GUIDE & PLAYLIST: The Great Escape Festival 2022

We’re excited to be heading back to The Great Escape Festival in just 3 days time (12th-14th May) to tread Brighton’s pebbled beach and trek around the city trying to catch some of the best new female, non-binary and LGBTQ+ music talent.

GIHE favourites ARXX, Brimheim, Fräulein, Bad Waitress, Mykki Blanco and Ailbhe Reddy will all be singing by the seaside over the long weekend, but we’re excited to discover some brand new artists too. Below is a list of set times of the acts we’re keen to catch at the festival. You can get better acquainted with them by listening to our accompanying Spotify Playlist!

Get your tickets for The Great Escape here.

Don’t forget to check out the line-up for the Alternative Escape too!

 

Thursday 12th May

Fräulein
Playing at: Queens Hotel – 12:15pm-12:45pm

Bad Waitress
Playing at: TGE Beach Stage – 12:30-1:00pm

Grandmas House
Playing at: The MVT Stage – 12:30pm-1:00pm

HIGH SCHOOL
Playing at: Komedia Basement – 12:40-1:00pm

Tolu Makay
Playing at:
Prince Albert – 1:00-1:30pm
Brighthelm – 7:30-8:00pm

EFÉ
Playing at: Prince Albert – 2:00-2:30pm

flowerkid
Playing at: 2:00-2:25pm

Brimheim
Playing at: Waterbear 2:15pm-2:45pm

Kills Birds
Playing at:
TGE Beach Stage – 2:30pm-3:00pm
Horatios – 9:15-9:45pm

Ailbhe Reddy
Playing at: Revenge – 3:20-3:40pm

ARXX
Playing at:
The Hope & Ruin – 3:30-3:50pm
Brighton Youth Centre – 5:10pm

Mykki Blanco
Playing at: The Old Market – 5:15-5:45pm

Bleach Lab
Playing at: Latest Music Bar – 7:15-7:45pm

Spill Tab
Playing at: The Arch – 7:30-8:00pm

Kynsy
Playing at: The Hope & Ruin – 8:00-8:30pm

CASSYETTE
Playing at: Chalk – 8:15-:8:45pm

HUSSY
Playing at: Green Door Store – 8:15-8:45pm

MUNA
Playing at: Amazon New Music Stage – 8:15-8:45pm

Softcult
Playing at: Volks – 9:00-9:30pm

Billy Nomates
Playing at: Komedia Basement – 9:15-9:45pm

Goat Girl
Playing at: Amazon New Music Stage – 10:15-10:45pm

Let’s Eat Grandma
Playing at: The Old Market – 10:15-10:45pm

Lunar Vacation
Playing at: Green Door Store – 10:15-10:45pm

November Ultra
Playing at: One Church – 10:30-11:00pm

 

Friday 13th May

ZAND
Playing at: Revenge – 12:15-12:45pm

SPRINTS
Playing at: Prince Albert – 1:00-1:30pm

Bleach Lab
Playing at: Komedia Basement – 1:15-1:45pm

Gemini Aaliyah
Playing at: Latest Music Bar – 1:15-1:45pm

PEANESS
Playing at: Zahara – 1:15-1:45pm

ALEWYA
Playing at: TGE Beach Stage – 1:20-1:40pm

AMARIA BB
Playing at: Patterns downstairs – 1:30-2:00pm

CMAT
Playing at:
Prince Albert – 2:00-2:30pm
Komedia Basement – 10:15-10:45pm

Fräulein
Playing at: Zahara – 2:15-2:45pm

LIBRALIBRA
Playing at: The MVT Stage – 2:15-2:45pm

Panic Shack
Playing at: Brighthelm – 2:30-3:00pm

Kynsy
Playing at: Prince Albert – 3:00-3:30pm

tora-i
Playing at: TGE Beach Stage – 3:20-3:40pm

Bad Waitress
Playing at:
Green Door Store – 4:00-4:30pm
The Hope and Ruin – 11:00-11:30pm

Rachel Chinouriri
Playing at: Amazon New Music Stage – 6:15-6:45pm

Connie Constance
Playing at: Casablanca – 6:30-7:00pm

Projector
Playing at: The Tempest Inn – 7:00-7:30pm

Witch Fever
Playing at: Volks – 7:00-7:30pm

GROVE
Playing at: Coalition – 7:15-7:45pm

HIGH SCHOOL
Playing at: Horatios – 7:15-7:45pm

Priya Ragu
Playing at: Amazon New Music Stage – 7:15-7:45pm

Stella Donnelly
Playing at: Chalk – 7:15-7:45pm

CIEL
Playing at: Paganini Ballroom (The Old Ship) – 7:30-8:00pm

A.A. Williams
Playing at: The Old Market – 8:00-8:30pm

flowerkid
Playing at: Zahara – 8:00-8:30pm

LIDO PIMIENTA
Playing at: Jubilee Square – 8:15-8:45pm

APRIL
Playing at: Patterns Upstairs – 9:00-9:30pm

EFÉ
Playing at: Komedia Studio – 9:15-9:45pm

ENNY
Playing at: Brighton Dome Concert Hall – 9:15-9:45pm

Panic Shack
Playing at: Three Wise Cats (Casablanca) – 9:15-9:45pm

Prima Queen
Playing at: Horatios – 9:15-9:45pm

ARXX
Playing at: The Mucky Duck – 9:45pm

Let’s Eat Grandma
Playing at: Amazon New Music Stage – 10:15-11:00pm

Lime Garden
Playing at: TGE Beach Stage – 10:15-11:00pm

Wallice
Playing at: Horatios – 10:15-10:45pm

Momma
Playing at: Horatios – 11:15-11:45pm

Nuha Ruby Ra
Playing at: Komedia Studio – 12:15-12:45am

Porij
Playing at: Komedia Basement – 12:30-1:00am

 

Saturday 14th May

Maria Uzor
Playing at: Revenge – 12:10-12:40pm

Dream Nails
Playing at: Three Wise Cats (Casablancas) – 12:15-12:45pm

HAWXX
Playing at: Volks – 1:00-1:30pm

C’est Karma
Playing at: Prince Albert – 1:15-1:45pm

Fräulein
Playing at: Volks – 2:00-2:30pm

Softcult
Playing at: Green Door Store – 2:30-3:00pm

WOOM
Playing at: One Church – 3:00-4:00pm

Gemini Aaliyah
Playing at: Zahara – 3:30-4:00pm

Stella Donnelly
Playing at: 3:35-4:00pm

Jessica Winter
Playing at: The Arch – 6:15-6:45pm

CASSYETTE
Playing at: Concorde 2 – 6:30-7:00pm

Kay Young
Playing at: The Arch – 7:15-7:45pm

Sinead O’Brien
Playing at: Coalition – 7:15-7:45pm

Gen and the Degenerates
Playing at: The Hope and Ruin – 9:00-9:30pm

SPRINTS
Playing at: Prince Albert – 9:00-9:30pm

Coach Party
Playing at: Coalition – 9:15-9:45pm

LIDO PIMIENTA
Playing at: One Church – 9:15-9:45pm

Rachel Chinouriri
Playing at: Patterns downstairs – 9:30-10:00pm

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

INTERVIEW: Bleach Lab

Full of bittersweet reflections on romantic burnout, grief and hard won emotional resilience, Bleach Lab‘s second EP, Nothing Feels Real, is an emotive, fluid record that continues to soften the sharpness of their collective pain. Following on from their debut EP, A Calm Sense Of Surrounding, The South London based four piece haven been busy refining their song-writing processes and preparing to headline The Lexington in London on the 20th October.

We caught up with vocalist Jenna Kyle and guitarist Frank Wates to talk about Bleach Lab’s new EP, how it differs from their debut and their anticipations for their upcoming gig…

Hello Jenna and Frank! Can you remember who or what first inspired you to start making your own music?

Jenna: My Mum bought me Singstar when I was about 9 or 10 and I used to come home from school every single day and just whack it out, so she asked me if I wanted to take real singing lessons. Singing has been my main passion through school and up until now. I started playing instruments too, I tried clarinet and I played the harp for a while as well which, was really amazing.

Frank: Conversely, I remember playing on Singstar and it was the thing which made me realise that I could not sing. My personal experience of getting into music has been really backwards and forwards, it took me quite a long time. My Dad is a musician, he performs jazz and it didn’t exactly establish a career in music as a particularly glamorous or easy thing to do. I knew a lot of people who kept telling me not to do it, but I remember I picked up a guitar for the first time when I was 10 and the feeling of wanting to do music would always come back. I’ve gone through a couple of periods where I’ve completely walked away from music entirely and they were definitely the periods that were the worst for me in terms of creativity and just general happiness. It was when I realised that I needed to go head first into it really.

Singstar also made me realise I couldn’t sing.. So how did Bleach Lab come together?

Frank: It’s quite a long story, which goes back until the beginning of 2017. It was a very gradual thing. I met Josh, who is our bassist and he also does the the lyric writing with Jenna, because we got brought together in a music project which we found online. It was a band that we really didn’t like at all, we didn’t agree creatively with the person who was orchestrating it and it all fell apart one afternoon. At the time, I’d only known Josh for about two months, but we were at my house with the drummer who we were working with and we just thought “while we’re here, should we just do a rehearsal anyway?” and it just sort of snowballed from that.

Jenna: Josh and I also studied music together at college and we stayed friends when I went off to uni to do music again. He just messaged me one day asking if I wanted to come down and give the band a go and I said yes and that was five year ago now…

Frank: We’ve gone through the classic situation of having a couple of line-up changes during that time. We had another drummer called Sean previously and he performed on our early singles and our first EP, A Calm Sense Of Surrounding. Then we put in Kieran who is our drummer now and he had a really big effect on how we’ve basically been doing everything since then. So the band has changed quite significantly just within the last year. It’s been quite gradual drawn out process, which has been hampered partly by COVID and other stuff as well.

Do you think COVID and the following lockdowns gave you a chance as a band to take a step back and really think about what you wanted to do next?

Jenna: Yeah, that’s exactly the way that we felt during lockdown. Obviously, there was quite a lot of uncertainty and we didn’t know when we’d be able to get back out on stage and what music venues would even still be around, but it was a lot of downtime to be able to reflect on what we actually wanted to be putting out there. It just gave us a of bit of breathing space, I think.

Frank: It also helped to refine – well, I say “refine,” I think we’re still working it out – but it helped to refine what our song-writing process actually is. The thing I’ve learned over the last year or so, is it’s just so important for any artist or band to have a process when it comes to song-writing because without one, it’s actually a really difficult thing to just get done. I think we’ve always had to deal with logistics within this band because Jenna lives in Brighton and the rest of us live in London, and we don’t live nearby each other in London either. So whenever we rehearse it, it takes quite a few hours to get us all in the same room. I think we are always going to be a band that needs to be able to rely on writing music remotely and I think having something as extreme as a country-wide lockdown forced us to realise that was actually the way that was best suited to us. It’s funny, really, we’re in the process of writing at the moment and I think we’re realising that we don’t get as much done when we’re all in the room together.

I guess it’s good to know you can keep writing even with these obstacles in the way.

You released your debut EP, A Calm Sense Of Surrounding, earlier this year. I know it was informed by very personal situations; the breakdown of a romantic relationship for you Jenna and for your bassist Josh, who was coming to terms with losing his father. Without probing too much, did you find it useful to write this EP as a way of coping with and confronting these very intense emotions?

Jenna: I can’t really speak for Josh, but we do write together, so we do relate a lot to each other and it is a very cathartic way of dealing with the things that we’ve both been through, and which everyone has been through on some level as well. Having a creative outlet and being able to write about things in such a way can really help you understand more about the situation yourself as well. You learn things about yourself that you didn’t necessarily know were there because they’re coming from really deep down emotionally. Sometimes I realise things long after I’ve written about them. What we write about is very personal and it’s quite daunting to be that open about things, but I think the new EP is an extension of similar experiences for me and Josh. It’s an extension of the story-telling.

Do you have a favourite song on your first EP, and on your new EP Nothing Feels Real?

Jenna: I think ‘Never Be’ has got to be my favourite, I just love it. I still look forward to playing it the most when we play live.

Frank: I think an important distinction to make for me is between the song and the recording, because it’s so often the case that the recording comes out nothing like you imagined it would based on the song. I like ‘Old Ways’ a lot from the first EP, primarily because it was kind of an afterthought track that we decided to include quite late. ‘Never Be’ is also one of my favourites, as I think the recording of that track came together really, really well. There’s a song on the second EP called ‘Inside My Mind’ which I want to say all of us had as our favourite song? But I think ‘Real Thing’ is mine.

Jenna: I think lyrically for me, ‘Real Thing’ is one of my favourite songs that I’ve written. Lyric writing doesn’t come very easy for me and I think that’s the one I’m most happiest with.

