Track Of The Day: Belako – ‘Tie Me Up’

Having previously blown me away with their immersive live show supporting Queens Of The Stone Age in Finsbury Park last year, Basque Country band Belako have now announced their new album, set for release in May.

Taken from the album, new single ‘Tie Me Up’ is filled with gritty, swooning vocals and immense swirling hooks, resulting in a super catchy alt-rock anthem. With shades of early noughties indie, it showcases the poignant raw power and majestic musicality that this Spanish band are capable of creating. 

Of their upcoming new album, Plastic Drama, the band explain:

“‘Plastic Drama’ searches for the real meaning of things in a world that translates everything into assembly lines, manufacturing and the exploitation of living beings,” say the band. “It’s about the harsh reality our generation is facing and the only good use of new technology, which is the ability to spread the word and call for action. The title of the album has another message, as it also reminds us the first world issues we’ve come so keen to complain about. We can only hope for a more responsible human legacy”.

Plastic Drama is set for release in May, and you can catch Belako live at The Great Escape on 13th and 14th May.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Introducing Interview: Belako

Having wowed us with their immersive live show at Finsbury Park supporting Queens Of The Stone Age in the summer, Basque Country band Belako are now about to embark on a UK tour.

Spending the year touring a dozen countries, 3 continents and gathering a host of new fans along the way, the band also released latest album Render Me Numb, Trivial Violence – a collection of poignant, genre-pushing offerings executed with gritty passion, marking themselves out as a definite band on the rise.

We caught up with Belako to find out more…

Hi Belako! Can you tell us a bit about yourselves and what you do?
Hi! We think of ourselves as a band that mixes different influences and turns them into eclectic songs in constant transformation. We do punk, noise, rock, synth pop, new wave, no wave. We’re still trying different sounds on our recordings but our live shows are much more organic, visceral and the best presentation card we have so far.

How did you initially get together and start creating music?
Cris and Josu met at the university of Fine Arts. Because of their shared passion for almost all the same bands, they went to rehearse some covers (Massive Attack, Pixies…) with Lore, Josu’s sister, in an old abandoned factory in the suburb named “Belako”. A few months later Lander joined them and the team was made. We started creating our own music since the very beginning, it all happened pretty naturally.

Your fantastic album Render Me Numb, Trivial Violence is out now, can you tell us a bit about it? Are there any themes running throughout it?
We think its title sums up pretty well all of the lyrics in one sentence, as all of them are about different violent situations we observe from the lucky side of the planet in the media (trivial violence = T.V.), while we keep a passive attitude about them. We feel very proud of this album, it has a lot of different musical arrangements but all of the songs are connected in a certain logical order.

We’ve heard about the track ‘Over The Edge’ as being “against gender violence” – do you feel it’s important to address this issue in music?
It is crucial to address this issue in every field – we are musicians, so we do it in our music, in our gigs and whenever we are asked. We understood at some point how lucky we were because of the chance we have had with the band to raise our voice and be heard. This should matter always to everyone – women are being murdered, raped, beaten, humiliated in many different ways all over the world.

We love your gritty, post-punk sound, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
We are inspired by Gorillaz, Talking Heads, Flaming Lips, Grimes, MGMT, The Voidz because of their unlimited creativity, and Savages, Dream Wife, Empress Of, Surfbort, Idles, because of their attitude and live performances. We also take strong influence from bands from our home, the Basque Country, because of their sound and use of the Basque language in music which we try to conserve – they are from the ’80s, Itoiz and Hertzainak.

We were blown away seeing you live at Finsbury Park with Queens Of The Stone Age this summer, but is there a particular concert you’ve played so far that stands out as a highlight?
Fortunately, there are a lot of special concerts in our minds when we’re asked about this and it is hard to choose just one or two. Thinking about the first time we came to the UK, we fell in love with Scotland – playing at Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh with the magnificent Scottish duo Nice Church (after whom we named a song on our last album) was a gift. Small dark noisy venue, the best.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see much live music?
The Basque Country has a lot of interesting bands and we try to catch as many gigs as we can. There is a huge tradition of punk-rock but nowadays you get to see alternative projects that should be touring abroad as well!

