PLAYLIST: September 2025

The Get In Her Ears team have put together another eclectic mix of indie and alt-folk gems, reverb-drenched guitar tunes, electronic musings & intriguing experimental sounds for your listening pleasure. Take some time to scroll through our recommendations below!

In order to best support the female, LGBTQIA+ and non-binary artists that we love here at GIHE, we are moving away from using Spotify as our main playlisting platform, so we have included YouTube and/or bandcamp links for all of the tracks on this playlist. You can still access our GIHE profile on Spotify (which we do not have a paid subscription for) but we are in the process of choosing a different platform to share new music with you.

As always, we encourage you to follow the artists below on their social media, sign up to their mailing lists, go to their gigs and buy their records from bandcamp if you can!

Queen Of Nothing – ‘Hell Is A Lonely Place’
Despite its gloomy namesake, this track from London-based musician Abi Crisp aka Queen Of Nothing is actually an “anthem for queer joy.” It’s the first single from her upcoming EP, All the Love That’s Left, and it’s full of her yearning vocals, reverb-heavy guitar and emotive lyricism. “I wanted to write a song that felt both hopeful and defiant for anyone who might relate to it,” Abi comments about the context of ‘Hell Is A Lonely Place’. “Even in those moments of joy and self-acceptance, it can be so hard to let go of the negative emotions we grow used to.” This tenacity is reflected in the track’s striking volume shifts and gritty-but-buoyant guitar riffs. (Kate Crudgington – Features Editor)

TTSSFU – ‘forever’
Taken from her recent EP, Blown, this is the latest single from Manchester-based artist Tasmin Stephens aka TTSSFU. ‘forever’ is a nostalgic reflection on a lifelong friendship, full of her lush vocals and dreamy, shoegaze-inspired guitar sounds. (KC)

Whitelands – ‘Glance’
GIHE favourites Whitelands are back with new music and the the announcement of their second album! Sunlight Echoes is set for release on 30th January 2026 via Sonic Cathedral, and ‘Glance’ is the first offering from the new record. It shimmers with the shoegaze band’s trademark sensitivity, but also showcases a refreshing new dynamic to their songwriting. ‘Glance’ was written after vocalist and guitarist Etienne overcame a period of writers block. “I wasn’t really catching my stride with songs and I called up Neil Halstead [of Slowdive] for advice,” he explains. “When I next saw him he asked if I had solved it and I told him yes, as I’d had my heart broken. He laughed and was like, ‘Yeah, that’ll do it’.” This experience is mirrored in the accompanying video for ‘Glance’ which features British film stars David Jonsson (The Long Walk, Alien: Romulus, Rye Lane, Industry) and Honor Swinton Byrne (The Souvenir, I Am Love) – as well as Estella from Big Joanie! (KC)

Needy Pet – ‘Mental Health’
Self described Irish ‘glam-punk’ band Needy Pet have been building a reputation over the last few months for their high-energy live shows, and are now ready to blast into your ears with their stomping debut single. A raging reflection on the state of Irish mental health services, ‘Mental Health’ showcases Needy Pet’s ability to create catchy ‘70s inspired anthems with a fresh, socially conscious drive. (Mari Lane – Managing Editor)

LOBSTERBOMB – ‘Falling’
Another month, another banger from Berlin−based post−punk outfit LOBSTERBOMB. The band say that this track ‘Falling’ is “about looking instead of running away, about accepting instead of holding on; and about welcoming the new version of yourself, even if it hurts at first.” (KC)

Maria Iskariot – ‘Witte Rook’
First catching our attention earlier this year with seething single ‘Leugenaar’, Dutch band Maria Iskariot have now announced that their debut album will be out in the world next month. And, ahead of the album’s release, they have shared another slice of raw, no-frills punk in new single ‘Witte Rook’ (white smoke). Fizzing with a wonky, distorted allure as the immense gritty passion of front person Helena Cazaerck’s vocals rage throughout, the band describe the track as “…a victory for losers, an attempt at forgiveness, swallowing, biting in your own lip and saliva that tastes like iron.” Wereldwaan, the upcoming debut album from Maria Iskariot, is set for release on 31st October. (ML)

Softcult – ‘16/25’
I was so excited to hear the news that Ontario sibling duo Softcult have finished their debut album! When A Flower Doesn’t Grow is set for release on 30th January 2026 via Easy Life Records, and ’16/25′ is the first offering from the LP. The track offers a scathing commentary on the predatory behaviour of older men who groom younger women, which the band deliver through spiralling riffs, piston-like percussion and haunting vocals. As vocalist and guitarist Mercedes Arn-Horn explained to me when I interviewed her back in 2024, this new album will mark another evolution in Softcult’s sound, something which is immediate and obvious on this new track. (KC)

Mannequin Flowers – ‘Six Words’
Cascading with fuzzy hooks and lush crystalline vocals, ‘Six Words’ is the latest single from upcoming London band Mannequin Flowers. A dreamy soundscape powered by raw emotion and gritty energy, it offers a soaring insight into what this new band are able to create; of the track, the band explain that “it captures the ache of loving a vision that can never be real”. Shimmering with shades of Cocteau Twins, it marks Mannequin Flowers out as definite ones to keep your ears and eyes peeled for over the next few months. (ML)

Better Joy – ‘Steamroller’
A defiant anthem about reclaiming strength in the face of loss, ‘Steamroller’ is the new single from Manchester-based Bria Keely, aka Better Joy. Whirring with fuzzy hooks as Keely’s sugar-sweet vocals flow with a sparkling emotion, it offers a catchy taste of her upcoming new EP, at dusk, set for release on 31st October. (ML)

Larlin – ‘Limbo’
‘Limbo’ is the third single from alt-rock Brighton trio Larlin. Fronted by Maryann, the band create cathartic, driving anthems influenced by the sounds of Wolf Alice and Nieve Ella. This track is about the frustration of being stuck inside a doomed relationship that you’re not quite ready to let go of, which is reflected through brooding riffs and Maryann’s yearning vocals. (KC)

Lusa Morena – ‘You Don’t Keep Away’
Having previously been blown away by the swirling immersive energy of Portuguese, London-based band Lusa Morena when they played for us live a couple of years back, I was excited to hear of their revived iteration as a theatrical rock duo. With debut single ‘You Don’t Keep Away’, they reflect on the all-too-common experiences of being made to feel uncomfortable by men with a fiery impassioned spirit and playful tongue-in-cheek wit. (ML)

Read The Room – ‘Phoenix’
A fierce collision of different musical influences delivered with a fresh, rousing energy, ‘Phoenix’ is the high-octane new single from Norwich rockers Read The Room. It offers an impassioned reflection on our ability to overcome trauma and rise, ‘like a phoenix’, from the ashes. (ML)

Mia Joan – ‘Us’
The latest single from London-based artist Mia Joan, ‘Us’ offers a poignant reflection on love, an earnest dedication to “the one person who loves every part of you, even when you feel you’re being held back by all of your past selves.” Flowing with lilting melodies alongside the deep resonant emotion of Joan’s vocal, I just love its shimmering heartfelt grace. (ML)

Marine Store Dealer – ‘Speed Back To Me’
Originally from Nottingham and Istanbul respectively, London-based Marine Store Dealer create shimmering folk-tinged soundscapes, interweaving dreamy layers of instrumentation. Set to release their second album, When We Swim Outside In The Floods In The Streets, later this Autumn, their new single ‘Speed Back To Me’ is out now. (ML)

Automatic – ‘Black Box’
The latest single from dark-pop trio Automatic, ‘Black Box’ oozes a sweeping majestic groove as fuzzy beats propel the track forwards. As sultry hypnotic vocals flow throughout, it offers an infectious synth-driven anthem. Of the track, the band explain: “It’s a pretty straightforward critique of people that have sold out on a large scale, specifically within creative industries…” Is It Now?, the new album from Automatic, is out now. (ML)

Tusks – ‘Cold Storm’ (TAAHLIAH Remix)
Tash and I have been loving the remixes that London-based electronic songwriter and producer Tusks has been sharing recently, and this collaboration with Scotland-based artist & DJ TAAHLIAH is no exception! It’s lifted from her new EP, Gold – The Remixes, which is out tomorrow (1st October) via One Little Independent Records. (KC)

Noé Solange – ‘Home’
This atmospheric, soothing soundscape comes from London-based, Dutch-Indonesian producer Noé Solange. ‘Home’ is the second single from her upcoming EP, Moments, set for release on 13th October via Anjunachill. “It captures the complexities of holding onto the past, searching for a sense of belonging and letting go,” Noé explains about the tracks that form her new record; all reflected in her blend of ambient synths, gentle vocals and lilting beats. (KC)

Donna Thompson – ‘What Is It?’
Set to release a new EP in November, London-based Donna Thompson fuses together elements of hip-hop, folk and indie with a soulful impassioned grace. Of new single ‘What Is It?’, she explains: “I’ve been thinking about the deconstruction of traditional ideas on how my role as a female in a cis relationship has predefined expectations that often don’t align with what loving someone feels like. I can still love you if I don’t wanna wash your underwear.” What In The World, the new EP from Donna Thompson, is out on 21st November via Prah Recordings. (ML)

Flock Of Dimes – ‘Defeat’
A beautiful reflection on personal growth, ‘Defeat’ is the latest single from Flock Of Dimes, the new project of Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak, Bon Iver). Combining rippling hooks with a sweeping shimmering emotion, it offers a heartfelt first taste of her upcoming album, The Life You Save, out on 10th October via Sub Pop. Of the track, she explains: “It represents a moment of total surrender. It’s about the moment I finally allowed myself to accept my own powerlessness…” (ML)

Stella Donnelly – ‘Feel It Change’
This is the latest single from Australian songwriter Stella Donnelly, inspired by her ruminations on an inevitably doomed relationship. It’s lifted from her upcoming new album, Love and Fortune, which is set for release on 7th November via Brace Yourself Records (UK & Europe) and Dot Dash Recordings (globally). Stella’s new record is a reflection on a time of profound change and growth, which shines through in her considered instrumentation and candid-yet-poetic lyricism. (KC)

Josienne Clarke – ‘In The Dark Of The Night’
Described as “a hug in song form, a held hand through an anxious night,” this tender offering from songwriter and guitarist Josienne Clarke is exactly that. Lifted from her upcoming album, Far From Nowhere, which she will release via her own label (Corduroy Punk) on 17th October, ‘In The Dark Of The Night’ is a dreamy offering designed to lull listeners into reassurance, which Josienne achieves through her acoustic guitar and soothing vocals. Her upcoming album will be accompanied by a short film titled Deluded, directed by Alec Bowman Clarke, which offers a behind-the-scenes peek into the album’s creation. Currently screening at festivals, the film will be shown throughout Josienne’s UK tour this October. (KC)

Brain Leak – ‘Moon Eyes’
Following the gloriously hazy allure of debut ‘Trying’, Manchester based Brain Leak are back with their “Lana moment’ in the form of sparkling single ‘Moon Eyes’. As the delicate celestial vocals of Tara-Gabriella Engelhardt (Adjustments) ripple with a stripped-back emotion alongside glistening keys, it showcases a more vulnerable side to the songwriter; a beautifully introspective ode to personal growth. Tara-Gabriella explains more: “Sometimes relationships evolve in completely unforeseen ways, and that can be scary if you’re a sensitive person like I am who struggles with change. This song is me coming to terms with that change.” Brain Leak also features Sidonie Hand-Halford (The Orielles), Jess Branney (Peaness, BC Camplight) and Giulia Bonometti (Working Men’s Club). (ML)

Snakeskin – ‘October Sun’
Beirut-based duo Fadi Tabbal and Julia Sabra aka Snakeskin are new to me, but I’m captivated by their haunting electronica. This track ‘October Sun’ is taken from their upcoming third album, We live in sand, which is due on 10th October as a co-release between Ruptured and Beacon Sound. Penned as the war in Gaza spread to Lebanon, the LP has been described as their “starkest and most immediate work to date,” blending industrial and ambient elements to reflect the unpredictable and harsh realities of the world around them. (KC)

Jouska – ‘Season Of Dread’
Norwegian artist Jouska said she penned this track when she felt like she was “stuck inside a winter that wouldn’t end – both emotionally and physically.” It’s taken from her upcoming album, How Did I Wind Up Here?, set for release on 17th October. I admire the way Jouska moves through heavy emotions with impressive grace here. (KC)

Lōwli – What’s It All For?
I’ve mentioned (multiple) times before that Irish musician and composer Lōwli is one of my favourite new music discoveries this year, and I’m really looking forward to hearing her debut album, Window In The Woods, in full – which is due on 24th October via VETA Records. This latest single ‘What’s it all for?’ is laced with her trademark melancholic keys, yearning vocals and poetic lyrics. (KC)

Blue Loop – ‘Luxury Chords’
London-based electronic producer Emma Hall aka Blue Loop describes ’Luxury Chords’ as “a woozy, love-soaked ballad” that she wrote for her partner during the bleakest days of her own chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, which she is now in remission from. It’s lifted from her upcoming album, Cycles, which is set for release on 7th November. The track is inspired by the simultaneous coexistence of love, grief and suffering; a poignant sentiment that I think lots of people will be able to relate to. (KC)

Klein – ‘rich dad poor dad’
I’m so glad I unearthed this experimental gem from UK rapper Klein in my GIHE inbox. ‘rich dad poor dad’ is taken from her upcoming record, sleep with a cane, due on 1st October, which is described as a UK rap record “in the form of an ambient folklore mixtape.” I really love her hypnotic layering of sounds and I’m looking forward to listening to the record in full. ‘rich dad poor dad’ is also accompanied by a self-directed music video, which features Klein in different locations in South London, including the iconic Windrush Square in Brixton. (KC)

Hilary Woods – ‘Endgames’
I’ve been a fan of Irish artist Hilary Woods for some time, so I was pleased to see that she’ll be releasing her new album, Night CRIÚ, on 31st October via Sacred Bones (one of my favourite record labels.) Retaining her experimental spirit, but also seeing her return to a more song-based structure, the album is centered around Hilary’s vocals which act as threads of connection to the past and the present. This track ‘Endgames’ is the first hint at what’s to come; a dynamic, shape-shifting soundscape that stirs the senses. (KC)

Jessica Moss – ‘until all are free’
As a core member of the Montréal chapter of Musicians For Palestine, violinist and composer Jessica Moss felt compelled to write her new solo record to keep people’s eyes and ears fixed on the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Her meditative LP, Unfolding, due on 24th October via Constellation, is divided into four parts titled; “no one / no where / no one is free / until all are free” and this track ‘until all are free’ is the poignant closing composition. Unfolding is dedicated to “a free Palestine in our lifetime.” (KC)

Agnes Haus – ‘Persona’
Described as “a hallucinatory polyphonic study of external perceptions of what it means to live in a perpetual liminal state,” I am deeply intrigued by Brighton-based non-binary artist Agnes Haus’ new work. This track ‘Persona’ is lifted from their upcoming album, Inexorable Ascent, set for release on 7th November via Nite Hive, and forms part of a collection of drone-based modular synthesiser sounds composed solely between the hours of midnight and 4am. Agnes locked themselves in their attic studio every night for two weeks in order to work in this way. “I watched granular Bergman and Tarkovsky films in the background while I crudely experimented on my small modular synthesiser,” they explain. “I had been feeling like a pariah at the time by shunning binary systems on all levels, from politics to everyday life, which had become suffocating in the online world. I kind of anaesthetised myself in the late-night hours, focusing on the subtleties of the quiet particulars of sound – the details of the infinite intonations in between.” Watch the self-directed video for ‘Persona’ below. (KC)

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

INTERVIEW: Lisa Meyer (Supersonic Festival)

(Photo: Lisa Meyer)

Championing alternative music and celebrating experimental art-forms is the lifeblood of Birmingham’s Supersonic Festival. Founded in 2003, the multi-venue event has become renowned for showcasing a unique array of musical and artistic talent from heavy and alternative genres. Get In Her Ears were lucky enough to attend the festival for the first time in 2024, where we saw Gazelle Twin, THE NONE, Emma Ruth Rundle, Tristwch Y Fenywod and many more (read our highlights feature here.)

The line-up for this year’s edition of Supersonic – which runs from 29th-31st of August – is equally as impressive. GIHE favourite Penelope Trappes brings her stunning album A Requiem to the festival for the first time. Aussie instrumental-doom project Divide and Dissolve will return to pulverize eardrums with their gargantuan-yet-graceful noises and inimitable Zambian-Canadian rapper BACKXWASH will also return to share her corrosive beats and scathing lyrics with festival goers.

“I think of heaviness not necessarily as an amplification, but as music that is reflective of our world that we’re living in, and we’re living in really heavy times,” shares Artistic Director Lisa Meyer, deftly articulating why Supersonic Festival resonates so strongly with its loyal attendees. She is the creative force leading the dedicated team who have been curating this eclectic event for over twenty years. As the CEO of Capsule and the founder of the Home Of Metal project too, Lisa has dedicated her life to following and championing alternative culture.

“I think because we’re in Birmingham; the DNA of Birmingham is Black Sabbath, Godflesh and Napalm Death, but [Supersonic] is not, as I would call it, a ‘dude fest’ or a straight-forward metal fest,” she explains. “It’s about exploring heaviness across genres. There is a darkness to a lot of folk or electronic music and sometimes the most gentle, beautiful music has a sadness and a heaviness [to it],” she continues, citing Irish experimental doom-folk band ØXN as a great example. “There are heavy drones within their music, but Radie Peat’s voice cuts through you in a way that I think is as full-on as a metal band. It’s more about the feeling that [the music] creates within you.”

This emotional connection is something we were struck by at our first experience of Supersonic in 2024. It made us want to dig deeper and find out what goes on behind the scenes in order to bring this eclectic community-based festival to life. When we speak to Lisa over Zoom, it’s just three weeks until the next edition of Supersonic. Despite mentioning several setbacks throughout our conversation (which we’ll get into in more detail later), Lisa’s aura is equally as calm as it is enthusiastic. She clearly relishes talking about artists, past and present, who have shaped her personal tastes and who ultimately lead her to start Supersonic.

Originally from London where she felt “spoiled” in terms of her exposure to alternative music and culture, Lisa moved to Birmingham in 1994 to gain independence and to study a fine art degree. As a young teen, she says she frequented the weekly Feet First indie club night at the Camden Palace (now KOKO), which she considers to be her “grounding” for getting into music. “Looking back on it, it was probably dodgy as hell,” she smiles, “but I was 14 and me and my friend Lisa – we were called ‘The Two Lisas’ – got to see so many live indie bands; from Doctor and The Medics through to Lawn Mower Death and Meat Beat Manifesto.”

Lisa also recalls her parents playing Black Sabbath and Jethro Toll on the stereo on car journeys as a child, hearing the Songs of Leonard Cohen and The Velvet Underground around the house, and obsessively playing the 7” vinyl of Kate Bush’s iconic ‘80s hit ‘Babooshka’ from her Dad’s record collection. She also cites the Pixies, The Cure and Sisters of Mercy as big influences during her teens. This exposure to so many varied and contrasting musical genres seems to have been the catalyst for everything that she did next.

When she moved to the midlands, she remembers being “shocked” at the lack of cultural spaces in Birmingham compared to London, where she had constant access to gigs and art exhibitions. “But when there isn’t anything there, you [can] create from nothing,” she adds wisely. “It’s the perfect environment to create something yourself.” She began frequenting DIY punk all-dayers in places like Bradford, Leeds and Nottingham, before she started hosting gigs herself in the basement of the student house that she shared with 11 other people. “It sounds glamorous, but it was a very rundown house, and because of that, it gave us absolute freedom,” she comments. She quickly gained a solid reputation in the DIY scene for being a great promoter; always paying bands fairly and making sure they were fed and looked after, something she states was a rarity on the local scene at the time.

From these early experiences, Lisa gained the essential knowledge which led her to start up her own official arts organisation. In 1999, alongside friend Jenny Moore, she co-founded Capsule, a platform dedicated to producing events and exhibitions for curious audiences in Birmingham. As well as championing new and exciting alternative art, Capsule serves a more personal purpose for Lisa. “Although I’d studied fine art, my passion was music and being a music fan, but I was also incredibly, painfully shy,” she reveals. “I wasn’t someone that stood at the front of a gig or wrote a zine. I didn’t feel like I had a voice particularly. I think putting on gigs gives you a purpose. It gives you a reason to be sociable, but kind of on your own terms.”

This new found confidence, combined with an eye-opening trip to Barcelona’s Sonar Festival in 2001, laid the foundations for Supersonic. “I was absolutely blown away by the fact that the festival happened at the MACBA, which is the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona,” she recalls about the galvanizing live music experience. “At that time, Jenny was doing a photography degree and I had done a fine art degree, so we wanted to bring together that sort of visual aesthetic [too]”. Seeing UK experimental-noise artist V/Vm (aka Leyland James Kirby) play inside a beautiful Gothic church seemed to blend these two things together for Lisa.

“V/Vm were dressed as a chicken and a love heart. They had those big Spanish hams and they were on turntables with cabbages and meat juice was flying out into the audience,” she shares. Fast forward two years later to 2003, and Lisa and Jenny had booked V/Vm to play the first ever Supersonic Festival at The Custard Factory in Digbeth, alongside Coil, Pram, The Bug with The Warrior Queen, LCD Soundsystem and metal bands from the local scene.

“It was a really eclectic mix and I guess at that time, no one else was really doing that,” Lisa comments. She acknowledges that festival line-ups were generally geared towards a single genre, and that the electronic music scene in particular felt inaccessible to lots of fans. “It was very boy-sy…you had to be an ‘expert’ to be into electronic music at that time, it just felt really hostile,” she shares. Lisa wanted to create a “welcoming space” with no rigid genre barriers and no gate-keeping – something that GIHE felt was one of the most impressive and coherent elements of last year’s Supersonic festival.

Creating and sustaining something as original as Supersonic has been equally as life-affirming as it has been challenging for Lisa, for numerous reasons. In 2012, her creative business partner Jenny took a step back from Capsule and Supersonic in order to focus on her young family, which was an eye-opening experience for Lisa, who became the sole Director, Artistic Director and CEO. “I think because we ran it together, we were almost oblivious to risk, because we had each other, so we just made stuff happen,” she shares. “Jenny was absolutely brilliant at fundraising and the budgets and as I used to call it ‘the adult stuff’. So suddenly, I had to inherit this weight of responsibility and it was also at a time when the Arts Council really didn’t understand the value of experimental music or adventurous music.”

Lisa explains that Supersonic received “tremendous pushback” from Arts Council England in the early days of applying for funding. She tried to make it clear in her applications that at its core, Supersonic was about supporting an ecosystem that was not too dissimilar to theatre. Theatre brings in ticket income, but this is subsidised to support the production and the making of it – whether that’s a West End musical or an obscure performance piece. She had to lobby hard to make sure that the festival was not misinterpreted as a purely commercial venture.

“I started to understand the role I can play in terms of supporting more emergent artists and making sure that the line-up is diverse,” Lisa extrapolates. “I think in the early days, just making the thing happen was an act of resistance. Being two young women in that male-dominated field was enough of a thing. Whereas now, I wouldn’t say we’re in a comfortable position, but there’s an inner confidence to be able to kind of make sure that that’s part of our mission and our goal with Supersonic.”

This year’s edition of the festival continues that vital mission. Between BACKXWASH, Divide and Dissolve, Zahra Haji Fath Ali Tehrani, BUÑUEL and Penelope Trappes (to name just a few), Supersonic’s line-up seamlessly sets an exciting and necessary precedent for diversity in all its forms. Lisa has always been meticulous with her curation though, and this is something that’s developed over time. “Because we’re really limited in our budgets, that makes me have to be extremely creative and really careful in terms of who I’m programming, so there’s no filler and it means that everyone’s there for a reason,” she shares. “There’s an un-said relationship between each artist and the journey that I’m trying to create within a day or over the weekend.”

Despite this dedication and attention to detail, Lisa confesses that she is not immune to imposter syndrome. She has always felt that her relationship to music has been based on gut feeling, obsessive listening and intuition, rather than technicalities like being an “expert” producer or a music-maker herself. When asked if she has ever seriously considered giving up Capsule and Supersonic because of this, she humbly replies that despite the numerous sleepless nights, it doesn’t really feel like a “job” to her – it’s more of a calling.

“I think probably now I’m unemployable,” she laughs. “I’ve done this for 20+ years, I don’t know anything different. When it actually comes together and you have that weekend where there’s that sense of community and you’ve been able to create a sort of critical mass for relatively unknown artists, and your audience feels part of something that feels really important, like we’re part of this global community – that spurs us on for the next year.”

It’s not just imposter syndrome that Lisa has had to battle. In recent years, the gentrification of the Digbeth area where Supersonic is held has caused her immense stress. In the inaugural days of the festival, Lisa remembers Digbeth feeling a bit like the “Wild West” as it had minimal infrastructure in terms of proper street lighting or cash points. This allowed her and her team to build their own infrastructures within the warehouse spaces they rented and to create the “blueprint” for Supersonic, but it’s a different story today.

“As the years have gone on, developers have come in and taken those spaces, and developers are not supportive of culture, especially outsider or counterculture,” she comments. Lisa has had to compromise to keep Supersonic alive. In 2024, for the first time ever, they had to switch to using a commercial venue – The O2 Institute – due to developers making it too difficult to use their original, formerly independent space. This year, Lisa has shared the news that Supersonic’s Marketplace – the festival’s hub for food, selling records, socialising and DJ sets – will have to relocate to Zellig Building for similar reasons.

These changes are not just inconvenient logistically, they incur costs that Lisa is desperately trying not to pass on to the festival’s loyal attendees, but this is becoming increasingly difficult. “Supersonic is meant to be a celebration of the underground, but if it’s too expensive, people can’t attend,” she states, but she is battling hard to make sure this doesn’t happen. “We have started a solidarity ticket scheme where people who can afford to pay a bit more, buy a more expensive ticket and that means that we can work with partners like O121 Queercore and Decolonise Fest to do massively subsidised tickets to their networks. So we’re trying, but it sort of feels now like Supersonic happens against all odds, which is quite exhausting. I’d say this year, I’ve never known it as hard as ever before, in every element of putting a festival together. It feels like this year may well be the nail in the coffin of it being in Birmingham,” Lisa sighs, “unless something really radically changes in terms of whether the council starts to intervene in some way.”

Lisa’s determination in the face of such adversity isn’t just admirable – it’s vital. She has invested time and money creating a platform where artists and fans feel truly valued, and in today’s climate of grassroots music venues closing on a fortnightly basis according to The Music Venue Trust, that cannot be underestimated. She has spent time nurturing authentic relationships with the artists who play Supersonic, leading them to not only return to play, but to also become fans of the festival themselves.

“Last year, we had Bonnie Prince Billy headlining, but he came because he was interested in seeing ØXN and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe,” Lisa shares. “This year, we’ve got Poor Creature performing, who is Cormac from Lankum [who played last year], and Ian Lynch and Maxine Peake are coming back to DJ too. They want to come as punters, which is really lovely. We’ve built up relationships with people like Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai) and Elizabeth Bernholz (Gazelle Twin) over the years, so they feel that if they’ve got a new project, Supersonic’s the place for them to try that out, which is great.”

Connecting curious minds and cultivating pure, primal connection to music is what the festival is all about. Unfortunately, we can’t attend Supersonic this year, but we urge you to buy a ticket and immerse yourself in all of the weird and wonderful creations that the festival has to offer. You won’t be disappointed.

Photo Credit: Cat Dineley

Kate Crudgington
kate_getinherears

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

FIVE FAVOURITES: Me Lost Me

By exploring the binary oppositions of hope and despair, experimental Newcastle-based artist Jayne Dent aka Me Lost Me pushes herself to her emotional limits. On her most recent album, This Material Moment, released in June via Upset the Rhythm, she examines the power of “words as a material”, how we interpret them and their contrasting abilities to physically soothe or sting us in life’s rawest moments.

She was inspired to write her fourth record after she attended a workshop with Julia Holter, where she explored the catharsis of automatic writing techniques and “chance-based writing strategies,” resulting in her most personal and vulnerable offering to date.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspired them to write in the first place. We caught up with Me Lost Me to ask about her “Five Favourites” – and she picked five albums by an eclectic range of artists who have inspired her songwriting techniques.

Check out her choices below and scroll down to watch the official video for Me Lost Me’s single ‘A Painting of The Wind’ too…

 

A note from Me Lost Me: I’m an album listener through and through. I love being lost in another world for 30-60 minutes, popping my headphones on, going for a walk and being whisked away. I chose these 5 album specifically because of the lasting impact they’ve had on the music I make as Me Lost Me, from when I was a teenager to just after I’d released my first record, when I was figuring out where I wanted to go with my music.

1. Patrick Wolf – Lycanthropy
Patrick Wolf has a lot to answer for! I grew up with the folk music my parents loved and then suddenly, here was someone drawing on that tradition and screwing with it. Crunchy intense pop electronics with these melodic motifs that felt so rooted in the music I knew and loved, but fresher, weirder and darker.

When I was a teenager I had a ukulele that got accidentally smashed to the point of it being unplayable. Later that year, I won tickets to a gig and meet ’n’ greet in London. A friend and I travelled down from Chesterfield, and I took what was left of this ukulele for him to sign (I didn’t have a record player at the time so I figured there was no point getting a vinyl for the signing). When we spoke, I told him I wanted to write music and remember him saying basically, “well, do it then, start right now”, and on the ukulele he wrote “Jayne, follow the star” (quoting some of his lyrics). I still have it.

I think I needed the permission, perhaps, to just go for it. His first few albums really presented me with the idea that you can play with older forms and ignore genre boundaries. I think that was massive for me then, and clearly stuck with me.

