GUIDE & PLAYLIST: Supersonic Festival 2023

Event: Supersonic Festival

Where: Digbeth, Birmingham, UK

When: 1st – 3rd September 2023

Ticket Info:
Weekend ticket: £160.00 / Day tickets: £40.00

Full info about other ticket options available here

General Info:
To mark 20 years since its inception, Supersonic Festival have put together another exciting programme of alternative music and events for their 2023 line-up. Described as “championing experimental and adventurous music and creating an inclusive and joyful space where all are welcome,” the team have organised three days of art and events for festival-goers to immerse themselves in.

Alongside the music line-up (which you can read more about below), Supersonic have a vast selection of extracurricular activities to get involved in. There will be workshops, guest DJs and Do.om Yoga, as well as a roof-top takeover by Decolonise Fest (a DIY collective organised by and for punx of colour). BBC Radio 6 Music’s flagship experimental show Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone will be in attendance, with a pub quiz hosted by Stuart, plus there will be film screenings from labels including Ipecac, The Flenser, Thrill Jockey and Constellation Records.

There will also be ‘In Conversation’ events with Eugene S. Robinson of Oxbow on his book A Walk Across Dirty Water and Straight Into Murderer’s Row: A Memoir, and with John Robb on his book The Art Of Darkness: The History of Goth. Finally, Supersonic will be hosting exhibitions of artwork by Black Lodge Press in collaboration with Dog Section Press, and by skateboarder and artist Richard “French” Sayer celebrating the Home of Metal, and a special celebratory display in response to the festival’s archive by artist and designer David Hand and friends.

 

Who’s Playing: Check out the full line-up here

There are so many excellent bands playing Supersonic this year, it’s hard to pick favourites! At Get In Her Ears, we focus on female, non-binary and LGBTQ+ talent, so beneath the official line-up poster below, there are some in depth recommendations about artists who we think you should check out.

You can get to know them all better by listening to our accompanying Spotify Playlist at the end of this feature too.

 

DIVIDE AND DISSOLVE

The gargantuan-yet-graceful sounds of this heavy duo will definitely be a festival highlight on Saturday night. Their doom-ridden instrumentals are designed to erode the foundations of colonialism and liberate the land for indigenous communities. Saxophonist and guitarist Takiaya Reed and percussionist Sylvie Nehill have been honing their unique form of noise in order to help cauterize the wounds of colonialism since the release of their debut album BASIC, back in 2017. The patience and empathy that underscores their creativity inspires a deep sense of awe and respect. Read our interview with Takiaya here, and check out our review of the band’s latest album Systemic here.

BACKXWASH

Supersonic will be hosting genre-blending rapper & producer Ashanti Mutinta aka BACKXWASH’s first and only UK show this year – making this performance totally exclusive. The Zambian-Canadian, Polaris Music Prize-winning artist will unleash her hip-hop, horrorcore and industrial sounds on festival-goers on Saturday night. The poetic and cathartic qualities of her seething lyricism are enhanced by the visceral, corrosive soundscapes she has built around them. Her latest album, HIS HAPPINESS SHALL COME FIRST EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUFFERING, is well worth your attention.

TOTAL LUCK

Birmingham-based post punk trio Total Luck will be performing on Friday night. Switching between spoken word and loud, punk vocals, the band create noisy, brooding cacophonies that are are sure to linger in your ears long after they’ve finished playing. Listen to more of their sounds via their bandcamp page here.

ELVIN BRANDHI

If festival-goers want to witness some truly chaotic, intense, experimental noise, then Elvin Brandhi’s set on Saturday is a must see. Described as “an improvising lyricist, producer and sound artist who builds aberrant beats from field recordings, tape, vinyl, instrument and voice,” the Welsh artist will provide her listeners with an unusual, visceral performance. Check out her latest album Drunken Love, here.

TAQBIR

Blending activism and abrasive music together to encourage and empower North African women to express themselves freely, Moroccan punks Taqbir will be a live force to be reckoned with when they play on Saturday night. The five-piece pay homage to the female pioneers of the UK punk scene such as X-Ray Spex, Bona Rays or The Slits, and use their own music as a vessel to unleash their anger and frustration at the systems that oppress them. Check out their bandcamp page here.

SILVERMOTH

On Sunday, Supersonic will be hosting the debut live performance of atmospheric noise-rock collective Silver Moth. Comprised of Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), Elisabeth Elektra, Steven Hill and members of Abrasive Trees, Burning House and Prosthetic Head, together they create genre-blending, evocative aural ruminations. Listen to their latest album Black Bay, here.

LANKUM

Admired for their captivating live performances, acclaimed Irish contemporary folk quartet Lankum will be playing Supersonic on Sunday night. They were first recommended to us by Dublin-based trio Bitch Falcon, and we’ve been assured that the atmosphere at their shows is completely magnetic. Listen to their latest record, False Lankum, here.

DEERHOOF

Festival-goers will be able to enjoy the idiosyncratic sounds of acclaimed alt-indie band Deerhoof on Friday night. Their melodic-yet-noisy infusions are not to be missed. Check out their latest record, Miracle-Level, here.

MORE TALENT

These artists are completely new to us, but we recommend you check them out too: un.procedure, BIG|BRAVE, Jessica Moss, MC Yallah & Debmaster, Ashenspire, Blue Ruth, Agathe Max, Matana Roberts, The Seer, Ondata Rossa, Ragana, Josephine Foster, Sirom

 

For more information visit Supersonic Festival’s official website

Check out our Supersonic Playlist below, featuring some of the female & LGBTQ+ talent playing the festival this year!

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NEW TRACK: CLT DRP – ‘I See My Body Through You’

Following on from their incendiary anthems ‘New Boy‘ and ‘Nothing Clever, Just Feelings‘, Brighton feminist electro-punks CLT DRP have shared their powerful new single ‘I See My Body Through You’. Taken from their upcoming second album, Nothing Clever, Just Feelings, which is set for release on 8th September via Venn Records, the track is a dynamic, corrosive rumination on objectification and how it can affect our own identity and self worth.

Annie Dorrett’s distinctive, self-possessed vocals lead the charge alongside drummer Daphne’s considered percussion and guitarist Scott’s blend of melodic and visceral riffs. By combining quieter verses with a blistering chorus, CLT DRP reflect the tumultuous emotions and lack of control that can come from feeling exposed and viewed through a skewed and restricting lens. “They just say grin and bear it” Annie muses, before listeners are pummelled by a wall of cathartic, abrasive sound.

The single is accompanied by an intriguing set of visuals, directed by Alice Strutt. Annie explains the thought process behind the video: “‘I See My Body Through You’ is probably one of the tracks we’re looking forward to putting out the most. The content of the song set against the visuals all came out perfectly.”

“There’s a lot behind this song,” she continues, “different ways to interpret it, but the unsettling feeling and tension in the orchestration and in the video match up to the emotions that created this song in the first place—the emotions of being constantly on show, being objectified, and your own confidence being warped because of other people’s gaze. I think Alice heard the song and understood those feelings immediately, as most women do, and came up with some striking and strange concepts for the video.”

Director Alice Strutt comments further: “Inspired by the song’s content, the video embraces the use of ambiguous imagery, employing fractured reflections and obscured veils to symbolise the interplay between how we imagine others perceive us and its effect on our self-perception. The aim was to create impactful and disjointed visuals that invite contemplation of the blurred lines between reality and interpretation.”

Fresh from performing in their hometown at The Great Escape Festival earlier this year and a recent support slot with electronic music pioneer Gary Numan in Antwerp, CLT DRP are set to headline one of the stages at ArcTanGent Festival this weekend (18th August). The band have also announced a string of winter UK headline tour dates, including a show at The Lexington in London on 29th November. Full listings are below and tickets are on sale here.

Watch the video for ‘I See My Body Through You’ below.

CLT DRP UK Live Dates 2023
11.08.23 – Winchester, UK – Boomtown
18.08.23 – Somerset, UK – ArcTanGent
08.09.23 – Brighton, Green Door Store
15.09.23 – Sofia, BG – Wrong Fest
12.10.23 – Manchester, Beyond The Music
02.11.23 – Leeds, Oporto
03.11.23 – Glasgow, Hug & Pint
23.11.23 – Southampton, Joiners
24.11.23 – Bristol, Rough Trade
29.11.23 – London, Lexington

Pre-order CLT DRP’s new album Nothing Clever, Just Feelings here

Follow CLT DRP on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

Photo Credit: Libby Malandrone

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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ALBUM: Saint Agnes – ‘Bloodsuckers’

Emerging from the shadows of East London to resurrect their psych-twinged, self-described “disgusting rock,” Saint Agnes have developed “this terrible thirst” for confrontation following the release of their 2021 horror-chic EP, Vampire. Seeking to empower “the defeated, the crushed” – and yet, the ones who won’t remain dead – the disquiet quartet’s sophomore LP mutation is an emotionally charged, skull-rattling hybrid of grunge, punk and industrial metal. Bloodsuckers is one part Dracula and one part Frankenstein’s monster; an infectious do-it-yourself scorcher for the daywalkers who refuse to burn and a defiant fuck you to the true bloodsucker, motherfuckers!

Opening with the titular, thrashing lead single ‘Bloodsuckers’, Kitty A. Austen’s introductory whisper is followed by anthemic vitriol; drummer Andrew Head handling his sticks like hatchets over guitarist Jon James Tufnell’s feverish amplification. “Bloodsuckers! Who the fuck are you?” Embracing herself as a villainous femme fatale on ‘Animal’ through thirsty lyrics (“I’m the worst of the worst / From death to birth / From cradle to hearse / Motherfucker I’m cursed!”), Austen invites her detractors to fight until the feedback fades out. Take a deep breath, because once the bridge leads into the skull-crushing breakdown during ‘I Mean Nothing To You’, you’ll realise Saint Agnes have “got no more fucks to give!”

Alternating between misfit melody and whiplash-inducing groove, ‘Outsider’ is Saint Agnes’ gothic anthem for “the strong and the strange / the losers, the weirdos, the freak superheroes!” Austen welcomes you home: “I hope it makes you feel less alone / We might be damaged but that doesn’t mean we’re worthless / We might be broken but that doesn’t mean we’re not whole.” Whilst seemingly fearless, ‘This Is Not The End’ offers a moment of vulnerability; a heartfelt eulogy to Austen’s late mother and an exploration of grief. The track’s Nine Inch Nails-esque composition showcases Austen’s dexterity as a vocalist, reflecting her still-raw emotions. “Creating this album gave me a reason to get to my feet at a time when I really wasn’t sure if I could. I’ve tried to put everything I’ve been feeling into it, all the pain, the rage, the grief, even the unexpected moments of beauty and belief,” she comments about the process.

Producer, audio engineer and frequent NIN collaborator Sean Beavan saturates ‘Follow You’ with distorted, yet controlled chaos, before Saint Agnes bring the punk-edge to ‘I Am’; demanding reckless abandon with propulsive rhythm and guttural vocalisation. ‘At War With Myself’ and ‘Middle Finger’ deconstruct scuzzy hardcore punk, leaving behind only doom-laden hooks and aberrant effects, before German trap metal agitator Mimi Barks delivers the final death growl during ‘Body Bag’. Closing with ‘Forever and Ever’, the Death or Glory Gang decimate the scene before dawn, sinking their fangs into personal trauma to deliver an uncomfortable, yet rewarding self-produced rager.

“Bloodsuckers forever, Saint Agnes forever.”

Listen to Bloodsuckers on Spotify

Ken Wynne
@Ken_Wynne

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GUIDE & PLAYLIST: ArcTanGent Festival 2023

Event: ArcTanGent Festival

Where: Fernhill Farm, Bristol, England

When: Thursday 17th – Sunday 20th August 2023

Ticket Info:
3 day ticket: £190.50

Full ticket info and options (including day tickets & VIP packages) are available on DICE

General Info:
We’ve been keeping tabs on independent alternative festival ArcTanGent for a few years now, and their 2023 line-up looks better than ever! Described by Metal Hammer Magazine as “a haven of progressive music across the spectrum of all things heavy,” the festival aims to showcase an eclectic array of artists and bands across five alternating stages.

Things kick off early on Wednesday 16th August with special guest performances from a diverse range of upcoming alternative artists, but the official line-up starts on Thursday 17th August. There’s also a silent disco on each night from 11pm-3am.

Who’s Playing: Check out the full line-up here

There are so many excellent bands playing at ArcTanGent this year, it’s hard to pick favourites! As you all know, at Get In Her Ears, we focus on female, non-binary and LGBTQ+ talent, so beneath the official line-up poster below, there are some in depth recommendations about bands who we have championed via our website, Soho Radio show or live nights in recent years.

We have no doubt that these artists will put on a phenomenal show too: HEALTH, Devin Townsend, Russian Circles, SWANS, CONVERGE, Spurv, Deafheaven, PETBRICK, A Burial At Sea, Loathe and Birds In Row. You can get to know them all better by listening to our accompanying Spotify Playlist at the end of this feature.

BRUTUS

This heavy trio from Belgium will definitely be a festival highlight. We spoke to Brutus’ drummer and vocalist Stefanie Mannaerts ahead of the release of the band’s third album, Unison Life, back in 2022 and she spoke eloquently about the sheer determination that went into creating their strongest record to date. We also caught Brutus’ live at The Garage in London on their UK tour later that year, and they blew us away with their thunderous, triumphant, self-possessed sound. We overheard someone refer to Stefanie as “Bjork on drums,” which we think is an immense compliment. Read our full interview with her here.

CLT DRP

It feels cliche to say it, but Brighton trio CLT DRP (pronounced ‘clit drip’) are a band that need to be seen live to be fully appreciated. Blending punk vocals with wild, idiosyncratic guitar FX and phenomenal drumming; Annie, Scott and Daphne have an unparalleled energy when performing on stage together. We got caught up in the mosh pit for one of their four(!) sets at The Great Escape Festival in May, and we’ve only just recovered from it. We can’t wait to hear their upcoming album, Nothing Clever, Just Feelings, in full when it’s released in September.

STRAIGHT GIRL

This Leeds-based electronic artist is responsible for the first ever stage invasion at a Get In Her Ears gig! if that’s not incentive enough to turn up early for their DJ set on Wednesday, we don’t know what is? They filled the room with candid, chaotic queer joy and fierce synth-driven noise when they headlined for us at The Shacklewell Arms in East London in July. Checkout out some excellent pics that photographer Cassie Barnard took of them here.

TOKKY HORROR 

We still haven’t seen the formidable TOKKY HORROR play live, but we’re sure their wild blend of punk, rave and dance music will be a sensational experience not to be missed. We spoke to producer Zee earlier this year about the band’s latest EP, KAPPACORE, and the their ethos of making space in music for marginalised folks and making the mosh a safe and inclusive place. Read the full piece here.

ROLO TOMASSI

After almost two decades of playing together, Sheffield-based five-piece Rolo Tomassi have a distinctive sound that keeps their fans coming back for more. We caught them live at Camden’s Electric Ballroom in February, and we were dazzled by Eva Korman’s elastic vocal range, which was made all the more potent by the crystalline, visceral walls of sound her bandmates conjured.

We were also deeply impressed by their support act; genre-defying, Phoenix-based four-piece Holy Fawn. They have a collective intuition for balancing perfectly timed, blissfully noisy drop-ins alongside more shadowy, majestic sounds. This state of emotional flux is something the band captured on their recent album Dimensional Bleed, and it’s one that translates beautifully in a live setting.

NEW TALENT

These artists are completely new to us, but we recommend you check them out too:

GGGOLDDD, Chinese Football, Cultdreams, Svalbard, Bones Of Minerva, Pupil Slicer, LOS SARA FONTAN, Mountain Caller, Other Half, Parachute For Gordo, Heilung, Liturgy, Ashenspire, Lack The Low, Lys Morke, Witchsorrow, The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, The Callous Daoboys, fakeyourdeath, Naut, Every Hell and Thought Forms.

For more information visit the ArcTanGent official website

Check out our ArcTanGent Playlist below, led by tracks from some of the female & non-binary talent playing the festival this year!

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment