NEW TRACK: ALT BLK ERA – ‘Rockstar: LUNAR’

After sharing their blistering nu-metal inspired track ‘Rockstar’ at the end of last year, genre-defying sister duo ALT BLK ERA are showcasing their softer side on latest single ‘Rockstar: LUNAR’. Beautifully contrasting with the band’s usual visceral, heavy sound, ‘Rockstar: LUNAR’ is an earnest reflection on an unhealthy relationship, gently edging listeners towards acceptance and finding strength in their vulnerability.

Formed of sisters Nyrobi and Chaya, ALT BLK ERA create tenacious alternative anthems designed to express their vivid personalities. Inspired by the likes of Ho99o9, Nova Twins, Hacktivist and Billie Eilish, they blur the boundaries of punk, nu-metal and trap to form their riotous, anthemic sounds. Refusing to be pigeonholed, ALT BLK ERA enjoy exploring their musical dynamic further by releasing ‘SOLAR’ and ‘LUNAR’ versions of their songs. Nyrobi’s Solar energy represents her wild, raucous spirit, and Chaya’s calmer, more introverted energy is represented by Lunar.

Their original single ‘Rockstar’ was a volatile, all-consuming wall of noise, but on ‘Rockstar: LUNAR’, the duo filter the heaviness of romantic infatuation through a different lens. Full of tender vocals, evocative piano sounds and confessional lyrics, the track is a poignant rumination on an emotionally harmful relationship. The pair find solace in opening up about the difficult reality of loving someone who is bad for you, and have showcased their impressive, seamless ability to move between music genres in the process.

Listen to ‘Rockstar: LUNAR’ below:

ALT BLK ERA UK Live Dates 2023
Mar 18: CH Hirscheneck, Basel
Mar 31: UK Bodega, Nottingham
Apr 05: UK Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
May 25-28: UK Bearded Theory, Derbyshire

Follow ALT BLK ERA on bandcamp, Spotify, Tik Tok, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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NEW TRACK: REWS – ‘Misery’

A riotous ode to resilience and self preservation in the face of adversity, REWS have shared their latest single ‘Misery’. Despite the pessimistic title, the track, released via Earache Records, is an empowering blend of heavy riffs and defiant vocals that urge listeners not to let life’s more difficult moments make them question their own abilities.

“This song was written when I was feeling…miserable!” laughs Shauna Tohill, who is the creative force behind REWS. “It is a representation of the many battles us creatives go through when trying to figure out if all the blood, sweat and tears are worth it. i.e. whether you should make that next album, or spend hours making an Instagram reel, or whether we should just throw the towel in and do something else completely! And, you know, its okay to do whatever is right for you!

But, I realised through writing this song, that sometimes misery comes when you’re plain burnt out and just need a change of scenery! Taking that break can teach us about ourselves and helps us find the reasons and energy to keep fighting and doing the things that make us happy – because that seems to bring the magic into life!”

Tohill has taken her overwhelming feelings of exhaustion and indecision and transformed them into a brooding, cathartic rock anthem on ‘Misery’. The Northern Irish songwriter’s vocals are the lifeblood of the track, her voice as commanding in its quieter moments during the verses as it is during the riotous chorus. The song is accompanied by a video featuring Tohill, which you can watch below.

Follow REWS on Spotify, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

Photo Credit: Shona Cutt

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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NEW TRACK: Debby Friday ft. Uñas – ‘I GOT IT’

With its intoxicating blend of pounding beats and manic electronics; resisting the urge to dance is futile when it comes to ‘I GOT IT’, the latest single from DEBBY FRIDAY. Taken from her upcoming debut album, GOOD LUCK, which is set for release via Sub Pop on 24th March, the Nigerian-born, Toronto-based artist’s track is an industrial-tinged club banger that provides a dizzying rush of euphoria.

Featuring a contribution from Montreal-based vocalist Uñas (aka Chris Vargas of Pelada), ‘I GOT IT’ is a celebration of the anarchy that comes with cutting loose on a club dance floor after the sun has set. “This track is a ‘Get in the Uber, Bitch!’ ode to nightlife, purgatory, and club rats everywhere,” Friday comments. “Uñas and I had been wanting to collab for a while and this was a case of right vibe, right time.”

Accompanied by a video, which stars Uñas and was directed by Friday, the visuals for ‘I GOT IT’ feature imagery from Friday’s upcoming short film, also titled GOOD LUCK, which will be released along with her album later this spring. The film is loosely based on the artist’s own experiences of growing up as “a zillenial anti-heroine”, and is co-directed by Nathan De Paz Habib (Chino Amobi’s Eroica, and The Bicycle).

Friday will be touring the US in Canada from February, and will be making her way over to the UK for a headline show at Corsica Studios with Grove in May. Full dates are listed below.

Watch the video for ‘I GOT IT’ here:

Follow DEBBY FRIDAY on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Debby Friday Tour Dates 2023
Fri. Feb. 17 – Toronto – Boiler Room
Wed. Mar. 15-18 – Austin – SXSW
Fri, Mar. 24 – Montreal – Phi Centre
Sat. Mar 25 – Toronto – Garrison
Wed. Apr. 12 – Portland – Mississippi Studios
Thu. Apr. 13 – Seattle – Barboza
Fri. Apr. 14 – Los Angeles – Zebulon
Sat. Apr. 15 – Vancouver – Cobalt
Wed. Apr. 19 – Brooklyn – Babys Alright
Thurs. Apr. 20 – Chicago – Empty Bottle
Wed. May 03 – London – Corsica Studios w/ Grove

Photo credit: Katrin Braga

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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NEW TRACK: O Hell – ‘pixel’

A disarming, hypnotic offering that gently taps at the inside of the head, Brighton-based artist Lucy Sheehan aka O Hell has shared their latest single ‘pixel’. Laced with eerie, tentative piano sounds and Sheehan’s clear, yearning vocals, the track is an ominous piece of lo-fi electronica, accompanied by a video shot by Jay Bartlett Films.

After years spent touring and recording music in alternative bands around the UK, Sheehan ventured into fresh sonic territory under their new moniker O Hell back in 2021. Influenced by a love of eclectic, brooding soundscapes and a desire for creative independence, Sheehan was inspired by everything from Lithuanian folk songs to DJ Shadow and PJ Harvey when it came to creating her new sounds. Mined during a period of intense isolation, ‘pixel’ is another example of Sheehan’s ability to tap into uneasy states of consciousness with her ambigous, yet palpably familiar lyrics – “I dare to find your picture / run my hand across the pixels”

Speaking about the conception of the track, Sheehan explains: “I was at a studio way out in the Sussex Downs, and I started playing this fucked piano, completely out of tune. Anyway I didn’t know it was being recorded. I was in my own world. I showed my collaborator George, and as big fans of Amnesiac we decided to scramble it into this strange, surreal piece of electronica. Around the same time a friend of mine showed me this beautiful Lithuanian folk song called ‘Zalioj Girioj Stadalelis’ and I loved the sparse and haunting melodic structure. I remembered I don’t always have to write a chorus.”

“The softer, more surreal side of artists like PJ Harvey and Vincent Vocoder Voice were also big influences on ‘pixel’,” she continues. “I like visceral music, lyrics that are fragile, disgusting or painful. There has to be an emotional edge. I couldn’t give a fuck about friendly music.” This curation of unease is something Sheehan explored on her previous single, ‘I Watch The Women‘, and continues to explore sonically on ‘pixel’ too.

Watch the video for the new single below.

Follow O Hell on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Bridie Florence Cummings

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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