EP: Porij – ‘Baby Face’

Balancing their love for pop & dance music alongside their social and emotional conscience, Manchester-based four piece Porij have created a bright, spirited collection of songs on their new EP, Baby Face. Whether they’re trying to rebuild the rattled confidence of women walking alone at night on buoyant opener ‘Nobody Scared’, or soothe the sting of a brief break-up on ‘Divine’, Porij do it with playful flair and infectious optimism via their dancing beats and quirky electronics.

Greatly influenced by the carefree time they spent studying, living together and playing to crowds who craved a mixture of genres in Manchester, Porij have leaned into their poppier tendencies on this latest offering. Whilst their debut EP Breakfast hinted at a love for the genre, on Baby Face they unabashedly embrace the joy that comes with writing a succinct pop song. “We’re all pop people,” vocalist & keyboardist Eggy explains. “A lot of bands are quite anti-pop, but I think the art of writing pop is ridiculous! Pop is hard to write.”

Finding method in their “mish-mash” of pop and dance, the bandmates have written four fun-sounding tracks fuelled by everything from lust to disgust. Penned after Eggy learned about the origins of the Reclaim the Night marches whilst watching a crime documentary on Netflix, ‘Nobody Scared’ is designed to empower listeners with its mantra-like chorus, lulling them into a state of security. There’s a healthy dose of self-love on ‘Divine’, with Eggy’s smooth vocals urging listeners to declare “Bitch, I’m divine” when they reach those “pearly gates.”

Guitarist Tommy’s lilting riffs on ‘Ego’ slide smoothly over drummer Tom’s buoyant percussion and James’ edgy basslines, but it’s the pure UK garage club vibes of ‘Can’t Stop’ that provides the real dancefloor-filling energy. They linger on and provide a remedy for the post-hook up blues. Lusty closer ‘Heaven Knows’ pleases with its direct lyrics, contrasting synth sounds and more of the band’s playful beats. It bookends their joyful dive into pop, patriarchy and finding pleasure in skipping through genre loop holes.

Light in all the right places, Porij’s new EP Baby Face provides a brief but lively distraction from everyday life.

Porij’s new EP Baby Face is set for release on 22nd September.

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

Kate Crudgington
@kcbobcut

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Track Of The Day: SPIDER – ‘I’m Fine, I’m Good, I’m Perfect!’

A brooding, dark-pop tune that reflects on the grey area between feeling emotionally overwhelmed and totally apathetic, London-based, Irish born musician & producer SPIDER has shared her latest single ‘I’m Fine, I’m Good, I’m Perfect!’ Full of heady guitar distortion and raw, relatable lyrics, the track playfully embraces and dismisses life’s darker moments with its catchy chorus and smooth vocals.

Born and raised in Dublin, twenty-one year old SPIDER harnesses the strong feminine energy of the arachnid she’s named after as a totemic symbol through which she can explore her own emotional resilience. She struggled growing up as a young Nigerian girl in a predominately white country, but creating music provided her with an outlet for her most unfiltered thoughts. Now, with new single ‘I’m Fine, I’m Good, I’m Perfect!’ she continues this narrative of breaking down personal barriers to share her truth, and she does so with witty, provocative flair.

Following on from her debut single ‘Water Sign‘, SPIDER’s latest offering was created whilst she was quarantining in her South London flat during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired by songwriters like Lorde, Conan Gray and Taylor Swift, SPIDER spins her own cohesive musical webs to catch her listeners off guard, distracting them with poppy melodies as she unravels her innermost thoughts.

Listen to ‘I’m Fine, I’m Good, I’m Perfect!’ below.

Follow SPIDER on Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Alex Jayne – ‘Hollywood’

Having already received acclaim from the likes of The Line Of Best Fit and Chris Hawkins on BBC 6Music, Alt-pop artist Alex Jayne’s latest release, ‘Hollywood‘, is a mesmerising treat. Conjuring euphoric vibes, it unravels the head as it leads us somewhere new. “It’s a song about the fantasies we hold onto and get hurt by” says Alex.

Alex’s simple striking lyrics glide against a limitless expanse of immaculate production. The controlled nature of Alex’s voice is calming and grounding. Her sometimes hopeful, sometimes wistful, repetitions of “Hollywood”, cleverly render even the word itself strange and undefinable. Mid-way through there’s a cutaway to Alex casually and candidly chatting. She utters, in her casual spoken voice: “… don’t talk to me about the future, I can feel it there waiting, y’know?” This charmingly ordinary split second is a beautiful plot twist in a song which is comfortably and successfully cinematic. 

After the two years we’ve had, this notion of striving for a chameleon like, omni-out-of-reach reality lands with just the right balance of promise and poignance. Whether the song summons thoughts of lost love or just that sense of your future living somewhere in the distance, this is an emotional track which speaks to the moment we’re living in with a welcome uniqueness. 

Tutku Barbaros
@tutkubarbaros

Photo Credit: Laurie Barraclough

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Track Of The Day: Me and The Moon – ‘Strangers’

Having supporting the likes of Marika Hackman and Flyte on tour, and with acclaim from the likes of Radio X’s John Kennedy, indie-alt connoisseurs Me and The Moon return with a sparkling sing-along tune with their latest release. In a free-flowing melodic affair, ‘Strangers‘ drapes a veil of hazey guitar tones over the song and steers Me and The Moon to a dynamic, multi-faceted platform that doesn’t neglect the band’s original folk undertones. With its ear-worm melodies and luscious sparkling vocals, the track flows with a dreamy, optimistic tone, despite its melancholic lyrics.

While reflecting upon the turmoil of bad timing, ‘Stranger’ exudes the acceptance of time as a challenging and complicated element in our lives; although it may be painful to witness someone enter and exit our path, there is a beauty to be found in the temporary which Me and The Moon does a captivating job of encapsulating. ‘Stranger” never remains stagnant.

Me and The Moon is both exploratory and humble in ‘Stranger’ as they coast off of a new, refreshed sound. With a poppy catchiness in an indie casing, it exudes the energy of the likes of Middle Kids or TOPS. ‘Stranger’ is an anthem for stepping outside of comfort zones whilst always remembering the way home.

Mastered by Pete Maher (The Rolling Stones, Patti Smith, U2), ‘Strangers’ is out now.

Jill Goyeau
@jillybxxn

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