PREMIERE: Cosmic Ninja – ‘Lies’

Formed in 2016, and with acclaim from the likes of Kerrang! Radio and Tom Robinson at BBC 6Music, Cosmic Ninja have now announced the release of a new EP. Formed of Tamsin Cullum, Jonny Angelini, Robin De Wandelear and Danny Watts, the Bristol band pride themselves on their riotous, queer punk energy, and have previously wowed crowds at events such as Glastonbury Calling, Unite Against Hate and BBC 6Music Fringe Festival.

Taken from the upcoming EP, new single ‘Lies’ fizzes with a gritty, relentless energy. A politically-charged, raging statement of intent against the corrupt Capitalist society in which we live, it builds with a seething power to a sizzling, angst-driven climax. Fusing together the vocals of Tamsin Cullum and Jonny Angelini, alongside immense whirring hooks and frenzied beats, with a racing sense of urgency, it offers an explosive call to arms that’ll leave you – fists-clenched – ready to take on the world with more of Cosmic Ninja’s fierce, electro-punk anthems.

Of the track, the band explain:

“‘Lies’ is about the dishonesty and corruption rife in UK politics. The endless lies and lack of integrity has reached an extreme level… Politics has lost sight of trying to make a better place for everyone and, instead, those with influence climb to the top and pull up the ladder by any means necessary… In most lines of work, you would be held accountable for lies, but, for politicians, it seems acceptable practice… This song is about calling out those lies, seeing through the misconception and positively challenging those walking blindly through corruption.”

Listen to ‘Lies’, for the first time, here:

Dissident Transmission, the upcoming new EP from Cosmic Ninja, is set for release on 8th April.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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INTRODUCING INTERVIEW: Onyda

Inspired by the vast concrete surroundings of their hometown of Stoke, Onyda aka Shae Rhiannon creates enticing, jaded alt-pop tunes about their life experiences. Described as a “dystopian cowboy clad in jewel-hued velvet,” Onyda filters their thoughts on the human condition through the lens of film, music, fashion and art. We caught up with Onyda to talk about their recent release ‘Like A Dog’ and their upcoming single ‘Mediocre’, which is set for release on 26th January…

Hello Onyda, can you remember who or what first inspired to first start making your own music?

I was about 14, I lived pretty much in the middle of nowhere when I started writing music, on the edge of Stoke, I had a lot of time, no-one to spend it with, a lot to say and no-one to listen. There was no real influence as to why I started apart from being a musical theatre kid, I knew from an early age I liked to perform but it was just kind of a natural development of my own to write songs, my mental health was pretty bad too so it was in part a coping strategy I think. All I could play when I started writing was the ukulele, it just kind of grew from there.

Talk to me about your 2021 single ‘Like a Dog’. What inspired you to write it and what inspired the accompanying video?

‘Like a Dog’ comes from a place of depression and a feeling of entrapment for your situation, but all the while still acknowledging your power. Fake it till you make it and know one day you’ll get out of whatever that means for you. I was really inspired by Al Stewarts ‘Year Of The Cat’ whilst writing ‘Like a Dog’, hence the lyric “It’s the year of the dog baby” in the opening line to the chorus. I really wanted to tip my hat to him. “She comes out of the sun in a silk dress / running like a watercolour in the rain” is one of my favourite lyrics of all time, he’s a great storyteller. The video was inspired by my love of this cult-like idea of utopia, unsubscribing from society and running off to the woods.

You have a new single coming out on 26th January. Tell me about it…

The next single is titled ‘Mediocre’, it’s about being the messy imperfect creatures we are, celebrating that and actually welcoming that into my life. Whether its about having the perfect body, car, the pressure of being “successful,” I just get tired of it all. Social media has created a monster in the way we perceive ourselves and the way things should be for us, we’re all flawed and that’s great, I find that really liberating.

You’re also releasing an EP this year, what can you tell us about that?

The EP contains 5 tracks in total, each one a time capsule of my life as a young person, reflecting on something in my life from the very recent past. I had the absolute pleasure of working with Ben Hillier (producer and co writer) to create beautiful soundscapes and help me to weave the story together. I’m so proud of what we achieved and can’t wait to share it.

That’s exciting. It’s been a rough few years for musicians due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. How have you coped and stayed focused?

I kind of feel bad saying this for all the damage Covid has done but the past two years, but for me as an artist have actually been the best in my life (minus the live aspect obviously). I love the quiet and the world just stopped. I had no distractions, I was so focused and felt more creative than ever. The whole of the EP was written during the start of the first lockdown. Don’t get me wrong, I had some tough times too but creatively it was great for me.

What else does 2022 hold for you?

I am so excited for 2022. So much music to come and me and my band can finally start to get some live dates in the diary. I can’t wait to share it all, we’ve been working so hard.

Any new bands or artists that you’ve been listening to that you’d like to recommend we check out?

I’ve been absolutely slamming Fleet Foxes recent album A Very Lonely Solstice, along with my usual old time classics: Scott Walker, Lee Hazlewood, Jackie Wilson etc. I have a playlist titled ‘Onyda’s Feel Good Melancholy’ on my Spotify where you can find everything I’m listening to at the moment.

Follow Onyda on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Double Helix – ‘Rat Rave’

A euphoric combination of jagged electronics and pulsating beats, London duo Double Helix have shared their debut single ‘Rat Rave’. Self-produced by the band and released via Slow Dance Records, the track is an intoxicating blend of driving rhythms and erratic synths that form a backdrop for uninhibited pleasure, propelled by the lyrical mantra of “Pain, Figure, Pressure, Obey.”

Formed of Patrick Smith (synths, programming, vocals), Kim Engelhardt (bass) and live drummer James Allix (Tigercub), Double Helix cut their teeth on London’s underground gig circuit where they developed a loyal following. Their eclectic live shows fuse together the sounds and aesthetics of 90s rave subculture and manic punk energy and often include footage and visuals shot by the band themselves. Inspired by Prodigy, Leftfield, Nine Inch Nails and Boy Harsher, Double Helix offer listeners a sonic escape with their unconventional sounds, with debut single ‘Rat Rave’ providing just that.

Accompanied by a striking video, shot and directed by Smith, the band explain the context of the track and visuals further: “We wanted to create this inverted, surreal world where the juxtaposition of pain and euphoria are represented by shifts in colour. The girl in the video is an artist we know who has a hidden disability and crafts these resin sculptures from packaging of pain medication she takes. She is also a badass party goer despite this, which inspired us to feature her along with the sculptures and create this solitary, stylised day in the life of our friend.”

Watch the video for ‘Rat Rave’ below.

Double Helix play Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes in Shoreditch on 3rd February.
Tickets here

Follow Double Helix on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Peaness – ‘How I’m Feeling’

Having just announced the release of their debut album, and with acclaim from the likes of Marc Riley on BBC 6Music and Maximo Park’s Paul Smith, Chester trio Peaness have shared a new taster of what’s to come from the upcoming LP. 

Following their buoyant last single ‘What’s The Use?’, ‘How I’m Feeling‘ is propelled by a sunny, playful energy as it offers a reflection on the self-loathing and melancholy that can come from being stuck in an unfulfilling job, whilst offering a glistening sense of hope that, with a bit of determination, you can make a positive change. Oozing glossy, honey-sweet vocals and uplifting, jangling hooks, it’s a perfectly vibrant blast of shimmering punk-pop, set to cheer even the dreariest of January days.

Watch the quirky, cute new video for ‘How I’m Feeling’ here:

World Full Of Worry, the debut album from Peaness, is set for release on 6th May via the band’s own Totally Snick Records. Pre-order here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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