WATCH: Gurr – ‘She Says’

A hazy ode to being on the road and ricocheting between emotions; Gurr have shared visuals to accompany their new track ‘She Says’. Taken from their new EP of the same name which is set for release on 5th April, the Berlin duo blend dream-pop and psych sensibilities on their new tune.

They’ll be releasing four videos from the EP, and ‘She Says’ is the first from the collection. Speaking about the footage, Laura Lee explains: “We collected all this footage during our our summer of festivals last year. It was a bit of a schizophrenic time as we were always going back and forth between these positive festival vibes to the quietness and reality of home. That is what we were going for in the video”

She Says was recorded with New York producer Mathew Molner (Sunflower Bean, Friends) and Berlin based producer Tobi Kuhn at the UFO studios in Berlin. The band will play at SXSW in March this year and will be touring in Germany in April too. Watch the video for ‘She Says’ below and follow Gurr on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Ioanna Gika – ‘Out Of Focus’

Inspired by her Greek heritage and an emotional realisation after unexpected familial grief; Ioanna Gika has shared her new single ‘Out Of Focus’. Taken from her debut album Thalassa, which is set for release on 5th April via Sargent House, the song is a gentle and ornate example of Ioanna’s songwriting talent.

The single is accompanied by a self-directed music video, featuring world surf champion Jake Caster masked as the Greek God Pan. Ioanna’s album Thalassa takes its name from the primeval spirit of the sea, and her unusual treatment of mythical figures makes for a surreal set of visuals. Whilst her music has a strong sense of melancholy to it, her vocals and lyricism are as cutting and powerful as the waves Caster is chasing in the video.

Speaking about her upcoming album, Ioanna explains: “A series of deaths drew me home to Greece. The city of childhood memories was in disrepair. I drove past painted swastikas towards burial sites. I said goodbyes and grieved for those I didn’t get to say goodbye to. Thalassa is about going through change that is unwanted yet unstoppable. It is a document of the dread, the adrenaline, and the surrender in the moments when you realise the only way to survive the wave, is to brace yourself and go through.”

Ioanna will be supporting Garbage across the US in May as part of a Spring tour around the release of Thalassa. European dates will follow soon. Listen to ‘Out Of Focus’ below and follow Ioanna on Facebook for more updates.

Pre-order your copy of Ioanna Gika’s debut album Thalassa here.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Tara Tine – ‘The Night Was Cold’

Activist and artist Tara Tine has shared her single ‘The Night Was Cold’, taken from her debut EP Battle Cry. The native Dundalk author & musician is dedicated to putting the arts scene of her hometown in the spotlight of the national and international media, as well as championing the independent warrior spirit in her music.

In the last two years, Tine has balanced writing two novels and a novella alongside playing and writing music. She’s supported the likes of The Pale, The Fureys and Jinx Lennon, and now she’s shared her debut EP Battle Cry – “a rallying call for the would-be warriors of the world”. The release hosts six tracks, which Tine describes as a “patchwork” of musical genres – from Zeppelin-inspired blues, to old-school reggae.

The atmospheric ‘The Night Was Cold’is the lead single from the EP, and it’s accompanied by a gothic set of visuals, which show Tine wandering through the woods and around a graveyard. Watch the video below, and be sure to grab your copy of Battle Cry from Classified Records in Dundalk, or via Tine’s Facebook page.

Photo Credit: David Manning

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: LUCIA – ‘Blueheart’

Glasgow’s answer to Wolf Alice, LUCIA return with their Galentine anthem ‘Blueheart’. The single is accompanied by a stunning Kubrick-esque video which pulls you in to frontwoman Lucia Fairfull’s uncompromising vision – a mix of Bonnie Tyler meets Arctic Monkeys’ Tranquility Base.

Self-directed by Fairfull, the video is set in a vast estate which mirrors the hugeness of the band’s sound. Talking about the video, the band describe it as “what happens when you feel trapped in a toxic bubble”. The sinister imagery hints at what happens when that bubble pops, with Lucia lopping the heads off flowers and dragging a spade seemingly to a grave site. Taking no prisoners, this song is for anyone who’s endured, suffered and survived a shitty relationship.

Expertly produced by Jim Abbiss (Arctic Monkeys, Adele) and mixed by Charlie Holmes and Mark “Spike” Stent (Beyonce, Arcade Fire, Florence, Lady Gaga) LUCIA are tipped for greatness in 2019 and ‘Blueheart’ is a fantastic place to start.

LUCIA UK Tour Dates 2019
02/04/2019 Good Karma Club, Rough Trade, Bristol
03/04/2019 Good Karma Club, Mama Roux’s, Birmingham, UK
04/04/2019 Good Karma Club, Joiners, Southampton, UK
05/04/2019 Good Karma Club, Dingwalls, London, UK
06/04/2019 – 07/04/2019 Brewdog, Aberdeen, UK
11/04/2019 Good Karma Club, Stereo, Glasgow, UK
12/04/2019 Good Karma Club, Think Tank, Newcastle, UK
13/04/2019 Good Karma Club, Rock City Basement, Nottingham, UK
05/05/2019 Hit the North, Newcastle, UK (LUCIA)
10/05/2019 The Great Escape, Brighton, UK
21/05/2019 Hopscotch, Sebright Arms, London, UK
26/05/2019 Bearded Theory Festival, Derbyshire, UK

Mark Docherty

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