Track Of The Day: Suggested Friends – ‘Cygnets’

Having been completely addicted to Suggested Friends‘ eponymous debut release over the last couple of years, and having being utterly charmed by them at numerous gigs in that time, I couldn’t be more excited to hear that they have just announced the release of their second album.

To coincide with the announcement, Suggested Friends have shared new single ‘Cygnets’. With totally dreamy harmonies and the distinctive heartfelt crystalline vocals of Faith Taylor, it’s filled with an infectious jangly scuzz and stirring raw emotion, complete with some impressive rollicking riffage. Of the track, Faith explains:

“This song documents the uneasy process of learning to trust yourself and therefore also trust other people. It refers to ‘digital birds’ because my bird-sound alarm clock mixed in with the sounds of the actual dawn chorus and became a metaphor for discerning which messages and voices to believe.”

‘Cygnets‘ is accompanied by a home-taped video filmed in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, on the band’s recent 2018 US tour date. Watch now:

I just can’t get enough of Suggested Friends, and cannot wait for their new album Turtle Taxi, which is set for release on 4th October. Catch Suggested Friends live:

26th September – Metronome, Nottingham (supporting Camp Cope)
9th October – Shacklewell Arms, London (album launch show)
12th October – The Old Cold Store, Nottingham (Nottingham Pop All-Dayer)
25th October – DIY Space For London (Weenfest)

 

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

Premiere: Party Fears – ‘Dog Star’ (Rookes Remix)

What better news of a Thursday than to find out that two of your favourite artists have teamed up for an epic new release… ? And that’s the case today, as we have the honour of sharing the brand new remix of Party Fears‘ track ‘Dog Star’, by electro pioneer Rookes.

With eight years’ live experience under her belt (including two gigs for yours truly!), Rookes is set to release her second EP Liminal later this year, and is known for creating immersive electro-pop soundscapes. Party Fears have also wowed us live, and initially formed in South Korea by Irish native Maggie Devlin. Now Berlin based with co-founder Eilis Frawley, they continue to create their unique, jangling art-pop sounds.

This latest edition of ‘Dog Star’ oozes whirring, glitchy hooks and luscious layers of sound, creating a sweeping, glistening soundscape complete with throbbing bass-lines and showcasing the allure of Devlin’s captivating vocals. Interweaving a range of sonic elements to create an anthemic, majestic wall of sound, the remix adds an eerie, propulsive energy to the already soaring power of the original, leaving you utterly spellbound.

Listen to Rookes’ remix of ‘Dog Star’, for the first time, here:

 

‘Dog Star’ is out tomorrow 16th August. Make sure you also keep an ear out for Rookes’ upcoming EP, Liminal, and Party Fears’ next single ‘Ok. No Problem’, set for release in early Autumn.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

 

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Gold Baby – ‘500/1’

Originally from Nottingham, London-based artist Siân Alex, aka Gold Baby, has been charming us with her sunny charisma and catchy offerings for some time. Now, with Gold Baby having gone through several incarnations, Siân has stepped up to lead guitar, the Sylvia Plath inspired band-name becoming a source of strength for her – “I am the pure gold baby. Out of the ash I rise with my red hair and I eat men like air.” Currently consisting of Siân and Scott, with other musicians stepping in to help with live shows, Gold Baby has shared a shimmering new single.

Flowing with luscious, crystalline vocals and gentle glistening melodies, ‘500/1’ sees Siân in conversation with a younger, doe-eyed version of herself, bitterly measuring up the years that have passed between them: “All I’ve learned is duller ways to waste my time”. Oozing a delicate romanticism and layers of jangling guitars, the track builds to an anthemic, emotion-strewn chorus, showcasing Gold Baby’s ability to create perfectly catchy, confessional indie-pop.

It’s simply impossible not to be swept off your feet by the silky smooth allure and subtle emotive power of Sian’s vocals, and I can’t wait to hear what Gold Baby have in store for us next.

 

‘500/1’ is out 10th July. Catch Gold Baby live at The Shacklewell Arms on 15th July.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Sarah Currie

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Foundlings – ‘Caught Up On You’

Following acclaim for their previous singles from the likes of BBC Introducing’s Tom Robinson and BBC 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, and having charmed us with their twinkling live set at The Finsbury, Brighton/London band Foundlings have now shared another new track taken from their debut EP.

Oozing all the dreamy vibes you could ever desire, ‘Caught Up On You’ is a truly uplifting slice of heartfelt indie-pop. With shades of the likes of Best Coast or Real Estate, gentle whirring melodies accompany Amber’s luscious, honey-sweet vocals, making it impossible to resist Foundlings’ sparkling, sunny charm. And, apparently, it’s the band’s first song featuring a full-blown guitar solo… What’s not to love?!

 

Foundlings’ eponymous debut EP is out now via Last Night From Glasgow. Stream on Spotify now. And catch them live supporting faves Suggested Friends at The Cavendish Arms on 27th June.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

 

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Mammoth Penguins – ‘I Wanna’

Following previous releases Hide and Seek and John Doe, and having supported the likes of Adult Mom and Swearin’, Cambridge trio Mammoth Penguins have now signed to Fika Recordings and announced the release of their third album There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win. 

Taken from the album, new single ‘I Wanna’ is filled with all the jangly, joyous goodness we’ve come to expect, with the raw, distinctive vocals of Emma Kupa oozing a sunny charm and twinkling romanticism. With its hugely relatable lyrics for anyone that’s ever been a bit in love, alongside shimmering, dreamy melodies, it’s an instantly catchy slice of lush indie-pop that leaves me with butterflies in my stomach, longing to hear more of Mammoth Penguins’ fuzzy, scuzzy loveliness. Of the track, Kupa explains:

“‘I Wanna’ is a super simple song about how liking someone can unlock a load of creativity and energy… and suddenly there are so many possibilities and so much potential, and life becomes way more fun.”

 

There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win, the upcoming album from Mammoth Penguins, is out 26th April via Fika Recordings, pre-order here. And you can catch them live for yours truly at The Finsbury on 12th April – we can’t wait!

Mari Lane
@marimindles

 

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

Introducing Interview: CHILDCARE

Having received acclaim from the likes of The Line Of Best Fit and BBC Radio 1, softcore-psych group CHILDCARE have returned with the release of their new single ‘Bamboo’.

With Emma Topolski taking the reins as lead vocalist, ‘Bamboo’ is an instant indie-pop anthem, filled with scuzzy hooks, luscious harmonies and an infectious psych-driven haze.

We caught up with the band to find out more…

Hi CHILDCARE, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about the band?
We’re a four piece softcore-psych band from London that are really very good.

How did you initially all get together and start creating music?
I started the band a few years ago when I was working as a nanny, hence the name CHILDCARE. Over time I got these guys involved; Emma the bassist I met at a party, Rich the guitarist I knew from other bands and Glyn the drummer I met on a mini golf course.

Your new single ’Bamboo’ is out very soon – can you tell us what it’s all about?
‘Bamboo’ is a metaphor for ego. It’s about understanding the relevance of it but recognising how it can be limiting and that most of our mental difficulties are as a result of having an ego.

You’ve been compared to the likes of Everything Everything and Our Girl, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
Well loads of stuff, I guess most decent guitar music from the last fifty years, so let’s say Pixies and Radiohead, but melodically and harmonically also R’n’b, Beyonce etc.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
Local is a slightly tricky word in London, though obviously we have mates in bands we go and watch. And yeah I go to a fair amount of gigs, last three big ones were Pixies, Kendrick Lamar and LCD Soundsystem.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
Guided meditation, dangerous guitars, weeping fans and strong poses.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
Check out Lazy Day who just supported us on tour, I’d describe them as psych-grunge.

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
In London it’s pretty difficult, but I used to live in Leeds and it was a lot easier there. You’ll have more luck making a name for yourself somewhere smaller. As to the music industry, well there’s no money for very new acts really, so just be prepared to work on your own and fund everything yourself for a few years.

Finally, what does the rest of 2018 have in store for CHILDCARE?
Finish album, play two gigs in London on 14th and Manchester on the 16th, get better at table-tennis.

Massive thanks to CHILDCARE for answering our questions! 

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

EP: Argonaut – ‘The New Argonaut EP’

Whilst the original Argonauts were heroes of ancient times, sailing off on an epic quest in search of mythic treasure, the more singularly named Argonaut represent a group of indie-pop heroines creating their own musical treasure. Since releasing third album Forever last year, the band have undergone a line-up change, incorporating additional female members including former luminaries of legendary indie groups Hefner and Monochrome Set and UK Riot Grrrls Linus. Despite that lineage, the five-piece are still true to their DIY roots, The New Argonaut EP was recorded near live at Bally Studios with reassuringly light production.

The Riot Grrrl + indie-pop sandwich structure of the band is reflected in the EP’s running order. Opener ‘You Are’, with its gutter-deep bassline, Slits-style harmonies and choppy lead guitar, has a sinister and bitter irony in its simplicity. “You are a beautiful creature” is the refrain in the chorus – a celebration of women, possibly, or maybe also a comment on the less than charming ways men like to describe them. Closer ‘Girl Talk’ reprises the deep-bass and slashy guitar, but in more praiseworthy, upbeat style. It’s middle-eight handclaps are soulful (and almost gospel) in nature, before its closing coda goes into Le Tigre anthemic electro-rock, underscored by a swirly guitar line that shimmers before crunching the EP to a close.

Inbetween are two classic slices of off-kilter indie-pop. The first, ‘Since Yesterday’, is a cover of Glasgow duo Strawberry Switchblade’s song of the same name. Where the original was an electronic melange, this is a stripped-back version with the synths replaced by guitar feedback. It’s a reminder of the inherent contrast at the heart of twee indie: beautiful harmonies meeting angular post-punk experimentation. Following the cover is a return to one of Argonaut’s own songs – ‘March!’, taken from Forever. With its swoopy, pleading vocals, crooning guitars and deliriously contrasting male backing vocals, the track could be plucked directly from the Sarah Records back-catalogue.

Released on Analogue Rock – run by one former bassist, Joules – and available exclusively through KeyMailOrder – run by a different former bassist, Paul, The New Argonaut EP is indie through and through. The band’s press release, penned by their own guitarist, even mentions that the band had stormed through the recording session in just six hours: two hours less than originally booked. And, if it’s not the most slick and stately voyage you’ll ever embark on, at least with Argonaut, you’re not going to feel fleeced.

The New Argonaut EP is out 24th August, order it here. Catch Argonaut live at Byline Festival this Sunday, 26th August.

John McGovern
@etinsuburbiaego

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment