PLAYLIST: August 2018

The British heatwave rages on with its blue skies and scorching sun, and us Get In Her Ears girls are here to help you through the head-melting heat with a mixture of cool new tunes. Take some time to scroll through our track selections, and hit play on the Spotify link at the bottom of the page…

Dream Nails – ‘Merkury’
Fast becoming known for their sparkling combination of activism and catchy tunes, GIHE faves Dream Nails are back with a new disco-punk banger. Perhaps less political than previous hits, ‘Merkury’ is a tongue-in-cheek take on the adverse effects of the planets misaligning and causing havoc in our everyday lives when Mercury Retrograde strikes. Flowing with sweeping honey-sweet vocals and shimmering melodies alongside groovy basslines, it’s a truly infectious intergalactic delight. Watch the wonderfully spacey, psychedelic video for ‘Merkury’ here. (Mari Lane)

WHITE RING – ‘Nothing’
Warped, watery vocals and thumping percussion combine in densely hypnotic style on WHITE RING‘s latest single, ‘Nothing’. Taken from their recent album Gate Of Grief, the track is accompanied by a video which shows the pair immersed in their own sound. Watch it here. (Kate Crudgington)

AyOwA – ‘Sommer’
I couldn’t not include ‘Sommer’ by AyOwA in August’s playlist. Having seen these guys for the first time last week at our Notting Hill Arts Club event, they totally stole the show for me!  Seeing AyOwa peform Sommer was a highlight for me – more heady and more haunting then I could have wished for. (Tash Walker)

hear – ‘OYSTERS’
I’ve found a new addiction and it comes in the form of new musical project hear with their dark, hypnotic, lyrically enchanting music. ‘OYSTERS’ in particular stood out for me with it’s poetically pertinent messages of sexual perversion, discovery, frustration, desire… ‘did it please you well? to see her hanging there’. It’s hard for me not to draw parallels to early Savages, however hear are of course distinct in their own version of post-ponk. hear is a musical project from Jorinde Croese and Natalie Connlly who aptly say “We’re not quite sure how to classify – labels perhaps feel a little old, and the music doesn’t quite come from obvious reference points, at least not for us.” Without a doubt hear are now firmly on my ‘Ones to Watch’ list, fingers crossed for some live dates soon. (TW)

Something Leather – ‘Disappear On Me’
I saw Brighton’s Something Leather live for the second time at The Lock Tavern last weekend at We Can Do It’s all-day gig, and they didn’t disappoint! The trio’s sound ricochets between loud and quiet, up and down, mad and melancholy – and I can’t get enough of their marvelous noise. (KC)

Æ Mak – ‘Love Flush’
‘Love Flush’ is the latest single Æ Mak (pronounced “Eh Mack”). Having just played Latitude with what sounded like an incredibly energetic show, I think it makes sense that so much of the media are drawing comparisons to early Bjork. Of the track she says “‘Love Flush’ is a twisted love song. It’s about choosing your own ambitions over a true love, pushing that someone away to embrace this higher vision you have of yourself, even though that’s what made you happy. Ego’s a bitch.” I could not be more into how this track starts and then breaks into an alt-pop tune! Enjoy. (TW)

Temples Of Youth – ‘Darker Places’
This duo have been firm favourites of the GIHEs team for a while now, and new single ‘Darker Places’ is another electronic treat. Paul’s trademark atmospheric guitar sounds combine with Jo’s jaded beats and beautiful vocals to create this sultry pop-noir gem. (KC)

Princess Chelsea – ‘I Love My Boyfriend’
What a sweet sentiment from New Zealand’s retro-futuristic pop artist Princess Chelsea. She might be mocking romance, or she might be promoting it – either way – I love her strung-out bass lines and sugary vocals. The single is taken from her upcoming album The Loneliest Girl, released on the 7th September via Lil’ Chief Records (KC)

Value Void – ‘Babeland’
‘Babeland’ by London trio Value Void is taken from their upcoming debut album, set for release on 26th October via Tough Love. They’ve described the record as “a luxuriantly deep, shag pile-warm, analogue proto punk collection”, and ‘Babeland’ is a track about one night in a pub when everything looked grim except for two very attractive men kissing. I love the hazy dreamlike sound to that track which seems the perfect accompaniment to the hazy warmth of this endless London Summer. (TW)

H.Grimace – ‘In The Body’ 
Following last year’s debut album Self-Architect, GIHE faves H.Grimace have returned with a gritty new single. Inspired by poet Vivienne Griffin and reflecting on society’s pressure on the individual, ‘In The Body’ is filled with the band’s raw post-punk sound and scuzzy, seething power, alongside the deep, sweeping vocals of Hannah Gledhill; creating a dreamy, Sonic Youth-reminiscent haze. (ML)

Happy Accidents – ‘Free Time’
Taken from their latest album Everything But The Here And Now, ‘Free Time’ is the perfect example of Happy Accidents’ instantly uplifting pop-punk. Oozing luscious harmonies and an infectious buoyant energy, I fell in love with their shimmering creations when coming across them at Indietracks Festival last weekend, and now I’m truly addicted. (ML)

Le Tigre – ‘TKO’ 
With it being LGBTQ+ activist and artist J.D.Samson’s birthday on Saturday, I couldn’t not include a Le Tigre track in this month’s playlist. She holds a very special place in my heart, and the memory of dancing the night away in total euphoria to tunes that she hand-picked at M.I.A’s Meltdown Festival last year is still one of my life highlights. Really, Le Tigre’s ‘TKO’ should be on every playlist ever – it’s an instant blast of empowering energy on each listen. (ML)

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Track Of The Day: White Ring – ‘Nothing’

Warped, watery vocals and thumping percussion combine in densely hypnotic style on WHITE RING‘s latest single, ‘Nothing’. Taken from their recent album Gate Of Grief, the track is accompanied by a video which shows the pair immersed in their own sound.

Despite being their debut album, Gate of Grief (released via Rocket Girl Records) arrived eight years after WHITE RING’s benchmark EP, Black Earth That Made Me, which earned them a cult underground following. With an opening drum beat reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails’ infamous single ‘Closer’, ‘Nothing’ is a dark gem set to please fans of “gothic beats and sinister synth bass-lines” as well as loyal followers of the “witch house” movement .

The single is the first collaboration with newcomer Adina Viarengo, who added her vocals in 2016 to the existing instrumental track that Bryan Kurkimilis created for the first set of WHITE RING demos in 2009. The band was originally formed by Bryan and Kendra Malia after meeting on Myspace in 2006, with Bryan and Adina currently touring as a duo.

Watch the video for ‘Nothing’ below and follow WHITE RING on Facebook for more updates.

WHITE RING’s debut album Gate Of Grief is available here.

Photo credit: Jason PD

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate Crudgington1 Comment

INTERVIEW: White Ring

Cult followers of the “witch house” movement will be familiar with industrial outfit WHITE RING, who are set to release their new album Gate Of Grief via Rocket Girl Records on July 27th. After an eight year hiatus, the band have returned and are ready to bewitch their fans with more of their corrosive sounds. We caught up with Adina & Bryan to ask them about their recent gig in London and their upcoming album…

You recently played a free gig at The Shacklewell Arms. Did you enjoy the show? What did you get up to whilst you were in London, aside from supporting God Is An Astronaut?
We had a great time playing shows again. We were really busy doing press stuff between shows. We didn’t do much.

Your stage presence is pretty intense – do you have any pre-gig rituals that help you prepare for your set?
We usually do some meditation, stretch and pray to our ancestors for good luck, very important.

You formed on Myspace and helped to develop the “witch house” movement, which dedicated fans keep track of online. Do you think the internet is crucial when it comes to forming a band, nurturing a scene, and sharing your music?
It’s definitely a blessing not having to be physically connected to any particular city’s music scene, but the pendulum also swings the other way too, and can make some people really locked in on what others are doing, and I think it’s making them lonely.

Your new album, Gate Of Grief, probes at difficult and uncomfortable territory. What are you most proud of about this record?
I’m proud that it’s done and that we are all still alive.

Do you have a favourite track? If so, why?
I really do love how this album functions more like the albums I grew up listening to – where track selection and placement are kept in mind. If I had to pick one it would probably ‘Do U Love Me 2?’ just because I don’t remember writing it. I woke up after crashing from a 3 day bender in like 2012 and found this 11 minute song that I vaguely remember working on. I just made it a non-offensive length and released it as is. I feel like that one found me.

The image of the gate in the title refers to the real gate between Africa and Saudi Arabia, which is believed to be the place where the first humans migrated and went on to populate the rest of the world. How do you take a concept like that and turn it in to densely electronic music? Do you have a process that you follow, or do you create each song differently?
We came up with the concept when putting together our first EP, Black Earth That Made Me. The only idea we have for WHITE RING is to keep changing. We like too much shit to get weighed down with any one ideology. We kind of just want to tell a story that helps people realize they are not alone. Trying to tell a story about struggling to survive. We have had 6-8 different setups for recording. As soon as we get comfortable with something we get rid of it.

As we’re a new music blog, we always ask bands what other new bands or artists they’ve been listening too. Who can you recommend to us?
I’ve just been listening to a lot of The Soft Moon, John Maus and Korn lately.

What are your plans for the rest of 2018?
We just started recording our next EP, touring the album and we are working on launching a manufacturing company.

Finally, if you weren’t creating music as White Ring, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
I would be making music in my room doing a job that I don’t like as much!

Thanks to WHITE RING for answering our questions!
Pre-order Gate Of Grief here.
Follow the band on Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Jason PD

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: WHITE RING – ‘Leprosy’

Creators of contagious and corrupting sounds, industrial/alternative outfit WHITE RING have returned after an eight year absence with new single ‘Leprosy’ and it’s “steeped in existential dread”.

It’s the first song the band wrote for their upcoming album Gate Of Grief, which is set to be released on 22nd June via Rocket Girl Records. “This was the first time we really wanted to start exploring aggression in our music,” founding member Bryan Kurkimilis explains about ‘Leprosy’. Through Adina Viarengo’s decayed, watery vocals and throbbing industrial beats, the duo have achieved aggression incarnate.

Gate Of Grief follows WHITE RING’s benchmark EP, Black Earth That Made Me, which sold out almost instantly eight years ago, earning them a cult following across the globe. One of the most acclaimed proponents of the “Witch House” movement, WHITE RING will continue to bewitch their crowds when touring the UK in May with God Is An Astronaut.

Listen to ‘Leprosy’ below and follow WHITE RING on Facebook for more updates.

WHITE RING 2018 UK Shows (with God Is An Astronaut)

17 May – Electric Brixton – London
18 May – Classic Grand – Glasgow
20 May – Club Academy – Manchester

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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