TULLE label – Get In Her Ears

2021 hasn’t got off to the best of starts, but while we’ve been in another version of Lockdown here in the UK, the GIHE team have been busy unearthing some new music gems to help you get through the cold winter days. We’ve put together a stellar mix of alt-pop gems, atmospheric electronics, imaginative cover songs and gritty guitar tunes on our January playlist. Take some time to scroll through our track choices below and make sure you hit play on the Spotify playlist at the end of this post.

Follow Get In Her Ears on Spotify to hear all of our previous playlists too.

Noga Erez – ‘End of the Road’
Noga Erez is single-handedly saving 2021 with this new track & her upcoming second album KIDS, which is set for release on 26th March via City Slang. Exploring the thrill of the unknown through commanding beats and defiant lyrics, the Tel-Aviv based musician shrugs off the tight grip of mortality on this catchy, slickly produced new offering. I cannot wait to hear the record in full. Watch the fab accompanying video for ‘End of the Road’ here.
(Kate Crudgington)

Nilufer Yanya – ‘Same Damn Luck’
I’m loving Nilufer Yanya’s latest three-song EP, Feeling Lucky?, which is basically about losing and finding good luck. This particular track ‘Same Damn Luck’ deals with resentment and anger, all swept up in 80s guitar vibes. (Tash Walker)

NewDad – ‘Blue’
Another find courtesy of The Irish Jam radio show and recommended to me by Lizzie from Dublin trio Bitch Falcon, Galway-based dream-poppers NewDad create lucid guitar tunes that will melt the ears right off the side of your head. (KC)

Miss Grit – ‘Impostor’
‘Impostor’ is the title track from Miss Grit’s new EP, which is set for release on 5th Feb. The multi-instrumentalist is a genre-defying artist who has spent much of her life feeling out of place in rooms full of people, and this EP helped her overcome unwanted feelings of self doubt. The Korean-American musician has a sound that ricochets between atmospheric, angular and anthemic and I’m a big fan of her turbulent sounds. Read our interview with her here. (KC)

all cats are beautiful – ‘lucky cloud’
Not only do they have the best band name, but indie-pop duo all cats are beautiful create some really exquisite musical offerings. Latest single ‘lucky cloud’ pays homage to songwriter, cellist and queer icon Arthur Russell. Flowing with dreamy, twinkling hooks and serene harmonies, it maintains all the psychedelic grace of the original, whilst adding a unique uplifting charm and shimmering musicality. A ray of glistening sunshine (or indeed a ‘lucky cloud’) at a time when the rest of the horizon may be looking a little grey. ‘lucky cloud’ is available on bandcamp, with all proceeds split equally between Act Up New York and the Terrence Higgins Trust – supporting people living with HIV/AIDS. (Mari Lane)

Fears – ‘tonnta’
A delicate rumination on her relationship with her late Grandmother who suffered with dementia, ‘tonnta’ – meaning ‘waves’ in Irish – is one of fears’ most poignant singles to date. The Dublin based multi-instrumentalist released the track to celebrate the launch of her new label TULLE, which you can read more about here. (KC)

SLUGS – ‘Super Sane’
LA alt-rockers SLUGS have released this intensely relatable, bittersweet guitar tune that navigates life’s many contradictions. It’s a welcome tonic for the ears in these weird and confusing times we’re living through. (KC)

Lauren Lakis – ‘Sail Away’
I love this hazy, heavy offering from dark dream-rock artist Lauren Lakis. The track explores the idea of running away with your inner child, protecting and nurturing it into a capable adult. Moody reverb and Lakis’ clear, emotive vocals make this a captivating listen. (KC)

Maya Lakhani – ‘The Line’
The driving new single from Maya Lakhani, ‘The Line’ is a soaring alt-rock anthem. Oozing a fierce energy as grunge-fuelled hooks blast out alongside Lakhani’s impassioned, soaring vocals, it’s a compelling offering with shades of the likes of noughties rockers Evanescence. (ML)

The Nova Hawks – ‘Redemption’
Black country band The Nova Hawks are set to release their debut album next month and have now shared a taste of what’s to come with its title track. An immense slice of rock ‘n’ roll, ‘Redemption’ blasts into the ears with soaring, gritty vocals and fuzzed out bluesy hooks, all delivered with a raging, soulful energy. Redemption, the debut album from The Nova Hawks, is out 12th February via Frontiers Records. (ML)

