Introducing Interview: YINYANG

With her previous single ‘Black Mamba’ being awarded the title ‘Best Song In The World’ from Across The Line with BBC Radio Ulster last year, Irish hip-hop artist Lauren Hannan – aka YINYANG– has now blasted into our ears with immense new tune ‘Bloodhound/Earthbound’. With shades of GIHE fave Noga Erez, the track oozes a gritty energy as the angst-driven power of Hannan’s vocals seethe alongside attitude-fuelled glitchy beats, building with a soulful, soaring splendour.

We caught up with Lauren to find out more…

Hi YINYANG, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello! My real name is Lauren, which is bit more vanilla than YINYANG. I decided to have a pseudonym because YINYANG represents the project better – yin and yang as a philosophy is the concept of dualism, how seemingly opposite or contrary forces can be complimentary and interconnected. This resonates with me as my music is where I channel the dark, fierce energy I have that takes no shit from anyone, but if you met me in real life I’m also just a nice wee, kinda zaney, Northern Irish woman who loves a red wine and her cat Elvis. If you’re into star signs I bet you guessed I’m Gemini, and you nailed it!

How did you initially start creating music?
In my pre-covid life you’d catch me in a field producing festivals, and I’d watch the artists when I got a chance and just have a belly full of jealousy like “why the hell am I not up there? I really want to be up there!” So for me, although lockdown has been shit in many ways, it’s also been a bit of a blessing in disguise because I was able to find time to be able to make the dream become a bit more of a reality – even though I’m still a newbie, it’s the realest it’s ever been which makes me very happy! I found Garageband on my laptop and started making really terrible demos to begin with, I think I spent forever at the beginning just listening to every built in instrument sound to work out what I like, then I turned all the buttons off and on again to see what they do cause I didn’t have a clue what I was doing or what compression is or wtf is EQ?! I spent every single day on GB writing and working out my sound like I was addicted to it. I released my debut single ‘Black Mamba’ last July to just dip my toes in the water and see if anyone liked what I was making, ’cause to be honest I didn’t know what it was, and I still don’t know what genre I am, but people liked it! So I decided fuggit we’ll keep going, and gas levels have been on 10 ever since. 

Your new single ‘Bloodhound/Earthbound’ is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about?
Yes, very excited and nervous all at the same time! It’s basically about protecting your energy. The title is from one of the lyrics “Learn to sniff the bad out of them – Bloodhound, bring your head out of the clouds – Earthbound…” This line hits the jackpot for what I’m trying to say really – sniff out the bad out of the situation and get your head out of this romanticised, fake reality you made up in your mind and into the ugly truth; that this isn’t serving you how it should be, so don’t bother cause you’re really a baddie and ya don’t need crumbs. It’s not just about one particular event in my life, it’s about all of the times I’ve made that same addictive mistake, even when it was in disguise. 

You’ve been compared to the likes of Little Simz and Peaches, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
I’ve got quite a few musical influences that I think will become more apparent with the next few releases: M.I.A. is a constant, Sampa The Great, Ben Khan, Kendrick Lamar and then bands like The Prodigy and Rage Against The Machine. Bit of a mix really, all depends on my mood!

In ‘normal’ times, how is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music
What’s a gig… ? It’s been sooooo lonnnnggg! (Terrible dad joke I’m so sorry!) Yeah, I totally immerse myself in live music and will 100% be going to every gig possible when this is all over. There are some wicked artists in Northern Ireland, a lot of talent there. 

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
Minchanbaby’s ‘Luzzy’ is the soundtrack to my life at the moment. Special mentions to Draper, who’s not new but his new stuff is great and has been going in a new direction from his other material ,so it kind of counts as new. Melahnin, Red Eye Pariah and Rye Milligan. 

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
I guess you could argue that it’s always been hard! But at the moment I think it feels particularly hard because it’s so online focused in 2020/21 as we can’t play live, you could totally drain yourself trying to keep up with promoting yourself on all the socials, thinking of new ways to connect and reach audiences and stay relevant I guess. BUT, that doesn’t make it any less fun! I’m just trusting the process, keeping my head down and working hard, hoping for the best. 

Finally, what does the rest of 2021 have in store for YINYANG?
Oooooohhhh it’s feeling like an exciting year but I’m scared to jinx it! Going to be releasing eight tracks throughout the year and if we can play live shows then I’ll be performing as soon as humanly possible. I’m pretty buzzed for 2021 – a lot of work has gone into it, I have a real good feeling about it and a great team to share it with. 

Massive thanks to YinYang for answering our questions! 

 

Listen to YINYANG’s latest single ‘Bloodhound/Earthbound’ on Spotify now.

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ALBUM: Nova Twins Presents ‘Voices For The Unheard’

A year after the release of their debut album Who Are The Girls?, Nova Twins have returned to share Voices Of The Unheard, a charity compilation LP that’s bursting with righteous energy. Driven by their desire to spotlight the work of underrepresented artists of colour in the heavy music scene, the duo (formed of Amy Love and Georgia South) have put together a blistering collection of alternative anthems that showcase an eclectic, tenacious range of talent.

Following their ‘Voices For The Unheard’ Spotify Playlists, an open letter to the MOBO Awards and their online conversations about racism and sexism in music, Nova Twins naturally gravitated towards curating an album that followed up these narratives. Dr Martens Presents (a multi-disciplinary initiative supporting emerging creative talent) brought their idea of a record to life, providing the funding for the physical release of the compilation on limited edition vinyl via Blood Records. Voices For The Unheard is only available for pre-order until 1st March and all profits will be donated to The Black Curriculum, a charitable initiative working to get black history on the UK school syllabus. It’s a deeply political record in many ways, but it’s also a gargantuan distraction from these important issues too.

Amy & Georgia kick things off with their thunderous single ‘Taxi’, filled with Nova Twins‘ trademark distorted bass lines, jagged riffs and ferocious lyrics. Narrowing the track-list down to twelve must have been tricky, as their stellar Spotify playlists include songs by Ho99o9, Bob Vylan, Sampa The Great and Rico Nasty, but the band have tried to give a platform to artists who are rooted in their underground scenes, whether that’s in the UK or further afield.

‘All My Friends’ by Canadian four-piece The OBGMs is a manic mix of punk and garage rock, followed by the gritty charm of Connie Constance‘s ‘Monty Python’. Her track is probably the quietest on the record, but her skill for subtle song-writing punches just as hard as the the visceral metal & hip hop beats on ‘Cross Me’ by Dallas-based UNITYTX. The track burns with corrosive fury, the final lyric “This is rock music motherfucker!” epitomising what Voices Of The Unheard is all about.

The thumping beats and pulverizing synths on ‘Goatmeal’ by New Yorker LustSickPuppy and the intense punk & rap cacophony ‘Scared’ by duo Death Tour both blitz by in under two minutes. Guttural groans, strung out vocals and feverish riffs fuel ‘Aggressive Evolution’ by Liverpool-based Loathe, and their fury is matched by the genre-defying sounds of ‘Green Vision’ by New Yorkers Oxymorrons, who dominate the ear drums from start to finish.

Brit trio Pussycat and The Dirty Johnsons keep things rolling with their classic rock rhythms on ‘Ain’t No Pussy’, followed by the dense beats and incredible vocals on ‘Trouble’ by North Carolina-based queer/trans artist Khx05, who impresses more each time they’re listened to. Washington rapper Zhariah mixes glitchy beats and candid lyrics on the biting ‘Bitch Boy’ before the infectious rhythms of black feminist punk trio Big Joanie bookend this eclectic mix of rap, rock, punk, metal and electronic music. We’ve waxed lyrical about how much we love Big Joanie before on GIHE, and the infectious rhythms on their Hermitage Works live rendition of ‘Fall Asleep’ still have us chanting the chorus in unison every time.

