GIHE: Albums & EPs Of 2022

After sharing our Tracks Of 2022 earlier this week, the GIHE team want to shine a light on some of the brilliant Albums & EPs that have been released during the last 12 months. These eclectic records resonated with us on many different levels, and we’ll be talking about them long into the future! Huge thanks to all of the bands and artists who submitted music to us this year.  

So, in alphabetical order, here are our top Albums & EPs of 2022 (including multiple Honorable Mentions at the end, because we couldn’t resist…)

ALBUMS

adults – for everything, always
Following the release of their EP The Weekend Was Always Almost Over, back in 2018 and the split Space Armadillo EP with fellow GIHE faves Bitch Hunt in 2020, South London band adults released their debut full length album this year, and I couldn’t have been more happy about it. Showcasing their trademark jangling melodies and buoyant scuzzy energy, and covering topics ranging from the pressures of living in a Capitalist society and mutual aid, to crying on coaches; each track perfectly juxtaposes poignant subject matter with an irresistibly blissful, catchy musicality. I just can’t get enough of adults’ fuzzy, frenetic drive, and was happy to be able to catch them live twice this year. First, supporting Charmpit at their last ever gig that we hosted back in July, and then at their own album launch at new favourite venue The Cavendish Arms last month.
(Mari Lane – Managing Editor & Co-Founder) 

Bad Sidekick – Daily Lottery
Formed of Cooper Rose, Robbie Jenner, Joe Blount and John Blount, Bad Sidekick create alt-rock anthems inspired by the nuances of everyday life. Based between London, Leeds and Bristol, the band released their debut album Daily Lottery this year, and it quickly became a GIHE favourite. Full of gritty riffs, sardonic wit and Cooper’s charming Leeds/Bristolian intonation, the record covers everything from the grind of daily existence (‘Daily Lottery’) to the love we have for our pets (‘Lemon Eyes’), and showcases the band’s talent for writing relatable, riotous guitar anthems. It was great to catch them live again, headlining for us at The Shacklewell Arms earlier this month too. The GIHE team are all big fans!
(Kate Crudgington – Features Editor & Co-Founder)

Big Joanie – Back Home
Like Angelica Ellis’ altruistic artwork that adorns the cover – which is a nod to the embroidered wall hangings popular in Caribbean homes post-Windrush, depicting drummer Chardine’s nephew at the barbers – Big Joanie tenderly and intricately weaved personal and political threads into their superb second album, Back Home. As activists and role models who formed their own musical foundations in the DIY punk scene, the black feminist punks have proved themselves to be a formidable force for change, truly devoted to creating a space for others who have felt ignored in the past. On Back Home, the trio have expanded on the lo-fi punk cacophonies and have introduced bold, bright synth textures and the altruistic violin sounds of experimental art-rock artist No Home across the record. The result is still distinctively Big Joanie, but they sound bigger and better than before – and that’s what earned them a nomination in the groundbreaking new Alternative Music category at the MOBO Awards this year. Legends. (KC)

Breakup Haircut – Punk Dancing For Self Defence
Firm favourites for a while now, First Timers Fest alumni Breakup Haircut released their debut album Punk Dancing For Self Defence this year via Reckless Yes, and I couldn’t have been happier. A collection of joyously lo-fi pop punk reflecting on themes ranging from social anxiety and break-ups, to bi-erasure and existing in a Capitalist society, the band’s colourful charisma and sparkling charm shines through each track Whether you need cheering up with some buoyant danceable anthems, or simply want to immerse yourself in the band’s raw emotion and relatable, resonant reflections on life, it will provide you with the aural comfort needed to have survived 2022. We had the pleasure of hosting Breakup Haircut live, not once but twice this year, and each time it was a total joy. (ML) 

Brimheim – can’t hate myself into a different shape
“I felt like I’d been in this black muddy place, not able to see anything and kind of drowning,” Brimheim explained in an interview with me earlier this year, when discussing the songs that formed her debut album, can’t hate myself into a different shape. Mined from a “deep depression hole” during a global pandemic, the Danish artist has crafted an intricately observed collection of life-affirming songs that chime with relatable melancholy. It’s a poignant reflection on love in all its forms; romantic, platonic and the hardest type to articulate and master: self love. It’s a beautifully bruising unravelling of vulnerability, and I have returned to it again and again over the past 12 months. I am deeply grateful to Brimheim for making this poignant piece of art. (KC)

