LISTEN: GIHE on Soho Radio with Julia-Sophie (19.08.24)

Tash and Kate were back on Soho Radio playing loads of new music from some of their favourite female, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ artists. Mari offered some of her “musical musings” too. They spoke about having a brat summer, Tash’s hectic holiday schedule and Kate’s excitement for Gazelle Twin’s upcoming appearance at Birmingham’s Supersonic Festival in September.

Kate also caught up with Anglo-French electronic artist and GIHE fave Julia-Sophie to talk about her debut album, forgive too slow. Released via Ba Da Bing Records at the end of July, Julia spoke earnestly about the challenges she faced when creating the record and the joy she felt when Sharon Van Etten reached out via Instagram to say that she had been listening to it.

Artists featured on the eclectic playlist included Problem Patterns, Lipsticism, Midwife, Berries, HUSK, Ideal Host, Maria Uzor, Moonchild Sanelly, Hello Mary and more.

Listen back to the show below:


 

We’ll be back on Soho Radio on Monday 16th September from 12-2pm
 Make sure you tune in via www.sohoradiolondon.com

Tracklist
FKA Twigs – Two Weeks
Charli xcx – Club Classics
Lipsticism – Free
Clinic Stars – Only Hinting
Maria Uzor – What You Need
Moonchild Sanelly, Self Esteem – Big Man
Sequela – Zavander
Hello Mary – 0%
Problem Patterns – I Think You Should Leave
Ms Ray – Signs
Baby Cool – The Sea
Ideal Host – Dust Collector
Nina Eba – 13
Julia-Sophie – Wishful Thinking
**Interview with Julia-Sophie**
Midwife – Rock N Roll Never Forgets
Planningtorock – Smalltown Boy
Gazelle Twin – A Door Opens (Live)
Berries – Watching Wax
Tex – Sound of You
Folk Bitch Trio – Analogue
Um, Jennifer? – Went On T
Husk – Open Waters
Desperate Journalist – Afraid
Cherry Blur – Cool About It
Portishead – Glory Box

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ALBUM: REWS – ‘Meridians’

A raucous ode to persevering in the face of adversity and making yourself stronger in the process, Northern Irish songwriter Shauna Tohill aka REWS has created a gritty lament to hard-earned resilience on her latest album, Meridians. An empowering blend of heavy riffs, defiant vocals and pop-rock melodies, Tohill effortlessly delivers her assertive, cathartic energy across each of the album’s eleven tracks.

The follow up to 2020’s full length record Warriors, the independently released Meridians rings out with REWS’ trademark passion, mettle and charisma. A reflection on her experiences as a woman in the music industry, the pitfalls along the way and the strong mindset that’s born from carving out your own path, Tohill’s songs chime with a complimentary mix of relatable strife and carefree infectious attitude.

Kicking the album off with the driving beats and grinding riffs of ‘The World That You Left Behind’ and ‘Pretty Face’, Tohill asserts herself with two riotous statements of self autonomy. This is something which permeates Meridians. The album’s title alludes to both “a circle of constant longitude passing through a given place on the earth’s surface” and a practice in acupuncture referring to the “set of pathways in the body along which vital energy is said to flow”. Tohill has evidently been mindful of this, as Meridians flows with her vibrant, tenacious spirit.

This is best observed on cathartic anthems ‘Breathe Into Me’, ‘Not Your Soldier’ and ‘Lock Your Horns’, on which she overcomes feelings of exhaustion, burnout and indecision and transforms them into brooding pop-rock melodies. The songwriter’s vocals are the lifeblood of the album, her voice as commanding in its quieter moments as it is at full volume, highlighted at several points on the record. Tracks like ‘Misery’ and ‘Tears Of A Lion’ fluctuate between vulnerable lyrics in verses and powerful riff-heavy choruses, which makes for invigorating listening. The aptly named ‘On My Back (Giant’s Roar)’ sees Tohill flex her vocal range superbly, and will no doubt be a highlight when heard in a live setting.

