Track Of The Day: My Idea – ‘Breathe You’

With the final single from their debut album, New York duo My Idea rip up the rulebook. ‘Breathe You’ feels radically vulnerable. The intimacy of the lyrics and production make for uncomfortable listening: it’s the musical equivalent of hearing your neighbours arguing through paper-thin walls. 

The band, made up of Palberta’s Lily Konigsberg and Water from your Eyes’ Nate Amos, have talked about their latest album soundtracking a collective breaking point. And you can hear that so clearly in this duet. Amos’ lo-fi, electronically enhanced vocal collides starkly with the purity of Konigberg’s voice, stopping you in your tracks. And the conflict builds further with the song’s urgency and almost grotesque imagery that paints a picture of obsessive lust. 

Of the track, Amos explains:

“‘Breathe You’ was never really intended to be on the album. I made the hook/beat in the middle of a night when I was unable to sleep and sent it to Lily as a sort of ‘check out how ridiculous this is’ joke; she recorded the verses and sent it back within a day. This was during a really difficult time for both of us and we were processing our emotions in very different ways – I buried my sadness inside of humour and Lily wore hers on her sleeve… In spite of the absurdity of the song at a basic level, it ended up being as honest and accurate as anything we’ve made…”

Releasing ‘Breathe You’ as the last single of their first album is a stroke of genius from the band. It’s such an interesting song, both musically and lyrically, that you can’t help but wonder what they’ll do next! 


Cry Mfer, the debut album from My Idea, is out now on Hardly Art.

Vic Conway
@thepicsofvic

Photo Credit: OK McCausland

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Track Of The Day: Ghum – ‘Some People’

Having been firm favourites here at GIHE for a number of years, wowing us with their immersive live performances and captivating post-punk musicality, London band GHUM have now announced the release of their debut album.

Our first taster of the upcoming album, new single ‘Some People‘ is propelled by a gritty, swirling energy as the raw, impassioned vocals of Laura Guerrero Lora soar throughout. Rippling with a seductive ethereal allure and dark hypnotic splendour, a frenzied, grunge-tinged anthem is created; a colossal, majestic offering showcasing GHUM’s ability to consistently hone their sound and bewitch listeners worldwide.

Of the track, Laura explains:

“This song is about getting to know someone and having the fear of hurting them, because love has turned a bit hopeless and unexciting. Not trusting oneself to be able to love someone after not falling in love for a long time...”

Directed by Lydia Garnett, watch the wonderfully theatrical, tongue-in-cheek new video for ‘Some People’ here:

Bitter, the upcoming debut album from GHUM, is set for release on 17th June via Everything Sucks. Pre-order here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Paul Phung

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ALBUM: Los Bitchos – ‘Let the Festivities Begin!’

The first week of February. The deepest depths of winter. The coldest time of the year. A couple of weeks on from ‘Blue Monday,’ supposedly the most depressing day of the year. What better time to release an album full of summer party bangers? Enter Los Bitchos, wielding their debut record Let the Festivities Begin!, a bumper pack of the pan-continental band’s signature swashbuckling, psych-swirling instrumentals – the sound of the festival you are already impatiently looking forward to.

This is an album dedicated to joy. It is full of irresistible grooves and winding guitar lines and occasionally punctuated by yells of triumph overheard at the end of takes. The guitar line on ‘Pista (Great Start)’ is almost physically tangible, reaching out of the speaker to tickle your spine. Other tunes, particularly ‘Tropico’, move with the synth pulse and go-ahead danceability of a Tom Tom Club record. Half the song names sound like the captions of polaroids from a summer holiday – especially ‘Lindsay Goes to Mykonos’ and ‘Try the Circle!’ – a feeling heightened by the sunny flange guitars that lead most tunes. The group seem to stand for escape to faraway climes, from their pseudo-Spanish name through to the evident inspiration they’ve drawn from the music of warmer countries, from Turkish and Australian psych to Argentinian cumbia.

With Let the Festivities Begin!, Los Bitchos herald the arrival of summer with an album to thaw your soul. It’s playful and modestly epic, encapsulating the infectious spirit that has led the group to be one of the best loved acts on the scene.

Los Bitchos’ new album Let The Festivities Begin! will be released on 4th February.

Follow Los Bitchos on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Tom Mitchell

Lloyd Bolton
@lloyd_bolton

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Track Of The Day: Hinako Omori – ‘a journey’

A soft, lilting creation that transports listeners into a state of calming bliss, London-based artist Hinako Omori has shared her latest single ‘a journey’. Taken from her forthcoming debut album of the same name, which is set to be released on 18th March via Houndstooth, the track gently meanders through memories and reflects on their ambiguous nature, guided by a lightly distorted, meditative voice.

Born in Yokohama, Japan, Hinako moved to the UK when she was three years old, beginning her musical journey by learning classical piano. She later trained as a sound engineer and has now transitioned into working with analogue synths (including the Prophet 08 and Moog Matriarch.) Heavily inspired by the physiological effects that music and sound frequencies have on the body, field recordings and the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku (“forest-bathing”) her music seeks to connect with, and understand the human condition in intricate and invigorating ways.

On her new single, Hinako’s use of warm, expansive synths supplies a gentle rush of tranquility, which she describes as “a journey through the cartography of the mind, piecing together past events which seem to appear differently each time – revisiting memories, and healing cognitive distortions.” This is further reflected in the beautiful accompanying music video, created by Emi Takahashi.

Hinako will celebrate the release of her upcoming album with a special performance on 19th March in the Purcell Room at London’s Southbank Centre accompanied by London Contemporary Orchestra. You can buy tickets here.

Watch the video for ‘a journey’ below.

Follow Hinako Omori on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Annie Lai

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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