BRUTUS – Unison Life
From the moment I heard Stefanie Mannaerts vocals on ‘Dust’, I knew I was going to be obsessed with Belgian heavy trio BRUTUS’ third album, Unision Life. It’s a visceral, deeply engaging record exploring growth, resilience, and the inevitability of change. Stefanie’s unique vocals are underscored by her phenomenal percussion, band mate Stijn’s rapturous guitar riffs and Peter’s brutal bass lines. With so many potent songs on the tracklist, it’s hard to pick favourites, but ‘Chainlife’, ‘Brave’, ‘Dust’ and ‘Victoria’ have been rattling around my skull for the past few months. I had the privilege of interviewing Stefanie about the record on the eve of it’s release, where she told me that ‘What Have We Done’ is her personal favourite, as it accurately captures the essence of what went into the creation of Unison Life. Seeing the band perform live at The Garage was further proof of their immense talent. (KC)

Charlotte Adigery and Bolis Pupul – Topical Dancer
Not only one of my favourite albums of the year, this was also one of my favourite interviews that I did back in March now on our Soho Radio show. What a debut album this was! A rollercoaster ride in the most danceable music, delivering lyrics that cover issues we need to be addressing right now. I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Charlotte, where we talked about the album, the therapeutic process of making music and the use of laughter to tackle complex topics, and her lovely little baby Rocko also joined us for the chat which was so cute! You can listen back to that interview here.
(Tash Walker – Digital Editor & Co-Founder)

cheerbleederz – even in jest
DIY ‘supergroup’ Cheerbleederz just have a knack of completely hitting my jangly indie-pop sweet spot every time, and so the fact that they released their debut album this year was a definite highlight. A collection of uplifting and relatable ‘anxiety anthems’, even in jest showcases the band’s ability to create wonderfully scuzzy, tongue-in-cheek reflections on everyday life with a fizzing energy and effervescent raw emotion. I just love how they’re able to combine this fuzzy, uptempo musicality with poignant sentiments, and album track ‘carbon copy’ may also contain my favourite lyric of the year: “I wish that I was friends with Yvie Oddly” (I really do). (ML) 

Chorusgirl – Collapso Calypso
Following 2015’s self titled debut and 2018’s Shimmer and Spin, Chorusgirl made her much-anticpated (by me especially!) musical return this Autumn with her latest album, Collapso Calypso. As each electro-tinged swirling soundscape flows with a sweeping majestic grace, the album reflects on poignant, heartfelt subject matter with glistening celestial charm. With the lilting allure of the likes of The Cure or Cocteau Twins, but maintaining an utterly unique shimmering splendour, it’s a truly captivating collection. Silvi has said that she wanted the album to be like a “hug in sonic form”, and that’s just what it is: a beautifully immersive catharsis. (ML) 

Ethel Cain – Preacher’s Daughter
I’ve been obsessed with the runaway rogue narrative of Ethel Cain since I heard her single ‘Crush’ at the end of 2021. After playing her EP, Inbred, on repeat, I was thrilled to see that the American songwriter was releasing her debut album, Preacher’s Daughter, this year. Permeated by a palpable sense of lust, her evocative lyrics, reverb-heavy instrumentation and stunning vocals make for truly divine listening. From opening track ‘Family Tree (Intro)’, through to the sultry ‘Gibson Girl’ and stunning ‘Ptolemaea’, it’s the most sensual of sermons that absolutely sets my cells on fire every time I listen to it. Seeing Ethel Cain perform live at Heaven earlier this month was also an experience I will never forget. Long live Mother Cain. (KC)

Hinako Omori – a journey…
Differing from her 2019 EP, Auraelia – which was inspired by her experience of intense migraines that were accompanied by auras and other visual distortions – London-based musician Hinako Omori’s tranquil debut album seeks to further understand the physiological effects that music and sound frequencies have on the body. This exploration includes field recordings with binaural heads, tampering with mood-altering frequencies and inspiration from the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku aka “forest-bathing.” Her music seeks to connect with and understand the human condition in intricate and invigorating ways. She’s crafted a series of beautiful soundscapes that are underscored by patience, empathy and kindness. a journey… is a gift to listeners who need respite from the overwhelming stresses of daily life, and it was a pleasure to interview Hinako about it, and hear her play the record live at the Purcell Room at Southbank Centre this year, accompanied by the London Contemporary Orchestra. (KC)

Jockstrap – I Love You Jennifer B
Jockstrap’s brilliant debut album, I Love You Jennifer B, includes one of my favourite songs of 2022, ‘Greatest Hits’. The whole album is a kaleidoscopic soundscape that bounces from genre to genre, twisting and turning in your ears, showcasing the true musical talent of the duo. Nodding to the 70s, the 90s, and it all gets shaken up appropriately by two kids of the 00s. (TW)

Porridge Radio – Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
One of my favourite albums of 2022! There is so much emotion in each song, in each guitar string, in each drum beat, in the strained-by-the-weight-of-it-all vocals. It calls to me and my inner teenage emo, and I answer every time by pressing play and turning up that volume dial|! It is so rich and I have not yet had my fill, so I will keep bathing. I also got to see Porridge Radio this year at End of the Road Festival and they more than delivered. Consider this an all time favourite album, and not just for this year. (TW)

Real Big Sky – Real Big Sky
Full of reverb drenched riffs, enigmatic vocals and shiver-inducing cymbal smashes, Real Big Sky’s debut album is a swirling collection of heavy guitar tunes that brood with quiet intensity. Beginning as a form of distraction during the Covid-19 lockdowns for songwriter Sara Kleppe, Real Big Sky was initially a solo project which she worked on in her bedroom in Hackney. Sara relocated back to her native Sweden in 2021, but with the help of friend and long-term collaborator Luca Romano – who also played drums and was on recording, mixing and production duties for the record – she has developed Real Big Sky’s sound to its fullest and most fluid yet. It’s a blissful mix of melodic noise that I wholeheartedly recommend. (KC)

SASAMI – Squeeze
From the moment I heard SASAMI’s industrial-tinged “rage dance” anthem ‘Say It’, I thought “this is a bit of me”. Taken from her second album, SQUEEZE, it’s the perfect introduction to her thrilling mix of metal, folk and grunge inspired sounds. “I feel like everyone has a dark metal side that they don’t know is there, until they find the right access point,” the L.A based musician told me in an interview earlier this year, and I couldn’t agree more. With heavier music genres being predominantly populated by white male faces, SASAMI’s SQUEEZE is an authentically heavy record, which offers a fresh take on the diversity and intricacy of metal music. The title track features GIHE fave No Home as well! (KC)

Scrounge – Sugar, Daddy
I still remember the first time I saw Scrounge perform live so clearly. Mari booked them as the opening act for a GIHE gig at The Windmill, and I was mesmerised by the South London duo’s gritty, relatable anthems. Their debut mini album, Sugar, Daddy, showcases all that they’ve achieved to date, with their cutting lyrics, intense riffs and fraught percussion reflecting the everyday hardships vocalist Lucy sings about. I found myself a bit choked at the end of the record, with tracks like ‘Starve’ and ‘Forward’ really hitting a nerve. Lucy & Luke are dedicated to making music on their own terms, and it’s been a joy watching them achieve so much over the past few years. Please, please buy this album. All of the GIHE team endorse it. (KC)

Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen
I’ve been lapping up Sudan Archives’ album Natural Brown Prom Queen all year. It’s an amazing ride showcasing her incredible talent, with my particular favourite track being ‘Selfish Soul’. She is also an incredible performer, smashing out her skills on the violin in a consistently mesmerising performance. Black women artists so rarely receive credit deserved for technical innovation in music-making outside of vocal talent, and I hope we’re seeing a shift in that now with the likes of Sudan Archives, Lizzo and reflections on historic talents from music made by ESG, to Ma Rainey. (TW)

VERO – Unsoothing Interior
Creating anthems with shades of 90s alternative icons like Sonic Youth, VERO’s aim is simple: “write the best fucking songs, have the best energy and show people that we’re having fun.” Saturated with brooding bass lines, swirling riffs, stinging lyrics and sultry vocals, that’s exactly what the Stockholm-based trio achieve on their debut album, Unsoothing Interior. From the anxious ‘She’s Scared Of Everything’ to the defiant ‘BEG!’, to the yearning ‘Heather’, the band juxtapose these energies across the record with distinctive flair. Get. It. In. Your. Ears. Now. (KC)

EPs

AGAAMA – Wandering Worlds
I took a real shine to this EP from Birmingham-based artist, composer, vocalist and producer AGAAMA after hearing her captivating single ‘Sarehole Mill’. Reflecting on everything from physical locations to our relationship with A.I (‘Blackbox Oracle’), Wandering Worlds is a brooding, meditative blend of atmospheric electronics, jazz-inspired orchestral arrangements and AGAAMA’s evocative vocals. This EP is as vast and altruistic as the collective memories that informed it. Definitely immerse yourself into AGAAMA’s unusual universe of sound. (KC)

Beckie Margaret – CIAGA Vol. 1
An unassuming, poetic collection of songs that ruminate on the shifting nature of love, Essex-based songwriter Beckie Margaret’s EP, CIAGA Vol.1, is a carefully crafted and deeply affecting listen. Released via my favourite label Cool Thing Records, these songs beautifully showcase a young woman learning how to fully express her feelings, not shying away from the pain or frustration that often accompanies the process. Through her emotive lyrics, distinctive vocals and tender, melodic guitar sounds, Beckie gently exposes her most intimate and passionate thoughts across the record, learning to trust her instincts when it comes to romantic infatuation. I cried the whole way through my first listen. (KC)

Currls – Hello, My Name Is
It was a total honour to host Currls’ EP launch earlier this month at the Shacklewell Arms, especially having hosted their first London headline London show back in November last year – to be involved with launching such a fantastic EP into the world was a real privilege! With a colourful charisma and rich, empowering energy, each track offers a catchy slice of twinkling, scuzz-filled rock, with the band’s own unique zest and soulful allure. With a gritty power, each enlivening offering proves Currls’ worth as a compelling band on the rise. (ML)

Dayydream – Bittersweet
An intuitive, affecting collection of songs that drift through the exquisite highs and intangible lows we experience on the path towards emotional resilience, Chloe Trappes aka Dayydream’s debut EP is a comforting and blissful ode to feeling in all of its intensity. Filled with delicate guitar strokes, dreamy vocals and affecting lyrics, the Glasgow-based songwriter ruminates on distance and desire across five tracks, and the way these things can shift our perspective towards others, and towards ourselves over time. ‘Wasn’t’ is my favourite track. (KC)

Fräulein – A Small Taste
Having first come across Joni and Karsten aka Fräulein via an online festival that Hanni from ARXX hosted during 2020’s lockdown, I was instantly utterly obsessed. Having finally released their debut EP, A Small Taste, this year, the duo have gone from strength to strength throughout the last 12 months, and deservedly so. I just can’t get enough of the gritty power of Joni’s raw, sweeping vocals and Karsten’s immense beats. They’re able to combine abrasive, grunge-infused hooks with a mysterious allure, creating something truly unique and fiercely powerful. Fraulein are one of the most impressive bands I’ve ever come across, and I cannot wait to see what they do next. (ML) 

Julia-Sophie – Feels Like Thunder
I have Tash to thank for introducing me to the wonderful Julia-Sophie. Feels Like Thunder is a hypnotic, poetic listen that profoundly moved me the first time I heard it. Julia-Sophie’s wonderful blend of soft vocals, haunting electronics and altruistic beats makes for perfect listening, with ‘Dial Your Number’ being the stand out track for me. She’s been a guest on our radio show twice, and each time she’s been so open and earnest about the emotions and processes that go into creating her art – something the GIHE team always appreciate. (KC)

Me Rex – Plesiosaur
Having been fans of Me Rex for a few years now, it was wonderful to finally catch them live at Deer Shed festival this year; and they were just as lovely as I could have hoped for. And this year’s EP Plesiosaur is also extremely lovely. Following last year’s innovative album Megabear, throughout the EP, a swirling raw emotion oozes alongside jangling melodies and luscious harmonies, creating a rich, soothing catharsis. With each track offering a stirring lyricism and impassioned energy, I could immerse myself in Me Rex’s glistening musicality forever. I am VERY excited that Me Rex will be headlining our next live show at Shacklewell Arms on 10th February, with support from Dream Phone and Jen Denitto. Get your tickets here! (ML)

t l k – Strength In Tenderness
Independent Bristol-based artist & producer t l k’s ethereal EP, Strength In Tenderness, is an intoxicating blend of ambient, melancholic, jazz-inspired sounds. Creating the record gave the artist space to process their experiences of trauma, loss and selfhood, providing a beautiful backdrop for listeners to do the same. Tash & I saw t l k and CIL perform live in Dalston and we were both in awe of their effortless ability to captivate their crowds. I always return to the track ‘IWNU’, but the whole EP is worth your attention. (KC)

Honourable Mentions

Berries – How We Function
The Big Moon – Here Is Everything
The Bug Club – Green Dream in F#
Chuck SJ – Resist, Recharge, Revolt
CMAT – If My Wife New, I’d Be Dead
Forever Honey – Could I Come Here Alone (EP)
HALINA RICE – ELISION
Horsegirl – Versions of Modern Performance
Kee Avil – Crease
Maria BC – Hyaline
Muna Ileiwat – Twenty-Seven
No Home – Young Professional
Nova Twins – Supernova
Partner – Time Is A Car
Peaness – World Full Of Worry
Pearly – Silver Of The Mirror
Proper. – The Great American Novel
SEA CHANGE – Mutual Dreaming
Sprints – Modern Job (EP)
Stainwasher – The Outer Layer
Tomberlin – i don’t know who needs to hear this
Wet Leg – Wet Leg
x/o – Chaos Butterfly

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ALBUM: Brimheim – ‘can’t hate myself into a different shape’

“I am going to be completely honest with you,” sings Danish musician Helena Heinesen Rebensdorff aka Brimheim on her exquisitely tender track ‘favorite day of the week’. It’s a simple enough statement, but she delivers it with startling conviction through her crystalline vocals and considered instrumentation. It’s this candid, yet tentative approach that makes listening to her debut album, can’t hate myself into a different shape, such a cathartic, rewarding experience. The follow up to her 2020 EP, Myself Misspelled, her new record is a poignant reflection on love in all its forms; romantic, platonic and the hardest type to articulate and master: self love.

Brimheim – a name chosen as a homage to her roots in the Faroe Islands, translating as “home of the breaking waves” – worked alongside producer Søren Buhl Lassen to create the sublime sounds on her new record, which she mined from a “deep depression hole” during a global pandemic. Despite the raw and confessional nature of her music, the record is peppered with self-effacing humour and a strong sense of self-awareness, proving that even in the darkest moments of isolation, there’s still room for light and laughter, even if it is occasionally through gritted teeth.

Moving between the boundaries of alt-pop, grunge, shoegaze and electronic music, can’t hate myself into a different shape is an intense, brooding listen. “I have noticed that I am see through” Brimheim observes on the opening track ‘heaven help me i’ve gone crazy’, a frank but gentle expression of what it feels like to “pick at the edges” of yourself when your emotions have been muted by depression. What follows is a beautifully bruising unravelling of vulnerability, with title track ‘can’t hate myself into a different shape’ setting the emotionally resilient tone that permeates the record.

Whether it’s her soft plea for reassurance that she’s not “a burden” on ‘baleen feeder’ (a nod to the filter-feeding system inside the mouths of baleen whales) or her disarming reflection on unconditional love for her wife on the atmospheric ‘lonely is beauty’ – “She is all I could need / Everyone else / Makes me feel lonely” – or a nostalgic ode to teenage friendship on ‘hey amanda’, Brimheim is a master at capturing a moment in its purest form. The exquisite, shadowy majesty of ‘poison fizzing on a tongue’ is a superb example of this, and further proof of her skill for transforming self-flagellation – “When I am finished resisting myself / I will be beaten senseless” – into poetic, exhilarating music.

The rawness of her lyrics on ‘straight into traffic’ are punctuated by fluctuating keys, as she resists the urge to give into thoughts of self harm, ending on a note of genuine hope: “Don’t give in, love / You’re more than enough.” On ‘this weeks laundry’ she extrapolates on the painful, yet absurdly relatable need to keep up appearances by “putting on foundation” for a “trip across the street” to disguise the fact you’re barely able to function. Brimheim pulls herself back from the brink each time, and even on the masochistically titled closing track ‘hurting me for fun’ – where she is pulling herself up “by my hair” – her self-effacing tendencies blossom into acute and astoundingly accurate observations of the effects these emotions can have on the human condition.