Listening to Voices for the Unheard should rile you up and re-energise your appetite for heavy music. The album showcases a group of artists who have been galvanized by their individual experiences of discrimination, but who are now united in their attempts to create the authentic, exciting music they wish they had heard growing up. Nova Twins’ battle cry for equality and diversity was loud and clear on Who Are The Girls?, but it’s echoed long after the record’s release. The duo are a force for fun, for fury, and most importantly: for change in an industry that is still dominated by white faces.

You can choose to be part of the solution and help to change this by listening to Voices for the Unheard, following the artists on the track-list and continuing to share the conversations that initially fueled the record’s development.

Pre-order your copy of Voices for the Unheard here.

Click on the name of each artist/band to head to their individual Spotify pages.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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PLAYLIST: Galentine’s Day 2021

Grrrls, it’s one of the best days of the year – GALENTINE’S DAY! Coined by Parks and Recreation character Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler) back in 2010, Galentine’s has since been recognised by girls across the globe and used as a light-hearted platform to celebrate the girls and women who enrich our lives.

To celebrate, we’ve chosen tracks from some of the many female-identifying artists who inspire us and we’ve put them all together in one big playlist. We’re all about self-love & sisterly (not just cis-terly) love today, so scroll down, press play and share the Galentine’s joy!

 

Bikini Kill – ‘Rebel Girl’
This one goes out to my GIHE gals, Tash and Kate! A song about having the coolest best friend, by ultimate heroes Bikini Kill, you should listen to it at full volume and celebrate all the “queens” of your world this Galentine’s. (Mari Lane)

Nova Twins – ‘Thelma & Louise’
An iconic duo singing about another iconic duo! The GIHE team love everything that Nova Twins are about. Not only do they make genre-defying, loud music that makes our cells scream, the pair are vocal about the lack of visibility and support for women of colour in the heavy & alternative music scenes. They’re releasing a new compilation album on Blood Records titled Voices Of The Unheard, which aims to spotlight just some of the amazing artists of colour in the scene who deserve more recognition. Featuring tracks by Big Joanie and The OBGMs, it’s set to be a superb listen and all profits will be going to The Black Curriculum too.  (Kate Crudgington)

X-Ray Spex – ‘Oh Bondage! Up Yours!’
We are all so, so, so excited to see the new documentary Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché that celebrates the life of the X-Ray Spex frontwoman. This track always reminds me of GIHE and  Tash & Mari when I hear it. I’m very grateful for all the hard work and friendship they put into running this platform with me. (KC)

T-Bitch – ‘Dressing Up’
Southend-based feminist punks T-Bitch deliver a much needed dose of defiant self confidence on this belter of a track. If you can’t dress up on Galentine’s Day, when can you? Underscored by a strong and necessary message of support for trans women, ‘Dressing Up’ is a middle finger to anyone who tries to stop you from being your true self. As the band put it: “It’s not about pleasing them, it’s about pleasing yourself / Fuck those insecurities, leave them on the shelf!” (KC)

The Other Ones – ‘Forever Young’
The latest single from GIHE faves The Other Ones, ‘Forever Young’ races with a swirling, euphoric energy, oozing a sunny sense of nostalgia with honey-sweet harmonies and scuzz-filled riffs. This uplifting anthem is an irresistibly catchy slice of shimmering punk-pop, reflecting on how “anything feels possible” when you have the right person with you. (ML)

Diet Cig – ‘Roadtrip’
Flowing with Alex Luciano’s luscious honey-sweet vocals, infectious jangly melodies and all the twinkling energy I need now more than ever, Diet Cig’s ‘Roadtrip’ (taken from 2017 album Swear I’m Good At This) reflects on a fun, carefree trip across the country with friends, with nostalgia-inducing lyrics and an uplifting sunny charm. What I wouldn’t give for a roadtrip with loved ones right now…! (ML)

Chastity Belt – ‘Joke’
This was one of the bands I discovered at the start of GIHE, all those years ago, and it just reminds me so much of what it was like at the start of it all. All these years on here’s to my two GIHE gals Mari & Kate, and all of the jokes we’ve had along the way. (Tash Walker)

ARXX – ‘The Cat Song’
At first listen, a song about appreciating our feline friends (which I have done LOADS throughout the last year, as any of my Instagram followers/Poppy fans will be aware), I think this cute song from our fave gal duo ARXX is also about the love we have for our friends. As Hanni sings “I’m going to hold you up like this”, I think of how my friends hold me up throughout the bad times and good. And there’s added actual cat sounds – what’s not to love?! (ML)

Vagabon – ‘Every Woman’
Over the last year, I’ve completely immersed myself in the soothing sounds of Laetitia Tamko, aka Vagabon. And this song seems the perfect ode to all the strong women in your life this Galentine’s. As Tamko’s rich distinctive vocals soar with a reassuring tenderness, reflecting on how “all the women I meet are tired…” she speaks out for all women who have been told they are not enough as they are, offering a gentle cathartic release for all of us ‘gals’ who are so tired of patriarchal norms. (ML)

Girlhood – ‘It Might Take A Woman’
Tash introduced me to the glorious sounds of Girlhood last year and we were lucky enough to have vocalist Tessa join us for a Zoom chat for one of our radio shows too. I remember the call so clearly, because Tessa’s passion for her music radiated through the screen. She was such a joy to talk to. She also paid me a very nice compliment when I was trying to pose for a promo screenshot we were taking. An absolute babe through and through. (KC)

Queen Latifah ft. Monie Love – ‘Ladies First’
After I kept going on about listening to the Slowburn Podcast about 2Pac & Biggie Smalls, Mari recommended I watch Netflix’s documentary Hip Hop Evolution. It’s an epic look at the origins and development of the genre, featuring big names and many artists I didn’t know anything about. One name that did strike a chord though was Queen Latifah. She released this track in 1989 with Monie Love and it’s a BANGER. The lyrics say it all: “Some think that we can’t flow / Stereotypes, they got to go / I’mma mess around and flip the scene into reverse / (With what?) With a little touch of Ladies First” (KC)

Aretha Franklin & Annie Lennox – ‘Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves’
It it even a Galentine’s playlist if this absolute classic isn’t on it? These two talented women coming together to sing about equality and independence never fails to make me feel good. It may have been released in 1985, but the lyrics are just as relevant today. (KC)

CMAT – ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!’
This charming slice of country-pop from Irish artist CMAT is a heartfelt, witty lament about urban isolation and wanting to be free from societies patriarchal shackles. She just wants to exist with the confidence of a cowboy, unafraid to down a whiskey at the bar and stagger home safely. “Wanna go to my first rodeo, what’s that cracked up to be? / I wanna stop relying on men who are bigger than me” she sings, pining for the freedom that’s naturally afforded to men, but rarely extended to women. I love everything CMAT releases and will continue to stalk her on Twitter for the rest of 2021. (KC)

Piney Gir – ‘Puppy Love’
With fond memories of Piney Gir charming our ears at the last gig we hosted on Valentine’s Day last year, ‘Puppy Love’ oozes a honey-sweet romanticism and shimmering catchy melodies. Nostalgically harking back to the simpler times of crushes and the pain of first (‘Puppy’) love, the track also reflects on the common metaphor for depression – the ‘Black Dog’ – its all-consuming nature, and the struggles of mental health. A poignant and infectious offering, it could just be the perfect, bitter-sweet, accompaniment to the mixed feelings that go hand in hand with the love-filled celebrations of the next couple of days. (ML)

Girl Ray – ‘Friend Like That’
An ode to friendship, ‘Friend Like That’ flows with the trio’s colourful energy as jangly syncopated beats flow alongside the distinctive soothing allure of Poppy Hankin’s vocals and funk-filled pop-inspired hooks, creating a dreamily uplifting offering. Of the track, the band explain: “This is a friendship anthem. Reminds us of a really smashing high five with great contact. In music, friend love is often overshadowed by romantic love and IT’S JUST WRONG. This one goes out to the mates of the world.” (ML)

Chromatics – ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’
A great cover of a great track. ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ always reminds me of a story about this 60 year old Italian woman who walked into her local fire station as she was having trouble with her lock. When the firemen asked the woman where she lived, thinking she’d locked herself out of her house, she lifted her sweater and showed them her chastity belt. (TW)

Beckie Margaret – ‘Divine Feminine’
“’Divine Feminine’ is a song for people who stop you reaching your highest self,” explains Essex songwriter Beckie Margaret. Through her commanding sounds and effortless vocal delivery, Margaret elegantly balances her emotions as she warns those trying to silence her to “stay out of my way.” I absolutely love everything this young woman writes and I can’t wait to hear her debut album, which she’ll be releasing through Cool Thing Records at some point in the future. (KC)

Carole King – ‘You’ve Got A Friend’
Celebrating its 50th birthday this year, Carole King’s Tapestry continues to be one of my most favourite albums. It’s my mum’s favourite too, and I have many memories of singing along with this uplifting message of unity and platonic love with her over the years, both reaching for the tissues when we saw it live in the musical Beautiful. So, this heartfelt anthem goes out to her, my all time favourite gal, who inspires me every day and I miss so much right now. (ML)

CIRCE – ‘Ten Girls’
London based dark-pop artist Circe is inspired by the films of David Lynch, the brutality of Margaret Atwood’s fiction and the soundtracks to Stranger Things and Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo & Juliet. This single takes its title from a quote from The Handmaid’s Tale. Of the track, Circe explains: “[Atwood’s novel] is a poetic but disturbing view of women living in a dystopian oppressive world. This chimes with my own fractured generation of cancel culture, swipes of sex, and revenge porn.” I’m obsessed with Circe’s debut EP She’s Made Of Saints, which is full of sweeping, cinematic gems. (KC)

Robyn – ‘Dancing On My Own’
‘Dancing On My Own’, and what’s wrong with that!? Often I prefer to dance on my own. More space. Robyn is also an outspoken ally for LGBTQ+ rights, and we all know romance isn’t just for the heterosexuals out there! So whether you honour Galentine’s, Valentine’s, or even Palentine’s Day; make sure you have a good old dance. (TW)

Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande – ‘Rain On Me’
I am dying to hear this on a dance-floor at some point! Until then, I’ll settle for my new flatmate Rachel telling Alexa to play it at random intervals during the day. (KC)

Lizzo – ‘Like A Girl’
Turning the common derogatory phrase ‘Like A Girl’ on its head to create something wonderfully empowering, this is another ferociously fun offering from GIHE fave, Lizzo. With references to other powerful women of colour, including Lauryn Hill and Serena Williams, it’s the perfect ode to the power of being female and the power felt when women unite. So, this Galentine’s Day, I’ll leave you with the Lizzo’s words of wisdom: “If you fight like a girl, cry like a girl, do your thing, run the whole damn world”. An ultimate feel-good anthem for women everywhere. (ML)

Lotic – ‘Burn A Print’
With a name that means to “to inhabit rapidly moving water,” Lotic’s chaotic yet fluid soundscapes truly embody her passionate, fighting spirit. Her mission is to “live life to the fullest by not giving a fuck about what anybody thinks” and she communicates that with defiant flair on this track. (KC)

Britney Spears – ‘If U Seek Amy’
I just thought that this Galentine’s Day would be a good opportunity to show some solidarity with wonder woman Britney Spears. I’m sure most of you have heard about the new documentary ‘Framing Britney Spears’ – a film investigating the conservatorship arrangement that has been in place since 2009, declaring Spears unfit to manage her own personal affairs, and the grossly unfair ways in which she has been treated over the years. With her independence being so extremely restricted by a terrifying patriarchal system (and her own father), it highlights the awful ways that society can find to assert control over women. This Galentine’s Day, and all other days, we stand with the #FreeBritney campaign by singing along to one of her most controversial songs. (ML)

Destiny’s Child – ‘Girl’
I re-watched the video for this Destiny’s Child track recently with tears in my eyes, because they’re just so nice to Kelly in it?! The bit where Beyoncé wipes the tear from her cheek… *sobs* This 2004 banger is pure girl power all the way through. (KC)

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Five Favourites: DRAMA

Following a recent sold-out show at London’s Heaven, Chicago duo DRAMA have just released their debut album and are fast becoming firm favourites here at Get In Her Ears.

Fusing together an eclectic mix of house production, jazz-infused hooks and catchy hip-hop beats, DRAMA create poignant offerings reflecting on every day emotion, propelled by the captivating soulful power of Via Rosa’s vocals.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them or influences their writing. We caught up with Via Rosa, who has shared her “Five Favourites” – five albums that particularly resonate with her. Check out her choices below, and make sure you watch their new video for ‘Years’ at the bottom of this post.

Brandy – Brandy
I remember the day my mom took me to Waterloo Records in Austin, Texas. She asked this guy “My daughter wants to listen to hip-hop/RnB can you help me find something for her?” He sent us into the little listening room in the record store and played this album. The minute the first track dropped I looked at my mom like “Yes! I want this!” I played that tape front to back ’til it didn’t play anymore. I just loved it. Looking back, I think it had a lot to do with it being the first album I was allowed to have a say in owning. Before that I was only allowed to listen to what my parents listened to.

N SYNC – *NSYNC
This is obviously me rebelling. I spent so many years listening to my parent’s reggae and mo-town collection that I wanted something completely different. I fell hard for N Sync, later to find out I really fell for Max Martin who was writing everyone’s hits in the ’90s. I mean, how could a young girl not love those catchy heartbreak songs? I had never even been in a relationship and I still somehow felt that shit! Every song was like an open wound. I defended’s honour for many years, and for my 9th birthday my dad bought me tickets to their concert! That changed my life 100% because that show was flawless.

Sade – Live
My mom played a lot of Sade’s music. We would stay up together and watch her live shows on VHS, sometime even dance ’til the sun came up, listening to and watching this album and video. I memorised the set list and all the transitions. I memorised her outfit changes and what she would say between songs and the band solos. Not because I had plans of being on stage, but just ’cause I absolutely loved them. People have compared our sounds and while it wasn’t on purpose, it’s definitely not a coincidence either. If I had to pinpoint a moment and album in life that sparked the fan girl in me, it would definitely be this one.

Ludacris – Word Of Mouf 
This was the first rap album I bought with my own money. I thought the album cover was fantastic because it made me laugh. I’m pretty sure that’s why I bought it, because I definitely didn’t know who he was beforehand. It probably wasn’t the smartest purchase considering I was only about twelve or thirteen at the time. I felt like the coolest kid ever with that album in my collection. He was so animated and funny while still being honest, real and entertaining. It took my parents a long time to let me listen to mainstream rap music, but Ludacris was my introduction to that world, so I’ll forever be grateful for that album. I still think it’s one of the best ever made.

Weezer – Pinkerton 
I had a crush on a boy and he asked me if I had heard of Weezer. I instantly replied “Oh yeah, of course. I love them”, knowing damn well all I only really was NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. I guess I lied because I knew it would make me look cool. I must have been about eight years old or something. But then when I actually did listen to that album I liked it A LOT. The songs are amazingly written! The music is perfect! The cover!? AMAZING. Then there I was, a Weezer fan. The boy crush didn’t last, of course, but I went on to cherish this album for many years. I just think it’s really well put together from start to finish, which is not an easy thing to do.

Massive thanks to Via Rosa for sharing her Five Favourites! 

DRAMA’s debut album Dance Without Me is out now. Watch the video for new single ‘Years’ below:

Photo Credit: Zoe Rain

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