NEW TRACK: Softcult – ‘Haunt You Still’

A bittersweet, shimmering reflection on the mark we leave on others in the extended aftermath of a breakup, Softcult have shared their latest single ‘Haunt You Still’. Full of their trademark shadowy, swirling riffs and soft dual vocals, the Canadian duo explore accountability and atonement on their latest offering.

Formed of twin siblings Phoenix and Mercedes Arn Horn, Softcult have had a busy few years touring with the likes of Incubus and MUSE, as well as releasing a trio of excellent EPs: Year Of The Rat (2021), Year Of The Snake (2022), and See You In The Dark (2023). Now, the pair are gearing up to play a series of shows across the UK supporting Movements, with new single ‘Haunt You Still’ offering a glimpse of what to expect from their live setlist.

“Maybe it’s a defence mechanism, but we tend to demonise the people we once held close once they’re out of our lives, and it’s not always warranted. It’s a reactive way of protecting ourselves,” the band explain about the context of their new track. “This song is an acknowledgement that when things don’t work out between two people, it’s not always one sole person in the wrong. Looking back on our past, we have to reflect on the parts we’ve played and the damage we may have unintentionally left behind. When those people think of us, do they look back fondly or has the chapter of their lives where we appeared become a painful memory?”

Born from their desire to push through pain and reflect on their hard earned emotional resilience, Softcult’s sound is rooted in a strong feminist DIY ethos. With Phoenix on production, engineering and artwork duties, Mercedes is free to direct and edit all of Softcult’s visuals. The duo also create and produce their own zine called SCripture, and are active participants in their Softcult Discord server, a safe online community for their fans. It’s this vehement sense of self-autonomy, coupled with a shadowy aesthetic and atmospheric sound that makes Softcult so captivating.

Watch the video for ‘Haunt You Still’ below.

Softcult UK Live Dates 2023 (with Movements)
Nov 22: SOUTHAMPTON The Loft
Nov 23: LEEDS Project House
Nov 24: MANCHESTER Club Academy
Nov 26: GLASGOW Garage
Nov 27: BIRMINGHAM The Mill
Nov 28: BRISTOL Lost Horizon
Nov 30: LONDON Electric Ballroom

Follow Softcult on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter (X)

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: GIHE on Soho Radio with afromerm (13.11.23)

Tash and Kate were back on Soho Radio’s airwaves playing loads of new music from some of their favourite female, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ artists! Mari offered some of her “musical musings” too. Artists featured on the eclectic playlist included Planningtorock, body/negative, Fraulein, HotWax, paun, LipGloss, Sheherazaad, Dermabrasion, deep tan, Seraphina Simone, Sandunes, Vyva Melinkolya and more.

South London-based sound artist and GIHE fave afromerm also came into the studio to chat about winning an Oram Award – an award which celebrates Women, Trans, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive artists who are pushing the envelope of creativity in sound, music and related technology. She also spoke about her work as part of the NYX Drone Choir and the innovative motion-sensitive instrument she created for her undergraduate project called ‘Juniper’.

You can catch afromerm performing live at the Oram Awards Ceremony at Kings Place in London on 19th November. Tickets are free, but you need to register.

Listen back to the show below:

We’ll be back on Soho Radio on Monday 11th December from 12-2pm!
 Make sure you tune in via www.sohoradiolondon.com

Tracklist
Planningtorock – Transome
Personnel – Her City I Was After
ALYSS – Hydra
Sandunes – Feel Me From The Inside
Holysseus Fly – Bloom
body / negative ft. Midwife – everett
LipGloss – Anna (Walks Along The Street)
Chelsea Wolfe – Whispers In The Echo Chamber
Fraulein – The Last Drop
HotWax – High Tea
deep tan – xenomorph queen
NESS NOST – The Regular
Saff Juno – 5 O’clock Sun
Maple Glider – Don’t Kiss Me
paun – Double Standard
Mary Lovett – Tambor
afromerm – held
**Interview with afromerm**
Laura Misch – Sax Rise
Hilary Woods – Burial Rites
Seraphina Simone – Liverpool
Sheherazaad – Mashoor
Dermabrasion – Halberdier
Gross Misconduct – All My Fine Fabrics
A Lot, Not Too Much – Runnin’
Vyva Melinkolya, Midwife – Doomer GF Song
Gazelle Twin – Fear Keeps Us Alive
Queen Latifah – U.N.I.T.Y.

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EP: Coolgirl – ‘Failed Reboot’

Created entirely in her bedroom studio, Dublin-based artist Lizzie Fitzpatrick aka Coolgirl‘s debut EP, Failed Reboot, is an ode to the power of our personal relationship with sound. Released via VETA Records, it’s a vivid, cinematic collection of synths, intriguing samples and sparse vocals, transporting listeners into sonic spheres that seamlessly shift like quicksilver in tone and mood.

GIHE fans will recognise Fitzpatrick as the former front person of grunge trio Bitch Falcon, but under her new solo moniker, she experiments with everything from Korg synths to tin whistles and saxophone in order to create her unconventional offerings. On Failed Reboot, she takes listeners on a bittersweet, thrilling journey that traverses waves of deep melancholy, potent nostalgia and unspoken desire.

‘Druid’s Hood’ reveals the first glimpse into Coolgirl’s universe. Inspired by the soundtracks to vintage video games, it’s a mesmeric blend of evocative beats and cell-tingling vocals. Her synth-soaked, vivid explorations all melt into each other. Whether she’s sampling the sound of knocking on a radiator for the hypnotic ‘High Altar’, or combining whirring synth textures and glitchy beats on ‘Silverlight’, Coolgirl’s instinct and curiosity shine through on each of the six tracks that form Failed Reboot.

“I wanted listeners to take a journey with me, through muddy water and face themselves in a technologic reflection of what human relationships are with music,” Fitzpatrick comments about the conception of her debut record. This “reflection” feels most vivid on tracks like ‘Overturned’, ’22nd Capsule’ and the eponymous ‘Failed Reboot’. Each embodies a real sense of drama and theatricality. The eerie, extended opening of ’22nd Capsule’ in particular, shape-shifts into a mass of energetic, warped synths, underscored by primal, heady beats.

Curious, experimental and ambient are all words that lend themselves to Fitzpatrick’s sound, but ultimately, her music is as cool as her namesake. The tracks on Failed Reboot dissolve into each other, eroding feelings of doubt and anxiety in the process. She evokes a potent feeling of transience, infatuation and intrigue that often permeates electronic music, but she retains a fresh unconventional sonic perspective throughout.

Follow Coolgirl on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter & Instagram

Follow VETA Records on bandcamp, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: HAVVK – ‘City Creep’

One of the first ever guests on our radio show, and the first headliner of a GIHE live night, Ireland based trio HAVVK have been wowing us over the years with their distinctive-yet-eclectic array of spellbinding-yet-gritty soundscapes. With activism at the heart of all they create, they’ve received acclaim from the likes of The Guardian and BBC 6Music for previous releases, and have now shared a brand new single.

A reflection on the impact that Dublin’s housing crisis is having on cultural spaces in the city, ‘City Creep‘ is propelled by a fierce energy as celestial vocals and scuzzy hooks seethe with an unrelenting sense of urgency. Showcasing their ability to exquisitely create a shimmering immersive grace whilst emanating a raw, politically-charged rage, HAVVK express their concern at the disconnect between decision makers and affected communities with their trademark swirling splendour.

‘City Creep’ is out now via Veta Records. And we have a feeling you may be hearing / seeing more from HAVVK very soon… Keep your eyes peeled for a London date coming up in 2024!

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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