FIVE FAVOURITES: King Isis

Multi-instrumentalist King Isis – whose name pays homage to their great-great-grandmother Omega King, one of the first Black opera singers in Chicago – seems to thrive in the uneasy space between indecision and taking action. The Oakland-based artist explores the gaps between these feelings on their upcoming debut EP, scales, which is set for release on 29th March via Dirty Hit/No Matter. Through a mix of shimmering guitar sounds, driving beats and relatable lyrics, King Isis balances feelings of frustration and apathy alongside buoyant melodies in order to overcome the barriers holding them back, whether they’re self-inflicted or otherwise.

An ardent believer in the empowering and healing nature of music, King Isis uses their artistry to enrich the lives of others too. They volunteer teaching music classes for low-income communities in Los Angeles, and have worked with the FreeStudio Program of Rikers Island, which creates a safe creative space for incarcerated youth and the children of incarcerated adults. 

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspired them to write in the first place. We caught up with King Isis to ask about their “Five Favourites” – five songs that have inspired their song-writing techniques. Check out their choices below and scroll down to watch the video for their latest single ‘taste of u’.

 

1. King Krule – ‘Czech One’
This song has been one of my favorites for a looooong time. I can’t recall exactly where I heard this for the first time, but sometime in college sounds right. King Krule has consistently been my favorite artist for the longest, specifically for the instrumental arrangement and the authenticity of his voice. This song is definitely different from a lot of his tracks, as it’s driven by keys instead of guitar, but the minor, moody melodic chord progression that carries the track has a special place in my heart. It feels like a dream to me. I feel like a lot of King Krule’s songs – including this one – have influenced the chords and shapes I use in songs and in my guitar practice.

2. Lauryn Hill – ‘I Gotta Find Peace of Mind’
Whenever this song comes on in my car, I gotta listen to the full 9 minutes. Her lyrics really resonate with me on this one. I feel like this song has influenced me specifically with lyric writing and strong melodies. Also her performance. I think a lot of what draws me to certain songs/artists and what I strive to do with my music is delivering authenticity through song. imperfections create perfect moments. The guitar is fairly simple, kinda going between two chords, yet is still super captivating because of her vulnerability both in her lyrics and performance. She’s repeating what appear to be simple phrases, but it carries so much meaning in how she shares these words. I think it brings me a sense of hopefulness and peace in moments of calamity. Her delivery and the repetition of certain phrases has definitely inspired how I create and share music. If you haven’t heard this song, listen!

3. Yves Tumor – ‘Gospel for a New Century’
I heard this song for the first time around the drop of this project. I started listening to Yves Tumor during college and was kinda infatuated with everything they were doing. I think what initially drew me to their music was the instrumental – I love a good bassline. When I’m listening to new music, I’m definitely drawn to the instrumental first, that’ll hook me in and eventually I’ll start hearing what they’re saying with their lyrics. If the music itself doesn’t catch my ear, you probably won’t catch me listening to it. I think Yves Tumor’s music in general and this song specifically has helped me be more open in my sound, they continue to inspire with their artistry. I have a couple songs on my next project that are influenced by the grunge-y, crunchy, darker melodies that flow through Yves Tumor’s music.

4. Hiatus Kaiyote – ‘The Lung’
I have a super distinct memory attached to the first time I heard this song. I was a sophomore in college, going through changes, discovering love, learning a lot about myself as a person. I was in my partner’s dorm room during a shroom trip and I fell in love with the magical energy of this song. I didn’t know what Nai Palm was saying for a long time – and honestly still don’t know what she’s saying – but that introductory guitar line instantly captivated my attention. And then she comes in with some infectious harmonies that still bring the same feelings it brought me the first day I heard it.

Ever since then, I’ve been a huge fan of Hiatus Kaiyote and Nai Palm. I think this song specifically inspired me to explore more harmonies within my songs and voice. In this song, her voice felt more like another instrument, moving in tune with the drums and other instruments in ways that still hold me more than the lyrics. I think that also inspired me to play with my voice more, explore the different ranges, sounds, and places my voice can exist in song.

5. Kanye West, Kid Cudi, 070 Shake – ‘Ghost Town’
I don’t remember the first time I heard this song but I included it in this list because everytime I hear it, I still wanna scream and cry with 070 Shake at the end. I love the rest of the song too, but when she comes in with “and nothing hurts anymore I feel kinda free,” it takes me out of whatever else I’m feeling and makes me feel like I can keep pushing through it all, like I can keep going. Something about this song feels familiar, like it’s all gonna be ok. In a similar way to how Lauryn Hill’s ‘Peace of Mind’ makes me feel, 070 Shake’s part of the song makes me feel hopeful, reignited, and alive. I think this song encourages me to dive deeper into writing and into myself, to continue to find freedom in creating music.

Thanks to King Isis for sharing their favourites with us!

Watch their video for ‘taste of u’ below

Follow King Isis on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Richard Mwanthi

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Video Premiere: Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something – ‘Huge’

Having received acclaim from the likes of BBC 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, Mojo Magazine and even comedian Stewart Lee, and now just being announced as longlisted for the Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition, London psych rockers Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something have shared a poignant new video.

Chanelling the mindset of a child with ADHD, trying to make sense of a locked down world, ‘Huge’ is propelled by a chaotic energy, rippling with fizzing hooks as the swirling power of Jemma’s truly distinctive vocals soars. Building with a sparkling psychedelic allure to an immense, colourful cacophony, it showcases the raw emotive majesty that this innovative artist is able to create. An epic, frenzied anthem oozing a stirring visceral drive that’ll captivate on first listen. Of the track, Jemma explains:

“The song is a dysregulated nervous system being forced to try and think, the world demanding an answer for questions too big for any brain to manage. I want to be non verbal, it’s Huge, I don’t really want to have to talk about it.”

‘Huge’ is accompanied by a charming stop-motion video, hand-crafted by Jemma themselves, and perfectly depicting the meanings behind the song. Of the video, they explain:

“I liked shifting the focus from the broad, dark themes of ‘Huge’ into a tiny, intricate, melodrama that was remote, introverted and distant from reality. A world apart, an escapist, lofi reality. Tiny moments of joy, a still space in a world made of forever moving parts”

Watch the brand new video for ‘Huge’, for the first time, here:


Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Jon Mo / @jonmophoto

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LISTEN: Anika & Ni Vash ft. Nasim Luczaj – ‘No Fly Zone’

An evocative, sonic form of resistance, ‘No Fly Zone’ is a fundraising collaboration between Iran-based musicians Ni Vash and Berlin-based musician Anika. Released via Invada Records, all profits from this track will go directly to support a UK-based charitable organisation – who have asked to remain anonymous – who are campaigning for human rights, women’s equality and against government oppression via demonstrations, conferences and publications, offering legal support to those in need.

Collectively know as Ni Vash – a Persian word for “renewal” or “regeneration” – the artists and musicians involved in the project have concealed their names for their own safety. They have worked alongside Anika to create ‘No Fly Zone’, a moving effort to remind listeners that “restrictions come in many forms” and it is our global responsibility to help break down the barriers that are holding others back. You can download the track via bandcamp here

‘No Fly Zone’ is a stirring, atmospheric uprising featuring the words of Anemone, Windflower, by poet Nasim Luczaj. The anemone is known as the “windflower” because its petals close when the plant detects advancing rainstorms. The plant’s natural instincts personify a very human reaction to fear, but on ‘No Fly Zone’, Luczaj’s calm, measured narration and Ni Vash & Anika’s hypnotic synth sounds gently over ride this instinct, quietly urging listeners to do the same.

Speaking about their new collaboration, Ni Vash explain: “In Iran or anywhere, people cannot fly, cannot see their dreams materialize, even through working hard or playing by the rules. Restrictions come in many forms, from without and from within – self or society, made by cultures, we are restricted. We are surrounded by voices without words, in a no fly zone. Join us in the fight for human rights. Join us in the fight against government oppression. This is a world-wide fight. This is your fight.”

Download ‘No Fly Zone’ and donate here.

Watch the video for the collaboration below.

Photo credit: Autumn Andel

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Five Favourites: Calva Louise

Having been a big fan of international band Calva Louise’s fierce, sparkling energy for some time now (and even witnessing their luminous charm live across the pond in New York last year), I was excited to hear that they’ll be releasing a new EP later this year. Following acclaim from the likes of BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music and John Kennedy at Radio X, new release Over The Threshold will not only offer an insight into how the band’s distinctive sound has developed with a heavier, cathartic metal-infused rage, but will also be accompanied by the release of a third person video game produced by Stratera Games. An innovative move from Jess Allanic and co, inspired by her own love of Sci Fi and fantasy, which is also evident in the accompanying graphic novel the band created alongside their 2019 album Rhinoceros.

In fact, the whole upcoming EP is inspired by Allanic’s passion for story-telling and illustration – aiming to create a complete immersive universe through their sounds, as well as visually portraying the captivating world behind the tracks in the video game. And now, ahead of the EP’s release, the band have shared a fiercely riotous new single, ‘Feast Is Over’ – of the track, Allanic explains:

“When circumstances push us back to square one, we often think that the best thing to do is to start over. But when we choose to go forward, fighting and assuming the consequences of our own decisions, it feels like accepting a new challenge to get out of a loop once and for all.”

In a Five Favourites first, we’ve spoken to Jess Allanic about her passion for Sci Fi and how this has inspired not only the band’s new releases, but her work and love of storytelling as a whole. Read about her favourite graphic novels below, and make sure you watch the brand new video for ‘Feast Is Over‘ at the end of this feature.

James O’Barr – The Crow 
The Crow is to me one of the greatest graphic novels of all times. The anger and the injustice that you feel through the characters eyes made me try to have a deeper understanding of what the writer was trying to convey. The essence of the story is mainly autobiographical as James O’Barr put his emotions into paper with his drawings, and that catharsis encouraged me to try and do the same. Instead of imploding with my own thoughts, I wanted to put my beliefs into a graphic novel.

Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez – Locke And Key
This is my favourite graphic novel. I remember the comic shop owner kindly let me read all the issues in the store before I actually bought them! Joe Hill’s story is awesome – it sucked me into this Lovecraftian universe, full of fantasy and horror, also reminiscent of Stephen King. Gabriel Rodriguez’s use of architecture in his illustrations inspired me to draw the buildings of Rouen in Rhinoceros (Calva Louise’s own graphic novel). If you love the comic, I highly recommend the audiobook, which I listened to while I was in the midst of drawing my own illustrations. I also love the fact that at one point in the story, the characters goes to see a Muse show and that one of the main characters looks exactly like Josh Homme!

Sean Murphy – Punk Rock Jesus
Just like James O’Barr, Sean Murphy wrote and illustrated this graphic novel himself. And again, what a story: Jesus is cloned for a reality show and is reborn as a punk rocker, refusing to be used as a weapon of control, so he starts his own punk rock band. I love Sean Murphy’s style and humour – he also uses a lot of his personal experiences and each chapter is inspired by a song, so thanks to his graphic novel I discovered so many amazing bands!

Scott Snyder & Rafael Albuquerque – American Vampire
This comic was recommended to me by a comic store owner and I immediately felt a rush of inspiration through Rafael Albuquerque’s illustrations – they complement Scott Snyder’s story perfectly. And I loved reading about vampires in the Wild West.

Jason Aaron & R.M Guera – Scalped
Scalped was also an inspiration for me, not only for its illustrations but also because of the depth of the story. It tackles interesting topics such as cultural identity and organised crime in a fictional Indian reservation.The graphic style is incredible, blending watercolours and high contrasts.

Massive thanks to Jess for sharing her five favourites with us!

Over The Threshold, the upcoming EP from Calva Louise, is set for release later this year. In the meantime, watch the brand new video for single ‘Feast Is Over’ here!

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