GIHE Highlights: Supersonic Festival 2026

Get In Her Ears happily returned to Digbeth in Birmingham and immersed ourselves in the idiosyncratic delights of Supersonic Festival again this year! We were thrilled to be invited back to experience this special Limited Edition event, after having such a great time when we first attended the festival in 2024.

Despite being smaller in scale (spanning two days instead of the usual three), Supersonic 2026 still resolutely championed a plethora of experimental and genre-defying sounds from a multitude of new and established artists. It’s hardwired into the event’s DNA to provide festival-goers with the opportunity to experience an eclectic array of performances, which were delivered by OXN, Prostitute, Milkweed, Thorn Wych, Bong II, Lucifer Sky, Traidora, Feeo, Guttersnipe, Greet, Peiriant, Hang Linton, Amretat, as well as special debut presentations from collectives MMM and Microplastics and a DJ set from GIHE faves, Decolonise Fest!

Alongside the musical programming, as usual, Supersonic offered a host of complimentary workshops and activities, which included keyring making with crafting collective Shelanu, a block-printing protest banner workshop with artist Natasha Taheem, a sound bath session, the return of the infamously difficult Freak Zone Quiz and an opportunity to join and perform with the pop-up Supersonic Choir. The festival also accommodated the curiosities of both attendees and the general public with it’s own unique Marketplace, which we took full advantage of this time around.

We could wax lyrical about the power of Supersonic all day long, but we’ve compressed our thoughts and feelings about the festival into six highlights, which you can read below…

 

The Marketplace is a hub for like-minded creatives

Whether you want to buy a pendant necklace with a real preserved spider-web from The Voodoo Doctor, spend time perusing multiple vinyl collections or indulge in some gothic-inspired cakes and sweet treats, the Supersonic Marketplace was the perfect place to get involved in artistic chats and endeavours. Hosted in the Zellig building, the space also included a special Supersonic flash session at resident tattoo shop House Of Thieves, which also sits next to the excellently named The Goth’s Playground, which was full of wonderfully unusual paraphernalia.

Within the Marketplace, we particularly enjoyed the wares on the Boulderdash stall. Described as purveyors of “stones, drones and noise”, Boulderdash are an independent zine and collective based in Cornwall. They were selling copies of their latest issue, cassette tapes and prints from musicians & artists they’ve worked with, plus, a unique limited edition Boulderdash guitar pedal. We exchanged stickers and stories and recommend that everyone checks them out!

(Photo Credit: Robert Barrett) 

(Photo Credit: Joe Singh)

Traidora are a force to be reckoned with

Joking that they were more accustomed to playing their punk anthems about “being gay” in sweaty pub basements, compared to being on Supersonic’s much larger stage, London-based trans anti-fascist band Traidora brought their riotous rhetoric to this year’s festival. The trio, fronted by Venezuelan-born artist Eva Leblanc and with the marvellous Maeve Westall on drums (itoldyouiwouldeatyou, YAKKIE, Gordian Stimm), Traidora ripped through a setlist that was loaded with righteous anger against ongoing genocide, transphobia and social inequality.

Performing in front of a backdrop of photographs of queer and female pioneers and activists – including LGBTQ trailblazer Marsha P Johnson – Traidora’s set felt like a hardcore homage to the queer and indigenous communities that they have been inspired by and are part of. Eva also took the time to thank everyone at Supersonic for their diligence and the care she and her bandmates had experienced on every level, which reminded her that “human kindness” is alive and well in the alternative music scene.

(Traidora – Photo Credit: Robert Barrett) 

(Traidora – Photo Credit: Joe Singh)

MMM & Milkweed brought the ancient past firmly into the future

With a sound as immense as the stones that they were inspired by, collaborative audio-visual project MMM opened Supersonic with a transcendental performance. Together, multi-instrumentalists Gayle Brogan, Nick Jonah Davis and Elizabeth Still created a unique work with filmmaker Ian Nesbitt, based on their travels to the Isle Of Lewis in Scotland during the rare Lunar Standstill at the ancient Calanais Stones, which occurs every 18.6 years. They documented their response to this natural phenomenon through a cell-tingling mix of thunderous guitars, intense drones, heavy harmonium and intermittent high pitched screams paired with diaphanous vocals. Grounded in ritual, resonance and reverb, MMM pulled back the veil of the past and captivated their audience in the process.

(MMM – Photo Credit: Robert Barrett) 

(MMM – Photo Credit: Joe Singh)

Milkweed also transported Supersonic fans to a bygone era with their acute, alluring storytelling. Reviving ancient folklore narratives and oral histories by weaving them into their experimental “slacker-trad” sounds, the four players sat opposite each other across a table littered with cassette players and wires; sonic vessels which enhanced the intensity of the songs lifted from their 2025 album, Remscéla. Inspired by The Táin saga, which is an aged collection of epic Irish “pre-tales” translated by Thomas Kinsella, the record dives deep into the lore of multiple legendary characters, which Milkweed brought vividly to life throughout their theatrical set. Working together in perfect harmony, they mixed string instrumentation with spoken word, stunningly clear vocals and brittle tape distortion to resurrect the past. It was a performance of mythical proportions, which clearly resonated with the resolutely attentive crowd.

(Milkweed – Photo Credit: Joe Singh)

(Milkweed – Photo Credit: Robert Barrett) 

The Supersonic samosas are legendary (as is the Tea Bar)

Whilst the music line-up for Supersonic Festival is always impressive, the line-up of snacks and drinks at the resident Tea Bar is just as noteworthy. In between pints of Supersonic IPA supplied by Attic Brewery, we indulged in some sustaining cups of tea and finally sampled a Supersonic staple which totally lived up to the hype: the iconic samosas! We were also tempted by the muffins which were as big as our heads and the delightful addition of Bloody Marys on the second day of the festival. Hats off to all the chefs who created these divine treats, they really were a highlight of the weekend.

(Photo Credit: Robert Barrett)

Thorn Wych’s set was a fascinating, noisy spectacle 

With a name that perfectly encapsulates her sound, Lancashire-based musician Thorn Wych performed a truly strange and striking set with her bespoke handmade instruments and pedal board on the first day of Supersonic. Despite experiencing a few sound difficulties, she embraced the chaos and stayed rooted to her cause; sat on the stage with her long hair obscuring her face, switching between an assortment of string instruments, drums and flutes whilst singing in tongues and channelling distortion by twisting the nodules on her pedals with her bare toes. Her performance was primal and instinctive and evoked a powerful sense of pagan folklore ritual. We’ll be thinking about it for many weeks to come.

(Thorn Wych – Photo Credit: Joe Singh)

(Thorn Wych – Photo Credit: Robert Barrett)

On all levels, Supersonic truly commits to the craft…

Whatever that craft may be, one thing is for sure: artists at Supersonic commit themselves 100% to their performances. We strongly believe that even if they were alone in an empty room, they would still be performing with the same tenacity. From the absolutely unhinged riffs and manic beats of mutant-noise-rock duo Guttersnipe, through to the beautiful understated soundscapes of experimental artist Feeo, we witnessed an abundance of wonderful and endearingly weird forms of self-expression across the weekend.

We mentioned this in our 2024 review, so at the risk of sounding like a broken record, we just want to reiterate how much we appreciate the effort, care and dedication that goes into planning a unique event like Supersonic, right down to the amazing festival-inspired nail art that one of the bar staff had! Get In Her Ears are a small DIY community based in London and we value connection and resistance through music, coming together to experience these things in a room with other like-minded people; something that Supersonic achieves on a scale that is deeply inspiring to us. We can’t wait to return to the festival again next year to have our minds blown by another immense array of experimental music (and to eat more samosas…)

(Feeo – Photo Credit: Joe Singh)

(Guttersnipe – Photo Credit: Joe Singh)

(Decolonise DJ set – Photo Credit: Robert Barrett)

(Supersonic IPA & nail art! Photo Credit: Sam Frank Wood)

 

Follow Supersonic Festival via Instagram & their official website

Words: Kate Crudgington

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LISTEN: GIHE on Soho Radio with Maria Uzor (21.08.23)

Tash and Kate were back on Soho Radio’s airwaves playing loads of new music from some of their favourite female, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ artists! Mari offered some of her “musical musings” too. Tash talked about their excitement for Yeah Yeah Yeah’s performance at upcoming East London festival All Points East, whilst Kate shared memories of her day at Bloodstock Festival a few weeks ago. Artists featured on the eclectic playlist included Lauren Auder, Deyah, Kelly Lee Owens, ALT BLK ERA, HAVVK, Mykki Blanco and Gender Chores.

