PREMIERE: Greenness – ‘Destroy / Enjoy’

Following the release of two EPs and acclaim from the likes of BBC Introducing and BBC Radio Sussex, Brighton-based Anglo-French duo Cécile Frangi and Graham Pratt – aka Greenness – have now announced the release of their debut full-length album and shared the first taster from the collection.

A poignant reflection on the ongoing paradox of humanity in chaos as nature continues to bloom, ‘Destroy / Enjoy’ offers a beautifully ethereal soundscape. As twinkling hooks sparkle alongside Frangi’s rich, crystalline vocals, it ripples with a lilting musicality and heartfelt emotion, shimmering with a captivating grace, as comforting pastoral images are evoked in the mind of the listener. With a glistening, folk-strewn allure reminiscent of This Is The Kit, this latest offering from Greenness showcases the duo’s ability to create something utterly exquisite; ‘Destroy / Enjoy’ bathes delicately in its refined otherworldly charm, whilst immersing us completely in its blissful majesty.

Of the track, the band explain:

“‘Destroy / Enjoy’ is about using positive energy to shake off tired old systems and embracing this beautiful, natural world”

Sunrooms, the debut album from Greenness, is set for release on 20th May via Cécile Frangi’s own label One Fern Records. Catch the duo live on 24th March at The Folklore Rooms, Brighton (raising money for Warchild).

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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LISTEN: GIHE on Soho Radio with Charlotte Adigéry 09.03.22

Tash & Kate were back on the Soho Radio airwaves playing loads of new music from some of their favourite female, non-binary and LGBTQ+ artists. Sadly Mari couldn’t make it into the studio, but offered some of her “musical musings” too.

French-born, Belgian-Caribbean musician Charlotte Adigéry also joined them to talk about her debut album Topical Dancer, which she worked on with Bolis Pupul, and the power of joy and laughter when it comes to making art about your own life experiences. Baby Rocco also had his say!

Listen back below:

Tracklist
Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin – Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves
Adrianne Lenker – Symbol
Julia-Sophie – Dial Your Number
t l k – IWNU
Fraulein – Drag Behind
A.A. Williams – Melt
PET Wife – Alone
Ailsa Tully – Salt Glaze
Tomberlin – happy accident
ROBYN & Neneh Cherry ft. Mapei – Buffalo Stance
Pongo – Doudou
My Idea – Crutch
CMAT – Every Bottle Is My Boyfriend
After London – Here, Tonite
Charlotte Adigéry x Bolis Pupul – Ceci n’est pas un cliché
**Interview with Charlotte Adigéry**
Tirzah – Tectonic
Hannah Schneider – Mirror Sphere
Big Thief – Little Things
Muna Ileiwat – Stuck
Petrol Girls – Baby, I Had An Abortion
SASAMI & No Home – Squeeze
KIN – Cosmos
Amaroun – Brown Skin Beauty
Cate Le Bon – Remembering Me
Queen Latifah ft. Monie Love – Ladies First

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Track Of The Day: Kathleen Frances – ‘Boy’

What a voice! Bristol artist Kathleen Frances and her mesmerising vocals are here with ‘Boy’, the third single from her freshly released debut EP Through The Blue. 

‘Boy’ is mellow and at times devastating, but strong and cathartic. Frances explores the pain of a break-up whilst offering a sense of comfort and assurance. It’s one of those songs where you feel the need to stop everything you are doing and just listen.

The simplicity of ‘Boy’ is poignant; there is a sense of restraint and balance in the sparse instrumentation. It doesn’t need anything else – it perfectly captures a stunning intimacy. The vocals will pull you into the song, as Frances’ warm baritone voice enchants the ears, creating a whole soundscape in itself and unmistakably driving the song. The track is brimming with emotion, yet somehow it finds a sense of reassuring sense of calm. Pulsing piano chords gently accompany the vocals, adding to this reflective space. Of the track, Frances explains:

“This one took me ages to write. I was really hurting from a breakup. I just wasn’t ready to go there. I had a few nice ideas but nothing that felt right. It was all too surface level. I had to find what I really felt about it deep down, underneath the feelings of betrayal and bruised ego. I had to figure out what I really wanted from this person now… Things change, people change. It’s sad but it’s also hopeful, it allows you to take stock and figure out what you really want. With this song, I was attempting to get the balance right between cathartic sadness and self-assuredness.”

Through The Blue, the debut EP from Kathleen Frances, is out now. And you can catch Kathleen Frances live on her tour this March and in May – details here.

Jaz Kelly
@surfjaz

Photo Credit: Michaela Frances 

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Track Of The Day: Maria BC – ‘Good Before’

An atmospheric rumination inspired by the joy you can find in a moment of spontaneity, Maria BC has shared their latest single ‘Good Before’. Taken from their debut album Hyaline, which is set for release on 27th May via Fear Of Missing Out records in the UK, the track is an uplifting, ambient offering that sees the songwriter embrace a sudden influx of new inspiration.

Following on from their dreamy debut EP Devil’s Rain (2021), on Hylaine, Maria BC has created another tender collection of songs that “Let the world wash over you…rather than trying to pin it to one single thing.” This immersive quality was captured beautifully on previous single ‘The Only Thing’ but ‘Good Before’ filters these tendencies through a slightly poppier lens, whilst retaining their soothing vocals and tentative guitar picks.

“I wrote ‘Good Before’ in 2019, before any of the other songs on Hyaline — and before any of the songs on Devil’s Rain, for that matter,” Maria explains. “I put it away for a while because I thought it was too poppy, but eventually I got over that. Now it holds a special place in my heart. Some of the lyrics came to me on the highway, when the sun was starting to rise, and I was running on no sleep, just Dunkin’. It’s unusual for lyrics to come to me ~in the wild~ like this. I like to block out time to sit in a spot and write. That’s just my style. When inspiration comes to me out of nowhere, I’m immensely grateful.”

Listen to ‘Good Before’ below.

Follow Maria BC on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Ulysses Ortega

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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