Track Of The Day: El Tee – ‘How I Like It’

Full of hazy guitar sounds and hushed, heartfelt vocals; Melbourne-based artist El Tee has shared her latest single ‘How I Like It’ via AWAL. The track is both a “protest against, and an acknowledgement of losing yourself to someone else” and showcases the songwriter’s strength and vulnerability over the course of five sweet minutes.

El Tee (aka Lauren Tarver) has been busy performing in her hometown recently, both as a solo artist and as part of local five-piece outfit Club Med. Her relatable lyrics and her honest narratives mark her out as an interesting new talent on both the Aussie new music scene, and further abroad.

Speaking about her latest single, El Tee explains: “‘How I Like It’ captures the surrender of identity in fear of disapproval and rejection, while holding on to just enough self-respect to voice your needs and desires”. It’s this willingness to confront emotional difficulty that makes her new track linger in the memory for so long. Listen to ‘How I Like It’ below and follow El Tee on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

PLAYLIST: August 2019

Summer’s nearly over, but we’ve selected some of the finest new music tracks to see you through August’s final weeks of sunshine and unexpected showers.Take some time to scroll through our track choices and make sure you hit play on the Spotify playlist link at the bottom of the page…

Bones UK – ‘I’m Afraid Of Americans’ 
I have Anthony & Elis of Noise Noir to thank for this B.A.N.G.E.R. I heard it during their DJ set for Siren Calling Festival and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. One of my favourite Bowie tracks covered in super cool style. I’m now an avid follower of Bones UK too. (Kate Crudgington)

Sui Zhen – ‘Matsudo City Life’
Inspired by the Japanese city of Matsudo – known by locals as a ‘sleeper town’ -, Sui Zhen’s latest single flows with infectious, ’80s inspired whirring hooks, alongside her luscious vocals. An utterly dreamy, synth-driven soundscape, it’s another slice of sparkling alt-pop from the Melbourne artist, and I cannot wait for the release of her upcoming new album, Losing, Linda, out 27th September. (Mari Lane)

Le Butcherettes – ‘Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t Have)’ 
My absolute faves Le Butcherettes have shared their brilliant cover of The Buzzcocks’ classic and I’m hooked on it. The Guadalajara-born and El Paso/L.A. based group shot a live video of the song as part of their collaboration with Fender for their Vintera Series of guitars before recording a studio version for the single release. (KC)

Cat Apostrophe – ‘January’ 
‘January’ by Yorkshire-based radically soft pop band Cat Apostrophe is taken from their debut LP Lifelong Amateurism, which is out now via Everything Sucks Music. You can catch them on their tour across the whole of the UK hitting London on 26th August at DIY Space for London. (Tash Walker)

Babeheaven – ‘Seabird’ 
Babeheaven’s cover of 70s classic ‘Seabird’ originally by the Alessi Brothers, is incredibly beautiful and has left me gazing dreamily out of many a window with it playing into my ears… so what better reason for wanting to share that with you all. It is quite simply, heart wrenchingly, sublime. (TW)

Suggested Friends – ‘Cygnet’
I’ve been completely addicted to Suggested Friends‘ eponymous debut release over the last couple of years, and so I couldn’t be more excited to hear that they have just announced the release of their second album. To coincide with the announcement, Suggested Friends have shared new single ‘Cygnets’. With totally dreamy harmonies and the distinctive heartfelt crystalline vocals of Faith Taylor, it’s filled with an infectious jangly scuzz and stirring raw emotion, complete with some impressive rollicking riffage. Turtle Taxi, the upcoming album from Suggested Friends, is out 4th October. (ML)

Wyldest – ‘Mind Over Body/Slowdance’ 
I caught two thirds of Wyldest live at Siren Calling Festival over the weekend, and their shoegazey guitars and smooth vocals melted my ears. (KC)

Hurtling – ‘Summer’
I just can’t get enough of London band Hurtling’s new single ‘Summer’. Starting off with gentle, finger-picked melodies and the luscious, delicate vocals of Jen Macro, it soon builds with sun-drenched whirring hooks and immense beats to a fuzz-filled noisepop anthem. A scuzzy dream of a track, it’s impossible not to get caught up in its sparkling, psychedelic haze.‘Summer’ is out now, whilst Hurtling’s debut album – Future From Here – is out 18th October, both via Onomatopoeia Records. (ML)

Hannah Stewart – ‘Glaze’
The new single from California based artist Hannah Glaze is propelled by throbbing beats and gritty bass-lines. Filled with the smooth allure of Hannah’s honey-sweet vocals and a driving energy, it oozes an infectious danceability and fuzzed-out groove that we can’t get enough of. (ML)

Hana Vu – ‘At The Party’ 
I am hooked on LA artist & producer Hana Vu’s down-beat disco banger ‘At The Party’. It’s a song about ““spite and how truly meaningless it is” and I can’t help but feel any sense of spite evaporate when I hear her sultry vocals. She’s set to release a new EP titled Nicole Kidman/Anne Hathaway on 25th October via Luminelle, and I can’t wait to hear more from this talented nineteen year old. (KC)

TONI&MASH – ‘LTGFU’ 
The debut electro-house banger ‘LTGFU’ by Berlin-based TONI&MASH out via Black Diamond Records. Absolute tune. (TW)

Nasty Cherry – ‘Live Forever’ 
Nasty Cherry co-wrote ‘Live Forever’ with Charli XCX & producer Justin Raisen (Angel Olsen, Kim Gordon), so it was destined to sound cool. In their own words “‘Live Forever’ is a song about being unconfined, unrefined and self-assured” – here’s to that! (KC)

Cozy Slippers – ‘A Million Pieces’
Formed at ‘Ladies Rock Camp’ – a weekend event that introduces women to rock instruments and playing in a band – Seattle band Cozy Slippers are back with a brand new single. Contrasting popular culture depictions of romance with lived reality, ‘A Million Pieces’ oozes shades of the jangly surf-pop of the likes of Real Estate or Best Coast, whilst adding its own dreamy air of romanticism. Flowing with luscious melodies, it’s filled with all the sparkling, uplifting summer vibes. We can’t wait for Cozy Slippers to come over to the UK and play for us at The Finsbury on 8th November! (ML)

Delacey – ‘Emily’  
The from LA singer-songwriter Delacey is an ode to her best friend. Shout out to her for representing the importance of female friendship, especially when it comes in the form of reverb heavy electro. (TW)

Intaya – ‘Guaguancó’ 
‘Guaguancó’ by Venezuelan born, London based Intaya is a potent amalgamation of cross-cultural music, described as a commute to an electric Latin Caribbean Island in a London Tube train. Their debut EP is due out later in the year. (TW)

Like A Villain – ‘My Hands’
The new single from New York artist Holland Andrews, aka Like A Villain, ‘My Hands’ is filled with glistening electronics and a hypnotic, haunting grace. Propelled by the emotion-strewn power of Andrews’ soulful vocals, it creates a poignant, ethereal soundscape.
Like A Villain’s upcoming album What Makes Vulnerability Good is out 20th September via Accidental Records. (ML)

BAD – ‘Sweat’ 
‘Sweat’ is a track so catchy it’s had me popping my shoulders all over London these last couple of weeks – the jury’s still out on those moves, but not on this track. Coming from NYC based duo BAD, described as Lizzo meets George Michael, this track is full of funk, soul and just enough of that throwback to Saved by the Bell that you need. (TW)

Roniit – ‘Foreign Tongues’
Self-proclaimed “Dark Queen” Roniit’s reimagination of Crywolf’s ‘Foreign Tongues’ is an ethereal, melancholy exploration of sound that gives me goosebumps. Roniit is a friend and frequent collaborator of Crywolf’s, working behind-the-scenes for the production of many of his photographs and videos. A true talent. (KC)

 

LISTEN: The Big Moon – ‘It’s Easy Then’

“‘It’s Easy Then’ is really about finding strength in strange times” explains Juliette Jackson, vocalist & lyricist for formidable indie-rock group The Big Moon. “I wanted to write a song that made me feel better. Something that captured the frustrations, but also the hope and joy all at the same time” – and that’s exactly what the band have achieved with their first piece of new music in over two years.

‘It’s Easy Then’ is a lush three minutes of escapism via grand keys and breezy vocals. It’s softer than the band’s previous singles – all lifted from their 2017 Mercury Prize nominated debut Love In The 4th Dimension – but it still retains the trademark Big Moon charm with its relatable lyrics and leftfield pop melodies. The track was recorded in Atlanta with Grammy Award winning US producer Ben H. Allen III (M.I.A, Deerhunter, Bombay Bicycle Club).

Juliette extrapolates on the single’s themes of breaking away from negativity: “We work too much, we think too much, we know too much so we all worry too much. Our anxieties are stoked every day. Music has this incredible way of helping us see with a new perspective, and ties up our feelings in a way that language by itself never could”. We couldn’t agree more. Listen to ‘It’s Easy Then’ below and follow The Big Moon on Facebook for more updates.

The Big Moon will be supporting The Pixies on their 2019 UK tour on the following dates:

13th September – Cardiff Arena
16th September – Birmingham Academy
17th September – Leeds Academy
18th September – Manchester Apollo
20th September – London Alexandra Palace
21st September – Newcastle Academy
22nd September – Glasgow Academy
23rd September – Edinburgh Usher Hall
25th September – Belfast Ulster Hall
26th September – Dublin Olympia

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her Ears 08.08.18

Tash & Kate were back in the studio this week with a hefty helping of new music and the lowdown from the Southbank Centre Women in Music event!

Music highlights from Fluxx.world, Foxgluvv, Babeheaven, TIIVA, Pom Pom Squad and a gentle nod to Amy Winehouse (always time for Amy!)

Listen back:

@getinherears
@KCbobCut
@maudeandtrevor

Tracklist
Eurythmics – Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves
Nabihah Iqbal – Zone 1 to 6000
TABS – Love Like This
Sink Ya Teeth – If You See Me
Pom Pom Squad – Honeysuckle
Delacey – Emily
The Elephant Trees – IDIOT
Amy Winehouse – Me & Mr Jones
TONI&MASH – LTGFU
Silver Pools – A Kiss for the Swimmer
Fluxx.world – Like Me
TIIVA – Make Me Pure
Halia Jack – Waited Long Enough
Another Crush – Hope You’re Happy
Babeheaven – Seahaven
Foxgluvv – Desperately Seeking Susan
Phebe Starr – Bad News
Kero Kero Bonito – Flamingo
Chic – Le Freak