PLAYLIST: August 2018

The British heatwave rages on with its blue skies and scorching sun, and us Get In Her Ears girls are here to help you through the head-melting heat with a mixture of cool new tunes. Take some time to scroll through our track selections, and hit play on the Spotify link at the bottom of the page…

Dream Nails – ‘Merkury’
Fast becoming known for their sparkling combination of activism and catchy tunes, GIHE faves Dream Nails are back with a new disco-punk banger. Perhaps less political than previous hits, ‘Merkury’ is a tongue-in-cheek take on the adverse effects of the planets misaligning and causing havoc in our everyday lives when Mercury Retrograde strikes. Flowing with sweeping honey-sweet vocals and shimmering melodies alongside groovy basslines, it’s a truly infectious intergalactic delight. Watch the wonderfully spacey, psychedelic video for ‘Merkury’ here. (Mari Lane)

WHITE RING – ‘Nothing’
Warped, watery vocals and thumping percussion combine in densely hypnotic style on WHITE RING‘s latest single, ‘Nothing’. Taken from their recent album Gate Of Grief, the track is accompanied by a video which shows the pair immersed in their own sound. Watch it here(Kate Crudgington)

AyOwA – ‘Sommer’
I couldn’t not include ‘Sommer’ by AyOwA in August’s playlist. Having seen these guys for the first time last week at our Notting Hill Arts Club event, they totally stole the show for me!  Seeing AyOwa peform Sommer was a highlight for me – more heady and more haunting then I could have wished for. (Tash Walker)

hear – ‘OYSTERS’
I’ve found a new addiction and it comes in the form of new musical project hear with their dark, hypnotic, lyrically enchanting music. ‘OYSTERS’ in particular stood out for me with it’s poetically pertinent messages of sexual perversion, discovery, frustration, desire… ‘did it please you well? to see her hanging there’. It’s hard for me not to draw parallels to early Savages, however hear are of course distinct in their own version of post-ponk. hear is a musical project from Jorinde Croese and Natalie Connlly who aptly say “We’re not quite sure how to classify – labels perhaps feel a little old, and the music doesn’t quite come from obvious reference points, at least not for us.” Without a doubt hear are now firmly on my ‘Ones to Watch’ list, fingers crossed for some live dates soon. (TW)

Something Leather – ‘Disappear On Me’
I saw Brighton’s Something Leather live for the second time at The Lock Tavern last weekend at We Can Do It’s all-day gig, and they didn’t disappoint! The trio’s sound ricochets between loud and quiet, up and down, mad and melancholy – and I can’t get enough of their marvelous noise. (KC)

Æ Mak – ‘Love Flush’
‘Love Flush’ is the latest single Æ Mak (pronounced “Eh Mack”). Having just played Latitude with what sounded like an incredibly energetic show, I think it makes sense that so much of the media are drawing comparisons to early Bjork. Of the track she says “‘Love Flush’ is a twisted love song. It’s about choosing your own ambitions over a true love, pushing that someone away to embrace this higher vision you have of yourself, even though that’s what made you happy. Ego’s a bitch.” I could not be more into how this track starts and then breaks into an alt-pop tune! Enjoy. (TW)

Temples Of Youth – ‘Darker Places’
This duo have been firm favourites of the GIHEs team for a while now, and new single ‘Darker Places’ is another electronic treat. Paul’s trademark atmospheric guitar sounds combine with Jo’s jaded beats and beautiful vocals to create this sultry pop-noir gem. (KC)

Princess Chelsea – ‘I Love My Boyfriend’
What a sweet sentiment from New Zealand’s retro-futuristic pop artist Princess Chelsea. She might be mocking romance, or she might be promoting it – either way – I love her strung-out bass lines and sugary vocals. The single is taken from her upcoming album The Loneliest Girl, released on the 7th September via Lil’ Chief Records (KC)

Value Void – ‘Babeland’
‘Babeland’ by London trio Value Void is taken from their upcoming debut album, set for release on 26th October via Tough Love. They’ve described the record as “a luxuriantly deep, shag pile-warm, analogue proto punk collection”, and ‘Babeland’ is a track about one night in a pub when everything looked grim except for two very attractive men kissing. I love the hazy dreamlike sound to that track which seems the perfect accompaniment to the hazy warmth of this endless London Summer. (TW)

H.Grimace – ‘In The Body’ 
Following last year’s debut album Self-Architect, GIHE faves H.Grimace have returned with a gritty new single. Inspired by poet Vivienne Griffin and reflecting on society’s pressure on the individual, ‘In The Body’ is filled with the band’s raw post-punk sound and scuzzy, seething power, alongside the deep, sweeping vocals of Hannah Gledhill; creating a dreamy, Sonic Youth-reminiscent haze. (ML)

Happy Accidents – ‘Free Time’
Taken from their latest album Everything But The Here And Now, ‘Free Time’ is the perfect example of Happy Accidents’ instantly uplifting pop-punk. Oozing luscious harmonies and an infectious buoyant energy, I fell in love with their shimmering creations when coming across them at Indietracks Festival last weekend, and now I’m truly addicted. (ML)

Le Tigre – ‘TKO’ 
With it being LGBTQ+ activist and artist J.D.Samson’s birthday on Saturday, I couldn’t not include a Le Tigre track in this month’s playlist. She holds a very special place in my heart, and the memory of dancing the night away in total euphoria to tunes that she hand-picked at M.I.A’s Meltdown Festival last year is still one of my life highlights. Really, Le Tigre’s ‘TKO’ should be on every playlist ever – it’s an instant blast of empowering energy on each listen. (ML)

Track Of The Day: Dream Nails – ‘Merkury’

Fast becoming known for their sparkling combination of activism and catchy tunes, GIHE faves Dream Nails are back with another formidable offering.

Perhaps less political than previous hits like ‘Deep Heat’ (a hex on Donald Trump) or ‘Vagina Police’ (a reflection on how women’s reproductive rights are still being controlled and restricted), ‘Merkury’ is a tongue-in-cheek take on the adverse effects of the planets misaligning and causing havoc in our everyday lives when Mercury Retrograde strikes.

A fun-filled disco-punk banger, it flows with sweeping honey-sweet vocals and shimmering melodies alongside groovy basslines, creating a truly infectious intergalactic delight. Accompanied by a wonderfully spacey, psychedelic video, ‘Merkury’ once again showcases Dream Nails’ glorious empowering spirit and sunny energy; giving us hope and motivation at a time when we desperately need it.

Of the track, the band have explained:

..a Mercury retrograde lurches us all into crises like a toxic ex walking back into your life uninvited. This song is a lesson for those who don’t know what havoc it can cause. Consider yourself warned!” (Anya Pearson- bass)

… astrological phenomenons like this are sometimes the only way to make sense of our fucked up world. They’re comforting”. The spelling isn’t a typo, it’s a play on slang word “merk”, which means to beat or kill.” (Janey Starling – vocals)

So, watch the new video for ‘Merkury’, and unite with Dream Nails in their wonderfully inspiring Feminist Punk Witch cause.

 

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Laura Palmer

 

LIVE: Petrol Girls – Shacklewell Arms, London 25.04.18

Loud, lethal and life-affirming, Petrol Girls‘ headline show at The Shacklewell Arms on Wednesday night was a  furious, raw, frenzy of noise. The band, who recently signed to Hassle Records, packed out the venue with the help of their friends Pretty Pistol and Screaming Toenail (aka our new favourite band.)

Adorned in a Dream Nails band tee, Petrol Girls’ front-woman Ren was energy incarnate, pushing girls in the crowd to the front with electrifying stage presence. Fans of Dream Nails’ may have noticed the familiar face of their vocalist Janey in the crowd too, stood at the front alongside several other fans, all of whom had their eyes fixed on the stage.

Together, Liepa, Joe, Zock & Ren tore through a set-list that included tracks ‘False Peace’, ‘Treading Water’, ‘Restless’ and ‘Phallocentric’ – all taken from their 2016 debut Talk Of Violence. The songs topics range from militant disregard for oppressive patriarchal values, to a refreshingly loud promotion of female sexual pleasure. On new single ‘Survivor’, the band continue to tackle the issue of sexual violence. Ren prefaced the track with words of solidarity to survivors of this abuse and urged them to remember that just because something bad has happened to you – you are not defined by your trauma.

Between songs, Ren also spoke of her activism – which includes an essay in a collection titled ‘Nasty Women’ – and told her crowd that it’s okay to say “NO” to fascists and oppressors, whether that’s in political or personal spheres. It seems there’s no differentiation between the two for Petrol Girls and closing song ‘Touch Me Again’ proved how vehemently they believe this. The track’s visceral live delivery made it impossible not to chant in unison with Ren as she repeatedly screamed the line “Touch me again, and I will fucking kill you!” She finished the gig on her knees, sweating, smiling and probably exhausted, but the crowd around her and her band mates lit up with rounds of congratulatory applause.

Petrol Girls are a talented band with an uncompromising ability to motivate, entertain and inspire listeners to speak out against all forms of injustice. Their furious blend of aggressive, cathartic, punk songs had more than the desired effect on their crowd at The Shacklewell Arms, and we can’t wait to catch them live again. See you at the front next time.

Follow Petrol Girls on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her Ears Live @ The Finsbury w/ Dream Nails, 13.04.18

Following a host of super amazing bands playing for us recently – including LIINES, Witch Fever, The Magnettes, H.Grimace, Temples Of Youth and Ghum  – we were back at The Finsbury on Friday night for another jam-packed night of the best new music.

Kicking off the night is Gold Baby. Treating us to their twinkling slices of utterly infectious indie-pop, lush vocals and jangly hooks flow as the sunny charisma of front-woman Siân Alex charms each and every one of us.

Next up, the raw, soulful punk pop of Madame So blows us all away. As her gritty vocals ooze a refreshing honesty, scuzzy melodies leave us completely engrossed in her unique, catchy offerings.

Penultimate band of the night The Franklys blast into our eyes and ears with the ferocious intensity of their raging garage rock. Complete with some witty between-song banter, they deliver a truly unforgettable, energy-fuelled set.

Headlining are Get In Her Ears’ favourite Feminist Punk Witches, Dream Nails. Dressed in matching sparkling white, they fill the packed-out venue with their seething, punk-filled power and empowering force. With their impassioned plea for ‘All Girls To The Front’, they treat us to their inspired, raucous offerings, raging against domestic violence, misogyny and bullies with all the effervescent, buoyant energy you could ever desire. As a wonderful aura of female unity and motivation sweeps throughout the crowd, we’re reminded once again why we need Dream Nails in our lives. It’s truly an honour to have these strong-spirited, inspirational women return to headline for us after they opened our first ever night at The Finsbury back in October 2016.

Huge thanks to the four AMAZING bands who played for us and for all who came along to make it such a wonderful night. Next month, we have not one but two gigs! We’ll be at The Finsbury on 11th May with Suzie Stapleton, and on 23rd May we’ll have our first gig at The Windmill with Heavy Heart!

Mari Lane
@marimindles