Track Of The Day: Foxgluvv – ‘Lemon!’

A playful, feel-good tune designed to dissolve any lingering emotional bitterness, Sapphic pop princess Foxgluvv has shared her latest single ‘Lemon!’. Following on from her previous release ‘1:00am’, this new track is a zesty take on how the songwriter transformed her feelings of disconnection and frustration into fresh optimistic vibes.

“You know what they say, when life gives you lemons, you write a twisted funk-pop song all about your emotional struggles,” Foxgluvv explains. Working alongside her long-term collaborator Scott Colcombe, the pair capture Foxgluvv’s mood fluctuations on ‘Lemon!’ via soft vocals, fizzing synths and funky beats. Colcombe’s polished production gives Foxgluvv’s sour thoughts a new refreshing sheen, as her negativity drifts away and makes space for sweeter musings.

Inspired by her love of disco, Foxgluvv’s refreshing new sound on her recent singles is as charming, playful and lush as ever. The self proclaimed “dyke pop princess” is lifting spirits and lifting a sweet glass of lemonade to all those who need a little boost right now.

Listen to ‘Lemon!’ below.

 

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

Photo Credit: Michael Harte

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Novaa – ‘Audre’

Unsettling yet somehow sensual, Novaa‘s single ‘Audre’ is a poignant tale of oppression, fatigue and the silencing of black voices. Lifted from her recent album She’s A Rose, the Berlin-based indie singer-songwriter pays homage to American feminist poet and civil rights activist Audre Lorde on her latest track.

Layering placid vocals with lush electronic beats, the rigid strumming of a muted guitar and the serenity of softly played wind instruments, ‘Audre’ is pure poetry. There is something Black Swan-esque about the music video. With a stripped back, grayscale aesthetic and simple, yet jittery dancing movements, Novaa expresses the heavy emotions of the song visually as well as sonically. Like stars, the rhymes stud the underlying darkness of the track with light.

When she sings “It is heavy / to carry these shackles,” Novaa shines a spotlight on the mental and physical exhaustion that comes with fighting an oppressor. The past few years have been somewhat traumatising for many minorities – the Black community in particular – and with the constant bombardment of horrific hate crimes and police brutality on our timelines, it is understandable if people feel beat.

Vaulting off from Audre Lorde’s political message that caring for oneself in troubling times is a radical act of self-preservation, Novaa’s new track powerfully illuminates the painful foundations of activism and reminds us that our fight for equality is far from over.

Follow Novaa on Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Rebecca Kraemer

Jay Mitra
@punkofcolour

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PREMIERE: Alice SK – ‘Another Girl’s Man’

Following collaborations with Muca (L.A Salami, Los Bitchos) and Bossa Nova legend Roberto Menescal, songwriter Alice SK has now announced her debut EP, set for release later this year, and today shares the poignant first single.

Reflecting on feelings of love turning sour and the self-destructive tendencies this can evoke, ‘Another Girl’s Man’ combines lilting, blues-infused melodies with folk-strewn gentle strumming; a perfect musical soundscape providing the backdrop for Alice’s sweeping, emotion-rich vocals. Oozing a sparkling grace and soulful splendour, it’s a twinkling heartfelt ballad that’ll soothe the ears and calm the mind with its stirring, effervescent charm.

‘Another Girl’s Man’ is produced by Muca. Of the collaboration, Alice SK comments:

“I’ve been writing for years and it never really crossed my mind to get involved with others on the writing side of things; but when I heard a few of Muca’s other projects and his ideas for the demos that I showed him, I thought it could be a great combination of our two sounds and I’m hoping that that comes across in the tracks too.”

Listen to ‘Another’s Girl’s Man’ for the first time here:

‘Another Girl’s Man’ is out tomorrow, 15th July, and is taken from Alice SK’s upcoming debut EP, set for release later this year.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Track Of The Day: My Idea – ‘Stay Away Still’ / ‘That’s My Idea’

Ahead of the release of their debut EP at the end of this month, New York-based indie-pop duo Nate Amos and Lily Konigsberg – aka My Idea – have now shared the first taster of the collection in the form of two singles, ‘Stay Away Still‘ and ‘That’s My Idea‘.

Kicking off to a quick start, ‘Stay Away Still‘ launches with an upbeat drum line that lays out the rhythm ahead of a rush of guitar and vocals. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics juxtapose laughter and pain in a way that’s smart and relatable, nailing a light-hearted approach to depression and existence that fuels millennial humour.

The vocals are cleverly layered. The chirpy melody is complemented by deep, almost deadpan responses beneath. At times, the two vocal lines bounce off each other like a conversation contained within one song. At others, they conflict but in a way that feels like they come from the same place – as if one is speech while the other is echoing what you actually wanted to say. Although the words are often repeated, the way the lyrics twist around each other shapes the song with a driving momentum. The strings are lovely and light, and – with this sense of brightness particularly in the solo that continues through the following verses – a real boost is given to the music.

‘Stay Away Still’ builds gradually, with new layers being introduced throughout. Finally, it swells to a big bouncy climax that comes to an abrupt stop leaving you eager for more and grateful that this song has dropped as part of My Idea’s special two-in-one release.

The second single released as a teaser ahead of My Idea’s upcoming EP is ‘That’s My Idea‘. Shorter and softer than the accompanying ‘Stay Away Still’, it offers a clear idea of what to expect from the band in its less-than-ninety second run time.

Combining provocative lyrics – which if they were written down you might imagine were a challenge or even aggressive – with an ominously gentle delivery, the vocals are breathy, but not for lack of lung power. Instead, that softness feels like a very purposeful choice that lends a human element to the track and adds an impressive weight to the words themselves. Delivering phrases like “that’s my idea,/ talking to me like it was yours the whole time/ makes me want to fight you” with such delicacy tells an entirely different story than if they were belted out. Arguably, one that’s more powerful. The words seem to come from someone just finding the strength to stand up for themselves, not quite ready to yell but tired of being spoken over.

The light, high vocals are blended with bubbly guitar that has fun with the notes and creates a pleasantly textured foundation for the track. Fleeting with a memorably sly sweetness, ‘That’s My Idea’ makes for another fantastic appetiser before the EP brings the main course.

That’s My Idea, the debut EP from My Idea, is set for release 30th July via Hardly Art.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

Photo Credit: Michael Wolever

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