Frank: I think I think it’s very difficult for us to give a cogent, succinct answer to this question because we consistently disagree on what songs we prefer and don’t prefer, which is good! It’s nice to choose between songs that you all like for different reasons, so you’d probably get different answers from us all on different days…

Jenna, you mentioned that Nothing Feels Real feels like an extension of your debut EP, can you elaborate on that?

Jenna: Sure. Sonically, it’s not very different but I think it’s more cohesive. Lyrically, this EP is possibly a more in depth exploration of both mine and Josh’s experiences that we’ve already touched on. We’ve been able to dig a bit deeper and I think we’re both becoming better writers as well, creating our own processes which I’m getting more comfortable with as we progress.

Frank: Yeah, I think it has more cohesion in terms of how it sounds purely because it was written over a shorter period of time. I think the whole process behind it was very different because we were listening to more specific music in the build-up to recording it. We were bringing in Steven Street to produce it and he has a prolific discography associated with certain sounds in certain areas. I think that informed the overall sound of the EP very strongly, and as a result it has more of a case of identity to it than our first EP does, which is a nice thing to feel, because once you start trying to do four or five songs and have them have some kind of collective identity together, it’s actually really hard to make them any good.

You mentioned producer Steven Street who’s worked with like The Cranberries and The Smiths. What was it like working with him? What do you think he brings to your overall sound on this EP?

Frank: There was a big contrast between recording our first EP and recording this one with the Steven. That’s no discredit to Max who we worked with on our first EP. We knew we only had a set amount of time working with Steven and that we had to get it done. The urgency that came with that actually really helped with the process, it was all really efficient, which is not usually a word that I would use to describe recording an album or a song in a positive way, but it was! I think it helped because we didn’t overthink things, which is something that I’m very much guilty of doing. He made it really easy. He was very easy to bounce ideas off of when it came to production ideas and it just made the whole thing a lot easier.

You’re going to be headlining the Lexington on the 20th of October. What are your anticipations for this gig? How are you feeling about headlining such a great venue?

Jenna: I’ve never been to The Lexington! I’ve heard everyone just telling me how great it is so I’m very excited. We’ve been looking forward to it and working towards it for so long. I think the crowd will be a nice mix of family and friends, but also new people as well, which is always nice to see.

Frank: I remember when our manager told us that we were playing The Lexington and we were delighted. It’s one of many very, very pleasant things that have happened to us this year. It’s one of my favourite venues, I’ve seen some great gigs there. It’s nice because it’s still relatively intimate. I mean, we’ve already been kind of blown away with some of the venues that we’ve been getting to play because again, with the whole intervention of COVID, we kind of leapfrogged to playing all these venues that I thought it would take years for us to play.

I’m sure you’ll all have a great gig. As we’re a new music blog, we always ask what new music or new bands are you listening to at the moment. Is there anyone you want to recommend to us or give a shout out to?

Jenna: I’ve been listening to a lot of Bess Atwell lately.

Frank: Yeah me too, I saw her on the overground the other day. I think she had been doing an in-store show because her album’s just come out. I was with my girlfriend and we walked past her and got on the train and I was like “That was Bess Atwell!” and my girlfriend said “why didn’t you stop and speak to her?” and I thought “Yeah, why didn’t I stop? I’m legit really into her music. It could very easily have talked to her about how much I like her track ‘Co-Op’. One album that I’ve been listening to a lot at the moment, and I was really gutted because they played in London and I couldn’t go because we were hard rehearsing for our shows – which is definitely the right thing to be doing – is the Art School Girlfriend album. I’m really, really into it.

Jenna: I also have my comfort zone with my music and what I listen to. I have my list of songs on Spotify that I just play over and over again. Sharon Van Etten, Phoebe Bridgers, Angel Olsen, Julia Jacklin. There’s a lot of nice female vocal stuff on there…

Thanks to Jenna & Frank for the chat!

Follow Bleach Lab on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Kate Crudgington1 Comment

Track Of The Day: Bleach Lab – ‘Talk It Out’

A bittersweet reflection on romantic burnout, South-London based four piece Bleach Lab have shared their latest single ‘Talk It Out’. Taken from the second EP Nothing Feels Real, which is set for release on 15th October, the track is a shimmering ode to the hard won emotional resilience that’s gained after a particularly draining relationship.

“’Talk It Out’ started as a song about mental health and times when people should open up about their inner thoughts and anxieties,” the band explain. “As the song developed, we approached it from a perspective of being run down so much by a relationship that you thought you loved so much but over time realising that it’s changing who you are, all just to make the other person happy at the cost of your own happiness”.