Tash also caught up with Norwich-based electronic artist and GIHE fave Maria Uzor to talk about her upcoming debut album, Soft Cuts. Set for release on 13th October via Castles In Space, Maria spoke about the inspirations behind the tracks on the record, including her latest single ‘Ventolin’. Maria will be playing a headline show at The Windmill in Brixton on 18th October. Tickets are available here.

Listen back to the show below:

We’ll be back on Soho Radio on Monday 18th September from 12-2pm!

Tracklist
The Breeders – Cannonball
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Spitting Off The Edge of the World
Boygenius – Without You Without Them
Kelly Lee Owens – Throwing Lines
Lauren Auder – the ripple
DROWND – Sinner (KANGA Remix)
Melanie Charles – Petty
Deyah – Heart Status
Amaroun – Dopamine
ALT BLK ERA – Misfits: SOLAR
ZAND – Deliverance
Witch Weather – Don’t Need
shaene – sad
Frances and The Majesties – All Of Time
Mary Lovett – Seven
Maria Uzor – Ventolin
**Interview with Maria Uzor**
Emily Winng – Leave The Grass Grow Wild
GENN – Calypso
Baby Rose – Stop the Bleeding
Hinako Omori – cyanotype memories
Pet Snake – Jacket
Mykki Blanco – Holidays In The Sun
HAVVK – Expiry
Gender Chores – Dysphurious
CHROMA – Woman To Woman
Noga Erez – Quiet
HAIM – Want You Back

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Introducing Interview: Maja Lena

Following last year’s captivating debut album The Keeper, and previous projects Hot Feet and Low Chimes, alt-folk artist Maja Lena has now released her second solo album, Pluto. Delving into an ethereal alternate world, Pluto immerses the listener in its glistening sweeping soundscapes, all flowing with Maja Lena’s trademark majestic grace and resplendent vocals.

We caught up with Maja Lena to find out more about the album, her inspirations and touring essentials… Have a read and watch the beautiful video for recent single ‘The Stone‘ below!

Hi Maja Lena Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 
Hello! I was born and brought up in Stroud in England but my Mum is Swedish so I spend a lot of time there. My family and some friends call me Maja and my middle name is Lena, but I also go by Marianne. I started out in a band called Hot Feet in my teens, we then went on to become Low Chimes till the end of 2017, and then I began this project a year or so later and began working and releasing with independent label Chiverin. I’ve also been working on a Natural Horsemanship Therapy yard for the last 14 years and I help my husband Luke part-time on his no-dig market garden.

Are you able to tell us a bit about how and why you initially started creating music? 
Singing, playing and listening to music was always a big part of our household growing up, and most of my friends were musical too. I think it just happened naturally and had become a very familiar form of expression to me by the time I started writing my own songs. I think I was also lucky in that my parents were very supportive of me doing that.

We love your beautifully twinkling folk-strewn sounds , but who would you say are your main musical influences?
Thank you! The Incredible String Band, Mike Oldfield, Pentangle, Fairport Convention, Leonard Cohen, Joe Hisaishi, PJ Harvey, Nick Drake, The Velvet Underground, Kate Bush, Sandy Denny, Radiohead, Beck, Domenique Dumont..

You’ve just released your new album Pluto, which is very exciting! Are you able to tell us a bit about what inspired it and the themes running throughout it?
Reality vs imagination and believing stories we’ve created in our heads – I was spending quite a lot of time on my own when I wrote it, so had plenty of time and space to get stuck into my own imagination. Eventually a whole made up landscape/ alternate world formed where most of the songs are set, with Pluto in the distance instead of the sun or moon, as there are Plutonic themes such as destruction and creation, transformation and renewal throughout the record.

How would you say it differs from last year’s debut, The Keeper? 
The Keeper was set more in the real world and was overall more stripped back. We delved deeper sonically making this one, trying to bring the landscape to life with more synth and electronic explorations. I also wrote Pluto in a much more condensed period of time (a couple of the songs whilst we were recording), and I personally feel they were more of a natural fit together than those on the first, which I’d written over a much wider timescale.

