INTERVIEW: Becky Laverty (Roadburn Festival)

Founded in 1999 and celebrated as an inimitable showcase of heavy and experimental music, Roadburn Festival has been on Get In Her Ears’ radar for some time. Although we’ve never attended the Netherlands festival in person, each year we take note of the eclectic line-up and kick ourselves for not organising a trip to Tilburg to see the unique presentation of new and established artists from alternative music scenes.

This year, GIHE favourite American multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer Madeline Johnston aka Midwife is one of the festival’s Artists in Residence. She will perform three different sets across the weekend (17th-20th April), including a premiere performance of her collaborative EP, Orbweaving, with slowcore/shoegaze visionary Vyva Melinkolya. Other GIHE faves on the line-up include Penelope Trappes, LustSick Puppy, Faetooth, The Body & Dis Fig, SUMAC & Moor Mother, Tristwch Y Fenywod and Witch Club Satan.

Whilst we are enamoured with the idiosyncratic and unusual sounds of each of these artists, we were also curious to know how the team behind Roadburn put together these immense line-ups every year, as well as their side programme of Q&A events and discussions. Originally attending the festival as a fan back in 2013, Becky Laverty is now a key member of the Roadburn booking team. Her enthusiasm for showcasing experimental and heavy music is evident from the moment we begin speaking on Zoom and so is her unwavering dedication to the Roadburn community..

“I’ve met so many people through Roadburn who have enhanced and enriched my life in ways I could never have imagined,” she shares. “Of course people might think that’s an obvious thing to say – this is my job – I spend hours, weeks and years of my life thinking about this festival. But I felt this way even when I was just attending Roadburn. I would meet people and make connections with them and it was always a magical experience to be at the festival. Now that it takes up more of my life, I feel that even stronger.”

Originally from East London, Becky now lives in a town called Glossop on the edge of the Peak District. “I’ve started putting on shows here which is madness,” she laughs. “The Saturday before Roadburn, I have Thou playing in a pub in Glossop. When they announced the tour dates, people were losing their minds. They were like ‘Where the fuck is Glossop? Why aren’t they playing somewhere normal like Leeds?’” We joke that she’s determined to put Glossop on the map and with her extensive experience in booking and press communications, she’s the right person to do it.

Taking a leap of faith like this is something that has fortunately paid off many times for Becky. Before she became a freelance music publicist, she worked in admin at a University. She would occasionally help friends who were in bands to organise shows and tours, but she had never seriously considered a career in music. It was a brief conversation in the back of a tour van that effectively started it all for her.

“I had booked a tour for two UK bands – a grindcore band called Narcosis and a sludgy band called Mistress – and I went on tour with them,” she shares. “The drummer from Mistress is a guy called Mick Kenney, and he was setting up his own record label with his long time friend Shane, who is the bass player in Napalm Death, and he asked me if I knew any journalists.” Becky laughs as she recalls reading the press release that Mick had drafted and telling him it was “rubbish”. She ended up re-writing it herself. “I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I did know some journalists just from being involved in music and meeting people in bands. So basically I just started emailing people. Then other bands started approaching me and offering to pay me for this work and I said yes and kept going.” Since then, Becky has worked for Earache, Relapse and various other labels as a freelance publicist over the years too.

It’s this combination of tenacious music fandom and learning on the go that led Becky to meet Roadburn’s Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers. She’d been attending the festival in a work capacity for a few years by this point, which led to the pair being introduced. Shortly after that, Walter came to London for a Roadburn related trip and asked if he could crash on Becky’s sofa. “He hung out with my cats and we went to see Godflesh together,” she remembers, two things that cemented their early friendship. “Then a couple of weeks after that, he called me and asked if I would be interested in working for Roadburn, and I was like ‘YES, I would!’ – so I went and told my partner and they were like ‘a job doing what?’ and I realised I had no idea. Hopefully it was something I knew how to do, because I’d already said yes.”

The role that Becky had accepted was that of International Press & Communications for Roadburn. “I’ve always said that the ‘communications’ part of that title did a lot of heavy lifting. It basically means you can be emailing anyone about anything,” she laughs. “So although a big chunk of my job was publicising the festival and inviting press, I started to take on more things every year. I started to arrange the side programme, which consists of artists Q&As and panel discussions and things like that. I was in close contact with Walter throughout, and he would ask my opinion on bookings. It was a quite natural process where my role just got bigger and bigger. It was a bit of a fuzzy time during the pandemic, but it was around then that my role [as a booker] became more formalised. So I’ve been doing that for a few years now.”

The core booking team for Roadburn now consists of Walter, Daan who is the Head of Music at the O13 venue in Tilburg, and Becky. When asked what kind of process the team undertakes for selecting artists to play the festival, Becky insists that most of it is based on intuition and a “gut feeling,” as well as Walter’s artistic overview of what he wants to do. “Sometimes he has an idea for a band, or an idea for a direction he wants to go in, or a particular scene that he wants to explore a bit more, then we build the festival around those ideas,” Becky shares. “So that does vary year-on-year in what direction we’re going in.”

“There’s months and months of conversations about the artistic direction and what will and what won’t work. It’s a lot of gut feeling. Of course we have to sell tickets, so we have to look at what people want from the festival, but it’s definitely based on an artistic vision much more than what’s commercially viable at any given time. One of the things that we really draw inspiration from is the underground, and a lot of the bands that play Roadburn, even on the main stage, have come up through the underground. It’s very rare for a band to come crashing out of nowhere and appear on our main stage.”

The marvellous Chelsea Wolfe played the main stage at last year’s Roadburn, but she had originally played the festival ten years prior on a much smaller stage. Becky explains that Midwife, who first played in 2022, has had a similar journey. “Her music is so gentle in a lot of ways, so delicate and very intimate, it’s almost like she’s singing just to you,” Becky recalls. “So we knew that she was a special artist from that show, so to have her back as an artist in residence this year is fantastic.”

Something that Becky and the Roadburn team are particularly proud of is how the festival has evolved and shifted the idea of what “heavy” can be. Whilst stylistically it can be argued that Midwife’s musical style is not necessarily “heavy” – it’s often sparse and ambient – the emotional gravity that permeates her music is – therefore making her the perfect candidate for a Roadburn performance. Becky explains that there’s no “formula” that can be replicated when it comes to defining what specifically constitutes a “Roadburn band” – it’s based on that important “gut feeling” and a well established level of trust and respect between the members of the booking team.

“As individuals, not just in the Roadburn team, but as music fans, most of us have very eclectic taste,” she shares. “Last week I went to see FKA Twigs, who I love and who is amazing. I’m sure if she came to Roadburn she’d have a lovely time, but I’m not sure that her performance would work at Roadburn. We have this saying that we’ve said amongst ourselves for a long time but it’s become a bit of a slogan to describe Roadburn now, which is ‘redefining heaviness’ – and I think that’s one of the core things that we’re looking for. So whilst I think FKA Twigs has a certain kind of heaviness and some of her music is quite bleak in places, I’m not sure that it fits the type of heaviness that works at Roadburn.”

Becky goes on to explain that a specific set that she feels was a “turning point” in redefining what heaviness in music could be, was when Emma Ruth Rundle played the festival as solo artist on a smaller stage back in 2017, and returned to play the main stage in 2022. “Emma performed, just her and her guitar, on what is now called The Neck stage, which is a 700+ capacity room,” Becky recalls. “It was rammed, but she just held everybody captive for an hour. For me, this was also as heavy as something with big riffs or blast beats or screamed vocals. This had an emotional heaviness to it. So sometimes, whilst there’s no fixed guidelines, that’s one of the sets that I often have in mind. It was undoubtedly heavy and it was also very gentle and very beautiful.”

Something else that Becky feels is unique and important to Roadburn is the specially commissioned projects and one-off collaborative performances that the festival presents to its attendees. This year, SUMAC and Moor Mother will present their album, The Film, on both the 17th and 19th of April. The piece is described by Moor Mother as more than an album or a collection of songs, with the core focus being to “create a moment outside of convention…in an industry that wants to force everything into a box of consumption.” Accurately promoting and celebrating eclectic projects like this is something that Becky and the Roadburn team feel especially passionate about. The team takes great care in capturing the essence of these performances through the language they use in their promotions and the aesthetics they adhere to across all areas of press and communications.

“To expect people to turn up and watch something entirely new from an artist that they don’t know for an hour and to be completely captivated by that – maybe we are asking a lot,” Becky reflects, “but I think people come to Roadburn knowing that that’s part of the experience. If you want to experience something totally brand new and see where this music is going to take you, then that opportunity is there. It’s really special.”

Something else that’s special to Becky are the curated playlists that fill the venues between artist’s sets at Roadburn. Walter originally created these playlists himself, but he has since handed this responsibility over to Becky and her colleague Joel.

“I always say I have no musical talent, but Emma [Ruth Rundle] said to me ‘that’s nonsense, your talent is your ears,’” Becky beams. “I’ve always been a music fan, I would say to the point of obsessiveness as a teenager. When you’re a teenager, did you not just want to pick the music that people listened to and tell people about the artists? That’s essentially what my job is now. Sometimes on our socials people are asking ‘does anyone know what that song was that played just before so-and-so came on?’ and I can be like ‘I do know actually, because I made that playlist!’ so I get to be that obsessive music fan. I think there’s loads of people out there like that and now I have an outlet for it.”

The passion, excitement and dedication from Becky and her team to making sure festival goers get the full Roadburn experience is something we admire profusely here at GIHE. We joke that we’re considering booking a last minute flight to attend this year’s edition and Becky is quick to support this decision. “It’s a slippery slope though,” she laughs, “because once you’ve been, you will want to come again. I know everybody says that, but it’s true. Most people come and are immediately like ‘I want more of that!’ Once you’re addicted – that’s it.”

 

You can find the full line-up info & tickets for Roadburn via their official website

Follow Roadburn on Instagram, Facebook & X

 

Photo Credit: Nona Limmen (Official Roadburn 2025 Visual Artist)

Kate Crudgington
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INTERVIEW: ALT BLK ERA

Battling their demons and bringing the noise, ALT BLK ERA’s debut album Rave Immortal is a tenacious blend of jagged electronics and racing beats designed to dissolve the pain of their past. Released last week via Earache Records, the record cements the genre-defying sister duo’s status as ones to watch in the alternative music world.

The last time we caught up with Nyrobi (20) and Chaya (17), it was 2023 and they were on the cusp of releasing their debut EP, Freak Show. The five tracks that formed it displayed their vivid personalities and antagonistic spirit – with Nyrobi’s vocals possessing a fiery ‘SOLAR’ energy and Chaya’s voice veering into more mystical ‘LUNAR’ realms. With Rave Immortal, ALT BLK ERA retain their heavy and undefinable sound, but they veer directly into rave territory to exorcise feelings of fear and inadequacy – providing a potent statement of self autonomy in the process.

