the years too.

It’s this combination of tenacious music fandom and learning on the go that led Becky to meet Roadburn’s Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers. She’d been attending the festival in a work capacity for a few years by this point, which led to the pair being introduced. Shortly after that, Walter came to London for a Roadburn related trip and asked if he could crash on Becky’s sofa. “He hung out with my cats and we went to see Godflesh together,” she remembers, two things that cemented their early friendship. “Then a couple of weeks after that, he called me and asked if I would be interested in working for Roadburn, and I was like ‘YES, I would!’ – so I went and told my partner and they were like ‘a job doing what?’ and I realised I had no idea. Hopefully it was something I knew how to do, because I’d already said yes.”

The role that Becky had accepted was that of International Press & Communications for Roadburn. “I’ve always said that the ‘communications’ part of that title did a lot of heavy lifting. It basically means you can be emailing anyone about anything,” she laughs. “So although a big chunk of my job was publicising the festival and inviting press, I started to take on more things every year. I started to arrange the side programme, which consists of artists Q&As and panel discussions and things like that. I was in close contact with Walter throughout, and he would ask my opinion on bookings. It was a quite natural process where my role just got bigger and bigger. It was a bit of a fuzzy time during the pandemic, but it was around then that my role [as a booker] became more formalised. So I’ve been doing that for a few years now.”

The core booking team for Roadburn now consists of Walter, Daan who is the Head of Music at the O13 venue in Tilburg, and Becky. When asked what kind of process the team undertakes for selecting artists to play the festival, Becky insists that most of it is based on intuition and a “gut feeling,” as well as Walter’s artistic overview of what he wants to do. “Sometimes he has an idea for a band, or an idea for a direction he wants to go in, or a particular scene that he wants to explore a bit more, then we build the festival around those ideas,” Becky shares. “So that does vary year-on-year in what direction we’re going in.”

“There’s months and months of conversations about the artistic direction and what will and what won’t work. It’s a lot of gut feeling. Of course we have to sell tickets, so we have to look at what people want from the festival, but it’s definitely based on an artistic vision much more than what’s commercially viable at any given time. One of the things that we really draw inspiration from is the underground, and a lot of the bands that play Roadburn, even on the main stage, have come up through the underground. It’s very rare for a band to come crashing out of nowhere and appear on our main stage.”

The marvellous Chelsea Wolfe played the main stage at last year’s Roadburn, but she had originally played the festival ten years prior on a much smaller stage. Becky explains that Midwife, who first played in 2022, has had a similar journey. “Her music is so gentle in a lot of ways, so delicate and very intimate, it’s almost like she’s singing just to you,” Becky recalls. “So we knew that she was a special artist from that show, so to have her back as an artist in residence this year is fantastic.”

Something that Becky and the Roadburn team are particularly proud of is how the festival has evolved and shifted the idea of what “heavy” can be. Whilst stylistically it can be argued that Midwife’s musical style is not necessarily “heavy” – it’s often sparse and ambient – the emotional gravity that permeates her music is – therefore making her the perfect candidate for a Roadburn performance. Becky explains that there’s no “formula” that can be replicated when it comes to defining what specifically constitutes a “Roadburn band” – it’s based on that important “gut feeling” and a well established level of trust and respect between the members of the booking team.

“As individuals, not just in the Roadburn team, but as music fans, most of us have very eclectic taste,” she shares. “Last week I went to see FKA Twigs, who I love and who is amazing. I’m sure if she came to Roadburn she’d have a lovely time, but I’m not sure that her performance would work at Roadburn. We have this saying that we’ve said amongst ourselves for a long time but it’s become a bit of a slogan to describe Roadburn now, which is ‘redefining heaviness’ – and I think that’s one of the core things that we’re looking for. So whilst I think FKA Twigs has a certain kind of heaviness and some of her music is quite bleak in places, I’m not sure that it fits the type of heaviness that works at Roadburn.”

Becky goes on to explain that a specific set that she feels was a “turning point” in redefining what heaviness in music could be, was when Emma Ruth Rundle played the festival as solo artist on a smaller stage back in 2017, and returned to play the main stage in 2022. “Emma performed, just her and her guitar, on what is now called The Neck stage, which is a 700+ capacity room,” Becky recalls. “It was rammed, but she just held everybody captive for an hour. For me, this was also as heavy as something with big riffs or blast beats or screamed vocals. This had an emotional heaviness to it. So sometimes, whilst there’s no fixed guidelines, that’s one of the sets that I often have in mind. It was undoubtedly heavy and it was also very gentle and very beautiful.”

Something else that Becky feels is unique and important to Roadburn is the specially commissioned projects and one-off collaborative performances that the festival presents to its attendees. This year, SUMAC and Moor Mother will present their album, The Film, on both the 17th and 19th of April. The piece is described by Moor Mother as more than an album or a collection of songs, with the core focus being to “create a moment outside of convention…in an industry that wants to force everything into a box of consumption.” Accurately promoting and celebrating eclectic projects like this is something that Becky and the Roadburn team feel especially passionate about. The team takes great care in capturing the essence of these performances through the language they use in their promotions and the aesthetics they adhere to across all areas of press and communications.

“To expect people to turn up and watch something entirely new from an artist that they don’t know for an hour and to be completely captivated by that – maybe we are asking a lot,” Becky reflects, “but I think people come to Roadburn knowing that that’s part of the experience. If you want to experience something totally brand new and see where this music is going to take you, then that opportunity is there. It’s really special.”

Something else that’s special to Becky are the curated playlists that fill the venues between artist’s sets at Roadburn. Walter originally created these playlists himself, but he has since handed this responsibility over to Becky and her colleague Joel.

“I always say I have no musical talent, but Emma [Ruth Rundle] said to me ‘that’s nonsense, your talent is your ears,’” Becky beams. “I’ve always been a music fan, I would say to the point of obsessiveness as a teenager. When you’re a teenager, did you not just want to pick the music that people listened to and tell people about the artists? That’s essentially what my job is now. Sometimes on our socials people are asking ‘does anyone know what that song was that played just before so-and-so came on?’ and I can be like ‘I do know actually, because I made that playlist!’ so I get to be that obsessive music fan. I think there’s loads of people out there like that and now I have an outlet for it.”

The passion, excitement and dedication from Becky and her team to making sure festival goers get the full Roadburn experience is something we admire profusely here at GIHE. We joke that we’re considering booking a last minute flight to attend this year’s edition and Becky is quick to support this decision. “It’s a slippery slope though,” she laughs, “because once you’ve been, you will want to come again. I know everybody says that, but it’s true. Most people come and are immediately like ‘I want more of that!’ Once you’re addicted – that’s it.”

 

You can find the full line-up info & tickets for Roadburn via their official website

Follow Roadburn on Instagram, Facebook & X

 

Photo Credit: Nona Limmen (Official Roadburn 2025 Visual Artist)

Kate Crudgington
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LISTEN: GIHE Live on Soho Radio (03.04.25)

Tash and Kate were live in the Soho Radio this month, playing plenty of new music tunes from some of their favourite female, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ artists. They spoke about upcoming GIHE gigs in April (Comic Sans and STRAIGHT GIRL), enthused about the artists they selected for their individual ‘Tracks Of The Show’ (HAAi, Eilis Frawley and Tamara & The Dreams) and Tash teased the story of her recent raunchy dream featuring Courtney Love. Mari also shared some of her musical musings too!

Check out the full list of artists featured on the eclectic playlist below.

Listen back to the show here:

 

We’ll be back on Soho Radio live on Thursday 1st May from 4-6pm!
Tune in via www.sohoradiolondon.com or ask your smart speaker to “Play Soho Radio”

 

Tracklist
HOLE – Plump
Scrounge – Buzz/Cut
otta – FULL OF YOU
WOOM – Circe
NYX – Awe
Sophia Warren – GRIN
Grandmas House – Haunt Me
Wet Leg – catch these fists
Um, Jennifer? – Delancey
Strange New Places – YATPYFL
Blood Orange, Yves Tumor, Ian Isiah – Smoke – Remix – Mixed
Kelly Lee Owens – Rise (Or:la Remix)
Slung – Thinking About It
Wife Patrol – We Who Are About To
RUBIE – To Change
Ella Fitzgerald – In A Mellow Tone (Live At The Coliseum)
HAAi – Can’t Stand To Lose (Tash’s Track Of The Show)
Eilis Frawley – Hallucinations (Kate’s Track Of The Show)
Tamara & The Dreams – Successful Bisexual (Mari’s Track Of The Show)
Neev – I Put It In A Frame
BERTY – Big Leap
Annie Dressner – For The Thrill Of It
Kat Five – Switch
Anika – Walk Away
HOTWAX – Strange To Be Here
Hot Wife – Queen
Dogviolet – Dandelion
Kedr Livansky – Easy Rider
Comic Sans – Mr President

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PLAYLIST: March 2025

The Get In Her Ears team have put together an eclectic mix of alt-pop tunes, punk bangers, immersive electronic soundscapes, grunge & shoegaze anthems, engaging instrumentals and indie musings for your listening pleasure. Take some time to scroll through our selections below and make sure you press play on the playlist at the end of this post.

Follow GIHE on Spotify to see all of our previous playlists too. As well as streaming these tunes, we encourage you to follow the artists we’ve featured on their social media, sign up to their newsletters and buy their records from bandcamp if you’re able to!

 

Cowboy Hunters – ‘Mating Calls’
Having been building a reputation in the Glasgow scene for their memorable live shows, Scottish punks Cowboy Hunters create immense riotous anthems. Latest single ‘Mating Calls’ showcases the band’s scathing dry humour with a ferocious seething energy and frenzied raw power. Summing up its message, the band say: “We’re all animals and it’s all awful but it’s fun to shout about it. Basically a diss track to creeps in smoking areas everywhere.” Cowboy Hunters are currently on tour, catch them at one of our fave venues – New River Studios – on 18th April.
(Mari Lane – Managing Editor)

Slung – ‘Thinking About It’
I’ve been such a big fan of everything that Brigton rockers Slung have released over the past few months, and this new single is no exception. Taken from their debut album, In Ways, which is set for release on 2nd May via Fat Dracula, ‘Thinking About It’ is inspired by vocalist Katie Oldham’s desire to express herself in a way that feels authentic to her. She explains in more detail: “Bringing references to queerness in our songs is important to me, because myself and the majority of my friends identify as queer, despite mostly presenting femme and straight-passing. I don’t feel the need to draw attention to it specifically, and don’t feel it appropriate to represent myself as a ‘queer voice’, but I still want to create a little space in whatever I do to honour it, as it’s an important part of who I am. The theme is also pretty representative of bisexual panic, meeting a girl and realising you’re thinking about it, and wondering if she’s thinking about it too. It’s such a goofy song that hopefully offers some light-hearted relief to some of the heavier vibes of the record.”
(Kate Crudgington – Features Editor)

Witch Fever – ‘Dead To Me!’
I still remember the formidable live performance Manchester rockers Witch Fever delivered when they headlined our GIHE gig at The Finsbury Pub back in 2018 (pics here). The band have lost none of their potency or momentum since then, something which their latest single ‘Dead To Me!’ fiercely proves. This track is inspired by vocalist Amy Walpole’s traumatic experiences growing up in the Charismatic Church, confidently unleashing her anger and defying the heavily gendered social norms of remaining quiet and compliant. (KC)

Cwfen – ‘Wolfsbane’
Glasgow’s Cwfen (pronounced ‘Coven’) are a new discovery for me, but I love the heavy, shadowy sound of this single, lifted from the band’s upcoming debut album, Sorrows, which is set for release on 30th May via New Heavy Sounds. Vocalist & guitarist Agnes Alder explains more about the context of the track: “on the surface, it’s about poison. At its heart, it’s an ode to the untamed female rage that comes when the world tries to carve us into something smaller.” I can’t wait to catch the band playing live at The Black Heart in Camden supporting Faetooth on 17th June. Tickets are available here. (KC)

Blackwater Holylight – ‘Wandering Lost’
LA -based band Blackwater Holylight are new to me (despite having already released three records), but I love the way they blend heavier, doom-laden riffs with drifting, evocative vocals. This track is taken from their upcoming EP, If You Only Knew, which is set for release on 18th April via Suicide Squeeze Records. Vocalist, guitarist & bassist Sunny Faris explains that ‘Wandering Lost’ is about “feeling community in sorrow and remembering that everyone hurts, everyone changes, and that no one knows what’s next.” (KC)

Hot Wife – ‘Queen’
Described as “an anthem about empowering yourself by breaking free from toxic influence,” this is the second single from South London DIY four-piece Hot Wife. Inspired by a “cheating scumbag,” ‘Queen’ rumbles with the unrest of a ’90s grunge anthem, reminding listeners that living well is the best form of revenge. (KC)

Gender Chores – ‘Roy’
Following last single ‘January Blues’, Belfast band Gender Chores have now shared a scathing attack on those who punch down instead of looking up to see who is pulling the strings. Oozing a seething dark energy, the track builds with an impassioned raw emotion and searing sense of urgency. Reflecting on the track, Sam from the band explains: “Right now the world feels like it’s going backwards in so many ways, with bigots and fascists being platformed and marginalised voices silenced. We want to fight back against that however we can, and combat the narrative of hate and fear that got us into this place.” (ML)

NEXT TO NADA – ‘K.F.M’
Another belter of a tune from London-based fuzz-punk four piece NEXT TO NADA here! The band decribeS ‘K.F.M’ as “a scream of frustration at all the pointless, menial tasks we’re forced to waste our time on whilst working.” The track sarcastically tackles why we let “the unfeeling monster of modern employment” take over the best years of our lives, fuelled by the band’s raw and relatable punk energy. (KC)

Bridget. – ‘Hairspray’
Fuelled by her trademark angst-ridden energy, ‘Hairspray’ is the latest single from Essex grunge-rocker Bridget. She’ll be releasing a video to accompany the track on 3rd April, and she’ll be playing her biggest London headline show to date at Signature Brew in Haggerston on 24th April, with support from GIHE faves Lilith AI and Comic Sans. Grab your tickets here. (KC)

Maria Iskariot – ‘Leugenaar’
Translating as ‘Liar’, ‘Leugenaar’ is the seething new single from Dutch punks Maria Iskariot. Propelled by a fierce raw emotion and ferocious energy, its stipped-back hooks and thrashing beats build with a searing sense of urgency as the gritty power of Helena Cazaerck’s rages throughout. The band comment: “Leugenaar is an absolution, a pelvis under the chin of a drooling monster waiting to be freed from a rotten tooth. Anyone expecting further explanation can go to hell.” (ML)

Panic Shack – ‘Gok Wan’
Bursting with all the tongue-in-cheek wit and fierce energy that we’ve come to know and love, Panic Shack’s new single ‘Gok Wan’ offers a sneering reflection on the toxic culture of body ‘improvement’ that dominated the airwaves when they were growing up. A riotous post-punk anthem, showcasing the Cardiff band’s ability to critique the damaging patriarchal society that we live in with a swirling tenacity and danceable hooks. Watch the accompanying video for ‘Gok Wan’ here. (ML)

Grandmas House – ‘Haunt Me’
This new single from Bristol punks Grandmas House is a surprisingly tender offering. Taken from the band’s upcoming EP, Anything For You, set for release on 11th April via Berlin based label Duchess Box Records, ‘Haunt Me’ is a potent reflection on grief and the desire to be followed by a loved one who’s been lost. It’s a melancholy musing, but it feels just as cathartic as their previous raw punk-inspired efforts. (KC)

Scrounge – ‘Buzz/Cut’
“This song is about pleasure, self acceptance and having a good time,” explains Scrounge’s vocalist & guitarist Lucy. ‘Buzz/Cut’ is the South London duo’s most melodic offering to date and it features on their upcoming second album, Almost Like You Could, which is set for release on 18th April via Ba Da Bing! Records. The pair want listeners to experience the same cathartic release they feel when they’re playing live and that’s something that shines through instantly on this latest offering. Grab a ticket to see Scrounge headline The Lexington on 23rd April. (KC)

Dogviolet – ‘Dandelion’
The second single from ones to watch, London based band Dogviolet, ‘Dandelion’ offers an empowering ode to resilience and resistance, to the power of community – likening people to the flower, under-valued but vital to the ecosystem. Oozing a gritty immersive power and rich captivating energy, the track builds with a swirling allure as the refrain “to exist is to resist” repeats throughout with a glistening poignancy; an understated and unifying protest against capitalism. Dogviolet will be playing Cro Cro Land this Sunday, 6th April – just one of a ton of faves playing the South London festival over the weekend, including ARXX, Scrounge, Big Joanie, Berries and loads more, and I’ll also be DJing there on the Saturday, so I strongly suggest you nab your tickets now! (ML)

Fake Dad – ‘Machinery’
With their recently released new EP, Holly Wholesome and the Slut Machine, LA based band Fake Dad have created a collection of tracks reflecting on the different characters that musical artists, or “rock music posers” often play. Propelled by scuzzy ‘90s-inspired hooks and a gritty impassioned energy, the EP chronicles fictitious characters and their worlds whilst subtly reflecting on the band’s own identities and experiences. (ML)

tall child – ‘Stupid Body’
“I wanted this song to feel like you are inside my head during my lowest of lows,” tall child explains about their latest single ‘Stupid Body’. Inspired by the South East London artist’s own experiences having issues with body image and being dismissed by doctors, this track is tall child’s way of taking ownership of an uncomfortable situation, and they hope it will help listeners through them in future too. (KC)

Tamara & The Dreams – ‘Successful Bisexual’
I couldn’t really not include a track called ‘Successful Bisexual’, an energy I’m forever trying to channel. This new single from Australian artist Tamara & The Dreams glistens with a lilting jangly energy and a catchy uplifting charm, offering a heartfelt ode to self-discovery and embracing who you truly are as you get older. (ML)

Twat Union – ‘Singer Of The Band’
Having recently signed to Alcopop! Records, London ‘theatre punks’ Twat Union have now shared their wonderfully energy-filled new single ‘Singer Of The Band’. A not-so-subtle take down of the sexism they’ve encountered in the music industry and those men we’ve all come across at gigs who undermine and patronise the women in the bands that they come to watch, it’s an angst-driven yet uplifting pop-punk anthem. Having already been featured as ‘Ones To Watch’ in The Guardian, Twat Union are set to release their debut EP, Don’t Look It In The Eye, this Friday 4th April. (ML)

Strange New Places – ‘YATPYFL’
The latest single from Belfast band Strange New Places, ‘YATPYFL’ (you are the person your friends love) offers a gloriously uplifting ode to self-love. Urging the listener to trust their friends’ opinions more than their own self-deprecating feelings of anxiety, it’s a perfect slice of fizzing pop-punk celebrating queerness and neurodivergence with a catchy joyous energy. ‘YATPYFL’ is accompanied by a video featuring Belfast punk scene legend Belfast punk scene legend Dolores Vischer and the band blasting into green-screen outer space. (ML)

Annie Dressner – ‘For The Thrill Of It’
Accompanied by a video filled with loads of awesome women from the music industry, including faves like The Baby Seals and Emma from Mammoth Penguins, the new single from New York via Cambridge artist Annie Dressner shares a poignant message. Flowing with lilting folk-strewn melodies and Dressner’s honey-sweet vocals, ‘For The Thrill Of It’ reflects on the rife misogyny within the music industry, juxtaposing an underlying rage with its twinkling musicality. Speaking about the track, Dressner explains: “The message in the lyrics addresses the pervasive issue of misogyny in the music industry, where inappropriate behaviour too often goes unaddressed or overlooked.The song aims to inspire positive change in attitudes toward women in music and encourage women to feel safe in speaking out.” (ML)

Wife Patrol – ‘We Who Are About To’
Full of harmonious dual vocals and melodic riffs, this is the latest single from Indianapolis alt-rock trio Wife Patrol. The track is taken from the band’s upcoming EP, NOPLACE, which is set for release on 2nd May. They describe their new offering as “the product of three misfits maneuvering the ugliness, the uncertainty, and the joy of modern life together” – something that many listeners will be able to relate to! You can pre-order Wife Patrol’s EP from bandcamp here. (KC)

Um, Jennifer? – ‘Delancey’
I really enjoy the juxtaposition of playful melodies and anxious lyricism on this latest single from New York trans duo Um, Jennifer? ‘Delancey’ is taken from their upcoming album, Um Comma Jennifer Question Mark, which is set for release on 25th April via Final Girl Records. Speaking about the track, band member Elijah Scarpati explains: “’Delancey’ is written from two perspectives at once – your own disappointment with the one you love, and from the fear that they’re disappointed in you too. It’s speaking aloud the anxious spiral that unrequited love creates. Musically, it’s a surprisingly upbeat song. Maybe because it’s funny to be in love and to be scared about it. Or maybe it’s because if we don’t laugh about it all, we’ll cry.” (KC)

Pleaser – ‘Begging Guitars’
The riotous ‘Begging Guitars’ is the title track from Danish punks Pleaser’s new album. Set for release on 23rd May via Part Time Records, the single is an all out cacophony of crashing beats, thundering riffs and cathartic shouts, inspired by the need to “let go” and reject the need to “indulge in perfection” for yourself, or to expect it from others. (KC)

