Introducing Interview: Kidsmoke

Having played at SXSW earlier this year, as well as receiving support from the likes of The Line Of Best Fit and BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq, welsh band Kidsmoke have now shared infectious new single ‘She Takes You Under’. A dreamy and uplifting slice of shoegaze-tinged indie pop, it marks them out as definite ones to watch.

We caught up with Sophie from the band to find out more…

Hi Kidsmoke, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about the band?
Hey! Sophie here, I play lead guitar and sing backing vocals in Kidsmoke – thanks for having us.

How did you initially all get together and start creating music?
Lance (lead vocals/guitar) and James (bass/vocals) met when they were four at primary school and have been in bands together since they were teenagers. I grew up not too far away from them, so when they were looking for a lead guitarist a few years ago, a mutual friend put me forward. A few months later, the drummer left to take on a new job and I drafted in Ash, who I met at uni and knew would be a perfect fit!

Your new single ’She Takes You Under’ is out very soon – can you tell us what it’s all about?
‘She Takes You Under’ is a dream-pop mini-epic and has been a live favourite of ours for a while now as it’s so much fun to play. It’s definitely influenced by an ’80s aesthetic, which you can hear in the jangly guitars, synths and rhythms. You can hear in it our love for groups like The Cure, Prefab Sprout and Wild Nothing. Lyrically, the song is about dealing with your demons in order to move forward; being at odds with yourself and being aware that issues need addressing, but feeling reluctant to go back down the rabbit hole.

 

You’ve been compared to the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club and Sunflower Bean, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
There are a lot of influences between the four of us. We all have quite varied tastes but are ultimately just completely obsessed with music and are glued to Spotify 99% of the time. I’d say major influences on Kidsmoke would be The Beatles (which is where our love of vocal harmonies comes from), The Smiths, Kate Bush, David Bowie and Wilco. Songwriting is really important to us, hopefully you can hear that in our music, which means that we’re always trying to write something that would be interesting to us if we were listening as an outsider.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
We’re quite lucky to be pretty close to Manchester and Liverpool, which tend to be where touring bands go for the bigger venues. We are based in Wrexham, North Wales which is home to FOCUS Wales music festival and conference, which takes place every year in the town. We feel super proud to have FOCUS on our doorstep, they’re doing such great work with putting Welsh music on the map and it just keeps getting bigger and better. We recently joined them and several other Welsh bands to showcase at SXSW, which was an amazing experience!

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
Loads of energy, some questionable dancing (from me…) and the happiest drummer you’ll ever see.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
We’d definitely recommend checking out Denuo, Seazoo, Enni The Little Brother, Baby Brave and if you haven’t already (you probably have) we’re all big fans of Boy Azooga. Personally, I’ve been digging out a load of old Sleater Kinney stuff in anticipation for their new album – can’t wait for that!

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
It’s certainly not easy, the industry isn’t in the same place as it was even a few years ago, but we believe in what we do and we have loads of fun doing it. It’s easy to get bogged down and frustrated about progress, but you just have to try and take the positives as they come. For example, we’re just adding the finishing touches to our debut album at the moment, which we’ve done pretty much independently because we figured that if we wanted it to happen then we could make it happen. Also, being part of Kidsmoke has meant that we’ve been to places and met people we never would have otherwise, so it’s worth the hard work for that alone.

Finally, what does the rest of 2019 have in store for Kidsmoke?
We’re playing a special showcase for Big Indie’s Big Nights in London on 12th June, which we’re really excited for as we are releasing ‘She Takes You Under’ in conjunction with them. We’ll be doing a bunch of gigs over the summer and finalising the release details for our debut album. We’re so excited to release the album, it’s been a long road but we’ve had some great support along the way (thanks PRS Foundation, FOCUS Wales and Horizons Cymru) and we can’t wait to share it with everyone!

Massive thanks to Sophie for answering our questions!

‘She Takes You Under’ is out now via Big Indie Records. Catch Kidsmoke live at Two Tribes Brewery on 12th June.

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Introducing Interview: Tia Gostelow

Having supported the likes of Frightened Rabbit and The Rubens, Brisbane-based artist Tia Gostelow creates compelling, heartstring-tugging ballads, capable of taking your breath away with her soaring, rich vocals.

Gostelow has just released emotion-strewn new single ‘Blue Velvet’, so we caught up with her to find out more…

Hi Tia, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hey! Thanks for having me. I’m a 19 year old singer-songwriter from Brisbane, Australia and I’m currently touring Europe!

How did you get started creating music?
Well, I’ve been singing and playing guitar since I was seven and I started writing songs when I was about fourteen. I remember seeing Taylor Swift when I was really young and thought that I wanted to be exactly like her!

Your debut album Thick Skin is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about? Are there any themes running throughout the album?
I wrote Thick Skin between the ages of fifteen to eighteen, and for me it was honestly just about what I had experienced in those years. There is a major theme throughout most of the songs being a social issue called ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’, meaning a tendency to discredit those who have achieved great things in life. I felt like throughout high school I wasn’t supported by my friends in my music career, and it was nailed down to jealousy and bitterness and it really got to me. I felt like I didn’t have any friends, I felt like I wanted to quit music because what’s the point if even my best friends aren’t proud of the things I’m doing? I’m so glad I stuck it out and kept pursuing music, but it was a really tough thing to go through and I think the title ‘Thick Skin’ says it all.

You’ve been compared to the likes of Mallrat and Nina Nesbitt, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
What amazing ladies to be compared to! I’m not sure if I have any particular influences, but I do listen to a lot of Billie Eilish, The Growlers & BROODS at the moment.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
The Brisbane music scene is great, everybody is so supportive, and it’s small so if you need something or some advice you’re sure to find it! I see so much live music, when I’m not playing shows or at one, I work at a live music venue, so I’m always around it.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
A really diverse set and some dancing and sing-a-longs!  

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
I would definitely suggest I Know Leopard, their newest record is insanely good.  

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 think that it’s always going to be difficult to get noticed, this industry is hard and there are thousands of people trying to get to the same place, but I think were in an era where there is so many resources and so many people to help you get to where you want to be.

Finally, what does the rest of 2019 have in store for Tia Gostelow
Lots of touring, writing and recording!

Huge thanks to Tia for answering our questions! 

Thick Skin, the debut album from Tia Gostelow, is out now.

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Introducing Interview: Pi Ja Ma

If you haven’t yet heard of Pi Ja Ma think dreamy Parisian alt-pop with a heavy helping of humour and sixties sparkle. Having racked up several million of streams from their debut EP, we caught up with Axel and Pauline to talk about their debut album Nice To Meet U, their gig at Rough Trade East and what motivates their records.

Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about how Pi Ja Ma started?
Axel: We met each other on the internet in 2015 – I saw a video on YouTube where Pauline was singing a cover of the velvet underground ‘Femme Fatale’. I tried to contact her via email and then we met. I played her some songs and we talked a lot about our lives and laughed and drank a lot of teas. We immediately connected. Then everything happened very fast; we’ve recorded a few songs that we loved and sent them to a small label called Bleepmachine, we decided to work together for our first EP Radio Girl to see what happened… Reactions were great so we started to play live, then we signed a licence deal with a bigger label (Cinq 7 / Wagram Music) to release the album Nice To Meet U.

As a visual and DIY artist can you tell us about the interaction of your illustrations and art with the music that you have created – do they lean on each other or do you find one takes the lead in the creative process?
Pauline: Music and illustration make a beautiful couple – they are very different but are both an animal way to express yourself. I couldn’t choose between these two. Drawing was easier for me at first but then I began to sing, and it was also very natural doing that everyday. I like to think about the full project with music, drawings, videos etc…

Nice To Meet U album cover

You debut album Nice To Meet U came out last year to a great reception, with your music being described as “evolving fantasies and nostalgic daydreams, encouraging the listener to step back in time to the 1960s” – how would you describe the record?
Pauline: It was very easy making this record with Axel. Just after we met, we spent a lot of time talking and making jokes. We were inspired by the same artists like The Beach Boys and Mac Demarco. We had a lot of fun, I hope it will be the same for the second album!
This record talk about simple topics like shitty love stories and feeling weird in your own family. It contains a lot of positive vibes and people tell me that it makes them happy so I feel like we’ve succeeded in what we set out to do!

We loved your tracks ‘Vertigo’ and ‘I Hate U’, which we’ve played on the radio show, and love the videos -can you tell us a bit more about the videos and how they link together?
Pauline: Every time we finish a song, I have images in my head. I try to explain my story to a director and then we make the video together. I like to add drawings and animations to videos because it’s a part of me I can directly put in the reality of the images.
The story begins, I’m in the skin of a sad man who’s trying to let it go and act crazy in the street. He meets his double, a guy who represents a rock’n roll version of him. At the end of the video he’s back in his normal life, drinking whisky and watching TV, and then the second video begins and I’m in the skin of a vintage pop star who’s gonna go crazy in her way too. Both songs are talking about the same topic, which is difficult break ups and moments when you feel crazy and just want to “tout foutre en l’air”.

Can you tell us a bit more about the evolution of your music from your Radio Girl EP to Nice To Meet U?
Axel: Well it was the same process for the EP and the album. I was recording songs at home, then I would send them to Pauline, and if she’d like it (which happened most of the time luckily) we started to talk about it and what we would like to talk about. At the beginning, I was writing the lyrics alone translating our discussion into lyrics, but more and more we started to write together. Production-wise we kept the same process that worked on the first EP, which is making most of the things at home, to keep our own sound. Apart from drums, and strings, everything was homemade. That’s what we like, to keep it simple.

Your music covers a variety of topics including gender, youth, isolation and failed love with a gentle intensity mixed together with humour – does that reflect your general outlook on life and response to cultural experiences and societal pressures?
Yes. That’s a pretty good sum up of our philosophy. It’s great feeling that people can understand that, just listening to our music.

You’re currently on tour and have just played both Rough Trade East and the Southbank Centre (two iconic London venues) – how were they?
Axel: Rough trade east was great! People were so kind with us, and the gig was fun. That place is amazing, it’s inspiring. I would love to work in that shop, I’m sure I would get many ideas from all the great music they play most of the time.
Pauline: I’m always very well surprised by the warm welcome English people give us everytime we come to England, it’s a great feeling when people can understand each one of your words, even the jokes between the songs. Even walking down the streets in London feels amazing, because of the open-minded way of life there. I mean, what people wear, the way they are smiling much more than French people, and how they organise more cultural activities in the heart of the city.

You’ve previously played London including The Moth Club in East London how have you found the reception this time?
Moth club was one of our first gigs, and we were quite shy back then, now we improvise much more and feel more confident and it makes the show greater!

What’s the rest of 2019 got in store for Pi Ja Ma?
As we’re touring, we’re thinking a lot about our second record. We get constantly inspired by what we see, who we meet, and what we’re listening to. We already have a few songs and can’t wait to do more.

Finally, as we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new/upcoming bands or artists you’d suggest we check out?
We love Halo Maud who’s a friend of ours, and who helped write a few lyrics on the album. Her music is great and she’s signed to a British label (Heavenly Records). You should check her out. Also, you should check Musique Chienne, Pauline’s latest crush is Creatures, who we saw at Old Blue Last just after our gig at Rough Trade East.

Nice To Meet U is out now.

Tash Walker
@maudeandtrevor

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Introducing Interview: Soia

In the run up to her new release, Where Magnolia Grows, we caught up with Viennese Soia to get to know her a bit better.

Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about how you got started as an artist?
Thanks! I started my first band when I was 18 with my ex-boyfriend who got me into hip hop, before I was mainly into 60s and 70s fusion jazz and klezmer. When I met the producer Mez years later we started working on the Soia project. It was all accidental.

Are you currently based in Vienna? How do you find the music scene there – is there much collaboration?
Yes, I have been living in Vienna for almost 20 years now. There are a lot of high quality musicians in Austria, a lot of highly skilled jazz musicians that wonder off to NYC one at a time. I recommend artists like Lylit, Schmieds Puls, Ruff pack, Jahson the Scientist, Esches, Oliclusive and more.

We’re loving your latest single ‘Run With Wolves’, can you tell us a bit more about what inspired this?
The song’s lyrics are about not minding so much what other people think of you and not letting yourself be categorised by others. For the video, we collaborated with the performance artist Mirabella Paidamwoyo Dziruni, as the lyrics reminded me of her unapologetic approach to queer and anti racist activism.

It’s taken from your upcoming album Where Magnolia Grows, out on 29th March – how was the making of the album and how best would you describe it in one sentence?
The album was a lot of work and somewhat challenging for everybody involved. I hope it all pays off with the quality we were aiming to provide. Once everything is finished you can reflect and appreciate it again, but in the process it can be wonderful and painful at the same time.

What can fans expect from your live shows, and more importantly are you planning on coming to the UK anytime soon??
I might come to the UK sooner than expected. Our live show is very intimate, and different every time. I love being on stage with the band! We try to make it a whole new experience so it sounds different than the production.

Finally, as we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new/upcoming bands or artists you’d suggest we check out?
I’m not the hippest up to date music digger, but I love listening to Allysha Joy, Solange, Mac Miller and Georgia Anne Muldrow at the moment. Also always the NYC fam like Black Spade, P.U.D.G.E. or Cavalier. I’m super excited for Kiefer’s new album coming up. The rest of my current music mood is mostly gems like Curtis Mayfield and Donny Hathaway.

Thanks Soia! You can check out more from Soia via Instagram and Soundcloud

 

Photo Credit: Ina Aydogan

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