Track Of The Day: Yanna A – ‘Vigilant’ / ‘Lift Me Up’

The opening 30 seconds of ‘Vigilant‘ has me waiting for the explosion of a techno-flavoured dancefloor banger. But prepare to be surprised as Yanna A throws listeners off guard and veers into a haunting vocal breakdown ahead of expansive instrumentation flowing to the forefront. Before we even have a chance to appraise what we’re listening to, the outro kicks in, hastily covering its tracks and driving off in a completely different direction.

Inspired by Grimes, FKA Twigs, Eartheater and Little Simz, ‘Vigilant’ has a contemporary electro feel and clocks in at under two and a half minutes. Perfect music for those whose attention is easily diverted and want something fresh constantly assaulting their senses, as it really does feel like three songs rolled into one. 

Speaking of the double A-side single, Yanna says, “The concept of ‘Vigilant’ was initially about general anxiety, as well as the comedown of it on ‘Lift Me Up’. But looking back now, I think this was a real expression of how I was feeling during the COVID pandemic, as all my flatmates had gone back home and I was basically stuck in a house alone for five months… People actually ran away from me in supermarket aisles and on park pathways! It got bad and I was on beta blockers for panic attacks. London was truly a ghost town.”

Flipside, ‘Lift Me Up‘, is classic Yanna A, with a nod to Smashing Pumpkins and Kristin Hersh. Vulnerable lyrics sing tenderly of recovering from sorrow and the journey of coming out the other side, having reached acceptance and grown from the experience. All of this is set to a beautiful acoustic guitar backdrop which builds with elevating vocal harmonies into searing reverb and gunshot beats.

A gloriously uplifting song indeed and the perfect tonic for life’s woes. Yanna says, “The song really just breathed from me without much thought! I think, after so much of that anxiety, I was really looking for solace and peace in my spirituality. I believe in nature as my higher power and I tend to follow the natural cycles, so this song was a response to that. After all the chaos and fear comes calm and clarity, always. We, as living beings, are in cycles and learning to trust those cycles and processes are important to me“.

You can download Yanna A’s music from Bandcamp and find out about her upcoming releases on Facebook and Instagram. ‘Vigilant’ and ‘Lift Me Up’ were mixed by Joe Futak. 

Mandy Bang

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Track Of The Day: Projector – ‘NON’

A gritty, urgent blend of candid vocals and heavy riffs that tackle the nihilistic frustrations surrounding the way we are perceived, Brighton-based trio Projector have shared their latest single, ‘NON’. Following on from their previous release ‘Hell In My Head’, the band have unleashed another biting offering that tackles the weight of misconception via brooding, swirling sounds and an anthemic chorus.

“’NON’ is a song about expectation, feeling miss-sold as a good person, pulled in two directions and getting nowhere,” explains vocalist and guitarist Edward Ensbury. Recorded, produced, and mixed by the band themselves, ‘NON’ is a complete nosedive into Projector’s alternative sound, commanded by the charged percussion of drummer Cal Marinho.

The new single is also accompanied by a video, shot, directed by and starring the band. Despite the playful nature of the visuals, vocalist and bassist Lucy Sheehan explains that there’s a punk practicality behind the video’s conception: “I always loved those bands who were like a punk collective, finding ways to do everything themselves. The industry isn’t a friendly place for musicians financially – costs are going up and our fees and revenues are going down – so bands are going DIY again.”

After recently returning from a European tour with Canadian alt-rockers Cleopatrick, Projector are now playing headline shows across the UK, including London’s Moth Club on 7th October.

Watch the video for ‘NON’ below.

Follow Projector on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Projector UK Tour Dates 2022
5th Oct – Bodega, Nottingham
6th Oct – Heartbreakers, Southampton
7th Oct – Moth Club, London
8th Oct – The Crypt, Hastings

Photo credit: Libby Malandrone

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Husk – ‘Crush’

Having been named as one of Gaydio’s ‘One To Watch’ and with support from the likes of BBC 6Music, Manchester based queer artist HUSK has been one of our faves here at GIHE for a while now, and so we couldn’t be happier to share their uplifting new single.

A catchy, danceable ‘tranthem’ of self-love, ‘Crush‘ is a call to go against society’s expectations and love yourself. Propelled by vibrant beats and a colourful, ’80s-reminiscent groove, it’s a glistening offering oozing all the uplifting vibes and shimmering energy needed to dance together in unity.

Of the track, HUSK explains:

“As a trans person, and I think literally every other person in society, especially marginalised groups, we’re taught to hate our bodies, and I was like, f*ck that! ‘Crush’ is 3 minutes where I have full permission to confess my love for my trans body, and I want others to love themselves too!“

Yet again, HUSK has managed uplift our spirits and energise our souls with another euphoric pop hit.

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Mari Lane
@marimindles



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Track Of The Day: Angela Sclafani – ‘How We Meet’

Angela Sclafani is a New York City-based songwriter, performer and musical theatre-maker. Having twice won the Great American Song Contest’s Adult Contemporary category, she has independently released three original EPs, plus Edge Of Seventeen – an EP of wonderfully reimagined Stevie Nicks hits. Now, the first taster of her upcoming debut full-length album, latest single ‘How We Meet’ offers a sonic journey through the playful world of her inner child and past personas.

The song starts off with a country pop twang and delicate backing drum beats, as Angela’s honey-sweet voice takes us back to more innocent times – “Talkin to myself in a voice so sweet… Could I fit inside the shape you made your life?” – as she poignantly explores the older ways of communicating with other people (talking, writing letters, telephone) with a shimmering musicality. A well-crafted and uplifting song from a truly versatile artist, ‘How We Meet’ oozes a twinkling Americana-tinged grace alongside infectious melodies; reminding us with Sclafani’s lilting tones to seize the moment (answering that message in a bottle!) and make the move to form meaningful connections.

The song is the first of four singles leading up to the album’s release in February 2023, providing a representative sampling of its concept; taking classic Americana sounds as interpreted in an innovative way by a New York City theatre kid.

‘How We Meet’ is out now via Pitch and Prose – download on Bandcamp now. Songs Of Other Selves, the upcoming debut album from Angela Sclafani, is set for release next February.

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

Photo Credit: Jules Miranda

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