Table Scraps – ‘Doom Generation’
The latest single from Birmingham trio Table Scraps, ‘Doom Generation’ and its post-apocalyptic theme couldn’t be more resonant right now. Immediately hitting the ears with a disconcerting sound of an air-raid siren, the track builds with immense thrashing riffs and a searing sense of urgency. As the seething, angst-driven power of the vocals rage, ‘Doom Generation’ provides a fierce, riotous commentary on the state of society at the moment. ‘Doom Generation’ is taken from Table Scraps’ upcoming album Coffin Face. Watch the animated video for the single here. (ML)

Kermes – ‘Peeling Off The The Rind’
The latest raucous single from Leicester queercore outfit Kermes, ‘Peeling Off The Rind’ forms part of a double A-side, found exclusively on bandcamp. Propelled by scuzzy, swirling hooks and a shimmering, angst-driven energy, front-person Emily’s raw, seething vocals provide a much needed slice of uplifting catharsis. ‘Peeling Off The Rind’ and accompanying track ‘Terms’ are available digitally and on limited edition cassette via Amateur Pop Incorporated on Kermes’ bandcamp page now. Another recent single from the band ‘Like A Sister (Again)’ is available on Spotify, which is what we’ve put on our playlist!
(ML)

BLAB – ‘Casual Sex’
Described as an “ode to the dilemmas of single life,” Southend-based musician BLAB has shared her latest single ‘Casual Sex’ via indie label Cool Thing Records. Full of angsty guitar licks and savage lyrics, the track riotously takes down those who only want your company for a disappointing twenty minutes. (KC)

Graywave – ‘Like Heaven’
An atmospheric guitar tune that tackles the urge to self-sabotage, Graywave’s anthemic single is inspired by the sounds of Men I Trust and Slowdive. ‘Like Heaven’ is taken from Graywave’s upcoming EP Planetary Shift, set for release later this year. You can also listen to their new single ‘Before’ here. (KC)

Okay Kaya – ‘You’re Still The One’
I’m vibing the covers this month, and have been listening to this one a lot. ‘You’re Still The One’ by Okay Kaya, who was the last person I saw live in February 2020 at SET in Dalston, London. I’ve thought about that show so much throughout this last year, the tenderness, the raw goosebump nature of hearing their voice live. God I miss gigs. (TW)

Mary Lou Lord & Mikaela Davis – ‘Some Song’ (Elliott Smith Cover)
Iconic riot grrrl label Kill Rock Stars turns 30 this year! To celebrate, they’re releasing a string of cover singles under the title Stars Rock Kill (Rock Stars), where several artists from around the world will cover tracks from the label’s expansive back catalogue. This is the first single from the series – a dreamy cover of Elliott Smith’s ‘Some Song’ by Mary Lou Lord and Mikaela Davis. (KC)

Maria BC – ‘Adelaide’
An ambient reflection on finding your way back to the world after feeling disconnected from it, Brooklyn-based musician Maria BC’s debut single ‘Adelaide’ is a blissful lo-fi gem. The track is taken from their upcoming EP Devil’s Rain, which is set for release on 5th February via Fear of Missing Out Records. (KC)

Vagabon feat. Courtney Barnett – ‘Reason To Believe’
A perfect combination of two of my favourites, Vagabon and Courtney Barnett, covering ‘Reason to Believe’. Of the track Vagabon says: “The decision to have Courtney sing it with me came after we performed it together live at the Palace Theatre in Los Angeles on Valentine’s Day 2020, a month before lockdown. It was fresh in our brains then, so not long after the show, Courtney came over and we recorded her parts.” Barnett added: “I’m a huge fan of Vagabon and Karen Dalton so this was a dream. They both have a voice that absolutely knocks the wind out of me. I really admire Lætitia and am constantly inspired by her songwriting, production, and our sporadic FaceTime chats.” (TW)

Laura Guarch – ‘Náufrags (Castaways)’
Following previous single ‘Fleeting Light’, Spanish born, London-based artist Laura Guarch has now has now shared her latest single ‘Nàufrags (Castaways)’. It flows with an anthemic, emotion-strewn musicality, propelled by Guarch’s rich crystalline vocals in her native language of Catalan. A truly captivating, ethereal soundscape with shades of the other-wordly majesty of Björk. (ML)

Catgod – ‘Sometimes I Care For You’
The first of three singles to be taken from Oxford band Catgod’s upcoming album, ‘Sometimes I Care For You’ is an ode to the isolation we feel when we cannot express ourselves. Flowing with a stirring, heartfelt emotion, it’s propelled by the rich power of Cat’s soaring vocals alongside Robin’s twinkling harmonies, creating a truly captivating soundscape. ‘Sometimes I Care For You’ is out now, and Born Again, the upcoming album from Catgod, is set for release in Spring. (ML)

