EP: Something Leather – ‘Midnight Reverie’

Like stumbling through a distorted, pleasant daydream; Brighton trio Something Leather‘s debut EP, Midnight Reverie, is a cinematic blend of old and new sounds. Released via We Can Do It Records on 17th April, the band have created four tracks showcasing their talent for crafting psych-infused music, that explores the dark and the light within us all.

Formed of Phillie Etta Jane (vocals/organ), Greg Pass (guitar) and Mike Nussbaum (drums), Something Leather have been cutting their teeth on the London & Brighton live circuits for a few years now. The vintage 70’s Philips organ that Phillie plays is fixed up with old parts of her grandmother’s first colour TV, and combines perfectly with Greg’s distorted guitar, and Mike’s rhythmic drum beats. Engineered, mixed and produced by guitarist Greg, and mastered by Tim Rowkins at Hell Yeah! Mastering; Midnight Reverie is the product of the band’s hard work so far.

A smouldering, existential exploration of where we are, vs where we want to be; opener ‘Trip To The Sun’ is loosely inspired by the character of Icarus from Greek mythology. The band articulately describe the context of the track as “a sarcastic take on the ‘Fall of Icarus'”. It deals with our constant desire to escape from a deadly routine, and the fear that pushing too far might consume you. It has a frenetic pace, western B-movie shootout feel and layers of post-punk and Psychedelia on top.”

A dark, swirling mix of distorted guitar riffs and eerie organ noises, ‘Farewell Fareworse’ was born from the anxious thoughts surrounding co-dependent relationships, and the need for self autonomy. “It’s a bitter ode to personal traps and never-ending dilemmas” explains Phillie. The trio navigate this bitterness with impressive energy, over crashing beats and hypnotic vocals.

The solitary, strung out sounds of ‘Midnight Dive’ bring a change in pace, as Phillie muses about “going to the beach without my baby”. It’s a cinematic, moody lullaby; reminiscent of early Wolf Alice tracks like ’90 Mile Beach’. The dysfunctional, disorientating ‘Down Another One’ closes the EP with a blur of whispers, startling organ noises, and whirling guitar riffs.

Midnight Reverie is an impressive, polished debut from this exciting Brighton band. Drawing from the past, but rooted in the present; Something Leather’s EP is a frantic carousel of noise that will have you circling back for multiple listens.

Follow Something Leather on Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Jessie Morgan

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Forever Honey – ‘Twenty-Five’

A buoyant, reflective guitar tune that contemplates growing older; Brooklyn band Forever Honey have shared their latest single, ‘Twenty-Five’. Lifted from their debut EP, Pre-Mortem High, set for release on 24th April, the uplifting track is accompanied by a set of visuals directed by Shayan Farooq & Tristan Oliveira.

Formed of Liv Price (lead vocals, guitar), Aida Mekonnen (lead guitar, vocals), Steve Vannelli (drums), and Jack McLoughlin (bass); Forever Honey blend elements of 80s pop music and 60s rock, together with personal experiences to create their shimmering indie tunes. ‘Twenty-Five’ is a shining example of this, with its jangly guitars and cool vocals.

The track’s context is rooted in gently helping women to accept that the ageing process is not something to be feared, it should be embraced, celebrated and spoken about; as it’s an inevitable part of life. The band’s video for ‘Twenty-Five’ reflects just that. Watch it below, and follow Forever Honey on Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Pre-order your copy of Forever Honey’s debut EP, Pre-Mortem High, here.

Photo Credit: Kit Castagne

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

LISTEN: MAVICA – ‘Ada Road’

“You ask me how I feel about it, I feel it’s time to burn it down” MAVICA tentatively reveals on her latest track, ‘Ada Road’. Taken from her upcoming EP, Send Me To The Water, set for release on 24th April via Hidden Track Records; the London-based, Spanish songwriter explores feelings of doubt on this latest offering.

Originally from Cartagena in Spain, MAVICA (aka Marta Casanova) blends elements of indie, pop, and folk to create her emotive, smooth sounds. Since the release of her debut EP Gone in 2019, she’s performed at Mad Cool and Vida Festival, as well as supporting the likes of Roo Panes, Blanco White, and Alice Phoebe Lou on their tours. Now, with a second EP on the way, MAVICA is concentrating on moving forward, and accepting that change isn’t always a bad thing.

She explores this beautifully on ‘Ada Road’, as she eloquently explains: “I wrote ‘Ada Road’ when I was moving out of my old house. I was desperate for a new home, and felt very lost. It felt like I was jumping into an abyss of nothingness and it was a really scary time, where I didn’t know if it was worth staying in London or not. Because of this uncertainty, I felt like my creative output was changing and I didn’t quite understand where it was going, where I was going. I was born in a small town in the South of Spain where the sea is a big part of life there. In this song, I talk about sending me back to the water. When everything was going wrong in London, all I wanted was to go back home to the sea. That anxiety almost crushed me and I wrote this song to get it out, like I needed to expel it in some way.”

MAVICA’s talent for turning personal difficulty in to ear-melting, honest tunes is what makes her music so captivating. Her moving vocals and considerate lyrics, fused with both folk and pop elements in the chorus make ‘Ada Road’ an affecting, but enjoyable listen. Watch the accompanying video for the track below, and follow MAVICA on Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

#ThrowbackThursday: GIHE w/ Indian Queens 16.11.17

Due to the current lockdown/coronavirus situation, we’re unable to make it in to the Hoxton Radio studio to broadcast our live new music show from 7-9pm for the foreseeable future.

We have plenty of past shows to share with you though! We’re going to start sharing some #ThrowbackThursday sessions, so you can still enjoy 2 hours of new music, and chats with some of our favourite artists each week.

Today, we’ve picked our November 2017 show with Jennifer O’Neill from Indian Queens. The band are set to release their debut album God Is A Woman tomorrow (3rd April) via Cool Thing Records, so we thought now would be a great time to re-visit our chat with Jen.

Music highlights from Bikini Kill, Average Sex, Gold Baby, MALKA, Edits and…Jennifer Paige #crush

Listen back to the show here:

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment