‘Hurt So Bad’ is their first single release after the release of their third album, ‘Prestige’, which the band released in August of this year. ‘Hurt So Bad’ was recorded with Al Doyle and Joe Goddard of ‘Hot Chip’. The song also features vocals from Lysandre Ménard.

In a statement on Bandcamp about their new single, the band collectively stated: “‘Hurt So Bad’ was written during the pandemic, when I was working on writing our third album and still deciding what the feel of it would be. Initially, I thought that a more electronic/house-inspired sound would be a good fit for us, and with ‘Give Me Your Love’ and ‘Hurt So Bad’ demoed, we visited Al Doyle and Joe Goddard’s studio near Brick Lane to flesh them out. They were a great match for these songs, and we loved playing with their mountains of rare synths. Although our album ended up being more live, I think you can still hear the beginnings of our disco inspiration in this track.”

Girl Ray comprises Poppy Hankin, Iris McConnell and Sophie Moss, who released ‘Prestige’ last summer via Moshi Moshi. Ben H. Allen, the Grammy award-winning producer who worked with big stars such as M.I.A., Gnarls Barkley, Christina Aguilera and Deerhunter, was behind the production and composition of this album, alongside Hankin, the band’s songwriter. Girl Ray embarks on a mission to reclaim disco music as a celebration of sexuality and outsider culture, drawing inspiration from the queer television drama ‘Pose’ and using its original and rare sound and aesthetic. With the release of ‘Prestige’, the band has accomplished their mission. ‘Prestige’ took inspiration and sound from their previous album. The shambolic charm of their 2017 debut, ‘Earl Grey’, and the indie R&B sound of 2019’s ‘Girl’ formed the third album. ‘Prestige’ is an escape to a dreamy fantasy clubland, with the overarching narrative being love and the experiences of being in love.

Girl Ray’s year in music has been more than successful. With their new album release, the announcement of their UK winter tour earlier this year, and the US tour they are currently on, it is easy to predict that the band will only get bigger on the electropop indie scene. It is enticing to anticipate what their next move in their career will be.