NEW TRACK: Grandmas House – ‘Desire’

A smouldering blend of charged riffs and commanding beats, Bristol punk trio Grandmas House have shared their latest single ‘Desire’. Taken from the upcoming new EP, Who Am I, which is set for release on 3rd March via Brace Yourself Records, the track is inspired by the disorientating power of romantic infatuation.

Formed of Yasmin Berndt (vocals, guitar), Poppy Dodgson (vocals, drums) and Zoë Zinsmeister (bass), Grandmas House combine gritty guitars, thudding percussion and a joyful dose of sarcasm to create their catchy punk inspired anthems. The band released their self-titled debut EP in October 2021, which covered everything from dismantling the patriarchy, celebrating queer love, to a penchant for local pasties. Now, Grandmas House are back with their new single ‘Desire’, and another collection of songs that tackle topics such as body image, identity and disassociation, and negatively stereotyped zodiac signs.

“‘Desire’ is about meeting someone new and being immediately intrigued by them,” the band comment about their new song. “It focuses on the confusion surrounding infatuation and trying to keep yourself grounded at the same time.” Berndt’s raucous voice rises and falls alongside Dodgson’s backing vocals and blistering beats across the track, whilst Zinsmeister’s rumbling basslines enhance the all-consuming yearning that’s explored in the lyrics.

The single is accompanied by a monochrome video, directed by Oliver Mallory. The visuals feature Frankie Darwin and American writer, poet and friend of the band Savannah Brown, who end up clashing over an unusually intense game of chess.

Grandmas House will be celebrating the release of their new EP with a UK headline tour this March. Full dates are listed below. Grab your tickets here.

Watch the video for ‘Desire’ here:

Grandmas House UK Tour Dates 2023
3rd Mar – Liverpool, UK – Kaz Stockroom
4th Mar – Bristol, UK – Exchange
9th Mar – Leeds, UK – Oporto
10th Mar – Glasgow, UK – McChuills
11th Mar – Sheffield, UK – Sidney & Matilda (Basement)
16th Mar – Leicester, UK – Duffy’s
17th Mar – Manchester, UK – YES (Basement)
18th Mar – Cardiff, UK – Clwb Ifor Bach (Downstairs)
23rd Mar – London, UK – The Victoria
24th Mar – Brighton, UK – The Hope & Ruin

Follow Grandmas House on TikTok, bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: The Famous Daxx – ‘Treetops’

A deceptively light tune, ‘Treetops‘ by The Famous Daxx has layers you won’t notice at a glance. Inspired by fairy tales, the song has a playfulness in its music combined with heart-wrenching pain in the lyrics, which deconstruct the stories we take for granted as being light-hearted just because they are told to children.

‘Treetops’ is set long after the story of Hansel and Gretel’s abandonment by their father. It is sung from Gretel’s perspective as she laments the death of her brother at his own hand, after finally succumbing to the trauma of his childhood. The song makes a statement about masculinity and mental health, and its impact on men’s lives, whilst also being an exploration of how it feels to love someone struggling with their mental health and the conflicting, long lasting emotions that tragedy can trigger.

It’s a gentle song; the vocals are soft, and flow delicately over almost playful slide guitars. The sorrow in the words and the darkness of the subject matter overall is hidden by the air of lightness in the music, which itself acts as a challenge to our perception of stories. Much like the original tale, the sweetness of the sound masks the suffering at its core.

‘Treetops’ doesn’t have a happy ending. In the same breath that Gretel resolves to speak out, she fails to break the cycle – “This time I will speak my mind / I open my mouth but nothing comes out” – leaving her pain lingering in the air. The track is profound, but doesn’t pretend to have answers to the helplessness Gretel feels; it laments that all Gretel’s love ultimately couldn’t save her brother from his pain, and knows there isn’t an easy solution that can be condensed into a three minute song. But it leaves you with the undeniable conviction that it’s worth the work it will take to find one anyway.

‘Treetops’ is out now, ahead of The Famous Daxx’s upcoming debut EP TFD.

Kirstie Summers
@actuallykurt

Photo Credit: Hannah Mason

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Five Favourites: Electric Pets

Having previously received acclaim for catchy singles ‘Don’t Leave Me’ and ‘That Way‘ from the likes of BBC Introducing, Emma Buckley, Phil Wagg, Adam Grace and Pete Darrington – aka Electric Pets – have today released their second EP, Elephant. Showcasing front woman Emma’s raw, impassioned vocals and the band’s trademark gritty, scuzz-strewn musicality, it’s a collection of garage-infused rock anthems, all propelled by a fierce energy and empowering spirit.

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 Elephant, we caught up with Emma Buckley of Electric Pets to ask about the music that has inspired her the most. See below for her choice of her five favourite albums.

