Soft, but striking and seminal in its message; Petrol Girls‘ latest single ‘Sister’ is a remarkable new anthem championing the power of sisterhood. The track is taken from the band’s upcoming EP The Future Is Dark, released via Hassle Records on 14th September.
The accompanying video features footage submitted by Petrol Girls’ allies and fans, as well shots of our favourites Dream Nails and Witch Fever performing live. Speaking about the new single, front woman Ren Aldridge explains:
“I’ve been wanting for us to write a song about sisterhood for a long time, because it’s these relationships that have had the biggest impact on my life and that form the heart of my feminism. I’ve got two younger blood sisters and a few very close friends that I consider sisters, as well as our family dog Skye who passed away last summer but I loved her like a sister too. All of those relationships have taught me so much. They’ve guided me, taken care of me, made me laugh til I cry and nurtured me into better versions of myself. I think society often puts too much emphasis on sexual relationships, when sisterhood is incredibly important and powerful. This song celebrates a relationship that can pose a real threat to capitalism and patriarchy because it challenges competition and is built on care and trust.”
The title of Petrol Girls’ upcoming EP The Future Is Dark, further reflects their unwavering belief in the strength of sisterhood. The EP is named after a Virginia Woolf quote that writer Rebecca Solnit uses as a starting point for her essay ‘Woolf’s Darkness,’ in Men Explain Things To Me. She writes about accepting uncertainty and not fearing the dark or the unknown, because actually we don’t know what will happen next. She describes despair and optimism both as forms of certainty that create grounds for not acting, whereas hope pushes us to act and make change in whatever ways we can.
Ren ruminates further on this point: “The dark, just like the future, is full of possibilities. It makes me think about how its only in the dark that we can see the stars and think about ourselves as just tiny parts of this cosmic system, as part of a bigger picture. I find it really grounding and inspiring to feel individually small but part of something huge.”
We’re definitely proud to share Petrol Girls’ sisterhood ethics. Watch the video for ‘Sister’ below and follow the band on Facebook for more updates.
Pre-order Petrol Girls’ The Future Is Dark EP here.
Available on limited etched 12” vinyl with hand-screenprinted sleeve.
Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut
Get In Her Ears 