Jenna Kyle’s distinctive vocals float over atmospheric riffs and shimmering cymbal crashes, as she works through the grief and anger of breaking away from a toxic relationship. These intense, introspective but relatable threads of emotions are what hold together Bleach Lab’s new EP, Nothing Feels Real. Produced by Stephen Street (The Cranberries, The Smiths, Blur), the record looks set to be another shining collection of dream-pop tunes with Bleach Lab’s trademark melancholic edge.

Listen to ‘Talk It Out’ below.

 

Follow Bleach Lab on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

PLAYLIST: August 2021

The GIHE team have unearthed some more new music gems for you to listen to on our August Playlist! There’s an eclectic mix of electronic bangers, swirling shoegaze tunes, gritty guitar tracks and alternative alt-pop sounds. Take some time to scroll through our track choices below and make sure you hit play on the Spotify playlist at the end of this post.

Follow GIHE on Spotify to hear all of our previous playlists too.

Grandmas House – ‘Golden’
The GIHE team collectively ADORE this single from Bristol queer punk trio Grandmas House. Taken from their upcoming self-titled debut EP, which is set for release on 15th October via Brace Yourself Records, ‘Golden’ is a gritty, thundering reflection on the apathetic outlook of the organisations that profit from the suffering of others. (Kate Crudgington)

ARXX – ‘Not Alone But Not With You’
The latest single from our total faves, ‘Not Alone But Not With You’ continues to cement ARXX as consistently exciting and forever honing their sound to become even more amazing. A gritty, yet reflective, and unapologetically honest offering, I just love this track’s driving emotion and anthemic singalong energy. Another swirling slice of rousing power-pop from the impressive Brighton duo. There’s also a fab Comic Review of this track up now, courtesy of illustrator Sally-Anne Hickman. (Mari Lane)

HighSchool – ‘Sirens’
Full of moody vocals, buzzing bass lines and playful riffs, Melbourne trio HighSchool have shared this sultry lo-fi banger accompanied by a very cool music video. Check out their previous single ‘De Facto‘ too. (KC)

Basement Revolver – ‘Skin’
Inspired by guitarist & vocalist Chrisy Hurn-Morrison’s thoughts and struggles about her own body image, Basement Revolver’s ‘Skin’ is a swirling, reassuring ode to self-acceptance. The track is taken from the band’s upcoming album Embody, which is set for release later this year. (KC)

Slow Crush – ‘Hush’
Hazy guitars, lush vocals and heavy beats combine on this beaut new single from Belgian shoegaze outfit Slow Crush. ‘Hush’ is also the title of their upcoming album, which is set for release on 22nd October via Quiet Panic. (KC)

Lost In Your Mind – ‘Restless’
Dublin-based newcomers Lost In Your Mind have shared this new single today, along with an accompanying video. Inspired by their love of Riot Grrrl, post punk and dark wave, Aoife McMahon, Tracey McEvoy, Elisa Kuhl and Andrea Lambe make music that makes them feel good, and latest single ‘Restless’ does exactly that. (KC)

Berries – ‘The Expert’
The latest single from GIHE faves, London trio Berries, ‘The Expert’ takes down all those patronising know-it-alls with a spiky punk energy. Tackling imposter syndrome with a ferocious, grunge-fuelled drive, Holly Carter’s distinctive sweeping vocals ring out with a rippling power alongside frenzied riffs, showcasing the band’s trademark raw passion. (ML)

Barry – ‘Neolithic Homosex’
Following their eponymous 2019 album, South London based Barry have now shared a new double A-side release. First of the tracks, ‘Neolithic Homosex’, ponders the all-important issue of what gay sex was like in ancient times. Propelled by breezy beats and joyously jangly hooks, whirring keys flow alongside brazen vocals and added cheering hand claps, oozing an uplifting, sunny energy with a fizzing, playful charisma. ‘Neolithic Homosex’, alongside double a-side ‘No More Boys’, is out now. Download from bandcamp. (ML)

Beorma – ‘Her’
I love this track from Birmingham-based duo Beorma. Mixing R&B and indie pop sensibilities with a Prince inspired guitar solo, ‘Her’ is a smooth, melancholy-tinged reflection on absent love. (KC)

Sans Soucis – ‘On Time For Her’
London based artist and one of our faves Sans Soucis has released ‘On Time For Her’ as the lead single from their highly anticipated EP of the same name. Speaking of the track, Sans Soucis says it’s a life changing statement: “It means that I am finally here for myself and I’m ready to seek happiness in life rather than being stuck in my past trauma.” (Tash Walker)

Emma Bradley – ‘I’ll Be Outside’
22 year old Emma Bradley’s ‘I’ll Be Outside’ is a song I find incredibly calming, written about being the person who shows up for yourself. Of the track, she explains “I hope that when people hear my songs, they can feel less alone in their own experiences and also empowered in some way. I think sensitivity gets a bit of a bad reputation, but everything that we feel someone else somewhere has also felt.” (TW)

Bleach Lab – ‘Real Thing’
This Bleach Lab melts me every time I listen to it. Definitely check out their recent EP A Calm Sense Of Surrounding if ‘Real Thing’ makes you a big ball of feelings too. (KC)

Anna B Savage – ‘Since We Broke Up’
Lifted from her upcoming EP These Dreams which is set for release on 24th September via City Slang, Anna B Savage’s latest single ‘Since We Broke Up’ tentatively celebrates the joy she experienced after an emotional break up. If you like the sound of this, you should definitely check out her debut album A Common Turn. (KC)

Aisha Badru – ‘The Way Back Home’
The latest single from Aisha Badru, ‘The Way Back Home’ offers an endearing reflection on relationships and the age-old realisation of “if you love something, set it free”. Propelled by a lilting energy and shimmering grace, it’s a beautifully stirring ballad, with a poignant lyricism swirling throughout. A simply exquisite, evocative creation that’ll soothe the ears with its resplendent, uplifting allure. The Way Back Home, the upcoming EP from Aisha Badru, is set for release on 3rd December. (ML)

Olivia Dean – ‘Slowly’
‘Slowly’ is a lovely piano ballad from Olivia Dean showcasing a different, more intimate side to the London artist. Taken from her recently released EP, Growth. (TW)

Siv Disa – ‘Toxic’ (Britney Spears Cover)
Having recently announced the release of her upcoming debut album, Siv Disa has now shared a wonderfully unique cover of a Britney Spears classic. Propelled by a shimmering musicality and chiming beats, Disa’s rendition of the 2001 anthem oozes its own majestic ethereal haze as the bewitching, sweeping allure of her vocals flows throughout. A beautifully captivating ode to our favourite pop queen. Siv Disa comments on her decision to release this cover: “Now that the abuse of Britney’s conservatorship has been exposed I hope we’re all taking a minute to think about how she was publicly judged ten years ago, and how that played into the nightmare she had to live in. I hope she gets back everything that was taken from her. We love you, Britney!!” (ML)

Alex Loveless – ‘Brixton’
East London based musician Alex Loveless’ new single ‘Brixton’ captures a moment of romantic indecision with its lo-fi beats and strung out vocals. This is Loveless’ first release that features a guitar, which they managed to borrow from a friend. (KC)

BEBELUNA – ‘Drunk’
BEBELUNA is an artist I’ve played before on our radio show and I’ve been following them ever since. This track ‘Drunk’ is a very enjoyable mash up of jungle and electroclash. My only criticism of is that it is TOO SHORT, but there’s nothing wrong with being left wanting for more. (TW)

CREATRX – ‘experience’
Non-binary, LA based rebel CREATRX declares they are “Not a boy / not a girl / baby I’m an experience” on this savage new single. “This song is a reflection of how I view my gender,” CREATRX explains. “I feel that my spirit (and many others) transcends the limited ideas of gender in Western society and this is a song celebrating that – encouraging us all to take up space, explore and push more.” This single is taken from their upcoming EP dirt. honey. glitter. water, which is an exploration of “what it means to be Black, young, ratchet and spiritual” in today’s world. (KC)

DROWND – ‘Sinner’ (KANGA Remix)
I’m a big fan of KANGA’s industrial, pop-tinged sounds and I am obsessed with her remix of DROWND’s new track ‘Sinner’. Full disclosure – DROWND is the new project of my older brother Joe – and I am thrilled that she’s remixed this track for him as he is also a big fan of her work. You can check out the slick visuals for the original track here. (KC)

Nilufer Yanya – ‘Day 7.05093’ (keiyaA Remix)
I can’t get enough of this track with its synthy sizzles, insect tapping beats and of course Nilufer Yanya’s dreamy vocals. So good. Check out their recently released Feeling Lucky? Remix EP out now. (TW)

