Track Of The Day: SPELLLING – ‘Haunted Water’

Sacred Bones signee SPELLLING has shared her new single, the aptly named ‘Haunted Water’ alongside the news she’ll be releasing her new album Mazy Fly on 22nd February in 2019. The track is a spell-binding listen with a sinister context; recounting memories of colonial violence that haunt the historical slave ship routes of the Middle Passage.

SPELLLING (aka Chrystia Cabral) began experimenting with music production in 2015 in an effort to continue the creative legacy of a lost loved one, and released her first record Pantheon of Me, in September 2017 via Bandcamp. Inspired by the messages in her dreams, her sound breaches the void between clarity and obscurity – and latest single ‘Haunted Water’ is a perfect example of this.

Despite the track’s painful but important context, SPELLLING’s soft vocals give the song a softer quality, amidst slow, intense synths and steady beats. She embraces the negative side of human nature, and explores it by blending R&B sensibilities with intriguing electronics.  Listen to ‘Haunted Water’ below and follow SPELLLING on Facebook for more updates.

Pre-order your copy of Mazy Fly here.

Photo credit: Catalina Xavlena

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LIVE: Zola Jesus – Omeara, London 05.11.18

Zola Jesus stunned her sold out crowd at Omeara on Tuesday night as she appeared shrouded in red, delivering her flawless operatic vocals. Her performance embodied the promise she made during second song ‘Soak’ – “You should know I would never let you down” – and her rendition of the track made our gothic hearts bleed.

She took to the stage after Ah! Kosmos, who performed a stunning one-woman-show in an equally stunning sequin blazer. The Istanbul-born artist gave a masterclass in how to perform electronic music solo, and was the perfect warm up for Zola Jesus’ eager crowd.

Whilst on stage, the Sacred Bones signee said she was “chuffed” to be in “Blighty” and was happy to talk between songs about TV show Nathan Barley and the shortcomings of British Airways (who had lost her guitarist’s luggage earlier that day). Her set was laced with penetrating vocals that rang out across her hypnotised audience, and included an emotive dedication to her Uncle who recently survived a suicide attempt.

The blend of industrial and classical elements in Zola Jesus’ music translated well live, and she was accompanied by a violinist and guitarist for the duration of her set. Her tortured but tentative lyrics on ‘Skin’ and ‘Exhumed’ as well as the hypnotic, off-kilter, bouncing synths on ‘Bound’ provided fans with an eclectic mix of old and new material, and an opportunity for the performer to remove her red cloak, and break the fourth wall towards the close of her set.

Her lyrical lamentations about disconnection are made all the more powerful by her altruistic voice. Recorded, her vocals are striking enough – but to hear them live is confirmation that Zola Jesus truly has a divine set of lungs. If you weren’t there to hear her at Omeara, you missed out on a mesmerising performance from this warped and wonderful artist. A definite live highlight of 2018.

Follow Zola Jesus on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: SPELLLING – ‘Hard To Please’

Brand new Sacred Bones signee SPELLLING (aka Tia Cabral) has shared her latest single ‘Hard To Please’ and unlike its namesake: it’s a cool electronic balm for the ears. The track is accompanied by an intriguing video (produced by Laneya Billingsley aka Billie0cean) which sets out to “animate the fantasies of the heart high on desire”.

‘Hard To Please’ is taken from SPELLLING’s forthcoming 7” of the same name, coupled with ‘My Other Voice’ (a cover of Sparks’ 1979 symphonic disco track), and is set for release on August 3rd. Speaking of the track, SPELLLING says: “‘Hard to Please’ and ‘My Other Voice’ pair together to reflect on bittersweet passions of an obsessive romance; ‘Hard to Please’ swells through the excitement and pain of yearning to please a lover who cannot be satisfied with “eyes of winter” but a promising “heart of spring”.

SPELLLING’s dream-like visions and explorations of divine emotions are sure to please the ears of the passionate and the lovesick. Watch the video for ‘Hard To Please’ below and follow SPELLLING on Facebook for more updates.

Pre-order SPELLLING’s Hard To Please 7” here.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LIVE: Hilary Woods – St Pancras Old Church, London 11.06.18

Bitter sweet and deeply affecting, Irish multi-instrumentalist Hilary Woods‘ performance at St. Pancras Old Church provided a startling insight into her darkly ethereal debut album Colt, released via Sacred Bones on 8th June.

Stood behind her keyboard, Woods performed solo for most of her set with only projected visuals and a violinist to accompany her on a handful of tracks. Her achingly pure voice floated gently across the heads of her congregation, who sat listening in attentive, respectful silence.

Woods’ solo work is far removed from the alternative 90s sounds she helped to create as a member of JJ72. She’s clearly invested a painstaking amount of time and energy in assembling her new album, and the two EPs – Night (2014) and Heartbox (2016) – that preceded it. Perhaps that’s why she was so nervous performing, something she didn’t admit until the penultimate track, but she had no legitimate grounds to be on edge. Her recent singles ‘Inhaler’, ‘Prodigal Dog’ and ‘Black Rainbow’ were all mesmerising, even in their stripped back states.

Footage from her recent videos played out across the back wall of the Church, as Woods performed beautiful renditions of ‘Take Him In’, ‘Kith’ and ‘Limbs’, the latter standing out due to Woods’ clear, measured vocal delivery. Switching between keys and guitar with eas, Woods’ performance style was quiet and introspective, but its impact was one of powerful, all encompassing melancholy.

Whilst Colt is an album about grief, loss and abandonment, we left St Pancras Old Church awash with raw and unexpected emotion, feeling like we’d gained rather than lost something from Woods’ performance.

Photo Credit: Joshua Wright

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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