Odelia – ‘Someone I Knew’
This single from 19 year old Baltimore-born, Liverpool-based songwriter and LIPA student Odelia dropped into my inbox earlier this month and I’m so glad that it did. Her passionate vocals drift seamlessly over breezy instrumentation, as she muses about fulfilling her childhood dream of performing music and becoming the person she always wanted to be. ‘Someone I Knew’ is the second single from Odelia’s upcoming EP, I see stars I see stars why do I always see stars, a collaboration with producer notcharles which is set for release later this year. (KC)

Crystal Quartez – ‘Fall Down’
Portland-based musician and installation artist Crystal Quartez recently shared their latest album, Erospace, on which they have shifted into avant-pop territory. Crystal created the record simply because they felt that they needed a safe place exist, finding solace in their new sonic universe. Crystal blends the Caribbean beats of their childhood alongside gothic sound textures and dream pop elements to explore and celebrate the queer experimental scenes that helped them to form their sense of self. (KC)

Arooj Aftab – ‘Raat Ki Rani’ (Khruangbin remix)
Being a big fan of both Arooj Aftab and Khruangbin, I was excited to hear this new remix of ‘Raat Ki Rani’. As Aftab’s soaring rich vocals ripple with an effervescent grace alongside laid back, jazz-inspired beats, a perfectly dreamy soundscape is created. I was lucky enough to catch Arooj Aftab live at Pitchfork Music Festival at The Roundhouse last November – she delivered a truly spellbinding performance, interspersed with some refreshingly witty between-song chat! (ML)

Goddess ft. Ex:Re – ‘Shadows’
Goddess is the brand new collaborative project of drumming powerhouse Fay Milton (Savages). This first single ‘Shadows’ features vocals from Elena Tonra (Ex:Re/Daughter) and contributions from two GIHE faves – piano from Hinako Omori and bass from Ayse Hassan (Savages). Tonra’s delicate vocals and mysterious lyrics float over Milton, Omori and Hassan’s shape-shifting soundscape. I can’t wait to hear Goddess’ debut self-titled album, which is set for release on 30th May via Bella Union. (KC)

NYX – ‘Bright Tongues’
I cannot recommend listening to the NYX Drone Choir’s debut solo album enough. This track, ‘Bright Tongues’, is one of many sublime compositions that showcase the ensemble’s powerful ability to harness the beauty of the collective human voice. I had a lovely chat with NYX founder & director Sian O’Gorman all about the record, her “Tones, Bones and Drones” workshops and her altruistic approach to singing and using your voice to connect with others. Read the full interview here. (KC)

Laura Misch – ‘Alchemy’
I have afromerm to thank for introducing me to the beautiful sounds of South London-born saxophonist, songwriter and electronic producer Laura Misch. Released via One Little Independent Records, ‘Alchemy’ is a poignant reflection on the very human ability to alchemise loss into love, underscored by Laura’s tender vocals, lush saxophone sounds and and the delicate harp plucks of Marysia Osu. (KC)

WOOM – ‘Circe’
I love this tender track from South-London four-piece vocal ensemble WOOM. “‘Circe’ is a song about being lost and finding your way, echoing the Greek myth of Circe who, despite her banishment, remains a complex symbol of resilience and metamorphosis,” the group explain. Their ethereal harmonies and soft, considered instrumentation make for blissful listening. (KC)

SUMAC & Moor Mother ft. Candice Hoyes – ‘Hard Truth’
Taken from SUMAC & Moor Mother’s debut collaborative album, The Film, ‘Hard Truth’ is a captivating sonic extrapolation of displacement, land and nature. These themes permeate the new record, which is set for release on 25th April. SUMAC and Moor Mother will be performing this work live at Roadburn Festival on the 17th & 19th of April too. Grab a ticket here. (KC)

M(h)aol – ‘DM:AM’
I’m such a big fan of post punk trio M(h)aol, so I was thrilled to see that they’re back with this cutting new single. Lifted from their new album, Something Soft, which is set for release on 16th May via Merge Records, ‘DM:AM’ is a response the the inappropriate behaviour of men who DM women online, then become antagonistic or aggressive when they don’t receive what they deem to be the correct response. The band combine abrasive riffs and direct vocals to dismantle the words and actions of these men, leaving no room for sympathy in the process. I can’t wait to hear their new record in full. (KC)

