Track Of The Day: A. A. Williams – ‘Melt’

A cinematic, slow-burning exploration of self-autonomy; A. A. Williams has shared her latest single ‘Melt’. Lifted from her debut album Forever Blue, which is set for release on 3rd July via Bella Union, the track is an epic six minutes of beguiling vocals, brooding bass lines and dark orchestral sounds.

“Let go of these promises” muses Williams in the opening lyric to the song, permitting herself to start anew and explore what it means to be alone again. She blends quieter moments that centre around her vocals with the fleshed out sound of a full band throughout the track; reflecting the uneven path to autonomy.

Of the track, Williams explains: “’Melt’ addresses an individual’s search for, acknowledgement of and acceptance of independence. After only believing in their own fragility they come to realise that they themselves were never dependant on others, others depended on them. Within this newfound strength they find comfort.”

William’s sublime treatment of ambiguous subjects is what makes her music so captivating. A classically trained pianist and multi-talented musician, her blending of post-rock and post-classical elements makes for exquisitely raw listening. Watch the video for ‘Melt’ (directed by Steve Turvey) below and follow A. A. Williams on Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Thomas Williams

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Penfriend – ‘Everything Looks Normal In The Sunshine’

Amidst the thick of global uncertainty and turmoil, Penfriend (Laura Kidd) releases her new mighty anthem ‘Everything Looks Normal In The Sunshine’, emitting undeniable and hard-hitting hope against our universal haze.

Written in reflection of the state of a pandemic and the emotional strife that it perpetuates, Penfriend asks us to not “second-guess humanity away” and illustrates her current journey with catchy pop melodies in a controlled, yet scuzzy, alternative-rock soundscape.

Crunchy wide-spread guitar tones sit just right, allowing her supportive lyrics to lend a helping hand to listeners as they are whisked away by energetic synth lines and booming drums. Grunge era elements set a solid bed for Penfriend’s lead guitar parts to dance upon its noise, giving the tune a contagious indie hook to its taste.

‘Everything Looks Normal In The Sunshine’ is the supportive essence of a true best-friend, or everyone’s favourite Auntie, and the feeling of dancing a night away. It is the freshness of stretching your lungs with your deepest breath in a while, and the lightness in your footsteps on your home’s carpet after a day’s work. It’s an equal marriage between reflective catharsis and a plan to move forward. Let’s “stand tall and we’ll all take the weight” together, with Penfriend as our inspiration and soundtrack.

 

‘Everything Looks Normal In The Sunshine’ is out now.

Jillian Goyeau
@jillybxxn

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Track Of The Day: OHMME – ‘Selling Candy’

A sweet new offering of guitar distortion and smooth dual harmonies; OHMME have shared their latest single, ‘Selling Candy’. The track is lifted from their upcoming album, Fantasize Your Ghost, which is set for release on 5th June via Joyful Noise Recordings.

Formed of Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart; Chicago-based OHMME blend driving beats and brooding guitars to create their deceptively simple, catchy songs. On their latest single, the pair repeatedly sing the same six lines over heavy guitars and persistent, crashing percussion to reflect both the excitement and mundanities of childhood experiences.

“‘Selling Candy’ was pieced together from little snapshots of my childhood growing up on my block in Chicago” explains Cunnigham. “It felt like its own tiny world where I could explore my imagination, enjoy independence from my parents, and meet all kinds of people, including the pissed off hot dog vendor from whom I bought a boiled hot dog from as often as I could get my hands on a buck.” This sweet sense of freedom is reflected in the cathartic, noisy breakdown at the end of the track.

Listen to ‘Selling Candy’ below and follow OHMME on Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Photo credit: Ash Dye

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: DEHD – ‘Loner’

After touring Europe with Twin Peaks last year, Chicago’s DEHD are coming to the international stage for the first time. This week the trio announced their new album Flower Of Devotion alongside killer lead track ‘Loner’.

‘Loner’ examines lead singer Emily Kempf’s need for isolation and time to focus on herself, following the band’s recent extensive touring period. Rather than focusing on the negative, ‘Loner’ speaks to the often cyclical nature of life. It’s a theme that runs throughout the album; at every turn, sadness is countered by joy, joy is tempered by sadness. Explaining this theme, Emily says:

“Being alone and grieving is very isolating… but then you come out of your little cave of grief, and your friends and family and partner are all there to pat you on the back and hold you until you have to go back into the cave of grief alone.”

Accepting your own need for isolation, especially during hard times can be liberating. A bittersweet sentiment we can all get behind at the moment.

‘Loner’ certainly provides us with a more polished sound than any of the tracks on the band’s 2019 debut Water, but it still packs the same raw edge that fans have come to expect from the trio. Emily Kempf’s vocal cuts through as distinctive and gritty as ever, backed up by spirited guitar and pulsating drums.

The accompanying video is a trip. Directed by Kempf with collaborator Ryan Hart and shot on location in Joshua Tree, and at beloved Chicago venue The Hideout, the video is a highly surreal clip and well worth a watch.

DEHD’s upcoming new album Flower of Devotion is set for release 17th July via Fire Talk, and is available to pre-order now.

Ellie Ball

Photo Credit: Alexa Viscius

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