Introducing Interview: King Hannah

Having been massive fans of Liverpool duo Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle – aka King Hannah – for a couple of years now, we’re extremely excited to hear about the release of their debut album, I’m Not Sorry I Was Just Being Me, later this month. And, with acclaim from the likes of The Guardian, Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan already under their belts, it seems as though this year is going to see big things for them.And, with their knack for creating a beautifully atmospheric musicality, paired with Merrick’s trademark rich, sultry vocals and a spellbinding, iridescent splendour, the album promises to be a truly compelling listen.

We caught up with Hannah and Craig to find out more about the album, what inspires them and what’s next… Have a read!

Hi King Hannah, welcome to Get Inn Her Ears! Are you able to tell us a bit about how you initially started creating music together?
Craig: We met when working in a bar together, but I had seen Hannah performing at a university band night a few years before and she had blown me away with how good she was. So, we quite quickly got to talking about music and got along really well, then eventually we would meet up before night shifts and play music together. It was a very slow, natural process for us – getting to know each other, figuring out what we liked in music and how we wanted to sound.

I’ve been a big fan of your exquisite, spellbinding sounds for some time, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
Thank you so much! And thank you for being so supportive for so long, longer than anyone else! You were one of the first sites and radio shows to shout about ‘Creme Brulee’, back when we self-released it!! Our influences change a lot from month to month, but our biggest influences at the minute are artists like Bill Callahan, Mazzy Star, Courtney Barnett, PJ Harvey, Silver Jews… People who make honest, real music.

You’ve just announced the release of your debut album I’m Not Sorry I Was Just Being Me – which is so exciting! Are you able to tell us a bit about it? Are there any particular themes running throughout the album?
Yeah, we are super excited! And nervous, but mostly excited. We wrote, recorded, mixed and mastered the record in about eight months, which is really quick for us. It was full on. There are no intentional themes; we didn’t set out to write about anything in particular, but there is a definite feeling of nostalgia and sentiment on the album, and quite a few of the songs tend to be about childhood and memories and the warmth that they bring to us.

Do you have a favourite track on the album? And if so, why?
C: I have a few! I’m really liking one called ‘Go-Kart Kid (HELL NO!)’ at the minute. I remember Hannah showing me this song on her acoustic and being blown away, I felt like I was right there with her during her childhood, her writing is so vivid and personal. I just love it. And then it also has this grungy, sludgy, 90s end that is really loud and aggressive. It has a bit of everything that we like in music.
Hannah: I’m big into that one too but also really like ‘The Moods That I Get In’ and ‘A Well-Made Woman’. When touring the UK last October, we experimented a little with a few of the songs live, ‘The Moods That I Get In’ being one of them and it completely grew into this body of work that no one expected. And I just love ‘A Well-Made Woman’ as it’s so dark and sounds like it’s from the 90s… well it does to me at least! Plus Craig’s guitar work is phenomenal, as always.

How have you found recording and promoting an album during these strange times?
Well, we have nothing to compare it to really! The recording process was probably helped by the fact the world wasn’t fully open – it gave us more time to devote to the writing and making of the album, and we used that as much as we could.

How is the music scene in Liverpool at the moment? Would you say live music has made a full recovery after the last couple of years?
We have weirdly never really felt a big part of the Liverpool music scene. We’ve always just quietly done our own thing, building towards this. I don’t think the music scene has fully recovered – some people are still rightly apprehensive about being in crowded spaces, and gigs can be cancelled at such short notice if cases rise or someone tests positive. We think that uncertainty and apprehension will be lingering for a long time over live music, unfortunately.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other upcoming artists or bands you’re loving right now that you’d recommend we check out?
C: I don’t know what the cut-off for ‘new’ music is, but I’m in love with a band called Babehoven at the minute, and their album Nastavi, Calliope. I think they’re based in Portland, and they make this beautiful, lo-fi, intimate music. Their latest single ‘Fugazi’ is on repeat in my bedroom right now.
H: I’m absolutely shocking for discovering new artists… It’s something I really need to get better at!! When I ‘discover’ an artist, I later discover that they’ve been around since the ’90s!

In addition to the album release, what does the rest of the year have in store for King Hannah?
C: We have our first ever EU tour and our first ever US tour coming up! Which is so surreal, it still hasn’t sunk in that we will be playing in all these wonderful places.
H: Totally!! We often get asked how all of this feels, but honestly, it’s all happening so fast that we very rarely actually sit down and chat the whole thing through! It’s a whirlwind and we’re so incredibly grateful. Thank you so much for having us and again, for your continued support!! You guys are the best!!

Massive thanks to Hannah and Craig for answering our questions!

King Hannah’s debut album I’m Not Sorry I Was Just Being Me is out this Friday, 25th February via City Slang. And, for a taster, watch their latest video for spellbinding single ‘All Being Fine’ here:

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Five Favourites: Dyan Valdés

Having been involved in the music industry for twenty years, Berlin-based Cuban-American artist Dyan Valdés has played in esteemed bands such as The Blood Arm and Die Sterne, and has just released her poignant debut album, Stand. Written at home during lockdown and made with an exclusively all female team, the album offers immersive reflections on both political and personal issues. Fusing together a post-punk ethos with delicately shimmering soundscapes, the album flows with gritty layers of synth and driving beats alongside Valdés’ luscious vocals – a truly stirring collection.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of her new album, we caught up with Dyan Valdés to ask about her “Five Favourites” – five songs that she loves and have inspired her sound. Check out their choices below and scroll down to watch the video for latest single ‘Irregular’.

Bratmobile – ‘I’m in the Band’

I came of age in the ‘90s, when Riot Grrrl was at its height. As an adolescent and young teenager, I suddenly started seeing girls on stage, being loud and taking up space – it was hugely formative for me. After the pendulum swung back in the other direction and hyper-masculine music started to take over the mainstream again, it was too late…I already knew what we were capable of! So it was a huge honour when I got to interview Bratmobile singer and Riot Grrrl co-founder Allison Wolfe in 2020 on my old radio show, The Mexican Radio Radio Show on KCRW Berlin. During our chat, she talked about writing lyrics that connect the personal and political, about having the courage to present herself and her opinions exactly how she wanted to, and about how meaningful it was to work with an exclusively female team on the festival she co-founded, Ladyfest. Our conversation lit a fire under me, both in terms of what kind of music I wanted to make and how I wanted to make it. Inspired by her, I chose to work with a team of women at every level of my project – production, management, promotion, artwork, video, and so on.

Bratmobile have a great back catalogue, but I chose this song because it speaks out against a music industry that implicitly and explicitly tells women that we don’t belong here, which is something Allison and I talked about in our interview. I love how playful the song is, you want to dance and sing along to it – it’s not easy to make a protest song that is so much fun, I hope I was able to do it on my record once or twice too!

Kate Bush – ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ 

‘Running Up That Hill’ is one of my all-time favourite songs, it’s undeniable. Almost every moment of every track of that recording is a hook – the production is incredible. Her performance is so unique and 100% her, you get the feeling that she wasn’t holding anything back. I listen to this song a lot anyway in normal times, but I thought about it a lot from a songwriting perspective when I was working on my record. I was worried that if I allowed too much emotion to come through the songs, the end result would somehow be cheesy. Kate Bush was able to walk that line perfectly – this song is emotional, honest and deeply moving without ever coming across as trite. I also found the music very inspiring. I played everything on my album myself, and since I’m trained as a pianist, it was natural for me to gravitate towards a keyboard- and synth-heavy sound with beats that I either programmed or played myself on a keyboard. Naturally, that made me move towards an ‘80s sound, not only because I loved the style but because I could play it with the instruments I had! This song was an important sonic reference for the album, and I love her beautiful and powerful vocal performance.

Peaches – ‘Fuck the Pain Away’

Peaches is an incredible artist and performer. She also lives in Berlin, and I’ve been fortunate to see her perform in both small and very large-scale settings. She is always bold, unapologetic and in-your-face in a way that is somehow not intimidating at all, but rather inviting and cathartic. Her presence is always commanding, whether she is in a lo-fi stripped-down setting (like in the context of the simplicity of this song) or surrounded by dozens of dancers and musicians on a massive stage. I love her message that everyone – regardless of gender, sexuality, size, age or whatever – has a right to be loud and proud about who they are and who they want to be. I also find her career trajectory really inspiring – she is constantly pushing new boundaries in her work and refusing to be shuffled off to irrelevance. She’s running a marathon, not a sprint, and as a woman working as a professional musician for 20 years now, I really appreciate seeing other women with longevity.

I brought Peaches’ music in as a reference to my producer Julia Borelli. Little did I know, Julia was also working with the musician/producer Maya Postepski (Princess Century), who plays drums live for Peaches. We brought Maya on board to co-produce the album, so I’d like to think that there is some Peaches magic on the recording. Maya will also be playing drums with me when I play live, so Peaches and I will be sharing a drummer. What an honour!

Tracy Chapman – ‘Fast Car’

This is another one of my all-time favourite songs, which I can listen to on repeat every day and never get sick of. The music and melodies are simple and beautiful, and are so effective at making the lyrics feel like a thumb pressing on a bruise on your heart. Tracy tells a sad story in such detail – I think oftentimes songwriters try to abstract their experiences in order to appeal to a broader audience. But what Tracy does brilliantly is make a very singular story feel universal, which I think is only made possible by telling a story that is true and specific, with extreme honesty and vulnerability. I struggled a lot with writing about painful past experiences on my record, I didn’t know whether they would resonate with other people or whether I would even have the strength to open up about them at all. ‘Fast Car’ was like a light guiding me down that path, showing me a way to tell stories that might hurt but that could ultimately end with a hopeful message, like Tracy’s song does.

We recorded my album at a studio on the Spree River in Berlin, and took breaks sitting by the water and watching the sun set. There was a busker on the other side of the river who played ‘Fast Car’ every day, sometimes more than once. My producers, Julia and Maya, and I developed a really emotionally close bond during the recording process – something I’ve not experienced before when working on a record. Whenever the busker played this song, we just sat together and listened closely, smiling at each other and feeling all the feels. I like to think we carried that energy from ‘Fast Car’ back into the studio with us.

Fleetwood Mac – ‘Landslide’

I listened to a lot of Stevie Nicks when writing this record, in particular her solo songs ‘Stand Back’ and ‘Edge of Seventeen’, which had a musical vibe that I really wanted to incorporate into my sound. I love her strength as a singer and how powerful those songs make me feel. But ‘Landslide’ ended up having the most direct effect on the recording.

We were struggling with getting the right vocals for my song ‘Fade Away’- I kept delivering a more powerful vocal performance, and my producers Julia and Maya wanted something more vulnerable from me. We took a break for a long lunch and talked about the meaning of the song: it is about looking around you and having the courage to say “this isn’t good enough,” about realising that you are trapped yet having hope that things will change. We came back and then dimmed the lights in the studio and did a guided meditation together, watched a video of ‘Landslide’ (at their suggestion, they didn’t know I had a personal connection to the song: this was my parents’ wedding song that I had previously recorded a cover of with my dad). Julia asked me if I thought that Stevie sounded vulnerable, and I said yes, of course. Then she asked if I thought she sounded weak, to which I replied, absolutely not! “See?” she said, “there’s strength in softness.” With the lights still low, she had me close my eyes and do the lead vocal again, in one single take. When I got to the end of the song, Maya’s face was covered in tears. That was the take that we used on the album. ‘Fade Away’, the ‘Landslide’ version!

Massive thanks to Dyan Valdés for sharing her Five Favourites with us!

Stand, the new debut solo album from Dyan Valdés is out now, via R.I.P Ben Lee Records.

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Track Of The Day: Cage Park – ‘Hand Me Downs’

A brooding reflection on the time you spend lingering in the gap between leaving college and starting university, Birmingham-based indie outfit Cage Park have shared their latest single ‘Hand Me Downs’. The title track from their new EP which the band plan to release later this year, ‘Hand Me Downs’ is a coming-of-age tune that navigates the restlessness of youth.

Formed of Reuben Saunders (drums), Leo White (guitar), Edie Mist (bass and vocals) and Arthur Belben (vocals), Cage Park met at secondary school in 2017 whilst playing as part of the school’s rock and pop ensemble, but they’ve moved on musically since then. As the band have grown up side-by-side, it seems fitting that ‘Hand Me Downs’ documents this coming-of-age-process.

Born from the push and pull that comes with wanting to make a mature decision, but also wanting to enjoy moments of freedom, Cage Park blend yearning dual vocals, swirling riffs and post punk inspired beats to extrapolate on this wired feeling. The lyrics explore the many mundane and juvenile things we do – “small-talking / hand shaking” – to pass the time when we’re waiting for life to happen.

“The track was written around the recent changes in our lives,” bassist & vocalist Edie explains. “It’s about leaving college and taking gap years. Wanting to move towards adulthood but still ending up on the sofa watching cartoons.” Cage Park express this sentiment with relatable and exasperated flair, holding on to the comfort of their past before their futures unfold.

Listen to ‘Hand Me Downs’ below.

Follow Cage Park on Apple Music, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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PLAYLIST: Galentine’s Day 2022

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 into one eclectic playlist. We’re all about self-love and 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 Day. (Mari Lane)

Problem Patterns – ‘Gal Pals’
Having been fans of Northern Irish band Problem Patterns for some time now, my love of them has skyrocketed since they headlined our gig at The Shacklewell Arms in December. Oozing a swirling energy and fierce, infectious passion, they united the crowd in solidarity with both their righteous anger and vibrant, joyous sense of fun. ‘Gal Pals’ offers a perfect sentiment for this Galentine’s – celebrating female friendship and the mix of feelings that comes with it. (ML)

Petty Phase – ‘Different For Girls’
Southend’s Petty Phase aka Jen, Rosie & Alyx were guests on our radio show a few years ago and they played a GIHE gig at The Finsbury back in 2018 too. We loved their riot grrrl inspired sounds and rumour has it they’re set to play some more shows this summer. Bassist Alyx has also been busy co-hosting the excellent We Wear Black podcast alongside Sophie K and Yasmine, talking about all things in the rock & alternative scenes. Definitely check it out. (Kate Crudgington)

Big Joanie – ‘Used To Be Friends’
The GIHE team are huge fans of Big Joanie who work tirelessly to make the punk scene a more inclusive and diverse space. Not only that, they’ve got a debut album full of lo-fi punk bangers that we’ve listened to many times. Check out Sistahs today and keep up to date with all the amazing work they do on and off stage by following them on Twitter. (KC)

Charmpit – ‘Bridges Go Burn’
Charmpit’s ‘Bridges Go Burn’ is not so much a celebration of friendship as an empowering ode to moving on from toxic relationships and standing up for yourself. But I think this sentiment is super important when celebrating the ones you love. As I’ve got older, I’ve realised the necessity in cutting ties with damaging people, however many fond memories you might share with them; life really is too short to surround yourself with people who don’t lift you up and make you feel good. In the words of the band: “It can take time to burn a bridge, especially when it’s guarded by a troll. You can forgive yourself for taking the time you needed to exit that toxic relationship. And when you exit it, you can write a pop banger so it ain’t so dang depressing!” (ML)

WILLOW – ‘transparent soul’
How many times am I going to say “I am living for the pop punk revival!” on a GIHE Playlist? (at least once more.) WILLOW’s debut album Lately I Feel Everything is full of emo bangers and this track featuring Travis Barker on drums is no exception. (KC)

Brimheim – ‘hey amanda’
An ode to friendship in all its bittersweet glory, I love this track by Danish alt-pop artist Brimheim. Taken from her sublime debut album, can’t hate myself into a different shape, it’s a celebration of platonic love, brimming with nostalgic lyrics, warm guitar sounds and tender vocals. (KC)

VERO – ‘Beg!’
Fuelled by the anger left behind by a flawed relationship, VERO’s debut single ‘Beg!’ is saturated with brooding bass lines, swirling riffs and stinging lyrics. I LOVE it and can’t wait to hear more from the Stockholm-based trio this year. (KC)

Softcult – ‘Gloomy Girl’
I’m a big fan of Canadian twin siblings Phoenix and Mercedes Arn Horn aka Softcult, who create swirling, grunge-infused songs about inequality & sexism within the music industry. This track ‘Gloomy Girl’ is a more introspective offering, giving listeners a glimpse behind the veil of depression. It’s a tentative musing on the ominous feeling that you’re “wasting away” whilst going through a period of poor mental health. Their recent EP Year Of The Snake is also well worth a listen. (KC)

Aye Nako – ‘Nightcrawler’
This melodic tune from Brooklyn-based queer punks Aye Nako popped into my head the other day and it’s been on a loop ever since. The song is about unpacking difficult memories, but Aye Nako deliver it in their quirky, upbeat style. (KC)

SASAMI – ‘Say It’
This industrial-tinged “rage dance anthem” from SASAMI is 100% a bit of me. Taken from her upcoming album Squeeze, which is set for release on 25th February via Domino, SASAMI explains: “I feel like when I hear this song I see a hot femme with a mystical flamethrower engulfed in emotional blue flames throwing elbows alone in an industrial dance club in outer space.” Mate, same. (KC)

M(h)aol – ‘No One Ever Talks To Us’
I was blown away by M(h)aol’s powerful post punk sounds when I saw them live at The Shacklewell Arms last year, and this track was a real highlight. Taken from their debut EP Gender Studies, it’s a brooding, much needed antidote to toxic patriarchal standards. (KC)

Self Esteem – ‘How Can I Help You’
I don’t know why chanting along to “I don’t know shit!” throughout this Self Esteem song is so cathartic, but I fully recommend doing the same. Rebecca Lucy Taylor has proved she’s an alt-pop icon twice over with her album Prioritize Pleasure, and this track in particular is my favourite. (KC)

Wet Leg – ‘Too Late Now’
Best friends Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers aka Wet Leg look like they’re having a blast touring their tongue-in-cheek indie bangers across the country. The GIHE caught their debut headline show at Omeara last year and knew they’d be icons from the moment they walked on to the stage to ‘Concerning Hobbits’ from The Fellowship Of The Ring soundtrack. I really, really enjoy the lyrics in this track, especially the line: “I don’t need no dating app to tell me if I look like crap / to tell me if I’m thin or fat / to tell me should I shave my rat.” Their self-titled debut album is set for release on 8th April and I can’t wait to hear it. (KC)

ARXX – ‘The Cat Song’
I couldn’t not include a song from total faves ARXX in this playlist celebrating friendship and love, as Hanni and Clara are two of the loveliest folks in the world – and their love of each other is evident in everything they do. ‘The Cat Song’ – as well as paying homage to our feline friends – 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)

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)

Chromatics – ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’
A great cover of a great track, need I say more? (TW)

Elodie Gervaise – ‘Free Babe’
One of my favourite discoveries of 2021: mixed beats, intricate synths and electronics from French-Australian artist Elodie Gervaise. When I first played this song I described it as some kind of audible light show. Elodie Gervaise’s EP, Syzygy (undoubtedly my word sound of the year) is great – go listen if you haven’t heard it yet! (TW)

ML Buch – ‘I’m a Girl You can Hold IRL’
This song is taken from Danish electro-pop musician ML Buch’s album Skinned which came out in 2020, but I spent a lot of the winter break listening to it so thought I’d share it with you all in 2022. I love its futuristic techno electro tones and all the FEELINGS. (TW)

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)

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)

Sheryl Crow – ‘All I Wanna Do’
Having just celebrated her 60th birthday, Sheryl Crow has been a hero of mine from a young age. With her perfectly catchy anthems, she’s been my go-to uplifting soundtrack over the years. This song reminds me of dancing around the kitchen with my oldest friend during carefree times, and it still makes me wiggle and sing-a-long on each listen, over 20 years later. (ML)

Girl Ray – ‘Friend Like That’
An ode to friendship, ‘Friend Like That’ flows with the trio’s colourful energy, 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)

Fightmilk – ‘Overbite’
As the raw emotion and distinctive smooth-yet-husky charm of front-person Lily’s vocals deliver a heartwarming sentiment (“You don’t have to smile if you don’t want to darling, you’re perfect as you are”) alongside scuzzed-out riffs and an infectious, shimmering energy, Fightmilk have created the perfect, alternative fuzzy love-song. A totally joyous ode to your best pal or lover, or both, it offers another slice of blissful power-pop from one of my favourite bands. Fightmilk headline for us at The Shacklewell Arms on 25th March and we can’t wait! Tickets on DICE. (ML)

BAXTR – ‘Grace On Fire’
Reflecting on the feelings of helplessness that come with seeing someone you love suffer, ‘Grace On Fire’ is a sweeping slice of alt-pop. Propelled by an uplifting energy, it’s a wonderfully anthemic ode to looking out for your friends – as singer Floss expands: “These days, I try not to overlook those simple yet precious 3 words that did so much to help douse my own flames… ‘are you ok?’” BAXTR were due to play their first ever gig for us on 24th February, but have sadly had to pull out as one of them is currently recovering from surgery – we’re sending them all loads of love and Galentine’s wishes, and look forward to them playing for us later in the year! (ML)

Carole King – ‘You’ve Got A Friend’
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. (ML)

Jackie Shane – ‘Any Other Way’
I know I’m guilty of adding this tune to multiple GIHE Playlists, but it’s so good I can’t help it! Jackie Shane’s wonderfully smooth vocals, sophisticated style and defiance in the face of transphobia in the early ’60s make her a true GIHE icon. Whenever I hear this song, I think of using it as an opening track to many a GIHE radio show, sitting next to Tash & Mari in the studio, chatting about our favourite music on air (and laughing at my penchant for sad girl bangerz off air too.) This tune is dedicated to them both and to all of our followers who keep GIHE going. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Big love. xxx (KC)

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