Five Favourites – Blackwater Holylight

Having recently released their fourth album, Not Here Not Gone, LA based Blackwater Holylight combine dreamy psych-tinged soundscapes with a fierce power to create a sound that is entirely their own. As the glistening, woozy allure of Allison Faris’ delicate vocals ripples throughout, dirge-like hooks and propulsive beats reveal the band’s eclectic influences, showcasing their ability to interweave immense, doom-laden soundscapes with an immersive transcendental majesty.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspired them to write in the first place. We caught up with drummer Eliese Dorsay to ask about her “Five Favourites” and she’s picked five albums that have influenced her distinctive drumming style over the years. Check out her choices below, scroll down to listen to Blackwater Holylight’s latest single ‘Bodies‘, and make sure you check out the entire exquisite album too…

Uffomamut – Idolum
Uffomammut is a stoner doom band from Italy. I was fifteen, making art in my basement bedroom when this album popped on as a YouTube suggestion. As soon as I heard the first couple notes, I immediately perked up. I was listening to heavy metal at the time, but nothing quite like this. I noticed the drumming and thought “Oh man, I want to do THAT!”. This is the album that lead to me finding Sleep and Electric Wizard. Doom metal quickly invaded my life in the best way. When I finally started playing drums at seventeen, the first song on this album was the first beat I learned. From there I played along to the rest of the Uffomammut discography. Without them I would not play the way I do. 

Russian Circles – Geneva
This album is important to me because I learned a lot about dynamics by listening to it. Russian Circles’ songs are really cinematic and have a lot of movement. It’s what taught me how to build; starting with a minimal beat and slowly adding parts, moving around the kit to build intensity. This band in general definitely opened up my creativity on the drums – they know how to complement each other instrumentally, and take turns being the star.

Def Leppard – High ‘n’ Dry
Some of my favourite drumming ever is just simple straight forward Big Heavy Hitting. I found this album when I was twenty one and realised that’s the same age that drummer Rick Allen was when he lost his arm. By this point drums were becoming more than just a hobby for me; I was realising that I want to do this for the rest of my life. The thought of not being to play anymore for any reason is terrifying. Rick Allen’s story of determination and love for the drums is beyond inspiring. 

Inter Arma – Paradise Gallows
Although I can’t currently play in this style, it’s massively inspiring. The blast beat speeds are legendary, and they’re one of my favourite bands to watch live. They have a unique way of combining all the sub-genres of metal into one project. Not just the drummer, but the band as whole is incredibly talented and versatile. They’ve taught me that you don’t need to limit yourself to one style or genre. 

Bison B.C. – Quiet Earth
This is another album that I love for their unique style of combining different metal genres. They’re thrashier than just standard doom metal. I used to listen to this album on repeat getting ready for school in the morning. When I started playing drums I thought I could play along to it because I knew it all by heart, but it was much more difficult than I thought!! This album continues to push me – I’m still trying to learn little parts of it all the time. The only song I can mostly nail is ‘These Are my Dress Clothes’. Maybe someday I’ll be able to play the album all the way through. 

Huge thanks to Eliese for sharing her choices with us! Listen to Blackwater Holylight’s latest single ‘Bodies’ below, and make sure you check out their exquisite album, Not Here Not Gone, in its entirety too!

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ALBUM: ĠENN – ‘Liminal’

Made for playing loud, Brighton-based genre-blenders ĠENN have released Liminal, an extended play that takes us on an audible journey of post-punky psychedelia. Following the release of their debut record, 2018’s Titty Monster (released under their previous name, Cryptic Street), ĠENN left their Maltese archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea to shoegaze at the British seaside, crafting six tracks that clearly define their transition to a more free-flowing sound, whilst still staying intrinsically true to their DIY punk-rock ethos.

Opening with ‘Feel’, Leanne Zammit’s funky basslines and Leona Farrugia’s ethereal vocals build to a hypnotic hazy, wavy kaleidoscopic conclusion of psychedelic instrumentation; perfectly encapsulating all the elements of seventies acid rock such as The Doors. Next up, Janelle Borg hooks us in (pun intended) with a cacophony of melodic guitar riffs on ‘Mackerel’s Funky Mission’, whilst Leona’s seductive spoken word escapism is steeped in mesmerising, rolling percussion, courtesy of Sofia Rosa Cooper. It’s fun to pretend you’re something else, so why not pretend to be a fish?

’23rd March’ – a date we here in the UK will not reflect upon with any warmth – forces us back to reality with passionate lyrics concerning the current political landscape, written in the style of Maltese expression. Leona prays for the souls of an inept Government and their failure in handling Covid-19, Brexit and Black Lives Matter. “I’m just gonna say a lil’ prayer for your soul / Yeah, we ain’t gonna stop ’cause you told us so!”

Chants for revolution see ĠENN exploring darker territories with the more politically direct and raw ‘Catalyst’; a furious combination of scuzzy guitar riffs, rumbling beats, and anthemic, indignant Riot Grrrl lyrics rallying for change: “We’re awake now / Stay awake now!”

‘Just Another Sad Song’ follows with a slow burn of emotionally-driven melody, making way for Janelle’s guitar to flourish – a tender moment further showcasing the versatility of the band – before ‘Falling Out’ concludes Liminal with an upbeat fusion of fuzzy basslines, grungy guitar licks, disco-influenced percussion, and a catchy Warpaint-esque chorus that will stay with you long after the needle is lifted.

With Liminal, ĠENN have produced an infectious record that frequently flirts with psychedelia and flows with pop sensibilities; 22 minutes of raw, escapism-fuelled post-punk – worthy of repeat spins – that displays the passion and confidence of a band not afraid to experiment with their sound without compromise. “Take me to my destination / You know where I wanna go!”

Liminal is out now via Everything Sucks Music.

Ken Wynne
@ken_wynne

Photo Credit: Bridie Florence

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LISTEN: L.A. Witch – ‘Gen-Z’

There’s a hazy feeling that comes with listening to the music of Californian trio L.A. Witch. Their grungy vocals and psychedelic guitars have a way of transporting you to the Californian desert with the taste of last night’s whiskey on your breath.

The band have a unique way of combining vintage appeal with fresh subject matter and ‘Gen-Z’ is the perfect example of this. A four minute track inspired by the high suicide rates among Generation Z due to the pressures of existing in a social media age. Of the track, guitarist & vocalist Sade Sanchez expands:

“When I was a kid, music and guitar was my escape. Music was how I fought through my depressions. What will the future do to get through it?… With constant pressure to be perfect and information/advertisements and brainwashing constantly being shoved in your face, you become a product of your environment. ‘Gen-Z’ is about being a slave to technology, specifically to our phones.”

L.A. Witch’s 2017 self-titled debut oozed swagger through its laidback sound, possibly due to the band’s organic and slow-paced songwriting process. But upcoming album Play With Fire came to be under different circumstances; between their hectic touring schedule, studio availability, and the timeline for releasing records, they found themselves with only two months to do the bulk of the writing.

Despite the limited time frame, however, ‘Gen-Z’ showcases a band on top form; with its gritty energy and swirling bewitching haze, it’s a perfectly hypnotic slice of psych-infused desert rock.

 

Play With Fire, the upcoming album from L.A. Witch, is set for release 21st August via Suicide Squeeze Records. 

 

Ellie Ball
@ellie__ball

 

 

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Track Of The Day: Something Leather – ‘Trip To The Sun’

A smouldering, psych-tinged, existential exploration of where we are, vs where we want to be; Brighton three-piece Something Leather are pushing the boundaries with their latest single, ‘Trip To The Sun’. Released via We Can Do It Records, the track is loosely inspired by the character of Icarus from Greek mythology.

Formed of Phillie Etta Jane (vocals/organ), Greg Pass (guitar) and Mike Nussbaum (drums), Something Leather have been cutting their teeth on the London & Brighton live circuits for a few years now. Their dark creations are a captivating blend of old and new sounds; the vintage organ that Phillie plays combines perfectly with Greg’s distorted guitar noises, and Mike’s rhythmic drum beats.

The band articulately describe the context of new track ‘Trip To The Sun’ as “a sarcastic take on the “Fall of Icarus”. It deals with our constant desire to escape from a deadly routine, and the fear that pushing too far might consume you. It has a frenetic pace, western B-movie shootout feel and layers of post-punk and psychedelia on top.”

Something Leather are set to release their debut EP Midnight Reverie on 17th April, and we’re psyched to hear more of their altruistic, alternative sounds. Listen to ‘Trip To The Sun’ below, and follow Something Leather on Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Photo credit: Jessie Morgan

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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