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new Spanish bands/artists who you’d recommend we check out?
From the Basque Country there’s Lukiek, Vulk, Cecilia Payne, Toc, LesteryEliza, Yellow Big Machine… From Catalunya there’s Mourn, from Madrid, Favx, and from Valencia, La Plata.

And how do you feel the industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
It is a very hostile world, ruled by social networks, the amount of followers you have… Basically we live in the image era and both mainstream and alternative bands play the same game. Usually the profiles people get to see on the internet are detached from the artists or bands’ realities. All that might recall success or fame doesn’t mean an easy and solved life, follows and likes aren’t money on your account, but they are the vehicle to get bigger audiences, and live shows are what most musicians make a living out of nowadays.

Finally, what does the rest of 2018 have in store for Belako?
We will play London, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham (17th to 20th of September), then off to Hamburg for the Reeperbahn Festival, Bime Festival in Bilbao, and several dates in Spain including big venues in Madrid and Barcelona.

Huge thanks to Belako for answering our questions!
Thanks for asking 😉

Catch Belako live in the UK at the following dates. Tickets here.

17th September – The Lexington, London
18th September – Gullivers, Manchester
19th September – Stereo, Glasgow
20th September – The Flapper, Birmingham

 

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PLAYLIST: July 2018

British summer time is in full swing, and the gorgeous/overwhelming heat makes every day feel like a summer holiday *wipes beads of sweat from brow*. If you’re stuck behind your desk however, fear not! We have a red hot set of new tunes to see you through the rest of the month. Take some time to scroll through our track selections, and hit play on the Spotify link at the bottom of the page…

 

Hercules & Love Affair – ‘Blind’
Taken from their self-titled album released in 2008 – the same year I attended London Pride for the first time – and without a doubt, the theme tune to me fully embracing my sexuality; feeling proud of who I was and strong enough to come out happily in all aspects of my life. Last weekend marked the end of the Pride Festival in London, with the Pride in London march on Saturday, where I marched with Switchboard the LGBT+ Helpline that I am a Trustee for. It was a great experience, and only mildly marred by the TERFS protest at the beginning. As a cis-gendered lesbian I denounce everything they stand for and pointedly want to say that I do not agree with any of their statements. I marched for the achievements we have made in society throughout the years to now, but also for all the essential changes still to come…one thing remains the same, it’s about standing for equality. Equality for everyone, everywhere. (Tash Walker)

Indian Queens – ‘Pretty Little Thing’
Equal parts driving and delicate: Hackney trio Indian Queens have shared their new track ‘Pretty Little Thing’ – and it’s as attractive to the ears as its namesake suggests. Released via Cool Thing Records, the single is an infectious blur of hypnotic vocals and shoe gaze guitar sounds. They received a standing ovation after their set at Robert Smith’s Meltdown Festival last month, and this track has been swirling around my brain ever since. (Kate Crudgington)

Handsome Eric – ‘Oh No’
I fell a bit love with Handsome Eric on seeing them support Shamir last week at Camden Assembly. As the raw, honest emotion of Stephen O’Dowd propels the track, whirring hooks and a driving energy bring to mind Manchester artist, and personal favourite, Kiran Leonard. Totally luscious lo-fi scuzz of the best kind. (Mari Lane)

Nova Twins – ‘Lose Your Head’
GIHE faves and last week’s guests on the radio show, the immense Nova Twins have just released their ferocious new single ‘Lose Your Head’. Having received acclaim from the likes of The Guardian, and none other than Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello, the duo continue to prove themselves to be one of the most exciting bands around with the snarling vocals and addictive, frenzied energy of this latest offering. (ML)