Tremosphere – ‘Along The Way’
I’m a big fan of this evocative, heady track from New York darkwave, pop-drone duo Tremosphere. It’s lifted from their upcoming fourth album, saturated solace, which is set for release on 16th May via Slugg Records and only available on bandcamp. Speaking on the themes that informed the new record, vocalist and songwriter Sylvia explains: “This album is about the exhaustion of the soul, our constant struggle between darkness and light, and how to live a rich sustainable life, we have to try and find balance everyday.” (KC)

 

Tea Eater – ‘Cecelia’
Featuring members of Gustaf and Sharkmuffin, Brooklyn’s Tea Eater create wonky art-punk with a colourful energy. Taken from the band’s brand new album, latest single ‘Cecelia’ is an ode to that woman everyone loves to moan and gossip about – who without “they wouldn’t have anyone to talk about or project their own dark parts and patterns onto” -, a gloriously fuzzy, riot-grrrl tinged singalong punk anthem from definite new favourites. Watch the DIY video for ‘Cecelia here, and make sure you check out the full album, I Don’t Believe In Bad Luck, now. (ML)

Eilis Frawley – ‘Be A Lady’
Congratulations to GIHE favourite Eilis Frawley, who released her debut album, Fall Forward, earlier this month! We’re such big fans of the Australian-born, Berlin-based drummer and vocalist, so it’s wonderful to see her share an eclectic full-length piece of work on which she covers everything from personal stories, to politics, to her internal monologue. She’ll be playing live in the UK throughout May and June, including a London headline show at The Shacklewell Arms in East London on 1st June. Full tour dates & tickets here. (KC)

Perfume Genius – ‘Clean Heart’
Celebrating the release of his brand new album, long-time fave Perfume Genius has shared this beautiful new single. A poignant reflection on the concept of time being able to heal all wounds, ‘Clean Heart’ flows with a glistening sense of hope as an undercurrent of melancholy shimmers under the surface. With its sparkling musicality propelled by stripped back tribal beats, it builds with a stirring anthemic splendour rippling throughout with Mike Hadreas’ trademark raw emotion. Glory, the new album from Perfume Genius, is out now. (ML)

Neev – ‘I Put It In A Frame’
Having just released her exquisite sophomore album, Scottish artist Neev combines intricate lyrical storytelling with a subtle gritty energy to explore themes of tension, contrast and self-discovery. Latest single ‘I Put It In A Frame’ offers a glistening rumination on the connection between female pain and art; an anthemic slice of alt-folk tinged with an evocative vulnerability. How Things Tie In Knots, the new album from Neev, is out now via Trapped Animal Records. (ML)

Rival Queens – ‘Sun Don’t Shine’
Inspired by her favourite Smashing Pumpkins song, ‘Sun Don’t Shine’ is the second single from Sally-Anne Hickman (Maya Lakhani’s guitarist)’s new solo project Rival Queens. Flowing with scuzzy hooks and the raw emotion of Hickman’s vocals, it gently builds with a fizzing energy to a sparkling reflection on our darker days. A heartfelt rock anthem, created completely independently – Sally-Anne played every single instrument you can hear and even programmed the drums on Garage Band! Rival Queens’ debut EP, Crown and Conquer, is set for release on 27th June, and before that we’re looking forward to catching their first ever live show at Cro Cro Land this Sunday, 6th April. Rival Queens are just one of a ton of faves playing the South London festival over the weekend, including ARXX, Scrounge, Big Joanie, Berries and loads more – and I’ll also be DJing there on the Saturday, so I strongly suggest you nab your tickets now! (ML)

Jane Paknia – ‘Solace’
The latest single from innovative artist Jane Paknia, ‘Solace’ offers a dreamy electronic soundscape, fizzing with a sparkling energy. Inspired by the likes SOPHIE and Caroline Polachek, the track pulsates with glitchy beats alongside the delicate power of Paknia’s rich vocals and shimmering layers of instrumentation. Paknia explains: “I really intended for a crying in the club vibe in this one…to make something so sensitive and also pulsing felt like an accomplishment, an alchemizing of the discomfort I was experiencing.” (ML)

Samira Hills – ‘Romantasy’
The latest single from Shropshire based trans artist Samira Hills, ‘Romantasy’ offers a swirling synth-pop anthem. Combining sparkling melodies with a fierce gritty power, the track reflects on unrealistic romantic ideals with a bold energy. Of the track, Samira explains: “Realising I don’t need a lover to be happy was a euphoric and liberating experience. I want my fans to realise it too. So I wrote this song and unfortunately, we had to kill some Disney princesses in the process.” (ML)

 

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