We had the pleasure of seeing your beautiful set at Deershed Festival this year, but is there a live show you’ve played that stands out as a highlight?
Oh thank you! Probably the next show after that at Smugglers Festival, which was our 2nd band show of the year and we had a few extra friends play with us on stage. It was late in the afternoon on a beautiful sunny day in a beautiful place, and it was possibly the most relaxed I’ve ever felt on stage. I was able to fully enjoy playing the music with my lovely band and had a really fun time!

And, when out on tour, are there any particular essentials that you need with you and keep you going when away from home? 
I am type 1 diabetic so firstly all my associated testers and insulin/sugar. A good scarf, book, health tinctures – oregano oil’s my current fave! Rescue remedy, swimsuit & running clothes, notebook, pillow, hot water bottle, more recently my Grandma’s glamorous bright yellow handbag for keeping spirits up! And last but not least, waterproofs and walking boots! I always like to try and fit in walking and nature time wherever possible – I think fresh air and some hills and trees to stomp about amongst are my biggest tour essential!

How do you feel the industry is for new artists at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the last few years in its treatment of female and queer/LGBTQ+  artists? 
Without speaking to many people in person on these questions, I find it hard to answer them with much certainty, but from what I’ve seen online (which is obviously only a small part of the picture), I imagine it must be very difficult for new artists as well as any artist for that matter – as in many areas of profession, so much has changed and is full of uncertainty, there are so many extra things to do and try to balance behind the scenes, so many of us trying to do several jobs at once to make ends meet which can be difficult to juggle.
And in terms of the second question, again I feel I’d need to actually speak to a lot more people to get a truer picture than the one I do mainly just online and feel I can only really speak from my own personal experience. For better and normally for worse, I’m a bit of a recluse! 

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other upcoming artists you’re loving right now that you’d recommend we check out?
Holyseuss Fly is awesome! 

Finally, what does 2023 have in store for Maja Lena? 
I’ve just finished the album release tour, then hopefully lots of writing, lots of hiking, and deeper synth and guitar explorations! And lots more working outdoors with animal friends and vegetables.

Massive thanks to Maja Lena for answering our questions!

Maja Lena’s latest album, Pluto, is out now via Chiverin Records.

Photo Credit: Martha Webb

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ALBUM: Lost Chimes – ‘Lost Chimes’

Lost Chimes is Gemma and Nicky Kirk, an indie-folk duo from north London. The husband and wife team have now joined musical forces after ten years of playing in separate DIY, folk, punk-rock and post-hardcore bands.

Their new captivating self-titled album blends traditional folk with a contemporary twist. The storytelling lyrics, delicate finger-picked guitar and memorable melodies keep your ears enticed from the first track to the last. 

Opening track, and first single, ‘Island’ is a soothing track about a mystery island. Gemma’s smooth, crystal clear vocals gently bob over lush and jangly guitar lines like a boat upon the waves, with the second verse painting a beautifully nostalgic picture: “You’ll do a lot of talking and I’ll do a lot of listening and one day the records will come out of their sleeves / the one that has my name on the back and the one that has the secret track, and everything between the backdoor and the sea wall…” The accompanying video of overlaid singing, sea, and birds perfectly complements the musical content, which evokes thoughts of nature and water.

My personal album highlight, ‘Voices’, offers a traditional folk-inspired melody, encompassing a fiddle which weaves around the vocal lines with a waltz-like rhythm. The sparse yet present drum beat gets your foot tapping and gives it a sea shanty feel. Gemma’s vocals may be delicate, yet they emit a strength bringing to mind Pentangle’s Jacqui McShee.

‘Stone Steps’ offers Nicky’s most interesting guitar riff on the album, a melancholic yet hopeful refrain. Gemma’s lullaby vocals in the verses erupt into something more powerful and reminiscent of Delores O’Riordan’s vocal in the chorus. Later on in the song, a spoken word section is introduced, giving your ears a new element to enjoy.

The duo’s cover of Joy Division’s iconic song ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ is both atmospheric and haunting. The finger-style of the guitar combined with the cinematic vocal arrangement does this tricky-to-cover song justice, retaining its sadness and depth whilst adding Lost Chimes’ own spin.

Ella Patenall
@nazandellamusic

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