PREMIERE: The Silk Collective – ‘Wanderer’

Fronted by vocalist and songwriter Aimee Warren, London based The Silk Collective have now shared a dreamy debut offering.

Propelled by Warren’s rich, soulful vocals and a twinkling musicality, ‘Wanderer’ oozes a captivating ethereal splendour. As majestic, swirling layers of sound create a soothing groove, it’s reminiscent of the R’n’B tinged alt-pop of Lianne La Havas, with an added lilting folk-strewn musicality. Of the track, Warren explains that it’s a “a tender yet bold commentary on the cyclical nature of self-discovery, loss and healing…”

Listen to ‘Wanderer’ for the first time, along with B-side ‘Solo/Magnificent’ here:

Mari Lane
@marimindles

PREMIERE: Yumi And The Weather – ‘What Will Become Of The Wishing Well’ (Inwards Remix)

With acclaim from the likes of John Kennedy and BBC 6Music’s Nemone, Brighton based vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Yumi And The Weather (aka Ruby Taylor) has now shared a fresh remix of her latest single ‘What Will Become Of The Wishing Well‘. Re-imagined by label-mate and rising Worcestershire producer INWARDS (aka Kristian Shelley), it’s the first single to be taken from Yumi And The Weather’s upcoming new EP, set for release at the beginning of next month. 

Maintaining the soaring rich vocals and twinkling uptempo vibes of the original, INWARDS’ remix enhances the already present glitchy beats of the track and creates a whirring, electro-fused soundscape, replicating the original instrumental parts with electronics. Propelled by a gritty, driving energy and sweeping, reverb-strewn splendour, this latest rendition of ‘What Will Become Of The Wishing Well’ is a truly captivating and instantly uplifting offering, reminiscent of the dreamy majesty of the likes of The Postal Service.

Listen to INWARDS’ remix of Yumi And The Weather’s ‘What Will Become Of The Wishing Well’ now, and read our interview with Ruby Taylor about the track and her inspirations behind it below.

 

Hi Ruby, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
Hello! I am a musician/songwriter/producer based in Brighton and I make music under the name Yumi And The Weather.

How did you initially decide to start creating music?
I suppose it was a natural process as I started playing guitar and writing songs so it just came about from that, so wouldn’t say it was a decision… I suppose it was more of an experiment! Some guitarists just stick to guitar, but I started writing songs and taught myself how to sing through doing that, and I am so glad I tried it out!

Your single ‘What Will Become Of The Wishing Well’ is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about?
It was written about the misinformation and lies from the government around COVID and how we as humans are trying to keep our heads above water at this very uncertain time. The title comes from the idea that we are heading in to a cashless society, so it made me think about coins and how we have always used them for making wishes in the wishing well.

And it’s now been remixed by INWARDS – how did this collaboration come about?
I’ve known Kris for a couple of years before signing to Small Pond. We met at Nozstock festival a few years back as Yumi were playing and our radio plugger introduced us, and I listened to his music on the way home and it was so sick. I’ve always been a massive fan of his music so I was so happy when he said he wanted to remix this song.

We love the dreamy melodies and soaring vocals of your songs, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
Oh wow such a hard question… My main influences have changed over the years from starting the project, but I suppose to name a few for this EP would be: Mamman Sani, Secret Service, Alvvays, Dire Straits and The Cure.

Of course, no one’s going to see live music right now, but – in more ‘normal’ times – how is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
My local music scene is incredible and I miss it so much. I was trying to go to a gig a week minimum before lockdown, and I can’t wait to get out again. Live music is something you just can’t beat and all this virtual gig stuff I know people are trying but it doesn’t cut it for me. Nothing beats being in a room with people losing themselves and being immersed in sound waves that are being created right in front of you.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
Me and my live band being there in person, and trying to imitate the recordings – ha ha! Yeah, nothing fancy, just maybe that we are wearing clean clothes.

How do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
As it’s very much a DIY ethos these days, you can’t just be a musician anymore – you kind of have to learn a bit about marketing and promotion etc. So, it’s a shame really because you would just want to spend most of your time writing and being expressive. So, it’s not difficult to get noticed, it’s more difficult to know how to get noticed, if you want to get noticed. But, ultimately, it’s being in the right place at the right time, because you meet people along the way and you don’t realise how people can have an effect until further down the line.

