EP: The Violet Kind – ‘OXTR’

Scotland is alive with the sound of The Violet Kind and their captivating new EP, OXTR.

The EP consists of four songs, conceptually challenging variations on the theme of rape culture, which ties in pretty tightly to the uprising of the #MeToo movement. A movement that, sadly, has divided gender politics more than it has united them. Still, the face that, through it, women have stuck together, will continue to stick together, and to step up and speak up for each other, has been monumental.

Not all bands confront these sorts of politics head on, and some that do who may be chart-orientated manage to whilst stepping around it, but The Violet Kind veer far from making vague statements: their songs were made to create a story, and that’s exactly why OXTR has to be experienced in order.

Front-woman Katya Mansell’s aim to highly regard survivors of the globally flawed system is shown. In lyrics like “you will save his life as she goes through hell” and “tell me who you’d rather protect?” (both from second track, ‘Good Behaviour’) Mansell confronts the apologists and law-makers directly. With the accompaniment of bright backing guitar riffs in the indie-vein of Vampire Weekend and the rolling drums of Ra Ra Riot — courtesy of band members Liam Duffy (bass) and Kyle Hamilton (drums) — Good Behaviour (and OXTR as a release) is as catchy as it is a message to those who don’t listen.

While it tells a story, the tracks differ from one another musically. The aching ‘Speakeasy’ heads into ‘Good Behaviour’, which fades into a calmer ‘Coffee and Contemplation’ that sounds like good thoughts over shitty coffee in a local greasy spoon the morning after. From there, closing track ‘Science’ ends the EP with a simple statement – “the truth cannot be altered/take time to practice self-love” – and a thundering crescendo of class.

If you love indie with meaning, listen to The Violet Kind’s OXTR. And when I say listen, do.

OXTR is out now on Kindness Records.

Em Burfitt
@fenderqueer

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EP: ARXX – ‘Daughters Of Daughters’

Keeping the spirit of ’90s Riot Grrrl alive and well in the 21st century, ARXX are an exciting, energetic, garage punk duo from Brighton. Although only playing together since March 2017, when singer/guitarist Hannah Pidduck joined forces with drummer Clara Townsend, they have a big sound that packs a definitive punch with heart and soul. Debut EP Daughters Of Daughters showcases an eclectic range of sounds with subject matter ranging from toxic relationships, to cats, feminism, and addiction.

Throughout the EP there is a raw, unapologetic honesty. Opening track ‘Moments At A Time’ kicks off to the pummelling sound of thrashing guitar and drums, channelling female aggression, just because it can and should – “I’ll break your bones before I break the rules, I don’t really need you, I just don’t want to be alone”, whilst ‘Intervention’ explores misogyny – “this world is still a man’s world, and it still ain’t enough for a woman or a girl.”

 

Moments where we hear the full range of emotion and power in Hannah’s vocals occur when the music slows down, as on ‘Stuck on You’ and ‘The Cat Song’ – two searing, heartbreakingly catchy love songs (the cat’s miaow!). Finally, closing tracks ‘Tired of you’ and ‘Masters of Device’ deal with toxic relationships, fusing together energy and anger in an emotional powerhouse that you can thrash out to whatever way you want, in the kitchen or out of it!

Thirty minutes of listening, and a lifetime to love this band.

Daughters Of Daughters, the debut EP from ARXX, is out now. Catch them live (they really are one of the most exciting bands to see!) at the following dates:

8th March – The Prince Albert, Brighton
15th March – The Victoria, London

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

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EP: Temples Of Youth – ‘Temples Of Youth’

In the internet age, mature and fully-formed music can come from nowhere and stun instantly. And so it is with Winchester’s Temples of Youth – an electro-soul duo crafting well-worked and subtly smart neo-pop. Consisting of Paul Gumma’s precision hooks on guitar and Jo Carson’s synths, drums and, crucially, her rounded, emotive vocals, Temples of Youth have made quite the impression during their live dates, and previous singles ‘Amber’ and ‘Churches’ have met with critical success from the likes of Clash and Wonderland. Now comes their debut, self-titled EP.

Opener ‘Churches’, with its low-key guitar chords and bluesy lyrics sees the band at their most XX-ish. But as the song grows, it turns into something more than a mere facsimilie. With lyrics dealing with isolation – based on a real life experience of rejection from a religious group – the song’s sound also evokes the outsider-pop of Lonelady, Everything But The Girl and London Grammar.

Bluesy pop is a risky gamble: too much and it can sound maudlin. But on ‘Dunes’, the EP’s third track, Temples of Youth hit the sweet spot somewhere around the Chris Isaak-Lana Del Rey mark. As guitar notes roll like sea-waves on a winter’s day around bitter-sweet vocals, it’s a song that’s both chilling and warmly comforting – like the last, bright, dying embers of a fire.

‘Sometime’ is a gentle pop ballad with the feel of the better end of ’80s synth-pop in the manner of Talk Talk or Tears for Fears, whilst closer ‘Twice’ is even more stripped-back and, with its gently picked guitar, shows the influence of Nick Drake and Bon Iver – both cited as favourites of Jo and Paul’s in interviews.

But it’s second track ‘Amber’ that’s the standout. A sweeping epic, with synths in the cinematic mould of Vangelis, it invites the listener to dive into a world of “empires falling”, carried onward by a subtle yet driving guitar line and Jo’s voice at its very best. By the song’s synth and drum outro, you’ll be yearning to hear it again.

Live, the pair cut an impossibly cool swathe and are totally at home on stage amidst the dry ice. That feeling isn’t lost here, either. Ice-cold but with a certain confidence to back it up, Temples of Youth is an excellent introduction to a band whose grown-up pop music is primed for worship in 2018.

Temples Of Youth is out now. And make sure you catch the band in all their glory, headlining for us at The Finsbury this Friday 8th December!

John McGovern
@etinsuburbiaego

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EP: Emily Magpie – ‘The Witching Hour’

The second EP from Bristol-based Emily Magpie, The Witching Hour proves that she is never one to shy away from celestial and mythical soundscapes.

Opener and title track ‘The Witching Hour’ is ethereal and ambient – Emily’s taut vocal howling over an electronic instrumental, presenting themes of feminine empowerment. Lyrics filled with lunar imagery tie in to the track’s name, as it skirts around the otherworldly and eerie. Sounds of rain are reflected in the song’s silky percussion, with transparent guitar notes and deep bass echoing the ghostly lyrics.

‘Leave it to Fate’ is soft, with spiralling minimalist guitars and deep production, bleeding into its successor ‘Angel Face’ – a raw, mismatched song that feels more personal, with its heartbeat-like beats and romantic lyrics.

 

Beginning with the line “Paint your faces, and pound your chest”, ‘When We Find It’ pairs unsettling lyrics with stilted, glitchy music box beats and a haunting, child-like instrumental; closing the EP with something obscure and memorably unsettling. 

A release dusted with moments of golden artistry, The Witching Hour sees Emily explore minimalism and electronica, with a focus on celestial and eerie folk-tinged soundscapes. Explaining the record, Emily explains “it’s about claiming your own power deep from within you” – and on listening to it, it’s certainly hard not to feel the pull of a certain magical force. 

Inspired by travelling across South America, Emily worked alongside co-producer Anuj Robin to create the mystical, ambient beauty of The Witching Hour. 

The Witching Hour is out now, and you can catch Emily Magpie live over the next few months:

12th December: Leftbank, Bristol
18th December: The Finsbury, London (for Lost In The Manor)
12th January: St Petrocs Church, Bodmin (supporting This Is The Kit)
9th March: The Finsbury, London (for Get In Her Ears!!)

Erin Bashford

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