John Glacier – ‘Icing’
This song comes in at under 2 minutes and leaves me gagging…gasping for more! It comes from elusive East London vocalist John Glacier, taken from her recently released 12-track project SHILOH: Lost For Words. You can all send me your thanks for the recommendation later, but for now enjoy ‘Icing’ because this track is over almost as soon as it starts. (TW)

BABii – ‘Shadow’
As is always my want, I’m going to slip a little bit of UK garage influenced music into this playlist. ‘Shadow’ from BABii nods to those club sounds we’re all desperate to be immersed in right now, with an edge of electronics. (TW)

JOON – ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ (Depeche Mode Cover)
A cover of the Depeche Mode classic, JOON’s rendition of ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ offers a playful, twinkling soundscape, whilst maintaining all the colourful energy of the original. Joon is Yasmin Kuymizakis, a Maltese musician and producer who ten years ago survived a life-changing car accident, and since then has seen making music as a necessary part of recovery. She’s recently released her beautiful album Dream Again and is also co-founder of the Maltese Sound Women’s Network – an organisation connecting, supporting, mentoring, promoting and educating women and girls in electronic music and sound. Find out more about her in a recent interview we had with her. (ML)

YAY MARIA ft. Franx – ‘Template’
Having previously captivated our ears as the front person of Grawl!x, Trans and queer artist YAY MARIA has now announced the release of her debut solo album, Oyez. The first of three tracks to be shared from the album, ‘Template’ is an empowering slice of poignant power-pop. Made in collaboration with Nottingham based queer artist and musician Franx, it’s a blissfully euphoric anthem celebrating being your true self in the face of adversity. You can buy ‘Template’ on bandcamp now – and all proceeds are going to the QTIBIPOC Therapy Fund; an initiative of the Radical Therapist Network, to create access for Queer & Trans People of Colour to safe therapeutic spaces & services. (ML)

Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business – ‘He Earns Enough’
Featuring members of Trash Kit, F*Choir and Bamboo, six-piece choral punk ensemble Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business have been captivating our ears for some time. Latest single ‘He Earns Enough’ reflects on shamelessly money-grabbing men who increased their fortunes to the tune of billions during the pandemic, while millions around the world struggled and suffered. As the swirling layers of vocals trickle alongside each other and grow with an empowering energy, a sweeping, celestial splendour is created. And, ending with a sea of voices exclaiming “Enough!” in unison, it perfectly captures the rage and sense of hopelessness of living with the continuing injustices of a patriarchal capitalist society. He Earns Enough, the upcoming new EP from Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business, is set for release 8th October via Lost Map Records. (ML)

Bas Jan – ‘You Have Bewitched Me’
Formed of songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Serafina Steer, alongside Rachel Horwood (Trash Kit, Bamboo, Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business), Emma Smith (the Elysian Quartet, Jarv Is, Seamus Fogarty) and Charlie Stock, London experimental collective Bas Jan have now shared their first music in three years. Propelled a swirling ethereal majesty, ‘You Have Bewitched Me‘ offers an effervescent reflection on the mesmerising power of first attraction and new love. With the delicate grace of its sparkling harmonies, ‘You Have Bewitched Me’ showcases the subtle power of crystalline voices coming together in unity to create a truly euphoric soundscape. (ML)

MEI – ‘Let Dusk Welcome Me’
Taken from London artist MEI’s latest EP, ‘Let Dusk Welcome Me’ provides a welcome pool of tranquility. Reflecting on a refreshing evening walk she took after having been ill with COVID, it interweaves a lilting jazz-infused groove and funk-fused beats, rippling with the smooth allure of MEI’s lush, soulful vocals and a gently empowering spirit. The Hard Way Around The Sun, the new EP from MEI, was created with an all-female team and is out now. (ML)

Blonde Maze – ‘Being Pulled’
The latest single from total favourite, New York based artist Blonde Maze, ‘Being Pulled’ is inspired by “the conflicting feelings of wanting to move forward while being pulled backwards by your memories”. Bathing the ears in shimmering ripples of dreamy reflection and oozing a woozy, hypnotic splendour, Amanda’s vocals flow with a blissful haze, creating the perfect soothing tonic. A beautifully calming and delicately uplifting soundtrack that I so desperately need right now. (ML)

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment