Introducing Interview: Rebekah Fitch

Having received acclaim from the likes of Clash for previous singles ‘Dust’, ‘Game Over’ and ‘Loose Ends’, Irish artist Rebekah Fitch has now shared a stirring new offering. A moving reflection on parting ways with someone you’ve loved, ‘Goodbye’ oozes a sweeping, rich emotion and sparkling musicality to create a heartfelt pop anthem.

We caught up with Rebekah to find out more…

Hi Rebekah, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello! Thank you so much for having me! I’m an alt-pop artist and songwriter from Belfast, currently living in London.

How did you initially start creating music?
I guess I initially started writing music when I was at school, as a way of channelling my creativity and processing what I was thinking. Pretty sporadically though! It wasn’t until I was actually leaving university that I started taking it seriously, trying to figure out what kind of artist I wanted to be and what I wanted to say. That was when I started focusing on trying to improve my songwriting and hone my craft. 

Your new single ‘Goodbye’ is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about?
‘Goodbye’ is about the struggle to express the full weight of a momentous goodbye between two cherished people – what our heart is longing to say, but our words can never fully express. It’s a song full of grief, but also of gratitude. I’ve had several significant goodbyes in my life, but I never felt that I honoured them with enough recognition, as I was always looking ahead to the next stage in my life. I wanted to write a song that paid homage to those people that have had such a profound influence and significance on me, and have given me so much.

You’ve been compared to the likes of Lorde and Daughter, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
I mean, they are definitely both strong influences for me, but what I’m inspired by ranges right the way from Bjork to Kanye, Sigur Rós to Muse. Anything that transports me, challenges me, excites me. I’m a real fan of actively listening to music, really paying attention to every part of it, and I love artists that create a full world around their music. The closer you listen, the more you uncover. 

In ‘normal’ times, how is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
I cut my teeth in the local scene in Belfast, which is incredible. For a small city, the wealth of talent it contains is just ridiculous, and immersing myself in the scene was truly amazing. There are tonnes of small music venues, and always something to see!

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
My live shows usually contain some multi-instrumental live looping, where I build up the song with different layers – synths, drums, flute, vocals etc. It’s so much fun to do, and makes the electronic side of what I do feel more organic. I also love sharing a bit behind the songs – you can feel people connect with them more when they know where the songs have come from.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
If you don’t know her already, Lydia Evangeline is amazing, as well as WILDES and Reevah!

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
It’s a blessing and a curse I would say! Anyone can release music now – it’s accessible for everyone, not just a lucky few. We have access to every type of music at all times, so genres are mixing all the time and creativity is at an amazing high. It does mean that the amount of music out there is insane, so it’s hard to get noticed. But I believe that if you have talent, something unique to say and bucketloads of determination, with a tonne of hard work it can happen.

Finally, what does the rest of 2021 have in store for Rebekah Fitch?
LIVE SHOWS! About time, we’re all desperate for it – haha! I can’t wait to relive the euphoria of playing to a live audience with no restrictions!

Massive thanks to Rebekah for answering our questions!

‘Goodbye’, the latest single from Rebekah Fitch, is out now. Listen/download here.

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FIVE FAVOURITES: Bleach Lab

Working through unexpected grief majorly informed the songs on South London-based Bleach Lab’s upcoming EP, A Calm Sense of Surrounding. The death of bassist Josh Longman’s father and the breakdown of vocalist Jenna Kyle’s long-term relationship seeped into the band’s song-writing, as they began to musically explore the five stages of grief – anger, denial, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Through Kyle’s emotive vocals and earnest lyrics and guitarist Frank Wates’ fluid, atmospheric riffs, the band soften the sharpness of their collective pain.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspired them to write in the first place. We caught up with Bleach Lab to ask them about their “Five Favourites” – five songs that have inspired their song-writing techniques. Check out their choices below and scroll down to listen to Bleach Lab’s latest single ‘Flood’ at the end of this post.

1. Mazzy Star – ‘Halah’
Jenna Kyle (vocalist): My closest friend introduced me to Mazzy Star when I first moved to Brighton a while ago. She thought it would be right up my street, she knows me well. It’s hard to pick a favourite Mazzy song, but after a lot of rumination I concluded a while ago that ‘Halah’ takes the top spot. It quickly became a break up song of sorts for me and accompanied me on many wine filled nights. Hope’s dreamy, effortless voice floats above the guitar so flawlessly. The story that I take from the lyrics is not too dissimilar from the themes that I tend to find myself pulled into writing. The reflection and process of a break up that you can’t quite manage to move forward from. “Before I close the door, I need to hear you say goodbye, baby won’t you change your mind?” The story is a relatable one, it’s immersive and something that a lot of listeners can place themselves in. Something that I try to achieve with the way that I write my lyrics.

2. Radiohead – ‘Pyramid Song’
Frank Wates (guitarist): I remember first hearing this song on the TV soon after Amnesiac was released. It was the music video, the beautifully animated one where the diver jumps into the water and explores the submerged city. At the time I was probably around 10. I remember it really hit me emotionally, but I also remember being so confused about its rhythm and meter, which I later learned to be swung 4/4. I was tapping my foot along and totally failing to follow the beat and it really frustrated me. Granted I was only 10, but I think it really imprinted on me and it ended up being an important moment in my developing interest in rhythm. Rhythm is now the main thing I think about when writing my guitar parts and imagining how our songs will sound when fully formed. Melody and everything else come second.

3. Daughter – ‘Youth’
Jenna: ‘Youth’ was one of the first songs I fell in love with when I began the journey of figuring out my own style, back when I was around 16 and had previously only been singing over karaoke videos of Les Mis and Cats (the musical) soundtracks, whenever my parents left the house. I hadn’t really listened to any artists that ignited such a strong emotional response for me. I’m pretty sure it was a “this is it” moment when I heard it, and I couldn’t wait to learn the iconic guitar riff so I could play it myself. Elena Tonra’s lyrical style has always been a huge inspiration for the way that I have adapted my own writing. She writes visual stories with her words and her use of metaphors is effortlessly captivating. I would love to be able to quiz her on her approach and method to writing.

4. Interpol – ‘Rest My Chemistry’
Josh Longman (bassist): I have always been a big fan of Interpol growing up and have always been a massive fan of the simple guitar leads that just carry the song along from start to finish. I have always known of them, but only during my college days did a few of my friends entice me to dig deeper down the Interpol rabbit hole. The guitar tones and dynamic range throughout are spot on and the driving bass in many of their songs have influenced a few tracks for me as a bass player. When the bass isn’t driving, its simplicity really gives the guitars and vocals space to explore amazing melodies. Underrated band in my opinion, and I was happy to see them at All Points East when The Strokes were headlining, although for me I saw the festival as a good value of money as it seemed like there were 2 headliners that day.

5. Helena Deland – ‘Smoking At The Gas Station’
Frank: This is a really recent release, but I already know it will be one of my favourite records for a long time to come. I first heard it when I was listening through Helena Deland’s debut album Someone New for the first time soon after it came out. I was so excited for the album’s release as the singles were so gorgeously produced. Since sitting in on mixing sessions with the producer/mixer/engineer for our debut EP (shout out to Max), I’ve really started to pay attention to finer details around the mixing and production of any song I listen to. The song itself already features an incredible vocal performance, but I was absolutely blown away by its mixing and production. It has a really unsettling beauty to it to start but the song develops and finishes with one of the most beautiful and subtle outros I’ve heard. I’m starting to pay a lot more attention to writing powerful outros because of it.

Thanks to Bleach Lab for sharing their favourites with us!
Listen to ‘Flood’ below.

 

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

Photo Credit: Isy Townsend

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

ALBUM: Tusks – ‘Dissolve’

If you’re a fan of delicately produced music, Tusks’ debut album Dissolve is an essential listen. Released today via One Little Indian, the ten track record is an impressive offering from newcomer Emily Underhill.

Created alongside longtime co-producer Brett Cox, Dissolve explores territories both internal and external: insecurity, the breaking down of relationships with ourselves and our lovers, and most importantly – hope. ‘For You’ opens the record with lonely keys, clicking beats and Tusks’ delicate vocals, all blended seamlessly to create a moving, ethereal soundscape. On ‘False’ she laments about the lover who “broke down my walls,” the wasted energy and lost faith is explored via piercing guitar riffs and tumultuous percussion.

‘Last’ is laced with reverb and aching vocals and a chorus that rings out in a style similar to that of ethereal indie band Daughter. The eponymous ‘Dissolve’ is a highlight of the record. Slow-building and sensitive, it’s an aural trip through bad memories that have seeped below the skin. It leads in to mysteriously named ‘1807’, which is a masterclass in Brian Cox’s production skills. Each click of percussion and tap of the keys sounds as crisp and pure as Tusks’ measured vocals.

‘Paris’ hosts precious whisperings of love and insecurity – “I’m not safe when I’m alone” –  and could soundtrack a sad night in the city it’s named after, whilst following track ‘Ivy’ is a metaphor for the suffocating doubt that lingers in toxic relationships. ‘Toronto’ contrasts nicely with predecessor ‘Paris’, and while the soundscape here is larger and lonelier, there’s still an essence of hope present in both the vocals and ambient guitar.

Penultimate track ‘My Love’ is a gentle ode to the discovery of true romance, bathed in twinkling synths and more of Tusks’ trademark echoing vocals. The record closes with an eerie cover of Foals‘ ‘London Thunder’ – which Tusks delivers in her own pensive, mesmerising way. Buy your copy of Dissolve today, and let its sensitive sounds erode your fears away.

You can order your copy of Dissolve here, and RSVP here to the album launch show at Kamio on November 15th. Follow Tusks on Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Harvey Pearson

Kate Crudgington
@KCBocCut

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