The Empty Page – ‘Deeply Unlovable’
We’ve been massive fans of The Empty Page’s gritty, grunge-fuelled offerings for a while now, and we cannot wait for them to blow us away once again at The Finsbury on Friday! (ML)

Queen Kwong – ‘Raptures’
Slow-building bass lines and mesmeric vocals combine on Queen Kwong’s ‘Raptures’ to form a beguiling request to escape unwanted memories. No stranger to adversity, Queen Kwong (aka Carré Callaway) shows how her “cursed mind” is still as sharp as ever on this brilliant new single. (KC)

Carolyn’s Fingers – ‘Twice Born’
LOVE THIS! Experimental pop band Carolyn’s Fingers always deliver such refreshingly unusual music, where I just don’t want to even try and predict where their music will go to next. There is something about there music that consistently dabbles with art/performance and still I am yet to see them live. A firm ambition of mine. Totally DIY in every way, we full support Carolyn’s Fingers. (TW)

Gazelle Twin – ‘Hobby Horse’
Warped, uncomfortable, but morbidly fascinating: avant-garde artist Gazelle Twin has returned with a new image and this un-nerving new single. I can’t wait to hear more of her unusual electronic cacophonies on her upcoming record, Pastoral, on which she “exhumes England’s rotten past, and shines a torch over its ever-darkening present”. Sign. Me. Up. Now.  (KC)

Pitou – ‘Give Me A Glass’
So gentle, so beautiful, and so delicate. ‘Give Me A Glass’ by Pitou is taken from her new EP I Fall Asleep So Fast, released via Mink Records. I think this track is just mesmerising, and it probably helps that it was the first song I listened to after meeting my niece for the first time. So here’s to raising that glass to the new addition in my family! (TW)

Anna Aaron – ‘Why Not’
Love love LOVE! From the disjointed off-beat vocals, to those heavy beats that underpin this track; how can you not enjoy this?! Described as “crunching electronic pop sound”, I think that perfectly sums up this raw slice of intentionally aggressive music. (TW)

Lizzo – ‘Boys’ 
Another utterly empowering and ferociously fun offering from GIHE favourite Lizzo, ‘Boys’ is filled with all the refreshing wit that we’ve come to know and love from the Minneapolis artist. Reminiscent of the legendary Missy Elliot, this track’s funk-filled groove and joyous sex-positive spirit provides the perfect summer anthem. (ML)

Belako – ‘Over The Edge’
I saw Spanish band Belako at Finsbury Park last Saturday kicking off a day of fantastic music from QOTSA, Iggy Pop, Brody Dalle, Deap Vally and more…. And they are now my new favourite band – it was one of the most impressive, engrossing sets I’ve seen for a long time. They delivered each gritty slice of post-punk with a raw, swirling energy and explained that his track ‘Over The Edge’ is “against gender violence” – a poignant and necessary subject. And I just love its immense, gnarly passion. I’m now thoroughly addicted to their latest release Render Me Numb, Trivial Violence. (ML)

Asylums – ‘Millennials’
Essex indie rockers Asylums have returned with their highly anticipated second album Alien Human Emotions – released via their own label Cool Thing Records – and ‘Millennials’ is one of the stand-out tracks on the record. Slower in tempo, but just as powerful in delivery; the single laments the “generational generalisations” that millennial kids face in today’s society. (KC)

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LIVE: ‘Friends’ Of QOTSA @ Finsbury Park, 30.06.18

Anyone who knows me will know of my love of Queens Of The Stone Age, and if you know me I’ll be sure to tell you about how immense it was to see them headline Finsbury Park on Saturday evening. I could go on forever about how it was the best set I’ve ever seen them play in my many, many years of fangirling… A perfect, career-spanning set that included all my favourites (especially excited to hear plenty from 2000’s Rated R). I could also tell you about how I’m still pretty blown away to have seen the legendary Iggy Pop blasting out all the classics in an incredible energy-fuelled frenzy.

But, for now, I want to talk about some of the other bands that joined Josh & co. on Saturday. The event advertised itself of having a line up of 50% female artists (which is what all festivals should be doing, in my opinion…), but personally, my day was at least 80% governed by incredible women in music.

After battling my way through brusque security and parting ways with my Chanel perfume, I make it to the second stage in time to catch Belako – aka my new favourite band. Delivering their gritty slices of post-punk, they treat us to one of the most impressive, most engrossing, sets I’ve witnessed for a long time. Oozing immense scuzzy riffs alongside their raw, swirling energy and gnarly passion, this is a band surely on the rise. And, introducing set highlight ‘Over The Edge’ as being “against gender violence”, one after our own hearts. I’m now thoroughly addicted to their latest release Render Me Numb, Trivial Violence – an album I cannot recommend strongly enough.

I stay at the second stage for long-time GIHE faves Skinny Girl Diet. It’s wonderful to see them building their reputation and playing such a big event; since first seeing them at The Shacklewell Arms a few years ago, they’ve been wowing listeners across the country. And it’s easy to see why. Oozing their seething, Riot Grrrl-inspired energy and rousing, grunge-fuelled sound, they deliver their fantastically raging offerings to a buoyant sea of fans (some even conquering the heat to energetically dance along), whilst taking the time to thank the crowd for being “angels”. A sparkling, impassioned set from one of the most exciting bands around, and one we need now more than ever.

I finally make my way to the main stage to catch blues-rock duo Deap Vally. Less of an intimate experience than the second stage, or indeed when I was right at the front for last year’s gig at Islington Assembly Hall, they still maintain all the empowering passion and glorious, gritty aggression that I’ve come to love about them. Delivering tracks from both albums, as well latest singles ‘Bring It On’ and ‘Let Go’, their raging feminist anthems prove every bit the immense spectacle to behold as I remember; their vibrant, glitter-filled energy spanning the distance between me and the stage, and filling the scorching air with joy.

Returning to the intimacy of the second stage, I’m greeted by the truly infectious charisma and sunny charm of Madrid’s Hinds. Kicking things off with ‘The Club’, as always the band exude their joyous, jangly scuzz as they reassure us that “… we’re all, all of us here, friends with Queens Of The Stone Age!” With each moment spent with this band, the sheer sense of glee heightens, such is the sunny spirit of Carlotta, Ana, Ade and Amber. Propelled by an unrelenting, uplifting energy, a vibrant cover of Kevin Ayers’ ‘Caribbean Moon’ sees the crowd dance along in buoyant bliss to the band’s ‘choreography’ on stage. With a set including “classics” such as ‘Bamboo’ and ‘Chilli Town’, Hinds once again leave me grinning from cheek to cheek, their euphoric offerings the perfect accompaniment to the summer sun.

After a short interlude, Brody Dalle appears. And, as if that wasn’t enough, she’s accompanied by two more of the most awesome women in rock – Ayse and Fay from Savages. Immediately exuding her immense sense of cool, opening with the riotous force of ‘Rat Race’, she doesn’t seem to have lost any of the seething, angst-driven power that we’ve all come to know and love. As she blasts out her raw, husky vocals, a pretty surreal sense of excitement comes over me; being in the presence of such a personal hero. Despite not playing any old Distillers tracks, it’s a short, sweet and hugely empowering set (just six songs, all from 2014’s Diploid Love) that leaves me as much in awe of her as I was when first seeking refuge in her gritty strength as an emotion-filled teen. And I’m clearly not the only one overcome by Brody Dalle; it’s incredibly refreshing to see her continuing to be an influence, as a young girl in front of me sits upon an adult’s shoulders, rocking out to every single impassioned growl.

Queues for beer and perfume-banishment issues aside, Queens Of The Stone Age and Friends was a wonderful day of some of the best music by some of the coolest people. The best kind of day, filled back to back with incredible music spanning genre and gender, all accompanied by dazzling sunshine.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Sam McMahon

 

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