“I felt like I’d been in this black muddy place, not able to see anything and kind of drowning,” Brimheim revealed to us in an interview about creating the songs that formed can’t hate myself into a different shape. Carving her own path out of a deeply vulnerable state, she has managed to craft a stirring, intricately observed collection of life-affirming songs that chime with relatable melancholy, and that will undoubtedly provide comfort for listeners who may be living through a similar experience.

Brimheim’s debut album can’t hate myself into a different shape is released via W.A.S. Entertainment on 28th January. Pre-order your copy here

Follow Brimheim on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Hey Jack

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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INTERVIEW: Brimheim

“I am going to be completely honest with you” sings Danish artist Brimheim on the opening to her exquisitely tender track ‘favorite day of the week‘. It’s a simple enough statement, but she delivers it with startling conviction via crystalline vocals and her considered instrumentation. It’s this combined candid and tentative approach that makes listening to her debut album, can’t hate myself into a different shape, such a cathartic and rewarding experience. Set for release on the 28th January, and the follow up to her 2020 EP, Myself Misspelled, it’s a poignant reflection on love in all its forms; romantic, platonic and perhaps the hardest love to articulate: self love.

Brimheim – a name chosen as a homage to her roots in the Faroe Islands, translating as “home of the breaking waves” – worked alongside producer Søren Buhl Lassen to create the sublime sounds on her new record, which blossomed from a place of deep personal pain during a global pandemic. Despite the raw and confessional aesthetic of her music, when I meet her via Zoom she is in good spirits, laughing throughout the interview at her own Aquarian personality traits and willingly fan-girling over Avril Lavigne with me. We speak about her musical origins, her favourite tracks on her upcoming record, and what it’s like to transform moments of darkness into pure and palpable joy…

 

A good place to start would be with your first memories of music, can you remember who or what first inspired you to start making your own music?

Sure, my mum is a musician and she had a home recording studio in the apartment I grew up in, so ever since I was little I’ve been singing and writing little children’s songs of my own. But it wasn’t until I discovered our queen Avril Lavigne when I was 12 years old, when I saw the ‘Complicated’ music video on a Danish music TV programme that I was like, “oh my god, is this allowed? Is this a way to be?”

She was on a skateboard and she was playing the guitar, goofing around with her friends who were all boys. It was one of those “I’m not like the other girls” bullshit moments, you know? – but as a young girl, that spoke to me. That was kind of my gateway drug into thinking a little bit more about how I could do music, how could I do that and make it my own. I have diary entries from the time where I was like, “I want to go to New York City and become a big rock star!”

My Mum has always been incredibly supportive. She bought a guitar for me and I learned three chords and then I was like, “Okay, that’s all I need, I don’t want to like practice this crap, I just want to write songs and stand on that stage already!” So yeah, that’s kind of how it happened.

I love this and I absolutely love Avril Lavigne too. I was also about 12 years old when her debut album came out. I never got to see her live when I was a teenager, but I’ve got tickets to see her this year in London and I feel like I’m going to cry the whole way through. I’m going to be a 31 year old woman crying in the crowd…

I love that. I’m sure there will be many like minded people right alongside of you, crying the whole way through.

I hope so. Your video for your single ‘hey amanda’ is quite Avril Lavigne-esque. When I first saw it I was concentrating on the fact that you have two members of Baby In Vain in the band with you, but now you’ve mentioned Avril, the video makes so much more sense to me. Tell me all about it…

Totally, that was definitely an inspiration. It was so fun to film because usually I’m a solo act, so most of the stuff that I do with press and with music videos is all just me. I was really stoked that they (Baby In Vain) were in it, they’re my live band and my dear friends, so when I asked ask them “would you be up for just goofing around and having a good time on camera?” they were up for it. Usually I don’t get to do that with people.

The video for my other single ‘poison fizzing on a tongue’ is a lot more ambitious and probably more my vibe, but I wanted to do something that was light and that showcased the other end of the spectrum with ‘hey amanda’. I don’t want to really lock myself into “everything needs to be dark and gothy,” I’d like to be able to to express all of those different things. And some things can just be for shits and giggs!

Absolutely. You wrote ‘hey amanda’ as an ode to your friend and a celebration of platonic love. How did Amanda react when she first heard the song?

Amanda moved to Montreal five or six years ago, so we don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like. We call each other often and we send stuff back and forth so we have a long distance friendship. I’d sent her the the initial demo of the song and I didn’t get a reply.

I just spiralled. I was like, “oh, no, oh, no, no, what did I do? Did I just totally offend her? Was it too private?” Then I started getting a little annoyed, like, “how can she be offended about this?” already having the argument in my head…but it turns out she just hadn’t seen the attachment. When she heard it she cried. She never really posts anything on social media, but she posted such nice things about it. It was really precious. I’m glad she felt it, because I’m really proud of the song and I mean every word of it.

It’s a great song. Let’s talk about your album as a whole. I absolutely love the title, can’t hate myself into a different shape. I don’t mean to generalise an entire record of songs, but after listening to it, it feels like you’ve transformed experiences of feeling really vulnerable into something that sounds really beautiful and atmospheric.

You explore themes of romantic love, platonic love, and coming to terms with trying to love yourself as well. Was it a cathartic record to write? Because for me, it was definitely a cathartic record to listen to.

First of all, thank you very much. I feel very seen. It was a split experience, I’d say. I was deep in a depression hole in the whole latter part of of 2020, and that’s when I actually kind of launched my career and tried to go pro with this music thing that I had been trying to do my whole life.

I’d had a lot of attention and hype in Denmark and the Faroe Islands especially, way more than I had expected. I was in a really good place with my wife – she’s American and I’m Danish, so we had immigration difficulties – but all of that was kind of landing in nice places and my career was going well. Then, of course, the external factors of a pandemic shutting everything down just made me really fucking depressed. I was struggling a lot and feeling super overwhelmed and unable to cope with my own feelings. This is something that I’ve experienced often in my life, and probably will again, but this was a long stretch of time that it lasted.

I attempted to write songs while I was feeling like shit and had no energy, and it ended up just being very small snippets that I recorded on my phone with my guitar. Small ideas to set the bar for success really, really low for having been creative that day. Then I booked time in the studio with Søren Buhl, who produced the record with me. I hadn’t really worked with him before, I didn’t really know him, so I was nervous about it. I felt like I wasn’t really prepared enough because the things I had were so bare bones and such small ideas. But it turns out that our chemistry and our tastes were super aligned and it was kind of a blessing that the little kernels I had were so open ended, because that made that second part of the process of me and him working together in the studio super cathartic.

I felt like I’d been in this black muddy place, not able to see anything and kind of drowning, and then I slowly started emerging from that through this process of transforming these ideas into arrangements and recorded music with a structure. It was so life affirming. Again, because I am a solo artist, there can be a lot of self doubt and suffering involved! But this was the first time I’ve worked with anybody where it just was easy. So from those little ideas that I brought into the studio, that whole process of transforming them into a finished record took only about eight months, which is like outrageously fast. That makes really excited also to release it, because it still feels super fresh and relevant for me. It took me three years to record and release my debut EP, which is just five songs. But this record just feels really relevant still for me.

Do you have a favourite track on the record? Or does it change all the time?

I think it changes, but I really love the title track which is the second song on the album. For me it sums up what I’m trying to say and I think it was the first song we worked on after we decided we were going to make a record.

I think ‘poison fizzing on a tongue’ might be my favourite track on your new album. I feel like I could listen to it every day and still find something new I haven’t heard before.

Thank you! We made ‘poison’ in the second session in the studio. That was the moment I realised “okay, something really special is going on here.” It kind of came together as it sounds. It just happened in four hours and it sounded like that. I was like, “Oh my God, what just happened? This is amazing!” Especially after I’d been in such a depressive state where I’m like “I’m a piece of shit, everything sucks, I suck” and then being like “this is actually super cool!” that was a good feeling.

That sounds like good affirmation. Do you think that music, whether it’s the music you’re writing or the music you’re listening to, is a good way of understanding or moving past that dark headspace?

For sure. I discovered with this particular round on the depression carousel that I almost didn’t want to listen to music though, because it made me feel stuff. But that also speaks to the power of it, right? I didn’t want to feel anything, or maybe I did? But it felt very vulnerable to feel stuff. Now I’ve discovered that having someone to bounce energy and ideas off of in the studio is incredibly healing.

It sounds like a symbiotic relationship with Søren Buhl?

I can be kind of an Aquarius about things, I can be a little bit closed off to talking about super personal stuff – I do that through my music, that’s where I have my outlet. I can have a little bit of a distance towards people at first, because you know, you don’t want to overwhelm them with your shit! So it was pretty late that I sort of confessed to Søren how very, very special for me and incredibly healing this experience was. I was like “this is one of my favourite things I’ve ever done in my life, you’re one of my favourite people, I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that because we just work together,” but luckily he felt the same, which I was so proud of because he works was with a lot of incredibly talented Danish artists.

What would you say you’re most proud of about this particular record?

I think that I managed to turn off any kind of inner critic. You know, the bad mob inside your head that says “no, it’s not this enough,it’s not that enough…” I was very much just saying yes to whatever ideas felt right. I think that really shines through and I think that it sounds really free. I think that’s what I’m most proud of.

What are your plans for performing the record live in 2022? I know Covid-19 restrictions are different in each country, but talk to me about playing live…

You know, launching a music career in the middle of a pandemic, it felt like something was missing because I couldn’t really tour my EP. But then in the summer things opened up, and I got to play a lot of Danish festivals and that was a great experience. It was stressful, because everything had to be booked in such a short time, it felt a little bit chaotic, but it was a really, really, really nice feeling to get to play the songs live to people who were really grateful to be at festivals again.

Then I had my first headliner tour of the major Danish cities in December, and I got to play two of them before the big finale show in Copenhagen got cancelled. That was a hard one to swallow. But I’m going to tour a bunch of Danish satellite towns in February and March. I’m also going to the Faroe Islands to have my first headline show there. I think my agent is also working on getting me to Germany and the UK, but we’ll see restriction-wise what works.

I’m trying to just let myself be excited about it, but yeah, it’s hard after after everything. So many concerts have been postponed that I got tickets for ages ago. So while I’m doing the tour, I have all these great shows to fit in between. It’ll be a wild few months.

Finally, we always ask artists to recommend another band or artist that they’ve been listening to recently. Is there anyone you’d like to give a shout out to?

Sure. A pretty cool thing that happened, at least for my music listening habits during the pandemic, was that I started listening to a lot more local music. The energy was more focused, even in the media, with what was going on locally. A bunch of really, really cool stuff from from the Faroe Islands and Copenhagen has caught my attention way more than maybe it would have before. One of my favourites is eee gee. It’s very retro-pop, vulnerable but still sassy, with sort of a 60s tinge to it, but not overtly, so it still sounds modern. I’ve been really obsessed with this one song ‘killing it’.

And then, of course, my labelmate Greta. We have sort of had parallel paths for the last few years. We met nine years ago and we studied song-writing together and now we have the same manager too. She’s released some some new singles that are like ABBA-meets-Kate Bush-meets-Berlin 90s rave. It’s really, really cool. She became a mum in the middle of everything too and I especially like how she marketed her record with her big pregnant belly alongside this kind of Berlin techno music, I was like *chef’s kiss* this is great!

Pre-order Brimheim’s new album, can’t hate myself into a different shape, here

Follow Brimheim on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Hey Jack

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Brimheim – ‘This Week’s Laundry’

A stirring, intricately observed guitar tune about trying to cultivate a “normal” routine during a time of deep vulnerability, Danish alt-pop artist Brimheim has shared her latest single ‘this week’s laundry’. Taken from her upcoming album can’t hate myself into a different shape, which is set for release on 28th January via W.A.S Entertainment, the track flows with her tender vocals and confessional lyrics, which chime with relatable melancholy.

“The song is an inner monologue about keeping up appearances,” Brimheim explains. “Attempts at adjusting very mundane things in life to feel in control. The collection of specific actions in the song – like buying frozen beans, sorting laundry, and skipping lunch – are all somewhat failed approximations of normalcy and balance. In reality, they just thinly veil existential loneliness and insecurity. It’s someone trying to convince themselves and everyone around them that they’re fine, when they are actually barely keeping it together. It’s like they’re live action role playing as a responsible adult. The lyrics list all these things to point out their banal absurdity as well as their relatability.”

With realistic lines like “I put on foundation for my trip across the street / I am getting a new bag of frozen beans / ‘cause that’s a good way to sneak some greens into a meal / although fresh would be ideal” – Brimheim’s rich guitar sounds and exquisite emotional resilience shine through on ‘this week’s laundry’. She pulls herself back from the brink with an understated confidence, providing comfort for listeners who may be living through a similar experience.

Listen to ‘this week’s laundry’ below.

Follow Brimheim on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Hey Jack

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment