WATCH: HMS Morris – ‘Family Souls

‘Family Souls’ – the latest single by the Welsh art-rock band HMS Morris – is as fun and surreal as the band’s name suggests. A joyful collage of a song, it brings together elements of soul, funk and indie to create a bouncy pop banger that’s both experimental and perfectly polished.  

Reminiscent of Tuneyards, ‘Family Souls’ quickly wedges its way into your brain, as front person Heledd Watkins unleashes the song’s infectious, angular hook. When she dreamily utters “yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah” it blends jerky instrumentation with sweet pop harmonies like a wonky ’60s girl group. 

At the heart of the song is a creative conundrum. The lyrics explore why Watkins finds it hard to perform in front of her family or, as the band put it: “the dissonance between Heledd’s roles as a dutiful west-Walian daughter on one hand, and as a badass creative force to be reckoned with on the other.” As the front person of a band with such vibrant eccentricity, it’s hardly surprising that Watkins wrestles with this. But I hope she resolves it soon; if this song and the incredible video are anything to go by, her family are missing out on an incredible performer! 

Created by Trigger Happy Creative, watch the new video below:

‘Family Souls’ is out now via Bubblewrap Records.

Vic Conway
@thepicsofvic

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LISTEN: jellyskin – ‘Bringer Of Brine’

A heady rush of thumping beats, smooth vocals and dense synth textures, jellyskin have shared their latest single ‘Bringer Of Brine’. Taken from their upcoming debut album In Brine, which is set for release on 9th June via Wrong Speed Records, The Leeds-based duo combine their eccentric ideas with throbbing percussion and commanding electronics to create their techno-inspired, industrial sounds.

Formed of Will Ainsley and Zia Larty-Healy, jellyskin have spent the past four years meticulously writing and recording their debut record between Leeds, Liverpool, Bristol, Palamos and Berlin. The pair invited Berlin-based producer Lewis D-t to co-produce, mix and master In Brine, and to “finesse the tracks into fat-free hunks of ecstasy and sonic exploration”. The result of this collaboration is a record that brims with a palpable sense of urgency and euphoria, with narrative themes that range from intense longing and desire, to misadventure by the sea and aquatic apparitions.

jellyskin somehow combine all of these elements on their latest single, ‘Bringer Of Brine’. Accompanied by a music video, shot and directed by Misha Warren, jellyskin star in the nautical themed visuals, which compliment the themes they explore on In Brine. Following high-profile UK festival slots and shows alongside luminaries, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Warmduscher, Sea Power, Moonlandingz and The KVB, and with their debut album on the horizon, 2023 looks set to be an exciting year for jellyskin.

Watch the video for ‘Bringer Of Brine’ below.

jellyskin’s upcoming debut album In Brine is available for pre-order from 5th May via bandcamp

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

Photo Credit: Misha Warren

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LIVE: Ailbhe Reddy – Moth Club, London 18.04.23

“I’m a one trick pony” joked Ailbhe Reddy to her attentive crowd at Hackney’s Moth Club last week. Referring to the similar content of the songs that make up her latest album, Endless Affair – “this one’s about being hungover” – Reddy’s self deprecating remarks and tender, clear vocals charmed her listeners at the East London venue.

Opening her set with bittersweet anthem ‘Between Your Teeth’, which is taken from her debut album Personal History, Reddy was backed by a full band for the majority of her show. Pausing briefly between songs to share personal anecdotes, including her memory of the disastrous last time she played piano live – “I covered a little song called ‘Imagine’, don’t know if you’ve heard of it? It didn’t go well” – Reddy’s headline performance made up for her past mistakes.

With a setlist full of tracks from her second album Endless Affair, Reddy delivered great renditions of ‘Inhaling’, ‘Shoulderblades’, ‘Last To Leave’ and the hugely relatable ‘Shitshow’, on which she scrutinizes her drunken reflection. On record, Reddy’s poetic, vulnerable lyrics are balanced alongside her wry humour, and this translated well in a live setting too. Whether Reddy was learning to “take love where it’s planted” on the beautifully sincere ‘Bloom’, trying to get under and ex’s skin on ‘ILYW’ (‘I’m Losing You’re Winning’), or simply owning up to being ‘A Mess’, she managed to retain these key elements of her craft under the spotlight.

Songs from her debut album, Personal History, also made the cut, including ‘Looking Happy’ and the title track, on which Reddy passionately repeated the lyric “I don’t want to go on dates / and hear personal history / I don’t want to share my own / unless it’s you listening”, which proved to be a real highlight of the set.

Whilst Reddy clearly relished playing with a full band behind her, there were moments when the collective volume of the instruments overpowered her vocal. This was atoned for at the end of the set, when she played her final three songs solo. Closing the night with the emotive ‘Pray For Me’, which was dedicated to her late Grandmother, Reddy’s crowd listened intently as she shared stories about the “wordless promises” she made to her relative in the latter stages of her life. It was a poignant and powerful note to end the set on, and one which will ensure fans keep coming back to see Reddy play live again.

Follow Ailbhe Reddy on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo credit: Niamh Barry

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Five Favourites: Heather Woods Broderick

Having played and toured with the likes of Sharon Van Etten and Beth Orton, LA based artist Heather Woods Broderick has just released her fifth album, Labyrinth. Partly written during the lockdown of 2020, the album offers a beautifully honest reflection on life and the difficulties of navigating the modern world. Oozing an anthemic, sparkling splendour and glistening allure, each track chimes with a captivating heartfelt resonance.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of Labyrinth, we caught up with Heather to ask about the music that has inspired her the most. So, read about her five favourite albums, and make sure you watch the atmospheric new video for latest single ‘Crashing Against The Sun‘ below...

Cindy Lauper – She’s So Unusual
This record was released the year I was born. It was an outlier in my parents’ record collection, one that was mostly made up of folk/singer songwriters of that era. It was my absolute favourite record to put on as a young girl, and I have vivid memories of the babysitter coming over and playing this record while we all danced around laughing together. It was most definitely the most upbeat music I can remember listening to as a young child, and it left a huge impression on me. I love how this record is catchy, silly, and strong at the same time.

Tricky – Pre Millenium Tension
I listened to this record on many runs over the course of writing Labyrinth. It was a big inspiration as far as rhythm and beats go for me. I really love the simple repetitive nature of hip hop / trip hop music, and I think Tricky does an amazing job melding genres. I love the use of the closed high hat in these beats (and in a lot of hip hop), and this influence showed up in the beats I made for the record.

Gigi Masin – Talk To The Sea
Beats and soft synths – I’m a big fan. The simple meditative beats and simple melodies that echo through this record have really infused into me over many many hours of repeated listening. The kind of record that makes time become amorphous. This would definitely be a desert island disc choice of mine, and I think the simple tones and beats in this record really influenced me and my desire to make my own beats.

Phil Collins – But Seriously
This is one record that punctuated my childhood. The song ‘Another Day In Paradise’ was on the radio a lot as a kid. I can remember this song coming on while we were driving around in the family Volkswagen Vanagon. The soft synth sounds of this record and era in general are sounds that I am so drawn to, so I feel like I can attribute that pull to my experience hearing them at a formative age.

Sam Gendel and Sam Wilkes – Music For Saxofone and Bass Guitar
Repetition – I’m a big fan of it, and this record is all about it. It settles you into a groove and it lets you stay there. I love the concept of this record and have played it countless times. These guys are incredible players, and I’m always impressed when players that can shred choose not to. It feels like their individual styles have room to come forward with this ‘less is more’ approach.

Massive thanks to Heather for sharing her Five Favourites with us! Watch the atmospheric new video for latest single ‘Crashing Against The Sun’ here:

Labyrinth, the new album from Heather Woods Broderick, is out now via Western Vinyl.

Photo Credit: Sophie Kuller

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