WATCH: Brutus – ‘Brave’ (Live at DAFT Studios)

Lifted from their second album, Unison Life, released in October 2022, Belgian heavy trio Brutus have shared a live video of their track ‘Brave’, along with news of a UK Headline tour this December.

Propelled by Stefanie Mannarts’ gritty vocals and immense drumming and full of stadium-sized riffs, the visuals – shot at DAFT Studios in Belgium – show the band doing what they do best; performing under the spotlight. “When recording a new album, you don’t always know in advance which songs will become very special in a live touring setting,” vocalist and drummer Mannaerts explains. “After touring for several months now, we know that ‘Brave’ is one of our favourite songs to play live. We’re excited to share this very early studio live video.”

Alongside guitarist Stijn Vanhoegaerden and bassist Peter Mulders, Mannaerts has been bringing the gargantuan sound of Unison Life to sold out crowds across Europe. Their relentless, genre-blending, powerful music has impressed the likes of Deftones, Dave Grohl, Simon Neil and many more.

Now, Brutus are gearing up for a summer of festival appearances in both the UK and further afield, before returning in December for a headline tour, including their biggest show to date at London’s Islington Assembly Hall. Tickets will go on sale later today (Thursday May 11th). All dates UK dates are listed below.

Watch the live video for ‘Brave’ here:

Brutus UK Tour Dates 2023
9th June – Download Festival
7th July – 2000trees
17th August – ArcTanGent Festival
7th December – London, Islington Assembly Hall
8th December – Brighton, Chalk
10th December – Bristol, Trinity
11th December – Manchester, Academy 3
12th December – Glasgow, G2
13th December – Birmingham, The Asylum

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

Photo Credit: Eva Vlonk

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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New Track: Emily Magpie – ‘Down In The Deep’

Having been supported by the likes of Nabihah Iqbal on BBC 6Music and supported bands such as This Is The Kit and Let’s Eat Grandma, Bristol based Emily Magpie has been charming us with her whimsical dream-pop soundscapes for some time, and has now announced the release of her upcoming new EP, She. A project which is both deeply personal, and highly relatable, the collection offers a moving reflection on the self; exploring our place in society whilst showcasing her distinctive alt-pop sound.

Taken from the EP, new single ‘Down In The Deep‘ reflects on Emily’s experience of being a woman with a sparkling intimacy. Flowing with whirring keys and lilting melodies, it oozes a raw heartfelt emotion, instantly immersing the listener in a captivating, stirring majesty. With Emily’s trademark hypnotic splendour, her rich crystalline vocals shimmer with a celestial allure as the track builds with an ethereal twinkling grace. A blissfully soothing soundscape.

Of the EP as a whole, Emily explains:

“I created this EP to explore my own experience of being a woman- which is beautiful and messy! I wanted to extend this out in a universal way to others, all with their own unique stories and voices. The feminine, which exists outside of gender. There’s beauty, celebration, darkness and the unknown. Feminine energy is badass and there’s a massive history of it being suppressed which it’s important to challenge by us being heard.”

She, the upcoming EP from Emily Magpie, is set for release on 7th June via Def Pressé. Pre-save here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Hannah Lisa

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New Track: ĠENN – ‘A Reprise (That Girl)’

‘A Reprise (That Girl)‘, the latest single from Anglo-Maltese quartet ĠENN, is deeply introspective; cleverly constructed to offer provocative commentary. While it has plenty of its own comments to make, it wants you to go on your own journey with the lyrics and the atmosphere generated by the music – it wants you to take the moment you spend with it and reflect on your own experiences of the world.

The track begins with a throbbing techno-infused bass line, accompanied by a repetitive, catchy drum beat that buries its way into your ear and refuses to leave. The two combine to create the sensation of a funky futuristic production line. The sound is hypnotic and dystopian and addictive; easy to picture glazed-eyed, blank-faced automatons moving to it. Of the track, ĠENN say that it’s designed to reflect “technological gratification”, and this comes through loud and clear in just the opening bars. The instinct to lurch towards technology after just a moment left alone with your own thoughts lurks there in the motions of the beat.

The vocals are delivered deadpan and low, subtle yet dangerous. They have the tension of an elastic band about to snap, of a predator preparing to leap. The lyrics are comprised of moments that create a complete picture of existence, from the perspective of someone floating through the day but not quite engaged with it. They capture feelings, the essence of an experience, more than explicitly describing a day in a life. It leaves you free to project on them whatever in your life inspires that sense of malnutrition, catharsis, futility, nature’s sedative.

The mood shifts from soft-spoken, passive apathy to revolutionary rage as the track ramps up into its climactic moments. It gives the song a sense of hope, if only people could throw off the shackles of repetitive oppression and work to rebuild the world in a more exciting way. It launches the song into its final, powerful declaration – “Death upon the mundane/Death upon the many” – creating an immense empowering anthem, oozing a fierce impassioned drive.

Mixed by Tom Hill and mastered by Katie Tavini, ‘A Reprise (That Girl)’ is out now via Liminal Collective. Catch ĠENN live at The Great Escape on 11th May at The Brunswick for Off Axis / Miro Co-labs stage.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

Photo Credit: Jordan Core

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Introducing Interview: Alien Chicks

Having been massive fans of Alien Chicks since first hearing funk-fuelled single ’27 Stitches’ last summer, our love of the South London trio has continued to grow since having them blow us away playing live for us at Shacklewell Arms in December, and they have continued to showcase their unique creativity and unrelenting energy with each new release.

Now, fresh from selling out a headline show at The Lexington – with acclaim from the likes of BBC 6Music’s Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson – and with frenzied new single ‘Candlestick Maker‘ out now, we decided to catch up with Alien Chicks to find out more…

Hi Alien Chicks! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourselves, and how you started making music together?
We are a Brixton based post punk trio. I’m Stefan – I play bass and sing. I’m Josef I play guitar and sing. I’m Martha – I play drums. Stef and Josef met in tap class, and then we started playing guitar together when we were about 17. We moved to Brixton to try pursuing music and met Martha in a practice room in Peckham.

We love your frenzied funk-fuelled sounds , but who would you say are your main musical influences?
We are really into a range of stuff, from black midi to Abba, and I think this comes through in our songs. There’s also a lot of rap influence in the vocals – Josef is really into rappers like Ocean wisdom and Denzel Curry.

You’ve recently released your new single ‘Candlestick Maker’, which is very exciting! Are you able to tell us a bit about it? And how would you say it differs from your previous releases?
‘Candlestick Maker’ is a fun song with some pretty dark themes. I think it’s different to our other stuff because it’s more dancey!

You’ve just headlined an epic sold out show at The Lexington – a fantastic night (and the biggest mosh pit I’ve seen for a while)! How was that for you? And, for those who missed it, what can fans expect from your live shows?
The Lexington was incredible! We expected it to be great, but it blew away out expectations! The crowd were wild from start to finish and it really felt like a momentous occasion – one we have been working towards since we started a band. Fans can expect high energy, erratic songs and an atmosphere like no other!

Is there a particular live show you’ve played that stands out as a highlight?
The Lexington defo stands out – it was awesome! The Windmill gigs in general are also always amazing, full of energy and excitement!

And, when out on tour, are there any particular essentials that you like to take with you to keep you going when away from home? 
Idiocy, Martha’s laptop so she can “work”, game… and Josef’s bandana. 

How do you feel the industry is for new artists at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the last few years in its treatment of female and queer/LGBTQ+  artists? 
I feel like there’s more representation of oppressed genders and minority groups, but there’s definitely still more work to be done. We think Get In Her Ears is a great movement and really helps to promote marginalised and underrepresented groups.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other upcoming bands you’re loving right now that you’d recommend we check out?
House Arrest, Man/Woman/Chainsaw…

Finally, what does the rest of 2023 have in store for Alien Chicks?
We will hopefully be releasing an EP, and will be playing in The Hundred Club in November! COME ON DOWN!!!

Massive thanks to Alien Chicks for answering our questions! Watch the new video for ‘Candlestick Maker’ now:

‘Candlestick Maker’ is out now via Hideous Mink Records. Catch them live at The 100 Club on 2nd November – tickets here.

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