Track Of The Day: Dawn To Dawn – ‘Care’

Montreal based trio – Tess Roby, Adam Ohr and Patrick Lee – aka Dawn to Dawn – are due to release a full length LP in spring 2022 and are drip feeding singles throughout this year as an advance taster – ‘Care’ is the latest of these. It’s a gentle and stylish ode to the sheer joy felt when dancing away summer nights.

The track opens with laidback synths treading lightly over a chilled-out drum loop. First impressions are that this is either the song that you dance to at 3am in the club once the DJ has their flow on and the dance-floor is in full swing, or the song in your headphones the next morning as you make your way home. Roby’s shimmering vocals act as an extra textural layer rather than a front and centre feature of Dawn to Dawn’s sound. Long, warm, and breathy, the delivery is so sensual and relaxed you can almost hear the sunrise. The lyrics are minimalist, depicting a dance-floor crush walking away in the sunrise as the encroaching light cuts off the chance to catch up to them. 

Dawn to Dawn have also created a stunning video clip to go with the track. Shot on 16mm, it has the feel of a ’70s/’80s home video and depicts three friends dancing wildly in the studio, driving the streets in early morning sunlight, sharing a glass of wine. Scenes are non-chronological and recreate the sense of lost time so familiar to anyone who has had a massive night out dancing with friends. 

Watch the new video here:

‘Care’ is out now  and is available on bandcamp.

Kate Sullivan
@katesullo

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LISTEN: Sunken – ‘Show Me Your Mind’

Having previously supported the likes of Babeheaven, and newly signed to 7476 (Matt Maltese, Lizzie Reid, London band Sunken have now shared a dreamy new single. A fierce blend of throbbing bass and sharp synths, ‘Show Me Your Mind‘ is a song “about the subtleties of how someone presents themselves to you“. There is so much scope for exploration in that topic, and this song zeros in on it wonderfully.

The drum beat and the rich bass line form a solid core that carries the song from slower opening bars into its intense ending, as the pace picks up and the synths build until the track swells into bursting emotion. The musicality provides a foundation for Poppy Billingham’s incredible vocals that match its force perfectly. Billingham has a strong, captivating voice that sweeps you into the raw torment of the track.

The lyrics are simple, with repeating phrases that shift as the relationship progresses. They imagine a setting for that feeling that inspired the track; it embodies that sense of being in limbo with someone you can’t quite grasp with any sense of certainty. The lack of specificity allows you to project your experiences of people who are closed off – regardless of how an individual holds their guard up, this song reflects that universal feeling that you’re not getting the whole picture.

‘Show Me Your Mind’ is an intensely emotional song that combines lyrics, vocals and a stirring musicality into a genuine and powerful track. With only slight changes in intonation, it captures the joy in sharing what you know of someone, the fear of what you’re being shut out of, and ultimately the hope that an unfolding relationship may reveal the rest to you. It’s open-ended in a way that’s almost optimistic, but doesn’t shy away from that initial pain.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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Track Of The Day: CIEL – ‘Never Alone Again’

A snapshot of uncertainty filtered through hazy guitars and soft melancholic vocals, Brighton trio CIEL have shared their latest single ‘Never Alone Again’. Inspired by front-woman Michelle Hindriks’ own experiences of feeling isolated, the track is a gentle reflection on the darker moments of life and an honest attempt to make peace with the past.

“Sometimes I spend quite a long time crafting the lyrics for a certain song. This wasn’t the case for ‘Never Alone Again’,” Hindriks explains. “The lyrics were just there, like they appeared out of nowhere, but they were accurately reflecting my feelings at the time. It’s quite scary to me to release this song into the world as the lyrics are very personal and intimate. I never really speak much about these feelings from the past to people around me – even close friends. But it’s the reason why this song feels really close and honest to me. It’s a part of my life’s story. I think it’s important to actually be able to speak about these subjects more openly in our society.”

In these heightened times of isolation and separation, CIEL’s new track provides a tender moment of comfort and relief, acting as a gentle reminder that loneliness is only a temporary state.

Listen to ‘Never Alone Again’ below.

 

Follow CIEL on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Photo Credit: Ryan Deag

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Talking Violet – ‘Caterpillar’ / ‘Superego’

After taking listeners on an audible odyssey with their ethereal extended play, 2018’s Round Dreams – and following last year’s singles, ‘Bloom’ and ‘Indigo’ – Ontario four-piece Talking Violet have returned with ‘Caterpillar’ and ‘Superego’; two solid tracks of dreamy distortion and angsty lyricism which secure the band’s place as alt-rock scientists of dream-pop.

Self-described as “the loudest sleepy band you’ve ever heard”, Talking Violet have wasted no time pushing the boundaries of alternative rock with a cacophony of sonically sound elements; slowing down only to gaze at their guitar pedals. In their laboratory/studio, the Canadian quartet have cultivated their sound, crafting shimmering soundscapes that transcend genre.

First, guitarist Jay Turnbull provides lead vocals on the anxiety-driven ‘Caterpillar’, a hopeful song of self-discovery, and an ode to those of us that feel unsure of ourselves and the journey ahead: “It describes going through a time in my life where I was dealing with intense daily anxiety and felt unsure of how I was going to achieve the goals I set for myself.” From Jay’s strummed guitar melodies to the hazily picked shoe-gaze tones of guitarist Jill Goyeau, ‘Caterpillar’ is seething with emotion; further elevated by bassist Nate Blackton and Jill’s vocal harmonisation.

Next, Talking Violet tackle unhealthy friendships with ‘Superego’; a brooding performance from Jay, who reflects upon his own hesitation to end a close friendship, and accept that it was time to move forward. Jay’s haunting lyrics (“So if you stop and ask why I’m not around / Hope it doesn’t take long to figure it out”) are juxtaposed against a fuzzy soft/loud/soft dynamic reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins, building to a crescendo of distorted guitars, pulsating basslines, and Jeremie Brousseau’s crashing percussion.

Through the experimental use of guitar effects, Talking Violet have developed a dense, atmospheric sound that captures the feeling of dreams. So, grab your dream-pop mixtape, add ‘Caterpillar’ and ‘Superego’ to the tracklist, close your eyes, and press play.

Ken Wynne
@Ken_Wynne

Photo Credit: Kamryn Cusumano

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