NEW TRACK: Vanity Fairy – ‘Jungle Jim’

An eccentric psych-tinged soundscape that shimmers with a palpable sense of longing, self-professed “high priestess” of underground disco-pop Vanity Fairy has shared her latest single, ‘Jungle Jim’. A potent blend of soft vocals, dreamy synths and sultry beats, the track seduces listeners with its faux-calme quality, luring them into Vanity Fairy’s delightfully ambiguous aural mirage.

Following on from her recent release ‘Love of My Life’, Vanity Fairy’s latest cut is as enigmatic and elusive as the thoughts that formed it. “‘Jungle Jim’ was one of those songs that just came out more or less in one whole piece, or at least the vocal did,” she explains. “I like that it happened that way, because the instrumental (most of which my brother and co-writer/producer Sam E. Yamaha came to me with) feels very instinctual to me – very dream-like and languorous… and also very jungle-y, at least to my ears. It sounds so calm and dreamy, but there’s something really uneasy and unsettling happening in the music underneath everything. Not that the song’s about that, it’s just really the mood of the song to me…

The noises and few fragments of intelligible words I sang in the first take I wanted to keep, so my brother and I set about trying to remain as faithful as possible to those original sounds with the words we used. So the lyrics have an unconscious quality, and a kind of retroactively imposed automatism – if that’s not a contradiction (which I think it is). I like how fractured and fragile the language ends up being. And I like how un-authored it feels. Like I went into the song and disappeared.”

Ahead of a string of UK tour dates supporting Pip Blom in February, Vanity Fairy will be be performing at the DIY Magazine ‘Hello 24’ showcase at The Old Blue Last in East London tomorrow (16th Jan). Full dates are listed below

Listen to ‘Jungle Jim’ here:

Vanity Fairy UK Tour Dates 2024
16 JAN // London – DIY Hello 2024, The Old Blue Last
27 JAN // London, The Windmill
3 FEB // Folkestone, Quarterhouse, supporting PVA
4 FEB // Reading – Sub 89, supporting Pip Blom
5 FEB // Birmingham – Castle and Falcon, supporting Pip Blom
6 FEB // Liverpool – Academy 2, supporting Pip Blom
7 FEB // Brighton – Folklore Rooms, supporting Mickey Callisto
21 FEB // London, Heaven, supporting Pip Blom
30 MAR // London, The Cavendish Arms, Indie Pop Weekender
13 APRIL, Bristol, Outer Town Festival
11 MAY // Wrexham, FOCUS Wales

Follow Vanity Fairy on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter (X) & Facebook

Photo credit: Meadow Florence

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Gemma Cullingford – ‘I Like You’

Following acclaim for her debut solo single ‘Wide Boys’ from the likes of John Kennedy, Amy Lamé and Steve LaMacq earlier this year, Gemma Cullingford (also one half of GIHE faves Sink Ya Teeth) has now shared an uplifting follow-up track, ahead of the release of her new album later this month.

Reflecting on the theme of unrequited love, ‘I Like You‘ is propelled by immense funk-fuelled beats and an ’80s-inspired danceable groove as it builds with a majestic, swirling allure. As glitchy hooks races alongside a soaring bewitching splendour, it oozes an utterly infectious, driving energy, creating a scuzzily stimulating slice of electro-tinged disco-pop. An eerily enthralling, instantly enlivening, and utterly unique sonic cacophony.

Of the track, Cullingford expands:

“… it’s a song about unrequited love with a slightly sinister edge. I didn’t realise it at the time, but both the lyrics ‘I’ll make you love me’ and the jagged discordant guitar give it a slightly stalker-esque feel. So, you shouldn’t feel sad for the narrator of this love song!“

Watch the new home-made, stop-motion video for ‘I Like You’ here:

Let Me Speak, the upcoming album from Gemma Cullingford, is set for release 30th July via Outre.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Track Of The Day: Foxgluvv – ‘1:00am’

A playful, funky disco-pop tune designed to be the soundtrack to your late night solo bedroom karaoke session, self proclaimed “dyke pop princess” Foxgluvv has shared her latest single ‘1:00am’. Full of lush vocals, shimmering electronics and dancing beats, the track marks the beginning of the popstar’s new musical direction, but still fizzes with her trademark sultry charm.

After taking a break from music and releasing a fun cover of Lady Gaga’s ‘Beautiful, Dirty, Rich‘ in November last year, Foxgluvv has channelled her love of 70s disco and camp extravagance into her latest musical offering. Working alongside her long time collaborator Scott Colcombe, on new single ‘1:00am’ Foxgluvv explores the melancholy thoughts that run through her mind in the small hours during a restless night. Colcombe’s polished production gives her anxious notions a confident sheen, as her dreamy vocals float above dancing rhythms and retro-pop synths.

Foxgluvv has also shared a self-directed music video to accompany the single, which she explains is a “classic ode to the history of disco aesthetics mixed in with contemporary pop set-ups,” influenced by her love of LGBTQ+ music scenes.

Watch the video for ‘1:00am’ below.

Follow Foxgluvv on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Abby Robson

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Foxgluvv – ‘Beautiful, Dirty, Rich’ (Lady Gaga Cover)

A glamorous cover of Mother Monster’s fabulous original 2008 single, London-based queer “hungover pop” artist Foxgluvv has shared her rendition of Lady Gaga’s ‘Beautiful, Dirty, Rich’. Following on from her recent single ‘Don’t Text Back’, Foxgluvv has decided to pay homage to LGBTQ+ icon Lady Gaga by crafting this funky re-working with producer by Scott Colcombe.

“This is one of my favourite, old school Gaga tracks to blast while I’m getting glammed up and need to remind myself that I am that bitch,” Foxgluvv explains. “To me, Gaga is such an inspiration and I find this song to be really empowering. The notion that no matter who you are, or where you come from, you are beautiful and you can be dirty rich is f*cking everything and I wanted to put my own spin on that.”

Foxgluvv’s rendition is accompanied by an ultra glam DIY music video, which shows her sipping on pink cocktails, reclining in a Juicy swimsuit and generally just being a 10/10 babe. With its flirtatious beats and super fun visuals, Foxgluvv’s ‘Beautiful, Dirty, Rich’ has all the spirit and sass of Gaga’s original, with a slight disco-pop twist.

Listen to ‘Beautiful, Dirty, Rich’ below.

Follow Foxgluvv on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Michael Hart

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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