Fuelled by the desire to liberate herself and encourage listeners to reject the expectations of others in order to live an authentic life, Meridians marks a new era of independence for REWS. Tohill has always provided her fans with with hefty riffs and chant-worthy choruses on her previous records, and the anthems on Meridians flow in that same vital vein.

Buy your copy of REWS’ new album Meridians here

Follow REWS on Spotify, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

REWS UK Tour Dates 2023
Wed 25th Oct: The Forum, Tunbridge Wells
Thurs 26th Oct: Bear Cave, Bournemouth
Fri 27th Oct: West End Centre, Aldershot
Sat 28th Oct: The Exchange, Bristol
Sun 29th Oct: Bodega, Nottingham
Mon 30th Oct: The Grace, London
Tues 31st Oct: Deaf Institute, Manchester

Wed 1st Nov: Zerox, Newcastle
Thurs 2nd Nov: Classic Grand, Glasgow
Fri 3rd Nov: Key Club, Leeds
Sat 4th Nov: The Live Rooms, Chester
Sun 5th Nov: The Asylum 2, Birmingham

Photo Credit: Shona Cutt

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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NEW TRACK: Mere Child – ‘Don’t Let Me Go’

A delicate rumination on grief and hope, independent artist Aimee Herbert aka Mere Child has shared their latest single ‘Don’t Let Me Go’. Written, recorded and produced in her “poorly soundproofed kitchen/conservatory”, Mere Child’s new track is a tender, atmospheric ode to persevering in the face of adversity.

Herbert started Mere Child as a solo project back in 2016, a few of years after her son was born and after the loss of her father prior to his birth. She felt the need to start writing and recording in a different way after these life events. Going solo seemed to fit with the content of her new songs, which were far more vulnerable and anxiety driven.

She released her first single ‘Not Good Enough‘ in 2016 and began playing live shows in London and Brighton, but the Covid-19 pandemic understandably put a stop to Herbert’s project for a while. Now, she’s back and ready to share her new music, with ‘Don’t Let Me Go’ being the first offering. Mixed and mastered by Julian Tardo at Church Road Studios in Brighton, the track is a poignant reflection on a difficult time. ‘Don’t Let Me Go’ shimmers with its melodic guitars, earnest lyrics and Herbert’s soft, clear vocals, which provide a lullaby-like comfort.

Speaking about her new single, the songwriter explains: “Battling depression and a creative lull, I wrote this song on an acoustic guitar late one evening. It sits somewhere between hope and trepidation. It’s the first new single in three years, with an EP to follow later in the year.”

Listen to ‘Don’t Let Me Go’ below.

Follow Mere Child on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: BLAB – ‘Age Gracefully’

A playful guitar tune that tackles toxic modern day beauty standards, Southend-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Frances Murray aka BLAB has shared her latest single, ‘Age Gracefully’. Released via independent label Cool Thing Records, the track is a lo-fi musing on the unachievable aesthetic ideals that young women are bombarded with via their phone screens, and a gentle reminder not to buy into the bullshit.

“’Age Gracefully’ is an anti-beauty standards anthem for a generation brought up with a distorted perception of reality through social media and insidious marketing,” BLAB explains about her latest release. Following on from her 2021 EP, Word Of Mouth, BLAB continues to reaffirm her anti-establishment, anti-ego message on her new track, sound-tracked by vintage drum machines and buoyant guitar twangs.

Lyrically, BLAB takes aim at everything from Love Island, to wasting your wages on expensive and facials, to the the self-loathing that comes from being relentlessly shown the “picture perfect fantasy” of the daily routines of TV stars and strangers on social media feeds. Rather than being sucked into the despair of it all, BLAB reclaims the natural joy of ageing on her own terms in the chorus, her vocals soaring over her melodic riffs, before resolving that “all that I can be is me / and I’m only a human being” at the end of the track.

This single is the first of many releases that BLAB has planned for 2023, so keep an eye out for more tunes from the Essex-based musician.

Listen to ‘Age Gracefully’ below.

 

Follow BLAB on Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Cameron Russell

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment