EP: Dear Pariah – ‘Live at Thais’

London-based songwriter Dear Pariah‘s (Charlie Hinchcliff) latest EP, Live at Thais, is a salve on frayed nerves, with its soothing presence and expansive soundscape. From the outset, Hinchcliff sets hearts aflutter with her crystal clear vocal delivery and poignant lyricism. The EP is hazy and hypnotic, yet hyper-focused on building a strong sonic base through minimalist instrumentation.

The five-track offering opens with ‘Felt Some Love’, a slow-burning rock-tinged tune, anchored by an electric guitar and Hinchcliff’s heartfelt vocals. Following track ‘Bench’ goes in the opposite direction, going for an acoustic instrumental that highlights Hinchcliff’s impressive vocal range. With poetic lyrics and a soothing sonic arrangement, this is a personal favourite and a very early highlight.

The gospel-touched delivery of ‘Not Ready’ shows Hinchcliff’s musical versatility, surrounding listeners in the warmth of heavenly vocals, and melodies that beg for more than one listen. Next comes ‘Tired’, a hauntingly beautiful tune which plays with folksy instrumentation. The track is another stand-out, with its vulnerable, melancholic setting blanketing the mood of the EP. It’s a sombre yet comforting listen.

Closing track ‘Leave Me Be’ is a quiet piece of brilliance that shines for its understated arrangement and delivery. Led by acoustic guitar and elevated by a voice that feels meditative and powerful all at once, the track brings Live at Thais to a perfect ending. Dear Pariah is an artist everyone needs to listen to at least once, and if you’re going to pick any place to start, Live at Thais is certainly the best.

Buy your copy of Live At Thais from bandcamp.
Follow Dear Pariah on Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Malvika Padin
@malvika_padin26

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#ThrowbackThursday: GIHE w/ The Menstrual Cramps 03.05.18

Due to the current lockdown/coronavirus situation, we’re unable to make it in to the Hoxton Radio studio to broadcast our weekly live new music show from 7-9pm. Instead, we’re sharing previous show recordings as #ThrowbackThursday sessions, so you can still enjoy 2 hours of new music & chats with some of our favourite artists each week.

Today, we’ve picked our May 2018 show with feminist punks The Menstrual Cramps. The grrrls talked to Mari & Kate about their second album, Free Bleedin, how they stand up to neo-nazis, and what originally inspired them to start making music. Kate also casually dropped into the conversation that she won Cooper’s guitar in a raffle at Loud Women‘s 2018 Galentine’s Day Ball (she still hasn’t learned how to play it.)

Listen back to the show here:

Featured Artists
Sonic Youth
LIINES
Dott
LIERS
Seraphina
Rookes
Charlotte Carpenter
Suzie Stapleton
Ay Wing
Amaroun
The Parlour
Gaptooth
Track Not Found
Sabatta
The Menstrual Cramps
Pink Kink
Amyl & The Sniffers
Witch Fever
Nova Twins
Partner
Peaches (feat. Iggy Pop)

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LISTEN: Nat Vazer – ‘For A Moment’

A gentle, lo-fi reflection on loves past and present; Nat Vazer has shared her latest single, ‘For a Moment’. Taken from her second album, Is This Offensive And Loud?, which is set for release on 29th May via Hotel Motel Records, the track quietly broods with nostalgic tenderness.

Since the release of her 2018 EP, We Used To Have Real Conversations, Vazer has toured with Lime Cordiale and supported the likes of Last Dinosaurs, #1 Dads, Carla Geneve and The Magic Numbers. Her understated but infectious indie melodies, coupled with her smooth vocals mean Vazer’s tracks radiate with a humble indie buzz; and ‘For a Moment’ is another shining example of this.

“[The track] is a love song about an ex-work colleague,” Vazer explains. “There is a strange time-warping feeling you get sometimes when you fall for someone hard, where time can appear to stand still while everything around you seems like a blur. ‘For A Moment’ indulges in that fantasy. It’s about chasing something forbidden, a longing for someone you can’t really be with and the overwhelming fear of the possibility.”

Vazer’s blending of fantasy and fear is something we find very easy to indulge in. Listen to ‘For A Moment’ below and follow Nat Vazer on Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Is This Offensive And Loud? is now available for pre-order on vinyl, digital and CD via Bandcamp here.”

Photo Credit: Jay Donohue

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Ganser – ‘Lucky’

An abrasive jest at the futility of forcing self-growth; Chicago-based Ganser have shared their latest single, ‘Lucky’. Taken from their upcoming album, Just Look at That Sky, which is set for release on 31st July via Felte Records, the track is a brooding cacophony of post-punk noise.

Formed of Nadia Garofalo (keyboards/vocals), Alicia Gaines (bass/vocals), Charlie Landsman (guitar) and Brian Cundiff (drums); Ganser’s music has garnered comparisons to 90s noise-makers like Fugazi, Shellac, and Sonic Youth. Their jolting rhythms, confrontational vocals, and manic riffs fuse together to create defiant, jarring tunes; and new single ‘Lucky’ is a sturdy example of this.

“It’s a commentary on personal feelings of inadequacy, and how these feelings can often result in unhealthy or extreme behaviors.” explains Garofalo. “Especially now, as we are in a time of uncertainty, it feels like we have even less control over what is happening to and around us. Isn’t it shitty when things don’t work out the way we’d hoped?!” The exasperated repetition of lyric “Hell of a day kid” communicates this perfectly.

Ganser took on directing duties for the accompanying video to ‘Lucky’, which blends monochrome footage of the band, along with shots of a volatile encounter between two characters. Watch the video below and follow Ganser on Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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