Track Of The Day: Sassyhiya – ‘I Had A Thought’

Formally of the beloved cult guitar band Barry, who seemingly made everyone who saw them fall in love with them, Kathy Wright and Helen Skinner are now striking out on their own as Sassyhiya and have shared an uplifting new video. Taken from their debut EP, ‘I had a thought’ is just irresistible; a supercool slice of wonky post-punk that will, excuse the pun, get in your ears and refuse to leave.

The duo, who are real life as well as musical partners, have an undeniable chemistry and confidence. Recorded at home over lockdown, the song’s plodding, melodic bass, jerky guitars and twee, sing-song vocals collide brilliantly to make a modern, post-punk classic.

The song is a must-listen for fans of The Raincoats, Shop Assistants, Delta 5 and Shopping. A bold, brilliant and fully realised debut, the band have given us a very sassy ‘hiya!’ indeed. Here’s to many more! 

Gum Demos, the new EP from Sassyhiya is out now. And you can catch Sassyhiya at their first ever gig, playing for us with Fightmilk and Bitch Hunt at The Shacklewell Arms on 25th March. Tickets here.

Vic Conway
@thepicsofvic

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LIVE (Photos): LIINES @ The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge, 10.03.2022

On Thursday, one of our most favourite bands LIINES took to the stage at Hebden Bridge’s infamous Trades Club to treat the crowd of fans to almost an hour of all their brooding, frenetic material to date. A sublime night of the best live music. We can’t wait to see them when they’re back down south soon!

Our photographer Jon Mo was there to capture some of the action…

Photo Credit: Jon Mo / @jonmophotography

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Track Of The Day: Fears – ’16’

Transforming her ruminations on a troubled past relationship into an elegant, exquisitely raw new offering, Irish musician and producer Constance Keane aka Fears has shared her latest single ’16’. Released via her own imprint TULLE, the track is a combination of meditative synth loops, tentative beats – inspired by the traditional Irish bodhrán drum – and the instrumentals of her late friend, classically trained cellist and trans rights activist Sophie Gwen Williams, which all mesh together to create a truly soothing, magnetic soundscape.

Accompanied by a beautiful video, shot in The Maharees in County Kerry in south west Ireland and directed by Zoe Greenway who performs alongside Keane in punk band M(h)aol, the visuals are a poignant tribute to Williams too.

“Sophie was an incredible artist and a very close friend of mine,” Keane explains. “We did a filmed performance together last March, thinking we’d get a chance to record it ‘properly’ in a studio, but she passed away before we could. Zoe and I dedicate the video for ’16’ to her memory. I had made her a dress for the original performance out of pink tulle – the same fabric I have with me in the video. She was a really inspirational and encouraging person, and I wanted to create something that shows how I carry her with me, even though I no longer have her physically here.”

Using her art as a canvas to express and process her grief, Keane’s soft vocals and candid lyrics – “It’s been a while since I cried / unusual for me / normally once a week / since we were 16” – combine to create a delicate, shadowy landscape for her listeners to dwell in. On her debut album Oíche, she underwent a significant and moving personal metamorphosis and now with ’16’ she continues to shapeshift and thread her own experiences into immersive, illuminating sounds.

Fears will perform live in London as part of a TULLE Collective showcase on 7th May at Chat’s Palace. Watch the video for ’16’ below.

Sophie Gwen Williams was an acclaimed performance artist, classically trained musician and trans rights activist from Northern Ireland who co-founded We Exist, a charity which raises vital funds to help trans people across the UK pay for healthcare costs. She was also the chair and one of the original members of The 343, a Belfast-based queer art collective. Here she also founded 343 radio, which is Ireland’s first ever queer radio.

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

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Greta Isaac – ‘how are you not freaking out?’

Welsh singer-songwriter Greta Isaac has released her expansive new single ‘how are you not freaking out?’, the latest installment to her eagerly anticipated second EP, ‘I Think You’d Hate It Here.’

‘how are you not freaking out?’ offers a change in pace to the power-pop sounds found on previous tasters to the EP (‘5’1”’, ‘NUH UH’). The song has a soft dream-pop start, with subdued hooks accompanying Greta’s vulnerable vocals -“If you saw it through my eyes… You would hate it here”. As the song builds, it introduces a powerful emotional allure as the vocals become more passionate, and the soaring guitar creates an anthemic energy, allowing us to “see the wood for the trees and they’re on fire…”

Reflecting on the need to suppress feelings or perform to expectations, ‘how are you not freaking out?’ is a truly stirring, yet instantly catchy, alt-pop earworm. 

Greta Isaac’s upcoming EP, I Think You’d Hate It Here, will be released on 6th May. And she headlines Jack Saunders’ Hopscotch club night at Oslo on 8th April. You too will be freaking out if you miss this inspiring up-and-coming artist! 

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

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