INDIGOS

Track Of The Day: INDIGOS – ‘I’m Healed’

Swirling, gritty riffs, brooding bass lines and hypnotic vocals flood ‘I’m Healed’, the latest single from Bristol trio INDIGOS. Lifted from their self-titled EP, which is set for release via Club AC30 on 21st August, the band blend elements of psych, grunge and post-punk to create their captivating sounds.

INDIGOS enlisted the production skills of Ben Johnson and IDLES guitarist Lee Kiernan to record their EP, which is a polished observation on projection, nostalgia, dystopia, and the stream of consciousness. ‘I’m Healed’ is a shining example of the latter, with its fuzzy riffs and lyrical motifs. “We usually don’t know what a song is even about until it’s very nearly finished” the band explain. “Each song is as much a mystery to us as it is to anyone else, and that’s the way we like it.”

INDIGOS thrive in this state of creative ambiguity, and ‘I’m Healed’ is a strong introduction to their “mysterious” sounds. Listen to the new single below and follow the band on bandcamp and Facebook for more updates.

 

Photo Credit: Simon Holliday

Kate Crudgington
@kcbobcut

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Track Of The Day: Fräulein – ‘Drag Behind’

Having only recently come across Fräulein, through seeing them perform a stripped back ‘live’ set for Hanni from ARXX’s Coming Out Staying In festival back in April, I’m already a big fan of the Bristol duo’s raw, visceral sound.

Oozing a captivating dark energy, ‘Drag Behind’ is propelled by the gritty power of Joni’s raw sweeping vocals, as abrasive, grunge-infused hooks steadily build an increasing tension with the help of Karsten’s immense beats. With shades of the mysterious allure of underrated ’90s band Slint, Fräulein have created a dark anthem seething with its own unique spellbinding majesty.

A new favourite for sure, in ‘normal’ times, I’d be booking Fräulein for a gig with us at The Finsbury as soon as possible, but for now I will have to settle for listening to ‘Drag Behind’ on repeat, and dreaming of the day I can witness their dark energy live in a room full of sweaty fans.

 

‘Drag Behind’ is out today via Bandcamp, with 100% of proceeds going to The Black Curriculum.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: @amiaocean

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Track Of The Day: Francis of Delirium – ‘Ashamed’

A hectic blend of grungy guitar riffs and insecure thoughts; Francis of Delirium have shared their latest single, ‘Ashamed’. Released via Dalliance Recordings, the track is lifted from the Canadian-American duo’s upcoming EP, All Change, which is set for release on 19th June.

Formed of 18 year old songwriter Jana Bahrich and collaborator Chris Hewett, Francis of Delirium create swirling guitar tunes that centre around Bahrich’s personal experiences. “‘Ashamed’ is about navigating how much of yourself you should be giving out to other people and then second guessing yourself, feeling like what you’re giving out isn’t enough, feeling inadequate, being ashamed of that” Bahrich explains. It’s this sensitivity that makes ‘Ashamed’ feel so relatable. With its indecisive lyrics – “I still stopped short of what I wanted” – and frenzied guitars, the track rushes through moments of concern in search of moments of clarity.

The single is accompanied by a colourful video, created by Bahrich during self-isolation. She explains the themes and ideas behind the visuals further: “There’s one moment where I hit my head and a red circle followed by white rings appears. It’s a visual representation of both the mental self-harm that the narrator is experiencing, and a mirroring of the Talking Heads’ video, ‘Once in a Lifetime’. I’ve always interpreted the song to be about achieving commonly accepted societal goals – the beautiful house, the beautiful wife etc. – and in ‘Ashamed’ I’m beating myself up for failing to achieve that idealised version of success”.

Watch the video for ‘Ashamed’ below, and follow Francis Of Delirium on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Photo Credit: Lynn Theisen

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Sophomore – ‘Social Distancing’

Grunge may not traditionally be the most uplifting genre, at least not in its earliest ’90s incarnation. But pandemic-related times call for pandemic-related responses. And where else could they come from but the epicentre of Australian cool, Melbourne, and one of its more recently emerging groups: Sophomore. A four-piece that combines members of Valentiine and Get in Her Ears faves Mannequin Death Squad, ‘Social Distancing’ is only the band’s second single, following debut ‘Sally’ and a raft of shows across their home country, which have earned them heaps of praise from the local press.

‘Social Distancing’, as the name would suggest, was written at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic which perhaps belies its, ultimately, optimistic message. Making perfect use of lead guitarist Vanessa and rhythm guitarist Elly’s Celebrity Skin-era Hole-style harmonies, its lyrics talk of “the lonely getting lonelier” and the “penniless stay[ing] poor”, amidst “lies in the news” but promise that, as a people, “we will rise again”. 

Linking the unrelenting pressure of media panic to a condition that leaves its victims unable to breath is a neat touch, as the song encourages its listener to pull back from misinformation and, by extension, consider others. To this end, its video also serves as a smart combination of Max Fleischer-style cartoons, public information movies about disease – both in black and white – and DIY shots of friends, family and fans of the band in colour, harking back to what the band refer to as “simpler times”.

Although it’s said to be a curse to live in “interesting times”, Sophomore are certainly making the best of it, and by repurposing the Pixies quiet-loud-quiet template, they’ve refashioned an old genre into something relevant. For so many bands, being stuck inside and unable to gig could be damaging, but, judging by their socials, the Aussies seem to be just as committed to getting their sound out as ever through online gigs and interviews. And, on the strength of the two singles to date, a post-pandemic world keen to hear some new music could be just the right springboard for the effervescent foursome. Don’t keep your distance from this band.

John McGovern
@etinsuburbiaego

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