WATCH: Schande – ‘Relevant Campaigns’

Having been a big fan of noise-pop-shoegaze-tinged legends Schande for a while now, with my love of them being revived when they charmed our ears playing our first gig back after covid in 2021, I’m super excited to hear that they’ll be releasing their new album in April this year, via Thurston and Eva Moore’s record label. And now, following last year’s scuzzy ’52 Hz’, they’ve shared a truly enchanting new single.

To be honest, I can’t seem to stop listening to ‘Relevant Campaigns‘ and crying. It’s a thing of pure beauty. Its twinkling grace. The whirring to-ing and fro-ing, like the constant rippling of the tide that keeps going even when everything else seems like it’s stopped. The shimmering hooks that rise and fall. Jen Chochinov’s whispering vocals fading in and out with an understated melancholy.

Written while Jen’s mother was terminally ill, it’s an exquisite rumination on the fragility of life and the strength of love. Of the track, she explains:

“It was a way to conjure love and healing and try to balance out my own fear and anxiety which felt all too consuming. After my mom passed away at the end of 2023, this song being released now feels like a gifted timely reminder to hold on to what was shared while navigating loss. ‘Relevant Campaigns’ is essentially about picking your battles, to really assess where your priorities and energies lay because time is such a finite resource. More to the point it’s about choosing love, hope, and resilience.”

‘Relevant Campaigns’ is accompanied by a really beautiful animated video. Co-created by Sarah Lippett and Duncan Barrett, it perfectly depicts the heartfelt sentiment of the track as the protagonist engages in a stirring silent dialogue with the moon. Watch it here:

Once Around, the upcoming new album from Schande, is set for release in April via The Daydream Library Series, the house record label of Thurston and Eva Moore’s Ecstatic Peace Library collective.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Heidi Weber

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Video Premiere: pink suits – ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’

Ahead of the release of their upcoming second album, Dystopian Hellscape, in April, Margate duo pink suits have now given us another taste of what to expect from the collection. Harking back to their theatrical roots, ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.‘ mashes together a handful of vocal warmups that will be familiar to anyone who was ever part of a drama club. The tune maintains the duo’s signature pink suits punk twist, but marks a slight departure from the political rage typical of their other releases.

‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ showcases both the skill, and the fun, that infuses every pink suits track with the raw, unfiltered emotion they are fast becoming known for. The screaming vocals, pounding drums and roaring guitars belting out playful upbeat riffs are as absorbing and addictive as anything they’ve released before. 

The track comes with a video that is as high-energy and playful as the track, and charming in its simplicity. The band run through the streets declaring their love for coffee and shot, snort and shower in it. The video makes clever use of limited resources to hammer home the pink suits brand, creating a delightfully engaging and witty visual skit.

While the subject matter on the surface may not seem as profound as the duo’s previous releases – not a biting take down of bigotry or a provocative examination of societal issues – its playfulness and silliness is meaningful in itself. Placed alongside pink suits’ riotous last single, ‘Refuse the Rules‘, although it appears to exude less protest energy as such, ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ subtly touches on poignant issues such as addiction and exhaustion. Of the track, the band explain:

“The song is about Coffee. Which is one of a few addictions in our life. One of the less harmful ones. And there is a real necessity to being able to scream together with frantic and childlike energy about it. To have some fun in the face of it all. A lot of our music and life is punk, protest, politics, sex, drugs and rock and roll, and – if you look closely enough – they are all hidden inside this daft little song…”

‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ is genuinely fun, the kind of song you can enjoy, simply for the sake of enjoying it, the way you did when you were kid. It becomes a reminder of what the revolution is for – to create a world where everyone has the space, freedom and opportunity to be childlike and carefree, to create for the sake of creating and not as part of some larger movement; to appreciate art and beauty simply because it exists. It becomes a reminder to take and treasure those moments of unadulterated fun wherever you can.

In a world that is overwhelmed by issues begging for a lifetime of protest songs, ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ offers a break from the onslaught to pause and simply find joy where you can – whether that’s listening to a silly song, or appreciating a proper cup of coffee made in a proper copper coffee pot.

Watch the new video for ‘C.O.F.F.E.E.’ for the first time now:

pink suits’ second album, Dystopian Hellscape, is set for release on 1st April. And make sure you experience the immense energy of the duo live on their headline tour, details below. Tickets will be live soon, so keep an eye out on pink suits’ Instagram for info.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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PREMIERE: Sukie Smith – ‘Into The Light’

Having released critically acclaimed albums with her band Madam over the last decade, as well as collaborating with the likes of Tricky, multi-disciplinary artist Sukie Smith has now announced the release of her debut solo album, The Glass Dress and a Ringing Bell.

Taken from the album, new single ‘Into The Light’ reflects on summoning the power to leave a turbulent relationship that Smith found herself trapped in during lockdown. Showcasing her rich vocals alongside scuzzy hooks and a ’90s reminiscent whirring energy, a gritty, empowering spirit glistens throughout, creating an impassioned, yet catchy, indie anthem. A fierce ode to survival and understanding our own strength as women, from a truly innovative artist.

‘Into The Light’ is accompanied by an artfully created new video, directed by James Alexander, which beautifully portrays the sparkling energy and fizzing sense of celebration at the heart of the song. Watch, for the first time, here:

‘Into The Light’ will also feature an additional remix by Adam Franklin of Swervedriver, so keep your ears peeled for that too! The Glass Dress and a Ringing Bell, the upcoming debut album from Sukie Smith, is set for release on 8th March.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: James Alexander

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New Track: Moor Mother – ‘Guilty’

Following critical acclaim for her 2021 album Black Encyclopedia Of The Air, innovative artist Camae Ayewa – aka Moor Mother – has now announced the release of her 9th studio album, The Great Bailout.

Our first taste of the album comes in the form of new single ‘Guilty‘, a collaboration with Lonnie Holley, Mary Lattimore and Raia Was. Oozing a mystical energy, it encapsulates the sentiment of the album – a poignant and necessary message, bringing to our attention crimes committed by our ‘fair isle’. With a glistening splendour, layers of chiming instrumentation swirl together with vocals, intertwining to create a truly stirring anthem. As its whirring musicality provides a backdrop to lists of ‘great’ Britain’s injustices against humanity and the harsh realities of colonialism, the juxtaposition of the horror of ‘Guilty’s message with the beauty of its musicality is stark. At over ten minutes long, I urge you to immerse yourself in this hauntingly beautiful offering; one that we need to pay heed to, now more than ever. An urgent message encased in an evocative sonic grace.

Of the track, Ayewa explains:

“Displacement and its effects are not discussed enough… The PTSD of displacement should be a focus, and as we have the opportunity to learn about things happening in the world, we also have the opportunity to learn about ourselves. We’ve been through so many different acts of systematic violence.“

Watch the affecting lyric video now:


The Great Bailout, the ninth album from Moor Mother, is set for release on 8th March via ANTI-. Pre-order here. Catch Moor Mother live in London or Bristol in March, info and tickets here.


Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Ebru Yildiz

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