WATCH: Liv Wynter – ‘VIOLENCE’

An antagonistic, abrasive cry for autonomy and action, Trans and working-class artist and activist Liv Wynter has shared a startling set of visuals for their latest single ‘Violence’. Lifted from their recent EP of the same name, the track is a cathartic, urgent dismantling of transphobic hate and a radical cry for movement against it.

Having recently played gigs alongside other GIHE faves Scrounge, The Menstrual Cramps and Yakkie, as well as performing under their other moniker How To Catch A Pig, Liv Wynter has been a vital force in DIY music and activist spheres for many years. Now, they’re sharing new music under their solo name, with their three track EP, Violence, making a vehement and striking impact on those who have listened so far.

On the title track, Liv sets an unsettling scene; walking home alone in the dark, cold, pursued by a stranger who begins to spew vitriol and hate against trans bodies. In this moment of uncertainty, Liv chooses to respond to the “fight or flight” scenario with unfiltered rage. “I’m not here to convince anyone that we deserve to exist / I’m here to encourage violence” bites Liv, over corrosive FX and crushing, industrial beats. Their direct, no-holds-barred lyrics provide a visceral sense of relief and empowerment; even their menacing whisper of “I encourage violence” provokes a similar incendiary effect.

‘Violence’ is accompanied by a striking set of visuals, directed by Asher McLaughlin. They reflect the sequence of events Liv explores in their lyrics, enhancing the track’s defiant underlying message of radical love, and fighting back against those who attempt to push their hatred on to marginalised communities.

Watch the video for ‘Violence’ below.

Follow Liv Wynter on bandcamp and Instagram

Photo Credit: Jody Evans

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Witch Weather – ‘Hazy’

Following on from their previous release ‘Don’t Need‘ – a brooding blend of grunge-infused riffs and punk attitude – Pennsylvania-based indie/punk/goth duo Witch Weather have shared their latest single ‘Hazy’. Taken from the band’s upcoming self-titled album which is set for release on 13th October, the track is a fuzzed up, buoyant reflection on seasonal mood changes and transient feelings of hopelessness.

Influenced by bands such as Siouxsie and The Banshees, Against Me!, Fugazi, Screaming Females and Depeche Mode, Witch Weather create “sad queer indie punk for your sad queer enjoyment.” Formed of guitarist & vocalist Kaitlynn Autumn and bassist & vocalist Juliann Frances, the duo work through feelings of confusion, frustration and self-loathing on their upcoming record, all aided by hefty guitar licks and rumbling bass lines. The lyrics on the album are also inspired by Kaitlynn’s experience of being a trans woman, learning to be confident in her identity and following her journey from “confused to closeted, to out and doing her best.”

On ‘Hazy’, the band reflect on feelings of self-hatred and the effects of seasonal depression, all underscored by Kaitlynn’s riffs, considered lyrics and Juliann’s thundering bass lines. “Hazy is a song meant for anyone who’s ever felt lost and directionless and maybe just doesn’t even quite want to be alive,” explains Kaitlynn in more detail. “The thought, ‘what am I doing here, how did I let myself get to this point’, was a pretty common one at the time that this song was written. Whether that thought be in reference to being at a truly awful job, stagnating in transition, or a whole host of other problems that were going on…”

“It was a challenge to write, but definitely something that was really rewarding and let us know that we were going in the right direction creatively. Lyrically it felt really cathartic to write as well, and is mostly in reference to a really tough ‘mental health relapse’ that happened over the winter. While that time is over now, the song still holds true and even as the writer, it keeps finding new ways to be relatable in day to day life.”

Listen to ‘Hazy’ below.

Follow Witch Weather on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & TikTok

Visit Witch Weather’s website here

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Video Premiere: Meggie Brown – ‘Angel Like You’

Having been named as one of The Guardian’s ‘Artists For 2020’, and being championed by the likes of Iggy Pop and Alex Kapranos, North London based artist Meggie Brown has previously charmed our ears with the scuzzy energy of ‘Dusty Smells‘. Now, with their new EP set for release next month, they have shared a brand new video to accompany their stirring single, ‘Angel Like You’.

Propelled by twinkling hooks and a lilting energy, ‘Angel Like You’ offers an exquisite reflection on the beauty of intimacy. With its poignant lyricism, it oozes a captivating allure as it ripples with an effervescent emotion and chiming musicality. Maintaining Brown’s deadpan-yet-poetic ruminations, with shades of the likes of Aussie favourite Courtney Barnett, it flows with a dreamy, majestic haze.

Of the beautiful accompanying video, director Sim Gray explains:

“A psychedelic cult, fairytale, astral projection, daydream – a queer, shapeshifting collaboration with Sim Gray, Bianca Scout, The Creature Fleur, Shivani Thussu, Sokora Xilber and Lucy Marie. Wildflowers on the horizon, dancing through each season, whatever the weather. Softness gets crushed into dust, or lost, guided away from the crossroads. A zone of flowers flattened down, the pathway into a shadowed forest.”


‘Angel Like You’ is taken from Meggie Brown’s upcoming EP Home. Written and recorded with Sunny Robertson at Float Rock Home Studio, with backing band Forrest Flowers and long time music companion and drummer Kayleigh Cheer, it explores themes of gender identity and reflects on Brown’s feelings surrounding recently coming out as Transgender.

Home is set for release on 24th September.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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LISTEN: Evan Greer – ‘Surveillance Capitalism’

A rallying cry against the un-nerving nature of Spotify’s increasingly pervasive developments in user-monitoring technologies, Boston-based indie-punk artist Evan Greer has shared her latest single ‘Surveillance Capitalism’. Taken from her new album Spotify is Surveillance, released via Don Giovanni Records and queer-run independent label Get Better Records, the track also marks the launch of Greer’s StopSpotifySurveillance.org campaign with digital rights platform Fight for the Future.

The campaign calls on Spotify to drop reported plans to use artificial intelligence and voice recognition software to spy on listeners’ conversations, conducting emotional surveillance and manipulation to target music and advertising. Greer, who is also a journalist & a pro-active voice for trans rights and equality, will be donating all the profits from her single to the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) to support their #JusticeAtSpotify campaign.

“We all want to be seen / but behind the screen / there’s a nightmare dressed up as a dream,” Greer sings, a sentiment that will resonate deeper with listeners who have endured a year of increased screen-time due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic’s on-going lockdowns. The idea that Spotify could be spying on and profiting from people’s privacy via new technologies is abhorrent to Greer, and she wants listeners to push back against the platform’s plans too.

“The fact that Spotify filed a patent for this type of emotional surveillance and manipulation is beyond chilling,” she explains. “It’s not enough for them to say that they have no plans to use this technology right now, they should publicly commit to never conducting this type of surveillance on music listeners. Surveillance capitalism as a business model is fundamentally incompatible with basic human rights and democracy, regardless of whether it’s being employed by Facebook, Amazon, or Spotify.

The song and video highlight the fact that the Internet has the potential to profoundly transform our society for the better, abolishing false scarcity and enabling universal access to human knowledge and creativity, while ensuring marginalized and independent artists and creators are fairly compensated for our labour. But if we allow a small handful of companies to dominate the web and the music industry with a parasitic business model based on surveillance and exploitation, we’re headed for the opposite: a dystopian future where algorithms decide what we see and hear based on profit, rather than artistry.”

Listen to ‘Surveillance Capitalism’ below.

Follow Evan Greer on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter & Instagram

Photo Credit: Kayana Szymczak

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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