2. Bjork – Homogenic
I struggled to pick a Bjork album, but Homogenic was probably the first one I really fell in love with. In the end, I also had to choose this one because the “emotional landscapes” line in ‘Joga’ is something I’ve held onto as a conceptual ideal of the music I want to make – emotional landscapes – and I still go back to this idea when I write and arrange stuff.

The blend of organic and electronic sounds is so well done, it’s a proper cyborg album, fleshy and robotic in equal parts. Its hard to pick a stand out track, they are all amazing for different reasons and speak to me differently on each listen through. You have songs like ‘Unravel’, so intimate and vast at the same time and the simple visual metaphor in the lyrics is beautiful. Then tracks like ‘Bachlorette’ so full of this angry feral beauty, not as many belt-along tunes as other Bjork albums but they still get me going.

She manages to express this messy, tangled web of emotions and make me feel them along with her. I’ve always thought if I could ever make someone feel that way with my own music, I’d be so happy.

3. Einsturzende neubauten – Ende Neu
There’s a theme emerging here perhaps, artists that capture a multitude of things at once. The reason I love this album isn’t how well knitted together these different elements are, however, the thing I love most about Ende Neu is how the different flavours clash up against each other, it’s delightfully jarring. Its got that classic Einsturzende Neubauten intensity, but it manifests differently in each track. It’s got chant-along tracks like ‘Was Ist Ist’ and the creeping menace of ‘The Garden’, industrial moments, classical moments, and Blixa’s voice – super sweet one moment and pig squealing the next.

I love this album because it’s proof that you can lean into different feelings and flit around. You can be extremely serious and intense and then also be daft, give people whiplash if you like – an album doesn’t need to be a vibe-monolith. ‘The Garden’ is the stand out track for me. It’s the track that made me fall for Einsturzende Neubauten in the first place, it’s so simple but insistent. The lyrics are almost amusingly mundane “you will find me if you want me in the garden / unless its pouring down with rain” but then suddenly expanded out into this abstracted, time-stretching poem.

4. Laurie Anderson – Big Science
When I was studying fine art as an undergrad, I was playing around with musical forms, making sound art and performance art. In a tutorial, I was advised to listen to Laurie Anderson. This album completely blew apart my idea of art and music as separate entities, and rightly so – why would they need to be separate? Why did I ever think they were?

It changed how I framed my work completely and the whole Me Lost Me project came out of this desire to blur art and music – folk and electronic, past and future – and this album was so important for that. It’s a delirious dizzying and surreal experiment in storytelling. It gives snapshots into these strange narratives that are just out of the reach of reality, echoed by the combination of her voice and vocoder, such an uncanny valley feeling. It still gives me goosebumps.

5. Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch
I heard this album after I’d released my first record, Arcana, while I was putting The Good Noise together. It was the first of Jenny Hval’s work I’d come across and it instantly hooked me. It has everything I love: surprising twists, moments of jarring collage, of softness, of raw emotion, moments of addictive, euphoric pop choruses, lyrics I want to investigate, to know intimately. It’s a journey through so many emotional states, it’s the kind of album you want to crawl inside of.

I’ve been a huge fan of her work since and every record is stunning in different ways. I appreciate an approach to album-making that is almost like a collection of related art pieces, not necessarily the same medium, but linked with a through line. It’s like a concept album, I guess, but not in a classic “this has a linear narrative” way. Jenny Hval’s albums instead feel like explorations of an idea and an investigation into something, asking questions that are too messy for a simple answer.

Thanks to Me Lost Me for sharing her favourites with us!

Follow her on bandcamp, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Amelia Read

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

PLAYLIST: February 2025

The Get In Her Ears team have put together an eclectic mix of alt-pop tunes, punk bangers, immersive electronic soundscapes, grunge & shoegaze anthems, engaging instrumentals and indie musings for your listening pleasure. Take some time to scroll through our selections below and make sure you press play on the playlist at the end of this post.

Follow GIHE on Spotify to see all of our previous playlists too. As well as streaming these tunes, we encourage you to follow the artists we’ve featured on their social media, sign up to their newsletters and buy their records from bandcamp if you’re able to!

 

Scrounge – ‘UTG’
We love South London duo Scrounge for their politically-charged anthems and their latest single ‘UTG’ is no exception. Despite being softer in sound, it’s just as hard-hitting when it comes to the personal nature of the lyrics, penned by vocalist and guitarist Lucy. She explains further: “As a queer person, it feels as though you never stop coming out; you’re always protective of that tiny bit of yourself that makes you ‘different’. This song is a reminder to look after and respect your queer and trans mates who are often not given the dignity and respect they deserve.” We back that all the way here at GIHE. Scrounge will be releasing their second album, Almost Like You Could, on 18th April via Ba Da Bing! Records. (Kate Crudgington – Features Editor)

Sacred Paws – ‘Turn Me Down’
The latest single from long-term faves Sacred Paws, ‘Turn Me Down’ reflects on the rawness of rejection; juxtaposing this poignant sentiment with the duo’s trademark jangly energy and colourful musicality. And, after a five year hiatus, Ray and Eidlih have now announced the release of a new album, Jump Into Life, which is due out on 28th March – and I’m very excited about it!
(Mari Lane – Managing Editor)

Dose – ‘Parallelogram’
I was thrilled when this track from Dublin four piece Dose dropped into my inbox earlier this month. The dream-pop band features ex-Bitch Falcon guitarist & vocalist/Coolgirl producer Lizzie who I’m a big fan of, as well as Merpire who I saw perform live supporting Ailbhe Reddy at East London’s Moth Club a few years ago. Dose have been playing local shows in Ireland over the past 12 months and they’ll be releasing their debut EP later this year too. ‘Parallelogram’ is the second offering from this exciting new band and I’m looking forward to hearing more from them. (KC)

Maria Somerville – ‘Garden’
A beautiful, atmospheric offering from from Galway-based NTS Radio host Maria Somerville here. ‘Garden’ is lifted from her upcoming album, Luster, which is set for release on 25th April via 4AD. Her soft vocals and lilting electronics melt into each other, providing escapism and respite for overwhelmed ears. (KC)

Anika – ‘Hearsay’
I love this shadowy new track from British-born, Berlin-based musician Anika. It’s taken from her new album, Abyss, which is set for release on 4th April via Sacred Bones (one of my favourite labels). The LP is a form of sonic rebellion for Anika, inspired by the 90s grunge scene as much as it is about the unpredictable nature of the world we currently live in. (KC)

Bonnie Trash – ‘Hellmouth’
Ontario gothic rockers Bonnie Trash release their brand new album Mourning You today (28th Feb) via Hand Drawn Dracula! Originally formed by twins Emmalia & Sarafina Bortolon-Vettor, Bonnie Trash’s sound and aesthetic has evolved into a fully fleshed band with an angst-ridden energy and edgy aesthetic to match. This track ‘Hellmouth’ is the perfect example of both. Check out the accompanying video for it here. (KC)

Daffo – ‘Absence Makes The Heart Grow’
The songwriting project of Brooklyn-based, Philly-raised Gabi Gamberg, Daffo is a new fave for sure. New single ‘Absence Makes The Heart Grow’ offers a wonderfully scuzzy slice of indie-pop, searing with a raw emotion alongside its fizzing hooks. Of the meaning behind the track, Gamberg explains: “I wrote the song at the end of a relationship, and in my pain, I felt as though the cliche about distance making the heart grow fonder was a sham… It made everything harder, the waves of emotion that accompanied reuniting and separating were too intense to navigate.” Definitely one to watch for 2025, you can catch Daffo live at The George Tavern on 13th May. (ML)

Raue – ‘Escape’
Californian duo Raue (pronounced Roo-AY) are inspired by the sounds of Softcult, Wolf Alice, Fleshwater and Billie Eillish. I love their blend of swirling riffs and soft vocals on this track ‘Escape’, which features on their debut EP, too scared to explain, set for release on 9th May. (KC)

Gloin – ‘Horse Fighting’
Toronto-based post punks Gloin are totally new to me, but I love their latest single ‘Horse Fighting’. It’s taken from their excellently titled upcoming second album, All of your anger is actually shame (and I bet that makes you angry), which is set for release via Mothland on 28th March. (KC)

Grandmas House – ‘From The Gods’
Following on from their raucous love song ‘Slaughterhouse’, this new single from Bristol punks Grandmas House is visceral break-up anthem. It’s lifted from the band’s upcoming EP, Anything For You, which is set for release on 11th April via Duchess Box Records. Check out the accompanying video for the track here. (KC)

Punchlove – ‘(sublimate)’
I’m hooked on Brooklyn band Punchlove’s latest single ‘(sublimate)’. Combining shoegaze riffs with twitchy electronics, the track has an industrial edge that becomes more prevalent after repeated listens. ‘(sublimate)’ is inspired by band member Jillian Olesen’s perception-altering experiences after a self-imposed lengthy period of digital and physical isolation, exploring feelings of “entrapment and suffocation within a reality that is inextricably bound by the powerful grip of the digital world.” (KC)

Calva Louise – ‘WTF’
The ferocious new single from Calva Louise, ‘WTF’ showcases front woman Jess’ fierce vocal with an immense power. She explains that the single is “about that feeling of powerlessness that occurs when we are in situations beyond our control.” Calva Louise will be supporting Bloodywood on their European tour, and you can catch them at Kentish Town Forum on 27th March – and I strongly recommend catching them live, as you can imagine it’s a pretty colossal experience. (ML)

BACKXWASH – ‘Wake Up’
I love the the raw power behind this shape-shifting track from Zambian-Canadian rapper and producer BACKXWASH. ‘Wake Up’ is taken from her upcoming album, Only Dust Remains, which she will be releasing via her own label Ugly Hag on 28th March. This new record has been described as “leaving the ashes of BACKXWASH’S critically acclaimed trilogy of albums behind and taking a bold new direction” in sound. BACKXWASH will also be returning to the UK to play Supersonic Festival in Birmingham later this year. (KC)

Alien Chicks – ‘Donkeyhead’
Brixton trio Alien Chicks are back with this belter of a new single. Taken from their second EP, Forbidden Fruit, which is set for release on 9th May via Hideous Mink Records, it’s another raucous offering from the post-punk band, spotlighting their ability to write tongue-in-cheek anthems that fizz with frenetic energy. (KC)

Rebuilt Boys – ‘Shotgun Divorce’
This is the third single from Peterborough-based queer/trans electronic noise-rock two-piece Rebuilt Boys. Full of jagged riffs, post-punk inspired electronics and pounding beats, it’s a raw and righteous anthem of defiance. (KC)

Laura Jane Grace – ‘Your God (God’s D*ck)’
A stark reflection on religious devotion and the ever increasing limits to free speech that the far right are imposing, this raging new single from Against Me alumni Laura Jane Grace oozes all the fierce energy and tongue-in-cheek wit that I’ve come to know and love from her solo work. (ML)

Rival Queens – ‘Not Your Enemy’
You may know her as the guitarist for artist-on-the-rise Maya Lakhani, but now Sally-Anne Hickman has launched her own solo project, Rival Queens. Born out of a songwriting course by Phillipa Cookman (The Singing Guitarist) that Hickman attended, Rival Queens draws inspiration from the ‘90s grunge movement and epic guitar-driven rock, and this debut single showcases Hickman’s musical prowess as its catchy refrain “I am not your enemy” hammers home its message with a raging sense of urgency. Crown and Conquer, the debut album from Rival Queens, is set for release on 27th June. (ML)

SPELLLING – ‘Alibi’
This is such a gear change in sound from San Francisco-based artist SPELLLING and I love it! Featuring Turnstile’s Pat McCrory on guitar, ‘Alibi’ is a cathartic dose of pop punk, featured on her upcoming album Portrait Of My Heart, set for release on 28th March via Sacred Bones. (KC)

Monday’s Child – ‘Problem Girl’
This hazy new single from Belfast-based alt-rock band Monday’s Child is a reflection on insecurity and the contradictory nature of our inner voices. ‘Problem Girl’ will feature on the band’s debut EP, which is due to be released in May of this year. (KC)

Brain Leak – ‘Trying’
Brain Leak are a bit of a supergroup of sorts – the project of Tara-Gabriella Engelhardt from the band Adjustments, the band also features Sid from The Orielles, Jess from Peaness and Giulia from Working Men’s Club. Combining a glistening raw emotion with a fizzing gritty energy, debut single ‘Trying‘ is propelled by the delicate celestial power of Engelhardt’s vocals, offering a beautifully resonant reflection on attachment and the challenging emotional experiences that can accompany it. A new favourite for sure, I strongly suggest keeping an eye out for more from Brain Leak – they’ve already sold out Yes! in Manchester. To find out more, read our interview with Tara here. (ML)

Ezra Furman – ‘Grand Mal’
The latest single from innovative artist Ezra Furman, ‘Grand Mal’ is first taster of her upcoming 10th album, Goodbye Small Head, I really love its swirling cinematic layers which ripple alongside Furman’s trademark raw emotion. Describing the album, she says: “Is it dark? Yeah! Is it also wonder-struck, laced with psychedelic beauty, triumphant in its wounded way? Yeah again. And by the end of it, the whole thing flames out in a burst of good old-fashioned rock and roll.” It sounds perfect, and I can’t wait for its release on 16th May. (ML)

Freak Slug – ‘Liquorice’
After being completely obsessed with their single ‘Spells’ last year, I’m very excited to hear that Manchester’s Freak Slug will be releasing the extended version of their debut album, I Blow Out Big Candles (But With A Cherry On Top), on 7th March, following the original release last November. This latest single only features on the expanded edition and offers jangly hooks, quirky energy and sugar sweet vocals in abundance. Catch Freak Slug live on their UK tour in May, including a headline show at Moth Club on the 22nd. (ML)

Housewife – ‘Work Song’
This single from queer Canadian artist Housewife is an infectious glitchy anthem that fizzes with relatable angst. It’s taken from her upcoming EP, Girl Of The Hour, which is set for release on 7th March via Submarine Cat Records. The EP is a buoyant reflection on identity, love and gender, all underscored by Housewife’s playful alt-pop sounds. (KC)

Supersaurus – ‘Fool For You’
We’ve been big fans of “non-binary fronted indie-pop girl band” Supersaurus since being introduced to their queer sad-pop bangers back in 2023, and new single ‘Fool For You’ offers another nostalgic heartfelt anthem. Of the track, the band explain: “If life was a 90s romcom, it would be the soundtrack. Every main character deserves their own epic soundtrack and ‘Fool For You’ serves as the perfect anthem for anyone who has ever been a fool for love and surrendered to its enchanting allure.” (ML)

Blonde Maze – ‘Never Dream’
I’ve made no secret of my love of New York artist Blonde Maze over the last decade of Get In Her Ears, and so it always bring me a lot of joy when she shares a new song. ‘Never Dream’ is her third collaboration with innovative electro artist Attom and oozes all the dreamy blissful vibes and soothing heartfelt charm that I’ve come to expect from her gorgeous creations. The single comes ahead of the release of her sophomore album, Second Sight, on 23rd May – and to say I’m excited about a brand new collection of her gloriously cathartic offerings is an understatement. (ML)

Shura ft. Cassandra Jenkins – ‘Richardson’
This is the second single from British songwriter Shura’s upcoming album, I Got Too Sad For My Friends, set for release on the 30th May. Featuring New York vocalist Cassandra Jenkins, ‘Richardson’ is a song about “walking, thinking, and trying to find comfort somewhere” guided by Shura’s soft voice and gentle beats. (KC)

Deerhoof – ‘Sparrow Sparrow’
One of the new ‘double B-sides’ from innovative dance-rock collective Deerhoof, ‘Sparrow Sparrow’ showcases their quirky fizzing energy and shimmering charm perfectly. The track is released alongside ‘Overrated Species Anyhow’, and the band are donating all proceeds to The Trevor Project – a non-profit suicide prevention organisation for the LGBTQ+ community. (ML)

Selma French – ‘Little Sisters and Friends’
The latest single from Norwegian artist Selma French, ‘Little Sisters and Friends’ offers a comforting ode to the younger people in our lives, and reflects on the need to care for and support them in their life’s journey. Flowing with lilting folk-strewn melodies and the rich sparkling grace of French’s vocals, it’s a gorgeous first taste of her upcoming second album, No Sign Of Rotten Leaves, which is set for release on 25th April. (ML)

Penelope Trappes – ‘A Requiem’
This is a beautiful sonic rumination from Brighton-based Australian producer and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes. ‘A Requiem’ is the title track from her upcoming album, which is set for release on 4th April via One Little Independent. I’ve found each of Trappes’ singles and accompanying videos for this project to be really thought-provoking and evocative, and despite the album’s melancholy context, I feel like she has expressed something truly pure and beautiful about the shape-shifting nature of grief on this latest effort. Watch the accompanying visual, filmed by Agnes Haus, here. (KC)

Maud The Moth – ‘Exuviae’
Another exquisitely eccentric offering from Spanish-born, Scotland-based multi-instrumentalist Amaya Lopez-Carromero aka MAUD THE MOTH here. ‘Exuviae’ is lifted from her upcoming album, The Distaff, which is set for release on 21st February. The LP is an “ethereal but violent” amalgamation of autobiographical experiences, folklore, myth and poetry” which the artist explores in her own idiosyncratic manner. (KC)

Divide & Dissolve – ‘Provenance’
Multi-instrumentalist Takiaya Reed is back with her heavy instrumental project Divide and Dissolve and this gargantuan new single ‘Provenance’. Full of her trademark eerie saxophone sounds, crushing riffs and bruising beats, the single is the first offering from Divide and Dissolve’s new album, Insatiable, which is set for release on 18th April via Bella Union. Reed will also be returning to Supersonic Festival in Birmingham this year – which I am very excited about! Watch the accompanying video for ‘Provenance’ here. (KC)

Venamoris – ‘Truth’
Eclectic American duo Venamoris – formed of Dave and Paula Lombardo – have moved into darker sonic territory on their new album, To Cross Or To Burn, released today (28th Feb). Full of cinematic electronics and impassioned vocals, this track ‘Truth’ is lifted from the record, which focuses around soul searching and the need for acceptance. (KC)

 

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment