Track Of The Day: Mannequin Death Squad – ‘Super Mental Psycho’

Having previously wowed us with immense offerings such as ‘Blue‘ and ‘Sick’, GIHE faves (and past guests on our radio show) Aussie duo Elly and Dan – aka Mannequin Death Squad – have now shared a riotous new single to coincide with their Summer UK tour (we can’t wait for them to play for us next week!).

Propelled by a gritty, angst-fuelled drive as fierce swirling riffs and relentless thrashing beats rage with intensity, ‘Super Mental Psycho‘ reflects on feelings of instability and fluctuating emotions. Blasting into the ears with a raw, frenzied energy, it’s a perfectly ferocious blast of infectious grunge-tinged rock with shades of legends such as The Distillers or Hole, showcasing the unique colossal power of our favourite Aussie duo.

Watch the new video for ‘Super Mental Psycho’ here:

You DO NOT WANT TO MISS seeing Mannequin Death Squad live next Saturday 20th August at The Cavendish Arms, with support from Maya Lakhani and Dogviolet – get your tickets now! And, if you’re not in London, they’re playing a number of other UK dates – details here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Track Of The Day: Midnight Ambulance – ‘Smoke and Sweets’

In 2020, old friends reconnected after years apart and formed Midnight Ambulance, and boy are we glad they did! This perfect partnership has crafted an eclectic and dark sound which has gone on to see the Edinburgh based duo shortlisted for BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year 2022 and as support for Texas at Fringe By The Sea this August. 

Latest single ‘Smoke and Sweets‘ is a captivating offering, reflecting on feelings of isolation and someone’s reality slipping away; written through the Covid-19 lockdown, where isolation was experienced by many. The subject matter is clearly reflected through the powerful soundscape the duo have created, cleverly blending an exquisite folk-inspired musicality with electronic sounds and fuzzy in-your-face guitar, building to an immense frenzied climax. This eclectic fusion of sounds really gives them an interesting edge where you don’t know what to expect. 

Opening with an electronic drone and reverb-washed yet detailed vocals, Midnight Ambulance set an atmospheric scene with a stunning traditional folk melody sung with haunting close harmonies. A distorted drum enters, panned hard to one side, demonstrating interesting production decisions. For fellow audiophiles, this track must be listened to with quality headphones or a good sound system to truly experience the beautiful intricacies of what’s going on.

At one and a half minutes in, you are hit with a delicious drop – introducing heavier and more distorted territories. The vocals become faster, more urgent and desperate – “I don’t know how to let it go”. There’s feedback on the guitar, breathy vocal chops, vocal vocoders and smashing cymbals, poignantly mirroring the protagonist’s loss of reality. 

‘Smoke and Sweets’ was recorded at North Road Studios, which uses vintage equipment – giving the song a unique gritty warmth. 

Watch the stirring live video for ‘Smoke and Sweets’ here:

Ella Patenall
@ellapatenall

Photo Credit: Gareth Goodlad

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LIVE: Deer Shed Festival 2022 (Day 2: 30.07.22)

It’s been a while since I attended a festival… Obviously, there were so many cancellations throughout the last couple of years due the pandemic, and I missed out on 2019 as I was busy hosting my own (well, my wedding which I aimed to be as festival-like as possible). So, this year I was desperate to find one that was as lovely as possible and suited my needs of being perhaps a little older than the average festival-goer without missing out on any of the best new music. Sadly, the last festival I went to in 2018, and my favourite ever festival experience – Indie Tracks – did not survive Covid, and so I was looking for a replacement; something equally as inclusive, chilled-out, family friendly, and of course hosting plenty of amazing female and non-binary bands and artists. And then I came across Deer Shed… And it was just what I was after! Highlighting a real family-friendly focus, whilst hosting an incredible range of exciting new artists, the North Yorkshire based Deer Shed perfectly filled the festival-shaped-void I’d been feeling for the last few years.

Although the second day of Deer Shed got off to a rather damp start, this wasn’t going to dampen our spirits, with a day of such lush live music ahead of us. Kicking things off at the In The Dock stage, it’s a new discovery for me: the dreamy, ethereal scuzz of trio Honeyglaze. Delivering shimmering shoegaze-tinged soundscapes that build with a raw emotion, they leave me captivated and eager to hear more.

Our first outing to the Lodge Stage sees us treated to the majestic grace of Marianne Parish – aka Maja Lena. With her beautifully sweeping alt-folk musings propelled by resplendent vocals and exquisite layers of intricate instrumentation, her set offers a perfectly comforting shelter from the pouring rain outside.

Having enjoyed the joyous energy of London African collective Balimaya Project earlier today, we return to the main stage for Irish pop artist CMAT – one of the performances I’ve been most looking forward to this weekend, and she doesn’t disappoint. Taking to the stage to the sound of Shania Twain’s ‘Man, I Feel Like A Woman’ (just like ARXX at our gig last week!), she gleefully introduces herself – “Hi, it’s me – Shania Twain!” – as she’s welcomed by excited yelps from a front row of adoring young fans. And I feel a rush of comforting warmth come over me – seeing the pure elation in these young girls’ faces, just being in the presence of their heroine, brings me a lot of joy; the fact that they have a pop icon (though she labels herself a “country singer”) to look up to with as much humour, humility and empowering energy as CMAT – the unified warmth of Deer Shed and its family-friendly focus making it possible for these experiences to happen. And, as the set continues – complete with impromptu romantic dances between CMAT and her keyboardist, and Beyonce-inspired “pop show” manoeuvres – I find myself pretty much falling head over heels with the all the fun-filled charisma and joyous energy emanating from the stage, whilst singing along to tongue-in-cheek anthems such as ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy’ and ‘Peter Bogdanovich’.

After some delicious ‘Phat Thai’ from vegan food stand ‘Earthworm Kitchen’, I’m ready for another Irish highlight of the weekend – Denise Chaila. Accompanied by two other rappers and a DJ on stage, Chaila immediately has the crowd fully immersed and singing along with her immense, gritty anthems. Propelled a swirling drive, she combines a tongue-in-cheek wit with poignant cultural references, whilst charming the crowd between songs – and even teaching us a bit of Irish Gaelic (and I realise I’ve been saying ‘Anseo’ wrong all this time…). Oozing a beautifully compelling energy as the unashamed confidence of her lyrics flows with ease, she creates a joyous atmosphere, which is only heightened when one of her crew launches (with care) into the crowd, much to the delight of the buoyant youngsters in the front rows who dance around him with glee. A truly memorable set that leaves me feeling elated and inspired.

Completing my run of epic pop icons, it’s time for Self Esteem on the main stage – a moment I’ve been looking forward to ever since becoming addicted to her Mercury Award nominated album Prioritise Pleasure last year. Welcomed by a sea of whoops from the adoring crowd as she takes to the stage accompanied by her entourage of fantastic dancers (one of whom is GIHE fave Seraphina Simone) and musicians, she immediately radiates a shimmering, vibrant charisma as she delivers a truly empowering set with a fierce emotion. Between moments of finding tears rolling down my cheeks whilst singing along to inspiring anthems such as ‘I Do This All The Time’, and grinning from cheek to cheek as she dedicates the set to her friend’s young daughter (who happens to be on the shoulders of her parents next to us), I’m utterly mesmerised by the magnificent performance. Not only is Self Esteem an incredible and thought-provoking songwriter, but her exquisitely choreographed set and glistening stage presence mark her out as a completely unique modern pop star.

Ending the day’s musical delights, we return to the Lodge Stage for the lilting Americana-tinged folk of Samantha Crain. Delivering her beautifully strummed melodies with a stirring warmth, the impassioned subtle power of her rich vocals flows with a captivating raw emotion. As Crain’s immersive lyrical storytelling emanates alongside twinkling hooks and a rustic charm, each offering graces the heartstrings with a comforting allure.

Thanks to Deer Shed for another wonderful day of live music! Stay tuned for our review of the third and final day of the festival!

Words: Mari Lane / @marimindles
Photos: Paul Dawes / @paullikesrobots

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Five Favourites & Video Premiere: Femegades – ‘Daddy Says’

Having previously received acclaim for singles ‘Speechless‘ and ‘Be Alone‘, and wowed crowds headlining Camden Rocks Presents, grunge-rockers Femegades have now announced the release of their new EP, Not All Men, set for release in September. To celebrate the announcement, the band have shared a brand new video for stirring single ‘Daddy Says’. Gentler in tone than previous offerings, heartfelt ballad ‘Daddy Says’ poignantly reflects on the somewhat challenging subject matter of a father encouraging his daughter into the sex industry. As front person Em’s honey-sweet vocals lilt alongside the backdrop of strummed Americana-inspired hooks and a catchy musicality, Femegades showcase their ability to tackle hard-hitting subjects; giving a voice to issues that society may prefer to shy away from.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of the stirring new video for ‘Daddy Says’ and the upcoming EP, we caught up with Femegades to ask about the music that has inspired them the most. See below for their choices of their five favourite songs, and watch the new video for ‘Daddy Says’ at the bottom of this feature.

Fugazi – ‘Suggestion’
A song by four dudes calling out the harassment of women. The dynamics they employ sonically to build up and release tension – it really is a masterpiece. And, given our female/male co-writing dynamic in the band, it is such an inspirational song for us; a great example of how switching gender roles for a song can still produce something so powerful. It shows you don’t need to be constrained by only writing from the perspective of the female character. The live version sung by Amy Pickering really takes it to another level as well.

Pete Yorn – ‘Life On A Chain’
I received Pete Yorn’s album as a gift when I was quite young and only really listened to it years later, which made me say to myself – what were you thinking?! The album is great as a whole and this song really hits home.I love the vibes of rock meets folk meets acoustic. Not often that I can tolerate an album from start to finish, however this one is definitely one I can listen to on repeat and really influenced a lot of the sounds in the music I played early on.

Angus & Julia Stone – ‘The Devil’s Tears’
Always a sucker for sibling musical ensembles but Angus and Julia just hit differently. Their simplistic yet emotionally charged songs really showed me that taking it back a step and playing on those heartstrings using minimalism can really resonate.

Jewel – ‘Who Will Save Your Soul?’
Always been a fan of Jewel – her vocals, her lyrics, her energy – it’s a lot of what I aspire to be able to put forth when writing or performing. She’s just so damn cool and I love it.

Taking Back Sunday – ‘MakeDamnSure’
A bit of high school nostalgia here, but Taking Back Sunday just give me a rush of energy that’s infectious. Absolutely feel like I can lose myself listening to them.

Massive thanks to Femegades for sharing their Five Favourites with us! Watch the affecting brand new video for ‘Daddy Says’ here:

Not All Men, the upcoming new EP from Femegades, is set for release on 1st September via Regent Street Records.

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