Track Of The Day: PILLARS – ‘Blame’

PILLARS, the 25-year-old electronic musician, debuted her first EP, Circa last month. Describing the album, she says it is “a reflection of past mistakes, regrets and behaviours.” So, it’s fitting that she has now shared ‘Blame’.

Set against a minimalist soundscape, PILLARS’ voice punches through intimately and with clarity. The chorus rings out “I’m to blame”, an honest and vulnerable refrain of a lover apologetic for their mistakes. Church-like organs fade in and out, lending a solemn quality to her testimony, while slow and steady kicks pound like a tired heart. Pulsing synths and subdued snaps add subtle texture to the track, creating a suspenseful atmosphere, as each verse hangs in the air waiting for PILLARS to finally confess – “I’m to blame”. 

 

Circa by PILLARS is out now. Listen on Bandcamp or Spotify.

 

Aisha Kasmir
@aisha_vocal

Photo Credit: Marieke Macklon Photography

 

Track Of The Day: REWS – ‘Today We’re Warriors’

A defiant guitar tune designed to empower and motivate listeners into action, REWS have shared their latest single ‘Today We’re Warriors’. Lifted from the band’s upcoming second album Warriors, which is set for release on 7th August via Marshall Records, the track mixes heavy riffs and catchy melodies to help spark the fires of personal revolution.

REWS front-woman and founder Shauna Tohill has been busy during the covid-19 lockdown period performing online gigs, and promoting her “Femme Focus” Sunday sessions where she speaks to other female musicians about their work (watch ep. 3 with Jen from False Advertising here). Now, she’s gearing up for the release of her second album, and ‘Today We’re Warriors’ is another shining example of her tenacity and passion as a songwriter.

Speaking about the track, she explains: “The song exclaims exactly what the name suggests! Every morning we wake up, we have a choice in what kind of journey we will lead. There are dark days where our path is unclear and blocked (some more than others) and that’s when I want to encourage everyone to keep fighting forward, to gather together in the spirit of music with those who are good in your life, to support and respect each other! Today, we got this, we will get through this and we will keep moving forward to see a better, positive, thriving and equal future for all women, men, children from all races and backgrounds. Today, we’re warriors!”

The track is accompanied by two music videos, an official video that shows Shauna running through the wilderness, and a fan video directed by GIHE photographer Jon Mo. The fan video also features one of the GIHE grrrls (spoiler: it’s Kate).

Watch both videos below and follow REWS on Facebook and Spotify for more updates.

You can pre-order REWS’ new album Warriors here.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Guest Blog: Deux Furieuses

Covid 19 and the necessary restrictions surrounding it have brought about a number of cancellations of music events, including what would have been Get In Her Ears’ very first festival. Taking place tomorrow, Saturday 18th July, it was set to be a pretty special day, filled with some of our favourite female and non binary artists. Fingers crossed we can finally make it happen next year…

One of the bands set to play was post-punk duo Deux Furieuses. Having previously blown us away live at The Finsbury with their explosive gritty energy and raw emotion, they’ve become firm favourites of ours over the last few years and we were really looking forward to hosting them once again.

In the absence of our festival, and any gigs, at the moment, Ros from the band has written a poignant guest blog for us about changing priorities in the current situation, and the importance of having a quiet space to write. Have a read, and be reminded of the duo’s incredible power with the video for ‘Let It Burn’ at the end of the article!

A Room Of One’s Own… 

Deux Furieuses should have been playing Get In Her Ears Festival tomorrow. Instead, I have moved to the countryside in search of a place to breath and make music without thumps and texts from the flat above every time I strum my guitar.

I am writing this at night in a gatehouse lodge cottage designed in 1869 by Quaker architect Alfred Waterhouse, who also built the National History Museum and the red brick universities, for abolitionist MP Thomas Foxwell Buxton. I wonder who else has lived here over the past 150 years and what troubles they knew.

The neighbours on one side are a black and white horse in a field and a rabbit who munches grass outside the kitchen window every evening at the same time. There are red kites and buzzards swooping over head, nettles everywhere and a space where a shed used to be before it blew away. I can hear the sound of the London train which makes me smile every time it blows its horn, calling me back to London to rehearse with Vas.

Deux Furieuses were working on third album material before Covid 19, London lockdown and the death of someone close upended everything. It was Vas who found this cottage when I said I had to live some other way. No time in our living memory has been this uncertain. We have to do what we can to survive. For me it’s about being free to write music and having a ‘room of one’s own’. We intend to start demoing our third album as soon as I am settled.

Get In Her Ears’ first festival would have been a joyous celebration of female and non binary talent and is another missed gathering of our tribe. Playing live to an audience is a fading memory but we have to find our collective way back.

Get In Her Ears Post-Lockdown 16.07.20

Kate was back in the Hoxton Radio studio for the first time in 16 WEEKS! She played the GIHE grrrls fave new tunes from the past three months and celebrated the end of Lockdown 1.0 here in the UK. 

Listen back here:

Tracklist
Noga Erez – NO News On TV
Bitch Falcon – Gaslight
INDIGOS – I’m Healed
Dott – Extra Introvert
Lido Pimienta – Eso Que Tu Haces
Dream Wife – Hasta La Vista
Amaroun – Perish
Maria – M – Endtimes
Wife Patrol – Let’s Hang Out
Elsa Hewitt – Godly
Girlpool – Winning It
Dehd – Month
Beckie Margaret – God
Something Leather – Trip To The Sun
Twist Helix – Frida Kahlo
CMAT – Rodney
Fears – blood
Otta – Sick Inside
Sink Ya Teeth – If You See Me
Fräulein- Drag Behind
Problem Patterns – Big Shouty
Dream Nails – Jillian
Screaming Toenail – IOU
Party Fears – All Is Good
Song Sung – Telling Tales
The Big Moon – Why
After London – Operator
Bikini Kill – Rebel Girl
ARXX – Tired Of You
Lady Gaga – Stupid Love