“I think the concept of it…going from really human emotions – our struggles and our pain and our worries – and being able to transcend that and have it become larger than life, I just think that’s something quite important,” offers Nyrobi, when asked what she’s most proud of about ALT BLK ERA’s debut LP. “It’s important to feel like you can escape reality and that’s what the album does.”

Rave Immortal is largely inspired by Nyrobi coming to terms with living in chronic pain due to a disabling illness that she was diagnosed with during her teens in 2020. It was cathartic for the pair to write the record and to recognise how much they relied on each other as sisters during this time. Nyrobi has only recently been vocal about her experiences of disability online, so what was it that made her feel like she was able to speak out about it this on the record?

“Originally, I chose not to speak about it because I was afraid that people would say ‘don’t book her for this show, she’s disabled, she’s in pain and tired all the time’, or that people would think that we only got the MOBO nomination because it was a sympathy thing,” the vocalist reveals. “So now that we’ve played Download, we’ve played Glastonbury and we’ve headlined a stage at Reading & Leeds, it feels like we’ve done enough to prove that I can do anything that I want to do.”

This defiant spirit is something that has resonated with ALT BLK ERA’s fans. It was important to Nyrobi to use her voice and her platform with the band to highlight the resilience of the disabled community. “My disability doesn’t restrain me in other ways that people might think,” she shares. “My disability, it just came out of nowhere. The doctors are saying that it’s likely to just disappear one day too. Before I announced it, I’d be out and about in town and I’d have my stick or something and people would come up to me and ask if something had happened to my leg, and I’m like ‘oh my goodness, I don’t want to lie’ so now I feel really refreshed that it’s out in the open and I can be myself.

So, I just thought I can be honest on our debut album. I wanted to write about it and I wanted to be a voice in that community. We have so many disabled fans. Before I told anyone about it online, we had someone in a wheelchair come to our show in Manchester. I don’t know what compelled me to tell them [about my disability] but I told them and I thanked them for coming out, because I know how hard it is as a disabled person to leave the house. I just wanted to say that I really appreciated them coming to the show and I shared that with them. They didn’t know how special that was for me, they were probably like ‘why is she talking to me?’”

Nyrobi laughs with the last sentence. The support from both Chaya and the band’s fanbase has motivated her to push past her chronic pain and pursue her dreams of being an artist. We’ve seen this dream materialise in front of us too. We were blown away by ALT BLK ERA’s tenacious spirit when they played live for us at our Get In Her Ears gig night at The Shacklewell Arms in July 2023, supporting Straight Girl. Their riotous energy and powerful stage presence has since led to bookings at some of the UK’s biggest festivals, as well as playing for Radio 1 DJ Alyx Holcombe’s own live music night, MANTRA. Both girls express gratitude for these opportunities and are humbled by the community aspect of both Get In Her Ears and MANTRA.

“Alyx has been one of the few industry people that have supported us,” Nyrobi enthuses. “We’ve experienced so many gatekeepers and people telling us that we’re too young and we’re not ready, but she played ‘Mosh Girl Summer’ on Radio 1 in 2022, when we were 16 and 18 years old. She was supporting us from the first year of our music career. So to play her MANTRA night, we really wanted to make sure it was as big as possible. It was also just really good fun. The crowd was so good and the energy was perfect. You know when good people just bring other good people around them? It was just proper warm and fun without any strings attached.”

For Chaya, one of her favourite things about playing live is getting to perform Rave Immortal track ‘Catch Me If You Can’. “We’ve had that song unreleased for quite a while and I’m so happy we’re releasing it because it’s such a banger,” she enthuses. In terms of favourite tracks, Nyrobi notes that ‘I’m Normally Like This’ is still a big crowd-pleaser, but ‘My Drummer’s Girlfriend’ is a standout track for her because of the “opportunities” it’s given the band, which included a collaboration with American indie rock legends Wheatus.

Frontman Brendan B. Brown saw the girls play live at Download Festival back in 2024 and they connected via social media after they missed an opportunity to talk face-to-face backstage in the press tent. Back then, ALT BLK ERA hadn’t released ‘My Drummer’s Girlfriend’ as a single, but the girls sent it over to Brendan to see what he thought. Before they knew it, Wheatus were flying over from New York to work with the girls on a remix at Spotify Studios.

“Working with Wheatus has just been huge, we learned so much from them,” Nyrobi shares. “We were really honoured to have them travel so far to work with us on our song. They were so respectful. They were so caring and they gave us so much advice. They took it 10/10 seriously and they treated us with so much respect, it was almost surprising. We didn’t expect that. I feel like it’s quite rare to find people that are so genuine and full of love in the music industry, but they actually really cared. They weren’t gate-keeping or anything.”

This ethos of collaboration, equality and respect is something that translates both on and off stage for ALT BLK ERA. The lyrics to their songs center around celebrating your individuality both online and in real life, as they encourage their fans to express themselves in a safe space and speak up if they need support or help, particularly at gigs. ALT BLK ERA are currently on their own UK tour and they’ve set up a Discord channel to keep in contact with their fans. “People make friends in there,” Chaya shares. “We do ‘fit checks and everything, people show us what they’re going to be wearing to shows. We’ve got some ALT BLK ERA jacket patches happening as well!”

For Nyrobi, it’s incredibly important that ALT BLK ERA shows are safe spaces. “We just want to make it really clear that us and our whole team are on your side,” she shares. “We’re not standing for any foolishness. Even if I’m performing and someone looks uncomfortable and they’re trying to signal me, we’re gonna have to stop and find out what’s going on. Because one [bad] experience can really stop someone from going outside, going to gigs and being seen, you know?”

Fuelled by this determination, it looks like ALT BLK ERA are set to dominate more stages and gain even more momentum in 2025, and Nyrobi is keen to keep the ball rolling. “You’ll have to interview us before our second album and see where we are then!” she says – a statement we’ll happily hold both her and Chaya too.

Grab a physical copy of ALT BLK ERA’s debut album Rave Immortal here

ALT BLK ERA UK Tour Dates 2025
Jan 28: Oxford, Truck (In-Store)
Jan 29: Brighton, Resident (In-Store)
Jan 30: Kingston, PRYZM

15 Apr: Manchester, The Deaf Institute
16 Apr: Leeds, The Key Club
18 Apr: Sheffield, Corporation
20 Apr: Birmingham, The Flapper
21 Apr: Southampton, Heartbreakers
23 Apr: London, The Underworld

Follow ALT BLK ERA on bandcamp, Spotify, Tik Tok, X, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
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Photo Credit: Dean Chalkley

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GIHE Highlights: Supersonic Festival 2024

In her welcome note to Supersonic Festival goers in the official printed guide for this year, Artistic Director Lisa Meyer expressed her aspirations for the three day event: “I hope that Supersonic will be a space for people to find comfort in one another, catharsis in music and a celebration of an amazing community and extraordinary art.”

Get In Her Ears have been long-time admirers of Supersonic – which has been running for 21 years – so we were thrilled to finally be able to attend the Birmingham-based festival in person for the first time this year. We are also delighted to confirm that Lisa’s introductory words transcended from the page into a real life experience for us.

Described as “championing experimental and adventurous music,” we found Supersonic to be an immersive and fascinating encounter and not just because of the eclectic performances from artists on the line-up, which included Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Dame Area, Senyawa, The Body & Dis Fig, Melt Banana, F*Choir, Matana Roberts, GROVE x Taliable x Toya Delazy, OXN and Daisy Rickman.

The complimentary events and workshops running alongside the festival’s live music programme – Do.om Yoga‘s guided meditation, Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone Quiz, zine-making with Decolonise Fest – provided attendees with the opportunity to indulge their curious nature in a vibrant but low pressure environment, which is something we value highly at Get In Her Ears. We could wax lyrical about the power of Supersonic infinitely, but we’ve tried to condense our experience of the festival into eight highlights, which you can read below…

THE NONE are our new favourite band

With Kaila Whyte on vocals (Blue Ruth, Youth Man), Gordon Moakes on bass (Bloc Party, Young Legionnaire), Jim Beck on guitar (Cassels) and Chris Francombe on drums (Frauds), THE NONE are an experimental super-group in our eyes.

Formed at the start of 2023, the band bonded over hours spent in their rehearsal room making noise and discussing shared obsessions together. The elusive nature of their name reflects their creative approach; ego-less experimentation and open collaboration. This passion comes screaming through in their live performances. Their set at Birmingham’s O2 Institute was a riot of abrasive punk cacophonies that completely pulverized the senses.

The lung capacity on Kaila – who admitted she was nervous between songs whilst sipping on a can of Liquid Death – was deeply impressive. She ripped through each track, grasping her double mics, thrashing around as she unleashed her voice into them. THE NONE have recently shared their debut EP, MATTER, on bandcamp – but you NEED to hear their music in the flesh to fully appreciate its raw, tenacious spirit.

(Photo Credit: Robert Barratt)

Gazelle Twin is in a league of her own

Having already witnessed her shape-shifting Black Dog performance live at Bush Hall in London last year, we were expecting great things from Elizabeth Bernholz aka Gazelle Twin as she brought her shadowy spectacle to Supersonic. We were not disappointed. Falling somewhere between a dark lullaby and intense sleep paralysis, her varied and visceral electronic textures came with bass drops that made speakers and shoulders shudder.

With her face on full display – a first for the artist who usually veils her features – the crowd were entranced by Bernholz as she sat in her vintage armchair, her dynamic vocals untethering the atmosphere like the paranormal forces that originally inspired the inception of Black Dog. Her theatrical performance of her fourth record was an exquisitely raw, haunting exhibition of the power of intangible fear and we were completely gripped by it.

(Photo Credit: Catherine Dineley)

Maxine Peake has a great interviewing technique

Despite insisting she would “never be doing it again”, listening to actress Maxine Peake in conversation with Elizabeth Bernholz (Gazelle Twin) was a real festival highlight. A last minute change to the programming – Peake was originally supposed to be speaking with Throbbing Gristle’s Cosey Fanni Tutti, who withdrew due to a family emergency – her improvisational interviewing style and fun anecdotes gave the event its relaxed and informal atmosphere.

Peake and Bernholz have collaborated on projects together before – a stage adaptation of 1970s TV play Robin Red Breast and an installation titled We Wax We Shall Not Wane at The Horror Show exhibition at Somerset House – which meant they had a natural rapport when sharing stories about these works. What shone throughout their conversation was Peake and Bernholz’s joint commitment to authentic self-expression through art, and their desire to make the stages and institutions they work on into more inclusive and equal spaces. To simplify our thoughts: a pair of total legends.

(Photo Credit: Robert Barrett)

(Photo Credit: John Convery)

Decolonise Fest are a force for change

Get In Her Ears have been following the vital work of Decolonise Fest – a DIY collective of organisers, activists and musicians who advocate for punx of colour – for some time now, so we were thrilled to see that they were partnered with the festival, as well as hosting a workshop on the rooftop of Supersonic’s hub venue XOYO.

Titled “Decolonising Publishing Through Zine Making” the informal event was run by an inviting team who helped attendees create their own mini zines. Between the cutting, sticking, folding and drawing, Decolonise members explained that the process of zine-making has historically been vital for DIY artists of colour. It has helped them to express themselves authentically and provided an alternative means of connection and promotion in media spaces that are often biased or whitewashed.

Decolonise are hosting their own festival in London at Signature Brew Haggerston this weekend (13th-15th Sept). Spider, Cuurls, Dogviolet, Grunt, Lilith Ai, Maya Lakhani plus loads of other acts will be playing across the 3 day event. Tickets are available here.

(Photo Credit: Ewan Williamson)

Brìghde Chaimbeul’s experimental Celtic sounds were beguiling

Offering something completely unique to the festival’s line-up was Isle Of Sky native Brìghde Chaimbeul. Her performance at the O2 Institute was a captivating blend of immersive drone sounds, courtesy of her traditional Scottish smallpipes and her hypnotic Gaelic vocals. Her visual accompaniments – monochrome footage of a dancer in casual clothes performing a traditional Scottish dance in the empty highlands – beautifully complimented Chaimbeul’s music, which breathes new life into ancient sounds that have been in danger of being forgotten. Her music held deep resonance with the crowd, who gave her their full attention throughout the set.

(Photo Credit: Robert Barrett)

We want to form a coven with Tristwch y Fenywod

We only managed to catch three of their songs, but we were spellbound by Welsh-language gothic rockers Tristwch y Fenywod (which translates as “The Sadness Of Women”). With Banshee screams worthy of their namesake, we were deeply impressed by the delightfully discordant sounds that Gwretsien Ferch Lisbeth (Guttersnipe, Petronn Sphene), Leila Lygad (Hawthonn) and Sidni Sarffwraig (Slaylor Moon, The Courtneys) created together – led by Gwretsien’s innovative multi-stringed dual-zither.

The band released their self-titled debut album at the end of August via Night School Records and we’re looking forward to giving it the deep listening experience it fully deserves.

(Photo Credit: John Convery)

Emma Ruth Rundle enchanted us

American songwriter and visual artist Emma Ruth Rundle celebrated the 10th anniversary of her first official album, Some Heavy Ocean, with festival-goers at the O2 Institute. She performed the tracks from her impassioned debut with unwavering focus, her emotive vocals drifting through the busy venue. This is the first time we’ve seen Rundle live and we were moved by her rich acoustic guitar sounds and majestic-yet-melancholic voice.

(Photo Credit: Robert Barrett)

From the artists, to the fans, to the people behind the scenes – people really commit to the Supersonic experience

Circling back to the community sentiment that Artistic Director Lisa Meyer expressed in her welcome note that we cited at the beginning of this feature – it was endearing to witness an unwavering level of commitment manifest itself in so many different ways across the weekend at Supersonic Festival.

As first-time attendees, we were struck by the friendliness of everyone. This ranged from quizzing with total strangers at the Freak Zone Quiz and ultimately making friends from it, to a casual chat we had with a woman who attended the zine-making workshop, the willingness of other individuals and organisations to interact with us at networking events, through to the security guard who spotted the Nine Inch Nails logo on our t-shirt and promptly struck up a fun conversation about the band after proudly displaying his “NIN” tattoo in solidarity. Maxine Peake even mentioned how much she liked our tattoos while we were waiting for the loo. By the end of the weekend, we didn’t feel like newcomers anymore.

International acts on the bill such as MC Yallah x Debmaster (who were unable to perform last year due to visa issues), Tokyo grindcore legends MELT BANANA and experimental harpist Mary Lattimore were granted incredibly warm welcomes by their full crowds. The fluctuations in genre and volume between these eclectic acts did not deter festival-goers from giving their full attention to the stages, reiterating that Supersonic truly is a place that nurtures fan-bases that love adventurous music.

Ahead of the event, we interviewed Elizabeth Bernholz (Gazelle Twin) about her Black Dog performance and her anticipations for her return to Supersonic, where she wholeheartedly cited it as her “favourite festival in the UK” and now, we feel a similar way.

Like many arts communities, despite its passion and commitment, Supersonic is unfortunately not immune to struggle. Lisa Meyer also noted in her intro that we are living through “heavy times”, plagued by uncertainty on global and local scales. It would be awful to see the community spirit of Supersonic Festival crushed because of accelerated gentrification in Digbeth – so please consider supporting and attending the festival next year if you can.

Freak Zone Quiz (Photo Credit: John Convery)

Supersonic Networking Brunch (Photo Credit: John Convery)

Artistic Director Lisa Meyer (Photo Credit: John Convery)

MC Yallah x Debmaster (Photo Credit: Alice Needham)

Mary Lattimore (Photo Credit: Alice Needham)

The Body & Dis Fig (Photo Credit: James Thompson)

Melt-Banana (Photo Credit: Catherine Dineley)

Kate Crudgington1 Comment

PLAYLIST: May 2024

The Get In Her Ears team have put together another mix of feminist punk, alternative & shoegaze anthems, eclectic electronic sounds, indie-folk musings, and alt pop tunes for your listening pleasure. Take some time to scroll through our track choices below, and make sure you press play on the playlist at the end of this post.

Follow GIHE on Spotify to hear all of our previous playlists too.

 

Schande – ‘We’re Not Twins’
The latest single from faves Schande, ‘We’re Not Twins’ ripples with shimmering hooks and a fuzzy immersive energy. Offering another beautiful insight into the twinkling world of the London based band, I love the lush, ethereal tones that ooze throughout. Of the track, front woman Jen explains that the song is about “owning and repairing your habits that make you act like a dufus… Sometimes you have to take a hard look in the mirror and take stock of the ways that insecurity, pride, and stubbornness affect your relationships.” Schande’s debut album, Once Around, is set for release this summer via Thurston Moore’s The Daydream Library Series. You can catch Schande playing live for us at our next gig at Shacklewell Arms on 21st June, supporting indie-pop supergroup Felicette, along with Caleb Nichols and Spring Major. It really helps if you’re able to nab tickets in advance, so head over to DICE now! (Mari Lane – Managing Editor)

Softcult – ‘Heaven’
Since I heard their debut single ‘Another Bish’ back in 2021, Canadian twin siblings Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn have consistently impressed me with their shadowy shoegaze-inspired sounds. Three years on, the duo have shared their fourth EP, Heaven, via Easy Life, and it’s another poetic musing on the contradictions within society and how we deal with them. Softcult gently urge their listeners to question their own behaviours, and move through the world with open eyes and an open heart; their layering of heavy riffs and soft dual vocals on this title track acting as a guiding light during this process.
(Kate Crudgington – Features Editor)

SASAMI – ‘Honeycrash’
I am THRILLED that SASAMI is back with this powerful new song and accompanying video directed by Andrew Thomas Huang. Speaking about ‘Honeycrash’, SASAMI explains: “I wanted to write a song with all the drama of a 19th century classical opera but with the patience and understanding of someone in therapy in 2024,” and it’s this clash of styles and emotions that makes her new single so compelling. “I am really thrilled to unleash this first of many new songs in an era of melodrama, romance, and hooks of course” – inject it into my veins! (KC)

Brimheim – ‘Into The Ooze’
I saw Danish-Faroese artist Brimheim perform at The Lexington for her debut London headline show earlier this month, and I can’t stop thinking about it. She was so invested in the performance – giving ‘Literally Everything’ – and savouring her well deserved moment in the spotlight. Her equally talented band mates helped bring the raw power of the tracks on her debut record, can’t hate myself into a different shape, and her recent album, RATKING, vividly to life. She revealed on stage that she had considered giving up music for good back in 2020, but I’m glad she persevered and is now blooming into the distinctive and idiosyncratic artist she was meant to be. (KC)

youbet – ‘carsick’
I love the hazy, summery sound of this single from Brooklyn-based trio youbet, which is lifted from their recent album, Way To Be, released via Hardly Art. It’s a totally effortless listen. (KC) 

Roller Derby – ‘Dreams’
Following the success of last year’s beautiful EP, Always on Mind, and selling out our gig at Shacklewell Arms in February, Hamburg dream-pop duo Roller Derby have now shared a lush new single. Reflecting on the emotional highs and lows of an intense relationship, ‘Dreams’ showcases a richer, more layered sound than previous offerings, as Philine Meyer’s distinctive soaring vocals float above the music, immersing the listener in its blissful musicality. Watch the beautiful video for ‘Dreams’ here. (ML)

NikNak ft. AGAAMA – ‘Pandora’s Box’
An absolute A-STAR collaboration here between experimental producer & DJ NikNak and electronic artist & songwriter AGAAMA. ‘Pandora’s Box’ is lifted from NikNak’s new album, Ireti, which she released earlier this month via Accidental Records, and it is well worth your attention. I was so excited to hear new music from AGAAMA too, who’s EP, Wandering Worlds, was a favourite of mine back in 2022. Check out the accompanying Sci-Fi/AI inspired visuals for ‘Pandora’s Box’ here. (KC)

Grove – ‘Dead Bird Blues’
A beautifully stark reflection on the state of the world, contemplating omens for the past and future, Grove’s ‘Dead Bird Blues’ was inspired by the disturbing experience of seeing two dead birds at the side of the road. The track is a collaboration with James Storm, taken from Grove’s 2023 EP, PWR Play, and it now also features on the No Pride In Genocide compilation of queer artists that Byenary has put together to raise money for eSims for people in Gaza. ESims help Gazans stay connected, coordinate emergency responses and aid, help people locate loved ones, and help Gazan journalists to continue their vital work. The compilation was created with support from Queers For Palestine and also features faves like Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something and The Menstrual Cramps. It’s available to pay what you can for on bandcamp now. (ML)

Coolgirl – ‘Road Closures’
Dublin-based electronic artist and GIHE fave Coolgirl aka Lizzie Fitzpatrick has gifted us another sonic gem with her latest album, Road Closures, released via VETA Records. The ambient collection of songs is inspired by the “strange juxtaposition” that we find ourselves in online, as we’re exposed to graphic real-life news footage on genocide, alongside reels of unnecessary promo footage of products that promise to solve your first world problems. I’m always impressed by the experimental worlds that Coolgirl creates, but Road Closures in particular has really resonated with me. Definitely listen to the album in full. She donated the proceeds she made from the record on bandcamp to a Gaza relief charity too. (KC)

Fishwyfe – ‘Get Out’
Some strong melancholy, gloomy vibes on this track by Galway-based musician and producer Fishwyfe. This is a new sound for the artist, who used to perform under the moniker HOST. The accompanying visuals for ‘Get Out’ are as unsettling and mesmeric as her distorted vocals and hazy synths. Watch it here. (KC)

Dream Phone – ‘Fogo’
Having completely won me over playing live for us supporting Me Rex last year, and now fresh from being utterly brilliant once again playing with Ray Aggs last month, Oxford duo Dream Phone have now shared an addictive new single. Reflecting on the fear of going out (rather than the fear of missing out), ‘fogo’ offers a comforting ode to anyone who may not enjoy going out as much as they used to. Delivered with a playful riot grrrl-inspired spirit, ‘fogo’ showcases all there is to love about Dream Phone; listening to its scuzzy layers of shimmering musicality, I feel instantly uplifted by its infectious quirky allure and blissfully danceable energy. Watch the accompanying homemade video for ‘fogo’ here. (ML)

Touch Excellent – ‘Overtone’
We’re big fans of Dublin punks Touch Excellent at GIHE and admire their tenacious spirit when writing songs about social issues close to their hearts. Their latest single ‘Overtone’ is a heavy reflection on the frustrating lack of access to, and long wait-list for treatment for transgender patients in Ireland. (KC)

The Menstrual Cramps – ‘Antagonistic’
Releasing immense singles ‘Abortion’ and ‘Body Politics’ earlier this year, and having just made headlines by being part of the incredibly successful Bands Boycott Barclays campaign (targeting the Barclaycard sponsorship of The Great Escape over ties to arms companies supplying Israel), Bristol punks The Menstrual Cramps are back with another fierce and to-the-point offering. Reflecting on front person Emilia’s experience of working at a homeless hostel during the pandemic, ‘Antagonistic’ races with an impassioned, seething energy. Providing a ferocious raging catharsis, it’s propelled by a raw, relatable anger at the stark injustices of society. Of the track, Emilia explains: “This song is me trying to process and come to terms with the anger and trauma I experienced working through COVID and how this has shaped me as a person and as a support worker.” (ML)

Bikini Kill – ‘Feels Blind’
I couldn’t not include a Kathleen Hanna song this month. Her memoir, Rebel Girl: My Life As A Feminist Punk, has just come out, and the GIHE team are lucky enough to be seeing Bikini Kill for a second time on 12th June! Although I haven’t yet had time to read the book, I did cry just receiving my signed copy in the post the other day, and can’t wait to delve into my hero’s inspiring story as soon as I’ve finished my studies. This year has been difficult, mentally and physically, and Kathleen Hanna and all she does continues to be a constant source of motivation and comfort to me. This song is my favourite, and I’m dedicating it to anyone else living with a chronic condition. (ML)

Dermabrasion – ‘Grim Sister’
Toronto Death rockers Dermabrasion have shared a new video for their single ‘Grim Sister’, which features on their debut album, Pain Behaviour, released via Hand Drawn Dracula at the start of this year. The track is a riotous mix of defiant, angst-ridden vocals and visceral riffs, which can be observed in the mix of live footage and gothic imagery in the video. Check it out here – I love the quote from M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs at the start as well! (KC)

Calva Louise – ‘Under The Skin’
Jess Allanic’s vocal range on this Calva Louise track is truly extraordinary. Alongside her bandmates Alizon Taho (Bass/Backing Vocals) and Ben Parker (Drums/Backing Vocals), she rips through ‘Under The Skin’, which is a thundering exploration of consciousness and the duplicity of freedom. The accompanying video provides a conceptual storyline about the characters that the band have developed and built into their own dystopian Sci-Fi universe. Watch it here. (KC)

House Of Women – ‘Overgrown’
Another heavy, psych-tinged offering from London-based four piece House Of Women here. ‘Overgrown’ is a brooding anthem full of their trademark intense riffs and soft-but-potent vocals. The band are currently working on new material ahead of a busy festival season, so keep your eyes peeled for more new music soon. You can watch the accompanying video for ‘Overgrown’ here. (KC)

Midwife, Amulets – ‘Do You Know How To Waltz’ (Low Cover)
Another exquisite collaboration and cover from GIHE fave Midwife and her label mates Amulets. Make sure you listen all the way through to the end! This track is lifted from the album Your Voice Is Not Enough: A Tribute to Low, released via The Flenser. Listen to it in full here. (KC)

mui zyu ft. Miss Grit – ‘please be ok’
Taken from her recent album, nothing or something to die for, I love this gritty-yet-gentle cut from British Hong Kong London-based artist mui zyu. Featuring guest vocals and production from Miss Grit, ‘please be ok’ is a reflection on the absurdity of over-analysing emotions and situations, when ultimately, things will work out how they’re supposed to in the end. (KC)

Tiiva – ‘Run’
“‘Run’ is a song about healing and retrieving yourself among the chaos of the world,” explains Bristol-based artist & producer Tiiva. They create lush, emotive electronic soundscapes, and this latest release flows in a similar dreamy vein. Tiiva extrapolates further on ‘Run’: “It is about discovering your true power and letting go of painful memories to return back to yourself, the kindness of community and reawakening your seemingly impossible dreams…allowing yourself to be flawed and human and reframing pain into power and strength.” (KC)

Elsa Hewitt – ‘Unimaginable Pain’
Although it was released back in April, I’ve been playing electronic artist & producer Elsa Hewitt’s latest album, Chaos Emeralds, on repeat lately. Her intuitive mix of lilting vocals, emotive lyrics and hypnotic synth loops have helped reduce the cortisol levels in my body significantly. Despite its namesake, this track ‘Unimaginable Pain’ is a soothing and uplifting listen. (KC)

AVR – ‘Confirm Humanity’
Berlin-based artist & producer AVR headlined one of our GIHE gigs at Notting Hill Arts Club back in 2019, and her performance was mesmerizing. She’s achieved so much since then, and now she’s preparing to release her debut album, Salvation, on 7th June. ‘Confirm Humanity’ is lifted from the record, which I’m really looking forward to hearing in full. (KC) 

KÁRYYN – ‘ODAR’
‘ODAR’ – which translates as “other” in Armenian – is multi-instrumentalist KÁRYYN’s interpretation of the traditional folk song ‘Odaroutioun’, a song which is passed down through generations, and was often sung at gatherings in her grandparents’ house in Aleppo, Syria. Written by Armenian poet and political activist Avetik Isahakyan, the words were lifted from a letter he’d written to his family whilst in political exile, which later turned into a song adopted post-genocide to represent the Armenian’s plight. Most commonly sung by men, KÁRYYN’s interpretation poses a critical examination of what it means to live in otherness. “Our Armenian language is an ancient written alphabet, found in the illuminated manuscripts, a language on the endangered language list today,” KÁRYYN explains. “The language is threatened further due to the refugee crisis caused by the genocide, and by the crisis which moved and destroyed one of the largest Armenian communities during the 2011 Syrian war. When we speak and sing in Armenian, it is an act of survival and activism. A language from as far back as the 5th century, only Sanskrit and a few others are older.” ‘ODAR’ is lifted from KÁRYYN’s recent EP, Calm KAOSS!. (KC)

Mabe Fratti – ‘Enfrente’
Set to release her new album next month, Guatemalan artist Mabe Fratti has now shared stirring new single ‘Enfrente’. Rippling with jangling percussion and sweeping strings alongside sumptuous evocative vocals, fizzing layers of sound intertwine to create a truly blissful cacophony. Of the track, Fratti comments: “There’s a sensation of fear of being heard in the intention of the song, and being one step behind everything that’s going on, and feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to follow up.” Sentir Que No Sabes, the new album from Mabe Fratti, is set for release on 28th June via Unheard Of Hope. (ML)

Maria Kelly – ‘Drive’
Following her 2021 debut album, The Sum of the In-Between, Irish artist Maria Kelly has now shared a dreamy new single. A song about longing for closure, ‘Drive’ flows with beautifully twinkling melodies as the rich, delicate power of Kelly’s vocals simmers with a raw emotion and effervescent grace. Produced by Matt Harris (HAVVK), and mixed/mastered by Belfast legend Rocky O’Reilly at Start Together studios, ‘Drive’ is featured in the trailer for the film Ezra, starring Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robert De Niro. (ML)

Holly Munro – ‘Out Of Style’
Another tender offering from Irish indie-pop musician Holly Munro here, taken from her upcoming EP, Crescendo Ending, set for release on 20th June. “This song is about a relationship falling apart because of not talking about your problems,” she explains, “It reminisces about the good times, while at the same time recognising that something has changed”. The track is also accompanied by a poignant, beautifully choreographed video that you can watch here. (KC)

Naima Adams – ‘Fragile’
‘Fragile’ is the debut single from Rome via D.C.-raised, now South London-based artist Naima Adams. The track is a smooth musing on the complexities of hope and how it can be lost in the face of overwhelming adversity. Naima’s clear voice and urgent lyrics also serve as a reminder that there’s strength in fragility too. (KC)

Brennan Wedl – ‘Scorpio’
The new single from Brennan Wedl, ‘Scorpio’ advocates for an upfront approach to love as their trademark rich, rasping vocals soar with a resonant emotion alongside lilting catchy hooks. A perfect slice of Americana tinged indie-pop, I can’t wait to hear more from this exciting New York artist throughout the year. (ML)

Midnight Ambulance – ‘Alice’
The new single from Edinburgh duo Midnight Ambulance, ‘Alice’ reflects on the disconcerting rise of disinformation and the dominance of the media. Soaring with rich, impassioned vocals depicting striking poignant imagery, a celestial swirling soundscape is created. Of the inspiration behind the track, the band explain: “Our realities are becoming distorted. As we try to battle the noise and confusion of disinformation, we are at risk of being engulfed by this strange world. It seems Wonderland is no longer a thing of fairytales…” (ML)

adults – ‘Trouble’
Taken from the new split EP that they’ve just released with Oxford band Spank Hair, the new single from South London faves adults offers all the band’s trademark jangly melodies and scuzzy energy that I love so much. Reflecting on feelings of anxiety and sadness, the band add – “one day we’ll write songs about finding joy in the throes of late capitalism, but not today!’…In The Big League, the new split EP from adults and Spank Hair, is out now via Fika Recordings. It’s available digitally from bandcamp, along with a 20 page riso-printed zine with download. (ML)

Mammoth Penguins – ‘A Plea For Kindness’
Having recently released their new album, Here, Cambridge indie-pop trio Mammoth Penguins have been faves of mine for a number of years now. Taken from the album, ‘A Plea For Kindness’ is directed at the completely ill-founded and unnecessary hatred and prejudice that transphobic people insist on sharing. Propelled by Emma’s stirring emotion-strewn vocals and jangly hooks, it builds with an anthemic shimmering splendour, offering a heartfelt message of solidarity with our trans and gender non-conforming siblings. A beautifully resonant plea for unity and kindness at a time when it is needed more than ever, because trans rights are human rights, and trans kids deserve to grow up. Here is out now via Fika Recordings. (ML)

 

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