⋆｡⋆𐙚 New Single Release ⋆｡: Slow Team “A Lover’s Mind”
⋆｡⋆𐙚 New Single Release ⋆｡: Slow Team “A Lover’s Mind” Following a fairly quiet period since their last release in July, Leeds-based three-piece Slow Team have returned with an erratic, visceral blend of youthful romanticism and hopelessness in their new single, ‘A Lover’s Mind’. 08.03.24 Words by Jasmine Siefert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGr1fNsgsU8 Formerly known as Bloodhound, ‘A lover’s Mind’ marks the second single release for the band under their new name, and is arguably their most captivating release yet. With the band themselves describing the single as ‘having something two-faced about it’, the track most certainly represents that peculiar, tumultuous ebb and flow that is falling in love. It is a blending of the upbeat and the broody, the hopeful and the hopeless. After a moody, atmospheric opening instrumental, the first verse introduces a lover’s mind as a hub of disarray as Max proclaims: ‘I love you more than I love myself’, yet ‘all I get is lies’. It interrupts the romantic sentiment of giving oneself entirely to love, reframing it as something that is rather detrimental, a form of self-destruction. Paired with the generally grungy, fuzzy instrumental which alters its pace from slow to fast throughout the track, Slow Team paints love as discord, as the fantasy of perceiving this love through rose-tinted lenses begins to crack. In a brief return to a more mellow verse, Lucy’s vocals haunt the layered, spacey instrumental as she echoes Max’s epiphany that love has never made him feel ‘so blind’. He finally understands that within this blind love, he has abandoned himself. The song then seems to burst open as it purges out the mellow and gives reign to the feral. A whirring, fuzzy bass accompanies the rumbling drums and grungy lead guitar, subtly fading in and out repeatedly. Mimicking a sort of physical pulsation, this undulation marks the moment the song truly comes alive. It marks the moment the band creates the space to feel entirely, subsequently allowing for catharsis. In a song which brings to the fore the disorder and non-linearity of falling in love, closing out the song on one singular, shaky note on the guitar grants the listener a final moment to process the chaos that came before it. It gives pause to simply remind us that love, to love, and to be loved, is inherently a turbulent, unpredictable process, hence we must be wary not to abandon ourselves within that process. The sheer amount of passion and energy that is imbued throughout ‘A Lover’s Mind’ grows beyond the recorded track. Discussing performing the single live, the band note: ‘It takes everything we’ve got to play it live’. So, for the Slow Team fans up north, you can next catch the band giving it their all live either on the 11th of March at Oporto, Leeds, or on the 14th of March at Rough Trade, Nottingham. Southerners can catch the band throughout April, with performances at Boileroom, Guildford on the 23rd, and in Brighton on the 27th (venue TBC). View this post on Instagram A post shared by SLOW TEAM (@slowteamband) You Might Also Like
｡❣✹ New Single Review✹❣ : Pillow Queens “Gone”
｡❣✹ New Single Review✹❣ : Pillow Queens “Gone” Pillow Queens have released yet another hit single. This grunge ballad is about moving on and looking back on the past. 28.02.24 Words by Jamie Shovelin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYbD9GzcFYU The band’s latest single ‘Gone’ is about leaving behind a toxic relationship and moving on, the lyrics focus on everything they tried to be in the relationship and then instead becoming it for someone else. The last chorus mostly consists of the line “I’m gone” being repeated more than any other chorus. This paired with the echoed vocals in the background really adds to the lyrics being sung, it helps you feel the real emotion and frustration behind them. You have the lyrics not only being beautifully sung, telling you how they feel but you also have these almost shouting-like vocals in the background adding more depth to the lyrics, co-lead vocalists Sarah Corcoran and Pamela Connolly’s voices capture this perfectly. One of the first things that sticks out to you when you listen to the single besides the lyrics is the addictive guitar riff that’s repeated throughout the song and that then becomes slowed and fades into the background of the verses to let the vocals and lyrics really shine through. The drum beat behind the song as well just ties everything together perfectly, it doesn’t take away from the lyrics too much but still adds to the song. The repeated beat throughout is very easy to follow not only musically but also for anyone whose go-to dance move is nodding along to the beat. Pillow Queens has an upcoming UK tour in June 2024, and I can see this song being a crowd favourite. With such relatable lyrics and so many moments where you just want to scream along and let it all out, this will definitely be a hit on tour. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pillow Queens (@pillowqueensband) You Might Also Like
｡✩New Single Review✩: My First Time “Workwear”
｡✩New Single Review✩: My First Time “Workwear” My First Time just recently released their first single ‘Wind Up Merchant’ in October of last year and at the end of last month they followed up with their new track ‘Workwear’. 28.02.24 Words by Caitlin Taylor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLRzuDVnmr8 It has a similar snarky tone accentuated by vocalist Isaac Stroud-Allen’s theatric almost spoken word vocals but this time they take on the current political landscape. Speaking on the song, the band say: “‘Workwear’ focuses on the bizarre effect a few words or logo on a piece of clothing can have on people’s behaviour. When a model poses in a t-shirt that we’ll never look as good in, but we buy it anyway hoping we will! The song adopts the voices of three personas; ‘the over spender’, ‘the worried mother’ and the ‘marketing executive”. Overconsumption, consumerism, relentless advertising and body dysmorphia are constant companions for our generation.” Their influences are laid out bare: Blur, Marina And The Diamonds, and The Streets are all present in both the lyrics and style. They take on big themes like elitism, capitalism (ironically in their Bandcamp bio they describe themselves as “capitalist pigs” but do note that it’s because “rent isn’t free”), and mental health issues but don’t compromise on fun instrumentation and catchy choruses, “B-R-A-N-D, if you don’t have it then you must be less important than me” Stroud-Allen repeats throughout. Despite their reasonably quiet online presence, in their songs My First Time come across as unapologetically young and rebellious, screaming out their thoughts over an indie-punk/post-pop backing track. Along with Stroud-Allen, Jordanna Forsey (drums), James Mellen (guitar) and Niamh Jones (bass) are creating music that’ll stick in your brain. Their next few gigs will be in their homebase of Bristol, where they met at university, supporting TNAM favourites Lime Garden at The Fleece on March 6th then at Strange Brew on the 27th at a ‘Rabbit Party’. Sounds fascinating. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MY FIRST TIME (@my1sttime) You Might Also Like
｡✿❃New Single Review❃✿: Chloe Slater “24 hours”
｡✿❃New Single Review❃✿: Chloe Slater “24 hours” Manchester based Chloe Slater strikers her listeners with rhythmic sassy injected lyrics on her second single ’24 hours.’ 20.02.24 Words by Lana Hall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elxpzQeMAtg Like many of us discovering new music these days, I first heard the snappy opening lines of ’24 hours’ on a TikTok video of Chloe Slater, lip syncing to her upcoming single. “It’s not clear if I’m ripening or rotting / It girl told me if I’m sad to just go shopping” radiated from my phone’s speakers. Now, I’m not blind to the irony in discovering a song that mocks influencer culture, on TikTok, but the nature of artists having to promote music on social media only adds further layers to the critiques Slater sings about on ’24 hours.’ Released on 8 February 2024, the opening verse of Slater’s second single comprises of a clean beat punctuating her, slightly distorted, spoken-sung angsty lyrics, wishing she could live like an influencer on “daddy’s money”. The rhythmic, sharp lyrics draw you in from the get go, as you listen to Slater narrate the story of an ‘it’ girl, in a grungy tone, before transcending into an explosive chorus. Unexpectedly, the stripped back opening of ’24 hours’ builds into its’ fervent rock chorus, accompanied by underlying sonic notes, striking the listener with an impressively layered instrumental that feels like an older, angrier sibling of Clario’s hugely popular ‘Bags.’ Slater also taps into a stronger vocal during the chorus, to accentuate the passive aggressive “your 24 hours aren’t the same as mine” lyric. A lyric inspired by the infamous Molly Mae interview, and cements Slater’s incandescent attitude towards social media influencers The strength of this single lies heavily with its lyrics. Written alongside Slater’s friend and producer Jack Shuter, the rhythmic intensity and sassy attitude of Slater’s lyrics drives home her commentary on influencer culture, with grit. Through the staccato delivery of the verses in ’24 hours,’ listeners are forced to absorb the annoyance felt by Slater towards influencers. Slater’s indignant critique of influencer culture is the biggest take away from this single, and is one that resonates with listeners, who come away emboldened by the track’s aggressive tone and incredibly relatable narrative. 24 hours is available to listen on all music streaming platforms. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chloe Slater (@chloeslater333) You Might Also Like
｡✵✫Gig Review✫✵: The Old Blue Last Presents flirting. With Special Guests Pigeon Dog
｡✵✫Gig Review✫✵: The Old Blue Last Presents flirting. With Special Guests Pigeon Dog Late on Valentine’s night, the Vice-owned Old Blue Last performance area was packed almost wall to wall – it was a crowd we didn’t push through in an attempt to respect the loving V-day spirit (so apologies for the not quite up-to-par photos). 19.02.24 Words by Caitlin Taylor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_JhRCqUGi0 We wandered in pretty late as we were coming from Camberwell and arrived towards the end of Pigeon Dog’s set. We only got to experience the last two songs, but both were intriguing enough to put Pigeon Dog on our ones-to-watch list. Their Drummer George Bailey was unfortunately unable to perform but Maya Raykov and Dorota Dutkova still put on a captivating grungy, guitar-heavy performance with their replacement drummer. If you’re curious to hear more, their 2021 EP ‘Stink’ follows themes of queer love and toxic masculinity and is available to listen to now. They’re also supporting Nella at the George Tavern on February 19th. Headlining were the decently illusive “anxiety-pop” band flirting. who self-describe as “a group therapy project, set to a Sofia Coppela soundtrack”. Similarities to The Cranberries and Sinead O’Connor were immediately obvious in lead singer Poppy Waring’s vocals but with a heavier instrumental backing. She noted that this was a particularly special night because their first headline gig was also on Valentine’s Day and the last time they were at the Old Blue Last was in 2018 when their first EP was released. The first half of their set was reasonably calm but they stepped things up in the second half after warning the crowd that “you should get some earplugs if you don’t already have any”. A particular stand-out moment was their cover of All The Things You Said by t.A.T.u., another band with creative ideas about capitalization and full stops. They played around during the set, featuring spoken word sections, heavy guitars and even venturing into performance art when at one point Waring drifted off the stage, downstairs, and onto the floor where she gently writhed around as the crowd peered down at her. At the end of their closing song, one by one each member of the band walked off stage, leaving their instruments in front of their amps creating deafening feedback that acted as a dramatic full stop to their performance. Going to gigs should be more normalized on Valentine’s Day – whether you’re single or in a couple a sweaty dancefloor full of equally passionate people who are watching bands who truly love what they do is much more intimate and maybe even romantic than dinner and drinks. Both Pigeon Dog and flirting. have been around for a few years now so have music out online and a few gigs in the near future to check out. Also special shout out to Aqualine who’s set we sadly missed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by flirting. (@actualflirting) You Might Also Like
｡°✩Artist spotlight✮ ⋆ ˚: Prima Queen
｡°✩Artist spotlight✮ ⋆ ˚: Prima Queen Prima Queen: On their way to becoming indie rock royalty 13.02.24 Words by Nicole Haynes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4Db1C6L64Q Prima Queen have taken the UK music scene by storm over the past year, playing main-stage festival slots and touring with the likes of The Big Moon, Wet Leg and Dream Wife. Fronted by cross-atlantic duo, Louise Macphail and Kristin McFadden, the bands’ music combines angelic vocals with vulnerable sentiments.After stumbling across them at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham, and watching their sets at two festivals this summer, I can vouch that these guys have something special. Their sound stands out amongst the rest: combining the wit of bands like Wet Leg with the poignant lyricism reminiscent of The Cranberries or Mazzy Star. With tender story-telling, this band is perfect for anyone who appreciates indie rock with a softer side. Anticipating the release of their debut album in 2024, and on a self-indulgent whim, I will be ranking my favourite tracks from the band. Expressing experiences of love, heartbreak, guilt and grief, Prima Queen has already won my heart, and I’m sure after giving these tracks a listen, they’ll win over yours too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haz8FoXyQmw 1.Eclipse With a classic indie rock instrumentation, and cutting lyrics, Eclipse captures the guilt felt by our speaker over their feelings for their past lover. The opening verse sets up a romantic situation: “You said the sky looked like magic and we kissed in the half-light.” But this is interrupted by the realisation of an ex-love in the chorus: “I’m not over my last love; I think I told you about him once but maybe I played it off too much.” Accompanying this narrative is a catchy melody with an anthemic chorus. The band typically end their live sets with this track, and it’s one that is sure to get the crowd going. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVdq4XzO_bQ 2.Back Row Prima Queen captures the multitude of feelings associated with a past relationship in Back Row. The opening notion of mistaking a stranger for a former partner creates a haunting effect: “I chased a stranger down the street last night thinking that it was you.” Our speaker chases them down the street to discover they were never really there: “I guess you wouldn’t be around here but then again you’re known to reappear.” Back Row has a succinct narrative that explores feelings of regret, longing, anger and confusion. At the band’s live shows, the crowd belts along to the angsty line: “I tried to tell you how much you meant to me, but you wouldn’t let me in, You said “what the fuck does that even mean?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKqw1VWXUuk 3.Hydroplane Hydroplane is the final track on Prima Queen’s EP ‘Not The Baby’. It describes the relationship between two sisters by examining their transition from childhood into adulthood. Employing nostalgia and memory, the track describes the intimate connection between sisters, despite distance and difference in lives: “Now you’re the only advice I’d ever take […] I know you said my voice has changed, but I still say the same things you used to say.” The verses are divided by an emotive guitar motif and complemented throughout the track by a violin which creates a theatrical sound, contrasting with the gentle vocal harmonies of Macphail and Mc Fadden. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vjjdHqM4K0 4.Milk Teeth If you’re a sentimental soul, this is the Prima Queen song for you. Milk Teeth uses anecdotes about the mundane and banal to describe the human-shaped hole left when a relationship ends. Opening with an anecdote about cold feet in bed, it looks at the subtle and silent parts of a partnership that no one else knows: “You’re the hand no one sees under the table on my knee.” The lyrics explore the heartbreak of a former partner moving on. Suddenly these intimacies are no longer yours to know, but someone else’s: “Does she know the smell of the shampoo in your hair? Does she lie next to you in her matching underwear?” Sung on loop as the music crescendos, these lyrics create a heart-wrenching effect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MO0k0PY2P0 5.Invisible Hand Invisible Hand is a cathartic track that highlights the debilitating effects of depression. Using the metaphor of an ‘invisible hand’ to describe mental health struggles, the track is a sincere expression of the artists’ own experience: “Sorry that I’m not here, I’m just being strangled by an invisible hand.” The song’s bridge refers to remedies and throw-away comments given to those struggling with mental illness: “Tried to meditate and I watched what I ate but it didn’t make it go away.” These attempts feel futile because they don’t reach the root of someone’s struggles; unseen by onlookers is an intangible condition causing very real damage. You Might Also Like
｡✬E-Chat✬: Wings Of Desire
｡✬E-Chat✬: Wings Of Desire Wings of Desire rounded off 2023 with the release of their album Choose a Life. Combining the sound of the early 90s with 20th century futurist thinking, Chloe Little and James Taylor are taking the UK indie scene by storm. 13.02.24 Words by Nicole Haynes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mwld3uGoBY TNAM caught up with the pair to discuss their recent album and to hear more about their song-writing process. Little and Taylor discuss their artistic influences, questions they have about the world around them and reveal what is coming up for Wings of Desire in 2024. How did you guys meet and when did you start making music together? Chloe: James and I were playing in different bands when we were younger and crossed paths at a gig at The Lexington in London. It was a nice full circle moment because we ended our last UK tour with a sold out show there together for the first time Who are your musical influences? Chloe: We are really interested in Krautrock and the history of music coming out of post warGermany. There’s a reason some of the best records ever made were recorded in Berlin. Philosophically and artistically, what inspires your music and lyrics? James: We are like magpies, we take inspiration from all walks of life. However philosophically we get a lot of our ideas from Gnosticism, Eastern Mysticism, The Beat poets and anything else that questions our reality. Artistically we love the pop art movement so a lot of the visuals are inspired by the greats Keith Haring, Andy Warhol & Jean-Michel Basquiat. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wings of Desire (@wingsofdesir3) What was the song writing process for this record like? James: The song writing process for this record came from a period where it felt like everything around us was crumbling. Like our life was going through a huge destructive shift. I was also going through a period of deep self reflection and trying to confront the things that had been weighing me down for all these years. The record has a bittersweet edge to it. A period of alchemising my emotions. This record explores themes of time, impermanence and existentialism – particularlyin tracks like Chance of a Lifetime and I Will Try My Best – what inspired you toexplore these philosophical questions? James: Isolation, reflection and dissatisfaction are the three things that made us question the world around us. How did we manifest into this strange collective dream world? What kind of sick joke is this? Did we choose to forget or was it forced upon us by some evil parasite overlord astral being. Maybe we’ll never know I really admire your use of visuals in your music videos. After watching your latestvideo for Perfect World I wondered if you consider visual storytelling throughout the song writing process or if it comes afterwards? Chloe: Creating the visuals feels like such a huge part of the picture to us. Often a video idea will come to us whilst the song is still being written – the first track we ever wrote together came from an experimental 15 second loop of images I put together and then James sat in front of it with a guitar and pretty much wrote a fully fleshed out song instantly. Similarly, your website contains an array of multimedia. Is this something you try toincorporate into your live shows? Yes for our headline show at The Courtyard Theatre in London this year we are planning toincorporate some of our visuals into it. As our shows get bigger the plan is to build on thisand make it as interactive as possible. If you could sum up this record in one sentence, how would you describe it? Euphoric depression What are you looking forward to in 2024? Playing all the songs of the record live and continuing to put out more music. And watching the pretty flowers bloom. You Might Also Like
New Single Release: charlieeeee & piri “EASY”
New Single Release: charlieeeee & piri “EASY” A dive into charlieeeee’s debut single ‘Easy’ (ft. piri) and their work with the Trans Creative Collective. 31.01.24 Words by Kyle Roczniak https://youtu.be/_3leLdN0rrY Award-winning producer, engineer and creative director charlieeeee (they/them) has released their debut single, ‘Easy’ featuring TNAM favourite piri. While their name may not be familiar to you, charlieeeee is known for their collaboration work with some of the UK’s biggest artists – Fred again.., RAYE, MNEK, venbee, and Piri & Tommy, and now it’s their time to invite us into their own magnificent universe. Enter charlieeeee’s world… Their music is a fusion of EDM and jungle with a raw indie feel, and explores hyperpop too, making for a playful sound that captivates audiences and brings high energy. This is exemplified perfectly by their debut ‘Easy’ which opens with an undeniably indie-rock inspired bassline that wouldn’t be out of place on a record by The Strokes. Any sense of genre is transcended by the swift entry of a jungle backbeat and sweet poppy vocals. Speaking on the track, charlieeeee explains that the track is a love song that doesn’t draw lines at romance or platonic relationships – “It’s about the simplicity of love, when you are having a great time with your friends or partners and how easy life feels.” charlieeeee’s World is encapsulated by the accompanying music video, an intergalactic commentary on queer life in a hetero-centric society. As a non-binary artist, charlieeeee strives to change the narrative when it comes to misrepresented communities in music and the creative arts, which is where their work with the Trans Creative Collective comes in. The TCC is a production company co-founded in 2022 by charlieeeee that is described as “a safe space for trans+ creators and allies in the arts, music & film.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by charlieeeee (@charlieeeeesworld) You Might Also Like
New Single Release: DellaXOZ “come again”
New Single Release: DellaXOZ “come again” DellaXOZ, Manchester born, alt-pop renegade graces our speakers with the energetic & fiery ‘come again.’ 31.01.24 Words by Zofia Elliot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYaxyYg73Hs Switching between bedroom pop, alt pop and 2000s tinged rock; Lubasu’s growing range of musical styles has led to an increasing number of passionatefans and recognition. From her upcoming EP “DELLAIRIUM”, come again is already a fan favourite. Instantly captured by the classic sound of a buzzing guitar and crashing rhythm section, I felt instant Avril Lavigne-esque nostalgia. DellaXOZ fuses the undeniable inspiration of Y2K pop rock with her unique approach to production and meddling of genre. It’s increasingly difficult to pigeon hole 20 year old Danielle Labusa and that’s what makes her a special addition to the ever growing UK alt-pop scene. Angsty and relatable, her distorted, melodic voice details a confusing relationship, the cyclical feeling like they are forever chasing each other. Sonically soaring up and down as effortlessly as her voice sounds, this song is perfect for the slightly heartbroken and forever ruminating adolescent; picture jumping up and down on your bed after some serious, pillow-screaming drama. Danielle Labusa has become a powerhouse in blurring the lines. In ‘come again’ she takes grungy guitars, a simmering bassline and distorted vocals to create something fresh and uniquely ‘DellaXOZ.’ Recently added to Abbie McCarthy’s ‘Ones to Watch’ gig lineup she is starting 2024 off with exciting live shows, also opening up for Isabel Larosa at The Lower Third this week DellaXOZ’s six track EP comes out 22nd March, with come again being the opening track, the remaining five should be a thrilling musical ride. View this post on Instagram A post shared by daniella🇨🇩 (@dellaxoz) You Might Also Like
New Single Releases: SPIDER “daisy chain”
New Single Release: SPIDER “daisy chains” In the ever-evolving landscape of pop music, SPIDER emerges as a formidable and innovative force with her latest single, “daisy chains.” 30.01.24 Words by Noah Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EofBSuBbbs8 Produced by the grammy-nominated Maths Time Joy and written by the talented Jennifer Irabor, the track is more than just a musical composition; it stands as a sonic manifesto of empowerment and defiance. As a multifaceted artist, SPIDER has been recognised as a thrilling and refreshingly left-field voice in pop, as noted by The Observer. Her artistic journey is marked by a fearless exploration of unconventional themes and an unapologetic approach to storytelling. “daisy chains” exemplifies her commitment to pushing the boundaries of pop music, offering a cathartic anthem that resonates with authenticity. The collaboration with Maths Time Joy, known for his dynamic and genre-defying production style, elevates “daisy chains” to new sonic heights. The marriage of SPIDER’s distinctive vocals with Joy’s innovative production results in a track that not only challenges the status quo but also sets a new standard for contemporary pop. The track itself is a cathartic anthem, blending scuzzy guitars with a massive chorus, and explores the theme of reclaiming agency in the face of discomfort. Jennifer Irabor’s lyrical prowess shines through in the song’s exploration of the “Unholy Trinity of Young Adulthood,” touching on themes of sex and objectification against a visual backdrop that is both evocative and thought-provoking. SPIDER’s lyrical directness is matched by the expansive musicality of the track, creating a visceral experience that reflects her journey from the Dublin suburbs to the vibrant music scene of London. Her eight-legged alias, drawn from African spirituality, symbolises strong feminine energy and the belief in weaving one’s own destiny. With a background marked by defiance against restrictions and an unapologetic attitude, SPIDER’s music is a testament to her wit, empathy, and occasional rage. Additionally, the lyrics of the single reveal a powerful narrative, addressing uncomfortable experiences and the refusal to conform. The chorus, with its forceful lines like “Hold the applause, Hold the curtain, it’s not over,” underscores a determination to stand tall and assert control over your own narrative. SPIDER’s voice resonates with authenticity, proving to be a refreshing perspective in the pop landscape. As SPIDER gears up for her first headline show at London’s Camden Assembly on March 20th and the release of her EP, “an object of desire,” the anticipation for more from this rising star is palpable. “daisy chains” is not just a song; it’s a fearless manifesto that invites listeners into SPIDER’s vivid world of unapologetic self-expression and resilience. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SPIDER (@yourgirlspider) You Might Also Like