Lucia & The Best Boys – Cheap Talk
Lucia, now known as Lucia & The Best Boys have been on my radar since 2018. I came across ‘Summertime’ on a playlist and fell in love with their in your face, feel-good, indie-pop sound. Their discography combines big ’60s pop choruses with punk riffs. Lucia’s vocals have the perfect blend of sweetness and angst which sit perfectly on a bed of grunge guitars. I respect the bolshy synth work and fully support the themes of female empowerment. Oh, and of course I’ll never get tired of seeing a female front woman in an over-sized blazer playing the electric guitar!


Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam – I Had A Dream That You Were Mine 
It was actually Phil (lead guitarist in Electric Pets) who introduced me to this masterpiece. Leithauser, lead vocalist of The Walkman and Rostam, founding member of Vampire Weekend and in my opinion one of the greatest indie-rock producers of his generation. This collaboration features a variety of vintage production that inspired some of the influences of soul & early ‘rock n roll’ you hear in Electric Pets. It never conforms to the verse-chorus structure and doesn’t dwell on lyrical content. This album played a large part in my ability to trust the natural flow of a song’s narrative. It taught me not to get hung up on the story and appreciate a song in its entirety.

Bon Iver – 22, A Million
This album marked a shift in my appreciation for the art of production. As much as I’d been party to an indie-folk outfit, I’d never heard influences of hip-hop and electronic music fuse with folk in this way. Before this album, I was impressed mostly by a story and a hook but Bon Iver’s production transported me to different world. After getting over the initial meditative state I found myself in when listening, I naturally attempted to dissect the layers of instruments and their place in the ensemble. This album represents the power music has to shift a mental state for me. It’s obscure and none conventional but beautifully peaceful.

P!nk – I’m Not Dead
It wasn’t Pink’s recorded material that impressed me, but her spellbinding live performance. I was eleven when I received tickets to her Misunderztood tour as a birthday gift. I had a pre-conceived idea she was like any other female RnB/pop star but stood corrected. A singer, songwriter, performer, instrumentalist and true trailblazer. She had it all – a complete force of nature. She redefined the concept of a popstar and commanded the stage like a born rockstar. I made it my mission to go to as many of her tours as I could, which over the years have turned into acrobatic masterpieces. P!nk’s ability to combine show-stopping spectacles with simple, acoustic masterpieces are what make her truly unique. Off stage, she’s committed to her community and has inspired a generation to embrace themselves for exactly who they are – a message that shaped my youth and a baton I hope to carry for others.

Eminem – The Eminem Show
I’m not exaggerating when I say ten year old Emma lived for this album. It was the first time I truly understood the power of words when it came to expressing pain and evoking emotion through music. Most girls my age were busy dancing to the Spice Girls (which I was very much party to) but. in the comfort of my own room, I meticulously studied the lyrical genius that formed these troubled verses from Eminem. I think part of the excitement and charm was that I definitely shouldn’t have been exposed to such narrative at that young age but as my Dad always said –  “Emma, this is art and I won’t restrict access to art whatever your age… Just never tell your mother!”

Massive thanks to Emma for sharing her Five Favourites with us! Listen to current single ‘Show’ below:

Elephant, the brand new EP from Electric Pets, is out today via Reckless Yes. Buy/stream on Bandcamp now, and make sure you catch Electric Pets live at their first headline show on 18th November at West Hampstead Arts Club.

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Track Of The Day: Maria Uzor – ‘Over This’

Following last year’s EP Innocence and Worldliness, and recent spellbinding singles ‘Solitaire‘ and ‘Winner‘, GIHE fave Maria Uzor has now announced the release of her upcoming new EP, due out next month. Having wowed us with the sparkling energy of her live show at the Shacklewell Arms this summer, and with acclaim from the likes of Amy Lame and John Kennedy, we could not be more excited about this… !

Taken from the EP, new single ‘Over This‘ ripples with woozy, seductive beats before building to a fierce, cathartic cacophony pulsating with a gritty energy. Reflecting on a time of reclaiming your identity and being honest with your emotions, the track whirrs with a glitchy splendour as Maria’s distinctive honey-sweet vocals flow. Shimmering with an immersive grace and dark, captivating power, it’ll grab your ears with its ferocious allure and keep you firmly in its hold with its deep empowering drive. Yet another offering from the Norwich-based artist that showcases her ability to create utterly unique, instantly engaging, resplendent electro-pop. Of the track, Maria explains:

“Lyrically it’s about reclaiming parts of yourself after a period of silencing yourself and your experiences to keep other people safe and unchallenged in their ignorance. It can be an isolating thing to go through, and I wanted to write as though I was speaking to myself, or anyone else who may have felt silenced due to race, sexuality, or gender identity; I needed reminding that I wasn’t alone.“

‘Over This’ is accompanied by a totally DIY video, shot by Maria in her living room; perfectly portraying the song’s theme as it plays with the idea of repetition and monotony. Watch it here:

Songs For Luminous Living, the upcoming EP from Maria Uzor, is set for release on 9th December via Hey Buffalo Records.

Mari Lane
@marmindles

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