Chuck SJ – ‘Sink Your Teeth In’
Taken from their upcoming debut album Resist.Recharge.Revolt, this is the latest single from DIY musician & multi-instrumentalist Chuck SJ. Full of atmospheric guitar riffs, sparse beats and glitchy electronics, the track is an industrial-tinged rumination on the forces that construct, influence and sometimes dismantle our ways of thinking. (KC)

Little Dragon & Moses Sumney – ‘The Other Lover’
Another perfect collaboration, this time coming from Little Dragon and Moses Summer, who have recreated an old Little Dragon song in the form of ‘The Other Lover’. Speaking about the partnership Little Dragon said: “When we reached out to Moses we didn’t know what to expect. What we received was very stripped down, with his beautiful voice. We jammed along and sent it back. It bounced back from his end with added horns and sounded beautiful to our ears. We are very proud of this.” (TW)

Alex Loveless – ‘Phone Keys Wallet’
Hackney-based independent musician Alex Loveless has shared this sultry new single and I’m 100% into it. Recorded, mixed and produced by Loveless themselves, the track is lifted from their upcoming debut EP which is set for release on 14th February. (KC)

Nuha Ruby Ra – ‘Sparky’
One of our ‘Ones To Watch’ for this year, Nuha Ruby Ra shared ‘Sparky’ at the end of 2020, and it’s a gritty slice of electro-tinged alt-pop. With her raw, no-frills spoken word vocals, alongside catchy hooks and a scuzzed-out playful groove, it’s an honest, majestic offering luring us into the unique world of Sparky and Nuha Ruby Ra’s bewitchingly unique sound. (ML)

S.A.A.R.A – ‘Grace Jones’
London-based musician S.A.A.R.A has one ambition – to make people dance – and with her funky beats and catchy refrains on ‘Grace Jones’ she achieves just that. I love her retro-infused sounds and look forward to hearing more from her this year. (KC)

Black Gold Buffalo – ‘Lay It Down’
Throwing it back to 2018 with this atmospheric alt-pop gem from Black Gold Buffalo. I’ve been busy diving into the GIHE radio archives recently for our #ThrowbackThursday sessions, as we’ve been unable to get into the Hoxton Radio studio to broadcast our weekly live show due to Lockdown 3.0/Covid-19. I rediscovered this show we recorded with Black Gold Buffalo back in March 2018, and I’ve been listening to their debut self-titled album ever since. ‘Lay It Down’ reminds me of being 28, living in London, falling in love and making the most of my evenings by going to gigs or being on air with Tash and Mari. I took it all for granted at the time, but I’m really looking forward to getting back out there and doing it all again once it’s safe. (KC)

A gentle, atmospheric offering inspired by her relationship with her late Grandmother, Irish artist Fears has shared her latest single ‘tonnta’ via her brand new label TULLE. Born from her desire to mix things up and provide support to under-represented groups in music, Fears’ (aka Constance Keane) new collective is one we wholeheartedly support and look forward to hearing more from in 2021. We caught up with Fears to talk about the story behind ‘tonnta’, the beautiful accompanying video and how she manages to stay on top of the many impressive musical projects she’s involved in…

Congratulations on launching your new label TULLE! What inspired you to set it up?
Thanks so much, it feels great to get it out in the world now. I’ve been working on my music as Fears for a few years now, just self-releasing stuff and earlier this year I was thinking I’d like to find a proper home for it. It felt most appropriate for that home to be a label owned and run by not straight white cis men to be honest. I was working at a few labels in London and having these great conversations with women about setting something up. At the same time, I was doing some recording with my friend Katie O’Neill, who encouraged me and helped me think this is something I actually could do. The team so far came together really naturally, as we all have a shared want of mixing things up.

We’re always glad to hear about people mixing things up! There was some unwanted backlash on social media when you made it clear that TULLE would be supporting under-represented groups in music (women, trans women, gender non-conforming and non-binary folk). Were you surprised by this?
I actually wasn’t surprised at all and I think that’s the saddest part of it. Generally speaking, when you create something that isn’t directly serving a group of people who are used to being the ones in power, there’s going be some of them who are not into it. I’m at a stage with feminism right now where I think the best approach is to block and swerve those people. Conversations are important and useful when it comes to changing perspectives, but sometimes you have to weigh up if talking to certain people is worth the amount of energy it will cost you, when you could be using that energy elsewhere.

Your first release via TULLE is your own song, ‘tonnta’. It celebrates the life of your late Grandmother, while acknowledging her struggle with dementia. How did you find writing this song? Was it cathartic, difficult, or a mixture of both?
I actually wrote the song while she was still with us. I’ve been sitting on this one for about four years, it’s just taken me this long to figure out the best way for me to present it that I think honours her as a person. She had dementia for quite a long time and we were so lucky that it was a fairly slow decline. My Nana was incredibly good to me growing up, and it was really important to me to write about her and her wonderful soul, even while she had dementia. It’s a very scary and unsettling thing to watch a loved one slip away. But I think it’s really important to step up and care for them, like they did with us. I’m really glad I got to do that.

The single is accompanied by a beautiful DIY video. Love that you directed it, your brother shot the footage and the video features your Mum & sister (as well as pop sensation CMAT) What was the experience of working with your family like?
I love working with my family. I mean, we’re quite loud and direct with each other so it’s not like we’re sitting around smiling and holding hands 24/7, but we are very close. They’re so supportive of me, so this is definitely not the first time they’ve been dragged in to help me with stuff. I felt that for this release in particular, it would be very special to have them as part of it, once they were comfortable with it. For all of us, it’s been really lovely to have our Nana in our thoughts so much, have her things around us, speak about her, and celebrate her. Pretty much everything I do with Fears is extremely low budget and very DIY so having a family who enjoy doing things like shooting a video or getting into the very cold Irish sea is such a bonus.

The sea does look cold actually…Talk me through how you made the dresses in the video. Where did the inspiration for the shape and fabric come from? How long they take to create?
My Nana taught me how to sew when I was younger. We used to make aprons and skirts and stuff when I was a kid. I had a thought around this time last year that I wanted to try making a big dress for my live performances, sort of inspired by a photo of her from 1974, where she looks really confident and happy. It’s the single artwork for ‘tonnta’. My dresses are much bigger than that, as I wanted to capture that idea of taking up space. I get really anxious before I perform, so I wanted to make something that would help me stand up straight and own what I was doing.

My brother actually bought me the sewing machine because I was so broke during the first lockdown, as many of us were, so a big thank you to him. As I made the first dress, I got into a flow of it and found a feeling of connection to those childhood memories. It was then that I came up with the concept for the video, and started asking some women who knew what I was doing if they wanted to be involved. I then designed each dress while consulting each woman.

They do take a little while to make. It depends on the design and the type of tulle I’m using, but it is quite labour intensive. It’s worth it though, when you see the final product and the way the person looks while wearing it. I think wearing something big like that automatically gives you an air of importance that it would be great if women had automatically.

Be honest, did you trip at any point while running through that field in your dress? Do you have a reel of out-takes you’re willing to share with the world?
Hahaha, I didn’t trip, but I definitely fell over a few times while spinning around. I think one of the things I love about the video is that as it progresses, I put in clips that were less polished and us being messy in a field, screaming the Irish national anthem for whatever reason. I will release that clip sometime soon.

You’re a super busy woman – launching a label, hand-making bespoke dresses, creating music as fears and drumming in post-punk band M(h)aol too. Any tips on time management? That’s a lot for one person to undertake!
I guess I am quite busy. I also manage Laura Groves and work on and off at a few labels. My family always joke about how I’m like two extremes at the same time. I’m doing all this stuff, but sitting in my dressing gown drinking hot chocolate. I’m either switched very on or very off. I work really hard and then exist horizontally watching Real Housewives alone for hours on end.

I think my main tip is being honest with yourself about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, and assessing what your needs are in order to help you get everything you want done. Most of what I’m doing is not making me money, which you need to do things like pay rent and buy food, so trying to get the balance right with that stuff is obviously key. Everything you do (even if you love it) is going to have its downsides and drain you at some point. I just try to evaluate everything as I go and check in with myself. I also go to therapy every two weeks which is absolutely vital for me, to have space to sit and assess, and be supported doing so. I enjoy hanging out with myself a lot, and know that I need to factor that in to any work schedule I’m making.

That’s great advice. What does early 2021 look like for fears and for TULLE? Anything you can tease us with?
The first half of 2021 will see the first full length release on TULLE. And that’s all I’m saying.

Thanks so much to Fears for taking the time to talk to us!

Follow Fears on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook
Follow Tulle on Instagram & Twitter

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Tag: TULLE label

PLAYLIST: January 2021

INTRODUCING INTERVIEW: Fears & TULLE