Track Of The Day: Julia-Sophie – ‘I Wish’

In an introspective sonic unravelling, electronic artist Julia-Sophie brings us an immersive experience in her lush new track, ‘I Wish’. Released on Slow Dance Records, the single follows Julia’s admired y? EP of last year. As the first track from her upcoming EP </3, it serves as an insightful glance for what’s to come from Julia’s anticipated palette.

A delicate, building tension scurries across the soundscape opening the story of ‘I Wish’. Made of rigid, whirling synth patterns, Julia-Sophie’s spatial awareness is artistically conveyed across the ways in which she places her sounds so precisely. Alongside her lyrics, she is able to tell her narrative by using her instrumental machines that glitch freely with each cathartic breath.

Emotive confessions float earnestly in the pool of bubbling synths, as ‘I Wish’ creates a universe of its own. It is one we all know and stew in. It is equally as challenging as it is empowering – solitude. Of the track, Julia-Sophie explains:

Over the last year, I’ve had to fight and break hearts, to become the person I was meant to be; to live my own truth. I wanted to reflect this broken hearted journey in ‘I Wish’, by breaking out of classic song structure and experimenting with form…”

Disentangling the narratives of others, to ultimately discover her own, Julia-Sophie illuminates her story with fluid-like tongues reminiscent of Half Waif and FKA Twigs. With her own feet on the ground, and a sound that is so fresh to the ear, Julia-Sophie’s ‘I Wish’ is sure to inspire us to keep going into 2021.

‘I Wish’ is out now, via Slow Dance. It is released as part of Slow Dance ’20; a compilation released by the label – a 16 track collection of tracks from all genres – out on 26th January.

Jill Goyeau
@jillybxxn

Track Of The Day: REYKO – ‘Saturday’

A jagged, electro-pop tune exploring the mixed emotions that come with an unexpected change, London-based duo REYKO have shared their latest single ‘Saturday’. Following on from their previous singles ‘The Game’ and ‘Panic’, this new track sees the pair navigate the euphoria and uncertainty of a life-changing event through a blend of hushed vocals, edgy riffs and poppy beats.

Formed of vocalist Soleil and producer Igor, REYKO first began making music together for the final project of Igor’s masters degree in music production. The pair released their self-titled debut album in 2020, blending elements of electro, indie, pop, hip-hop and trap together to create their intoxicating sounds. Since then, the duo have been steadily sharing new music and single ‘Saturday’ is another upbeat offering.

The track is designed to remind listeners that change is an inevitable part of life, which we all need to accept and embrace. It’s also accompanied by a video shot and directed by James Ayling, which features Soleil and Igor searching for each other around an industrial estate. Watch the video for ‘Saturday’ below.

Follow REYKO on Instagram, Twitter, Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

#ThrowbackThursday: GIHE w/ Gold Baby 17.01.19

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic & new lockdown in London, we’re unable to make it into the Hoxton Radio studio to broadcast our weekly live new music show from 7-9pm. Instead, we’re sharing previous GIHE radio show recordings as #ThrowbackThursday sessions, so you can still enjoy 2 hours of new music tunes & chats with some of our favourite artists each week.

Today, we’ve picked our January 2019 show with the wonderful Gold Baby. Sian and former bandmate Ian joined Kate and Mari in the studio to play singles ‘Maggots’ and ‘500/1’ live, to talk about how the band first got together, and how the feeling of “starting things too late” has influenced Sian’s song-writing.

Listen back to the show here:

Tracklist
Bikini Kill – Rebel Girl
The Coathangers – Bimbo
Ex Hex – Cosmic Cave
Amahla – Dorothy’s Verses
Princess Nokia – Kitana
Feels – Awful Need
Cosey Fanni Tutti – Orenda
Maria Kelly – July
Nadia Sheikh – Toxic
Foxgluvv – Fries
BOUTS – Loves Lost Landings (Part 1)
Young Romance – Dark Of My Shadow
Novelties – Pillow Talk
Gazel – Mina’s Hymn
Panic Pocket – Mr Big
Tender – Bottled Up
**Gold Baby – Live Session & Interview**
Swallow Cave – Oceanside
Junodef – Heights
FKA Twigs – Good To Love
Bikini Kill – Feels Blind

Photo credit: Jon Mo

Track Preview: Chuck SJ – ‘Sink Your Teeth In’

Taken from their upcoming debut album Resist.Recharge.Revolt, set for release in 2021, DIY musician & multi-instrumentalist Chuck SJ has shared a preview of their new single ‘Sink Your Teeth In’. Full of atmospheric guitar riffs, sparse beats and glitchy electronics, the track is an industrial-tinged rumination on the forces that construct, influence and sometimes dismantle our ways of thinking.

Written whilst isolating in a cabin in the woods earlier this year, Chuck taught themselves how to use Logic Pro X and an AKAI MPK mini synth in order to create Resist.Recharge.Revolt. ‘Sink Your Teeth In’ is one of several tracks that show how Chuck’s reliance on solitude and their own musical intuition has given them the space to craft an intriguing exploration of “intimacy, dissociation and the way in which this dystopian digital era manipulates the psyche.”

You can listen to a snippet of ‘Sink Your Teeth In’ below, but make sure you’re following Chuck SJ on Spotify so you can hear the full track when it’s released next week…

 

Follow Chuck SJ on Instagram for more updates.

Artwork: Lisa Rose

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut