Track Of The Day: ARXX – ‘Couldn’t Help Myself’

Following acclaim from the likes of Diva Magazine, John Kennedy, BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders and BBC 6Music’s Steve Lamacq for previous singles such as ‘Deep’ and ‘Not Alone But Not With You’, Brighton’s ARXX have cemented themselves as firm favourites with the release of their brand new single.

A swirling slice of honey-sweet pop, ‘Couldn’t Help Myself’ is a positive reflection on the freedom that can come from a break-up. Complete with the fizzing energy and empowering, gritty drive that we’ve come to know and love from the duo, a colossal anthemic musicality builds alongside the sassy allure of Hanni’s vocals, oozing a danceable, joyous vivacity as colourfully catchy hooks flow.

An immaculately produced pure pop banger, ‘Couldn’t Help Myself’ once again showcases ARXX as a band consistently honing and developing their sound to create the freshest, most addictive of tunes. Impossible to pigeonhole into one genre, ARXX continue to impress us with everything they do and remain one of the most exciting bands I’ve ever come across.

Of the track, Hanni explains:

“‘Couldn’t help Myself’ is a brutally candid reflection of a relationship gone wrong.  The exclamation of  “It’s not me, it’s you” epitomises the joyful fuck you spirit of the song.  This song is for; those times when break ups are a good thing,  forgiving yourself and getting rid of toxic relationships and for unashamedly just having fun.”

‘Couldn’t Help Myself’ is co-produced by Black Honey’s Chris Ostler and Tommy Taylor, with mastering from Katie Tavini. ARXX are releasing this single through Share It Music, raising money for Gendered Intelligence.

We can’t wait to catch this new single live when ARXX headline our night at Shacklewell Arms on 22nd July, alongside Lusa Morena and an incredibly exciting (currently secret) main support! Tickets here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Rosie Powell

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Track Of The Day: Ruby Gill – ‘Public Panic Attacks’

If ever a song spoke directly to me, then it is ‘Public Panic Attacks’ – the resonant new single from Ruby Gill, a South African born, Melbourne-based musician and writer (and bird-watcher!). Its matter-of-fact and humorous lyricism follows a string of acclaimed releases since 2018, including the emotive folk-strewn splendour of ‘Your Mum’ and ‘you should do this for a living’.

The song starts off softly with delicate picked guitar as Ruby sings “Give me a second to breathe… heave my heavy heart….”, before leading us into the oncoming panic attack in a parking lot. The music speeds up with beautifully strummed dream-pop hooks, and a gently tapping rhythm as she tries to work out the cause – “is it the party or is it love…?” – as the backing vocals echo, creating a spellbinding atmosphere and build-up of tension throughout.

The bridge has the poignant lyric “am I scared of coming home, or is it the fear of being alone?”, before the gorgeous guitar solo glides seamlessly towards the abrupt conclusion “It has to..Stop!”

Certain to invoke rousing sing-a-longs, this anxiety anthem is as charismatic and infectious as they come. We all exhale with Ruby as the track draws to a close, transporting us to a happier place. Panic attacks have never felt so good.

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

Photo Credit: Al Parkinson

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Introducing Interview: Wyse

Having previously received praise from the likes of Gold Flake Paint and BBC Radio 1’s Gemma Bradley, Portsmouth-based artist WYSE has now announced the release of her sophomore EP this summer. Taken from the EP, gritty latest single ‘Run Away‘ oozes a raw, impassioned splendour with a catchy, pop-punk energy.

We caught up with WYSE to talk about what inspires her, her local music scene, the industry today and more… Have a read!

Hi WYSE, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Thank you for having me! I’m a Portsmouth based artist, producer and songwriter. I love contrast, exploring the space between pop and progressive music, the unexpected, and long walks on the beach…!

How did you initially start creating music?
I had violin lessons when I was eight and got “fired” from my lessons because I didn’t practice my scales or stick to written music. I then taught myself the drums at home on some pots and pans… And, after a lot of insistence that lessons would DEFINITELY go differently with guitar, my parents gave in and let me have guitar lessons at the age of ten. My teacher Jonathan really encouraged me to write and create, realising very quickly that my eyes would glaze over as soon as notated music appeared. 

Your fantastic single ‘Run Away’ is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about?
I’ve always found that resentment is seen as this really “ugly” emotion. When I was turned down by somebody I was dating, I felt ashamed for feeling resentful about it. I wanted to stuff that feeling in a box before anyone could see it and pretend it didn’t exist. In ‘Run Away’, I am caught between trying to quite literally “run away” from myself – my sexuality, and my insecurities over being rejected, and my need to let it all out.

You’ve been compared to the likes of Wolf Alice and Anna Calvi, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
I was quite sheltered from popular culture growing up (my family mostly listened to Christian-related music and hymns), so most of my early inspirations probably came from being exposed at school to the noughties pop-punk artists such as Avril Lavigne, Green Day, Paramore and, later, bands like Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Radiohead and AWOLNATION. I found it quite embarrassing at times, the number of seriously iconic artists I had never heard of or listened to. People would always find that funny, especially since I am a musician. So, I had a lot of fun finding iconic artists out for myself over the last few years, and their influence has started seeping into my music – including Anna Calvi, Janelle Monae, David Bowie, Portishead and Queen.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
I’ve really enjoyed being so close to The Wedgewood Rooms and other venues recently. Now we are able to go to gigs again, I am going to more than I ever did before the pandemic started! The music scene in Portsmouth has grown unrecognisably since I started out playing in the area in mid 2010s. I moved away for a few years and returned last year, and there seems to be a much greater variety of bands, venues, events, festivals and promoters than ever.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
I really want my performances to feel like a journey for the audience, and for them to have the best possible time. I want my songs to evoke a whole range of emotions for them – from energetic to melancholic; nostalgic, thoughtful, excited… I want there to be unexpected moments throughout the set.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
To name a few off the top of my head: Hunting Hearts, Lauran Hibberd, Rose’s Diary, BERRIES, South Coast Ghosts, Deva St. John, Split The Dealer, Ivy Eye, Little Victories…

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
Very – I think it’s been this way for a long time. It’s been said a lot, but as an artist you have to be multi-skilled. We cannot rely on just having a natural musical talent because that will get an artist absolutely nowhere, except by some freak chance for a few. At times this can be very frustrating and demotivating. In other ways it can be a good challenge to learn new skills and become more well-rounded as a creative.

Finally, what does the rest of 2022 have in store for WYSE?
I’m releasing a lot more music this year, including an EP. There will be focus tracks in June and July and the next five-track EP shortly after. I’ve already nearly finished writing the EP that will follow in 2023, so it’s back to the studio in June to start tracking! I’ve also got more exciting shows and festivals coming up – including being part of Icebreaker Festival on 9th July. I’m also developing my solo set and a ‘noisy duo’ set where the gig vibe warrants it.

Massive thanks to WYSE for answering our questions!

Listen to ‘Run Away’, the latest single from WYSE, here:

Allusions, the upcoming new EP from WYSE, is set for release on 29th July.

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Introducing Interview: Claire Pitt Wigmore

Having received acclaim from the likes of BBC Introducing for previous singles, ‘Dreaming (Where Did You Go?)’ and ‘Words’, Margate-based multi-instrumentalist Claire Pitt Wigmore has charmed our ears with her soulful, impassioned energy and sparkling, blues-infused musicality.

Having recently released gritty, yet instantly catchy, riff-filled single ‘Shades Of Green‘, we caught up with Claire to talk about what inspires her, her experience as a female artist in the music industry, and more. Have a read!

Hi Claire! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 
Hi Mari! Thanks so much for interviewing me. I certainly can! I’m a multi-instrumentalist from Margate, Kent. I predominately perform with my electric guitar, loop pedal and vocals. I create music ranging from indie, trip-hop and blues but that’s my own interpretation. I’ve always been a huge lead guitar blues fan. 

Are you able to tell us a bit about how and why you initially started creating music? 
I always wanted to play the guitar. Electric guitar to be exact. I became fascinated by “shreddy” guitar solos from an early age and thought “if they can do that, why can’t I?” It was around about the time ‘Sk8er Boi’ by Avril Lavigne became a hit that I became inspired, but I didn’t start learning the guitar until I was about ten, which was six or seven years after this musical awakening. I played in a wide range of cover bands and original bands before venturing off as a solo artist. I played in indie bands, rap-rock bands, acoustic duos. All of which stood me in good stead as a performer. But it wasn’t until I started creating my own music that my musical abilities really started coming to life. I bought myself a loop pedal. It was only to track chord progressions and practise my improvisation skills, but I soon started creating original instrumental pieces with it. From there, I managed to create a unique blend of soulful chord progressions and bluesy guitar solos that would later become fully composed pieces of mine. 

I love your impassioned, shimmering sounds, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
Thank you! That’s very kind of you! I’ve been influenced by a number of genres and sounds over the years. It’s difficult to pinpoint a specific influence but I’ve definitely honed in on the genre of blues, regarding my guitar playing. David Gilmour from Pink Floyd has been a big influence of mine – that warm, psychedelic tone of his has always been a favourite of mine. I’ve also been influenced by guitarists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix. But speaking from a general musical point of view, I’ve gravitated towards artists like Massive Attack, Air, Portishead, Tash Sultana, Deftones. The list could go on really!

You’ve recently released your latest single ‘Shades Of Green’. Are you able to tell us a bit about the single? Are there any particular themes running throughout it?
‘Shades of Green’ seems to be everyone’s new favourite at the moment. I think because I’ve branched out as an artist and started exploring different writing styles and genres, and it’s a little more upbeat than my previous releases. The track talks about the image that’s on the single artwork actually: it’s a photograph of me aged three wearing a lilac/mauve party dress and I just remember thinking “I hate this dress”. Which is also really sad because my mum must have thought it looked really sweet and pretty! I probably just wanted to wear something a little more “tomboyish” and I guess there was a mixture of emotions running riot at the time. It’s probably one of the first songs I’ve written where I’ve opened up about childhood emotions; I’ve tended to write in a rather cryptic way in the past to avoid people actually knowing what was going on in my head.

How do you feel the industry is for new artists at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the last few years in its treatment of female and queer/LGBTQ+  artists? 
It’s interesting you should ask this question actually because I recently wrote a blog, that was published by a local music charity, about my experiences as a female instrumentalist. I hadn’t really spoken up about the injustices I’d faced in a male dominated industry before, but I’m so glad I did. Especially being a “female guitarist”, which isn’t as common as a “male guitarist”, I felt like an outsider and unfortunately encountered a number of sexist and dismissive remarks. I do feel like things are changing though which is really positive. There are a number of queer/LGBTQ+ artists and bands on the scene at the moment and that’s also something that’s been embraced in my local music scene. 

You’re based in Margate – how is the music scene there? Do you feel that the live music community there has fully recovered since the pandemic? 
Margate really is the place to be now, isn’t it? I remember growing up, Margate was just another seaside ghost town but in the last five to ten years there’s been a huge change, especially in the creative scene. New and exciting venues such as Elsewhere have really turned things around and regenerated the music scene by not only putting on up and coming artists but welcoming local talent to its stage. Since the pandemic, I’ve actually been able to perform as a solo artist more than before. I think people were in desperate need of a music scene after nearly eighteen months of nothing. You never really appreciate what you’ve got until it’s gone, I think is a very fitting phrase!

And what can fans expect from a Claire Pitt Wigmore live show? 
A lot of bluesy, psychedelic guitar solos, ambient vocals and an incredible amount of loop pedal use. The Boss RC-30 loop pedal has become a staple for every show.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other upcoming artists or bands you’re loving right now that you’d recommend we check out?
Good question! I supported a Northampton based band at Ramsgate Music Hall, back in July 2021, called Sarpa Salpa. Think ’80s disco/funk, mixed in with pop and a bit of alternative rock. I was very impressed. 

What does the rest of the year have in store for you?
This is an interesting one because I’ve been quite unwell recently and have been diagnosed with a lymphoma that I’ll be starting treatment for very soon. A dark ending to this interview, but it is treatable! I’m still writing and releasing music and gigging as much as I can. I haven’t been able to gig as much as I hoped this year, but I’m doing as much as I can. I’m in the process of writing my second EP, that should be out later this year. It discusses my bout of ill health and the end of my relationship, that happened not long after I became ill at the beginning of the year. I’ve put my heart and soul into this body of work, so expect to get a real insight into my life.

Massive thanks to Claire for answering our questions!

‘Shades Of Green’, the latest single from Claire Pitt Wigmore, is out now:

Photo Credit: Nigel Martin Photography

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