Finally, as we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
At the moment I can’t stop telling people about a band called Actors. They released an album in 2019 and it’s fantastic. New/upcoming bands-wise I think keep an ear out for Club Kuru (UK), Oslo Parks (UK), Clementine Dream (FR), and SONS (BE).

Huge thanks to Ruby for answering our questions! 

‘What Will Become Of The Wishing Well’ is out now, taken from Yumi And The Weather’s upcoming EP, Some Days, set for release on 3rd December via Small Pond Records.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Premiere: Flor And The Sea – ‘Kings & Queens’

Originally founded in 2015 as a five piece, and now starting to become known for their immersive live shows, Munich-based duo Flor And The Sea have now announced the release of their new EP Kings & Queens. 

Lead single and title track ‘Kings & Queens’ offers a twinkling ethereal soundscape. Propelled by driving electro-strewn hooks and the soaring splendour of Chaem’s vocals, it builds with pulsating beats to an anthemic slice of ambient indie-pop with shades of the likes of Portishead. An instantly captivating offering set to uplift on first listen with its shimmering vibrant energy.

Listen to ‘Kings & Queens, for the first time, now:

Kings & Queens, the new EP from Flor And The Sea, is out now. Listen here.

 

Mari Lane
@marimindles

 

Premiere: Jelena Ćirić – ‘Lines’

Set to release her debut EP later this month, Reykjavík based singer songwriter Jelena Ćirić has now shared the first single from the collection.

Reflecting on our preoccupation with finding the meaning of life, ‘Lines’ offers a captivating ethereal soundscape. With shades of the other-worldly allure of Regina Spektor, it flows with twinkling keys and the impassioned majestic splendour of Ćirić’s vocals, creating a musically rich, lyrically poignant slice of spellbinding alt-pop.

Listen to ‘Lines’, for the first time, here. And read a little interview with Jelena all about the track and her upcoming EP below!

 

Hi Jelena, can you tell us about your new single ‘Lines’?
‘Lines’ is a song about the fetish we humans have for answers to life’s big questions. Whether we admit it or not, we love the idea that a conversation with a fortune tell could reveal the purpose of our life or that we’ll meet a new lover and suddenly everything will fall into place. I don’t think that happens to most of us. Changing ourselves is gradual and hard and not very romantic.

And can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the the song?
The song is set in Toronto, where I grew up. Like all cities it’s got many layers, and stepping into one of its neighbourhoods can feel like stepping into an alternate reality. It’s been a few years since I’ve lived there but it’s where I grew up and grappled with the sorts of questions that the song’s protagonist wonders about: who am I, what should I do with my life, who should I love?

You’re Serbian born, grown up in Canada, but have lived in Iceland for several years, how has living there influenced your songwriting?
The Icelandic music scene has been incredibly supportive and encouraging to be a part of. I studied classical singing – although it was a good foundation in many ways, it also instilled a scathing self-criticism in me that I had to unlearn. What I love about Icelandic artists is that when they have an idea, they just go for it. I’ve been learning to just act on ideas rather than criticize them to death before I begin.

And what can we expect from your upcoming debut EP?
I named the EP Shelter One because for me each of the songs is a little temporary haven that I built to process something I was going through. That’s what songwriting has always been for me – a way to explore questions I had about myself or the world or give myself a sort of solace that I couldn’t find elsewhere. Personally, I’m drawn to music that isn’t overly produced, and I’m really proud of the team behind this EP for bringing out the best in me without ironing out the authenticity of the songs. From Pétur Þór Benediktsson who recorded the vocals so beautifully and Snorri Hallgrímsson who recorded piano, to Margrét Arnardóttir (accordion) and Karl James Pestka (viola and violin) whose playing brings depth to the songs, Albert Finnbogason who produced it with such care and respect, and then Sarah Register’s mastering that polished it like a gem. It’s really important to me to acknowledge the people whose names you may not see when you check out a song on a streaming platform. This EP was a team effort and it was truly crafted with care at every step.

Huge thanks to Jelena for answering our questions!

‘Lines’ is out now, taken from Jelena Ćirić’s upcoming debut EP Shelter One, set for release 27th November via Icelandic label Paradís Sessions.

Mari Lane
@marimindles