Audio Addict #29 by Audio Addict

IN AID OF SOLENT MIND

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MENTAL HEALTH IN MUSIC

ISSUE 29

CONTENTS

EDITORS’ LETTER A message from the team STRUGGLE TO FIND NEW MUSIC? Check out the Top 10 new music platforms and the hottest music events in Southampton this winter

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR What would a music magazine be without flagging its favourite albums of the past year? IN THE SPOTLIGHT Lucas Eveleigh sits down with Fleet shoegazers, Drug Store Romeo’s for a Q&A POSITIVE VIBES ONLY Michelle Huizen in conversation with pop quartet BASH! PARANORMAL PUNK-TIVITY Charlie Conibear gets up close and personal with punk band, Polt Her Geist “THEY JUST WANT YOU TO BE BEYONCÉ OR RIHANNA” Joey Butcher investigates the problems with pigeonholing in the music industry with Ghanaian singer, Wiyaala MEET BLACK MIDI Lucas Eveleigh sheds the light on London’s worst kept secret ALBUM REVIEWS From R&B to techno, electronic ambience to hardcore metal, we’ve covered it all... LIVE REVIEWS At Southampton’s Heartbreakers, Haze, Naropa and Our Girl take centre-stage.

CONTRIBUTORS

LIBBY BRIGGS, JOEY BUTCHER, CHARLIE CONIBEAR, JOSÉ CRUZ, LUCAS EVELEIGH, CHLOE GORMAN, MICHELLE HUIZEN, CALLUM HURST, MARLEY LONG, NADA OLSON, DAN PHILLIPS, JACK ROCKEY, RHIANNON STREET, REBCCA TOGHER

Cover photo by Lucas Eveleigh

16 28

Dear Reader, Welcome to this new-fangled, rebranded version of Audio Addict. When tasked with sculpting and morphing something that already has a relatively sizeable profile, it can be a daunting task. Anyone would find this to be an Everest sized climb, especially for a bunch of music journalism students just off the back of a five month summer holiday. We’ve taken it back to the drawing board. We want to convey that there’s still exciting new music rearing its head in an age where we seem to be unhealthily obsessed with nostalgic moments. Our cover band, Black Midi embody what it is to be a brand new, exciting, individual band in this day and age. They’re covering new ground, which is something to be celebrated and championed. It’s important for us to not have a set genre. People who are reading this – in other words, you – don’t necessarily like just one thing. We know you like hip-hop, but you also like punk and electronica. So we’re not going to treat you like idiots. Thanks for picking this issue up. Print journalism is not over. We’re here to show you that there’s excitement in flicking through the pages of a magazine, rather than simply scrolling through your news feed. Behold, Audio Addict, the new music issue. All our love, Audio Addict Team

Still not satisfied? For more Audio Addict action you can find all our back-issues exclusively at https://issuu.com/audioaddict

DISCLAIMER THE AUDIO ADDICT MAGAZINE IS PRODUCED BY STUDENTS ON THE BA (HONS) POPULAR MUSIC JOURNALISM COURSE AT SOLENT UNIVERISTY. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE MAGAZINE ARE THE CONTRIBUTORS’ OWN AND AS SUCH, THE UNIVERSITY AND ITS STAFF CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE.

The 10 Best Ways to Find New Music

Dan Phillips compiled a list of his ten most favourite ways to discover new bands. Now you can be trendy too. “There’s no new good music coming out these days.” “I miss the nineties.” We hear these laments all the time, but perhaps the past wasn’t all that anyway. Maybe we just can’t be bothered to go out and find new music. In the millennial age of ‘I want it and I want it now’, are we the problem? Is it not easy enough? It’s there, right in front of your eyes, I promise. It’s never been easier to discover your next favourite band. Luckily for you, Audio Addict cares. This list does all the hard work for you from the comfort of your armchair.

1. Bandcamp Daily

A list is compiled daily, in an easily navigable format.

2. Soundcloud

Soundcloud has 12 hours of music uploaded every minute. Some of it’s bound to be good.

3. Spotify ‘Discover’ Playlists

7. Fan forums

4. Local venues gig listings

8. Word of mouth

5. Support slots for more established bands

9. Social media

Spotify’s playlists are made for you by a weird man in a Swedish office. They know what you will like more than you do yourself.

Local venues are the only way new exciting bands can get on the scene. Check your local venues list every month and try and get to a couple.

Instead of going to the pub before your favourite band, head down to the venue earlier and hear their support. If your favourite band like them, you probably will too.

6. Early slots at festivals See point 5.

While these can send you into a cringe-induced gossip coma, your peers will always have good suggestions.

Get off your bloody phones. Talk to people outside gigs. Talk to your friends. Every now and again you might find your new favourite band.

Instead of scrolling through Shame’s hysterical tweetings, look at small independent writers hysterical tweetings.

10. Audio Addict

Everything you could ever need and more is confined in these 28 biblical pages. You can thank us later.

Audio Addict’s Albums of the Year

2018 has been a rich year for music, so we asked some of our editors and local music students for their favourite album of the year. Ranging from R&B to doom metal via post-punk, here’s what they said…

Jorja Smith – Lost & Found

The musical influences from bands like Dashboard Confessional and Mike Kinsella’s projects are pretty evident. Mixed with some ‘sadboy rap’ and electronic beats, this makes for a super interesting record.” -Michelle Huizen

“Her slow R&B album has stunning soulful melodies, she has included a song ‘Lifeboats’ which is freestyle and has songs, which includes themes of discrimination and gang culture in the UK.” -Nada Olson

Turnstile – Time and Space

YOB – Our Raw Heart

Father John Misty – God’s Favourite Customer

“One of the most accessible metal albums of the year, and an album that is very inspiring in many ways.” -Jose Cruz

Nothing, Nowhere – Ruiner “This album was really atmospheric and almost felt like a throwback to his old material, which made me really happy.

“Something fresh, exciting and heavy. Combining elements of hardcore, chill-hop and some stellar hooks, it’s a record that makes you listen.” -Callum Hurst

“The perfect blend of retro-rock and 21st century love lyricism. Priceless.” -Miles Hobbs, BASH! bassist

is the perfect combination of rock ‘n’ roll and progressive psychedleic for the modern era. A true work of art in terms of music and production.” -Lucas Eveleigh

IDLES – Joy As An Act of Resistance

“Combining acerbic wit with biting political commentary, IDLES have released one of the most vital records of our time.” -Adam England

Insecure Men - Insecure Men “It takes you on a dreamy journey through South London, guided by Adamscewski’s floaty vocals. Each song tells the story of pain, addiction, bleakness but is twisted into this shoegazing masterpiece.” -Dan Phillips

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fanstasy (Face to Face)

“Will Toledo really hit the nail on the head with this one. This rerecording of his band’s 2011 album

Compiled by Adam England

Spotlight: Drug Store Romeos

Get to know the dream-poppin’, shoe-gazin’ three-piece Drug Store Romeos in this issue’s spotlight feature Under the spotlight in this feature are Fleet’s Drug Store Romeos, a dream-pop trio formed of Charlie Henderson (guitar), Jonny Gilbert (drums) and Sarah Downy (bass/ vocals/various eccentric instruments). They’re a band that have subtly

infiltrated the trendier spheres of the south’s music scene, forming a close relationship with Portsmouth’s Strong Island Records. But now they’ve signed a deal with management company Golden Arm putting them alonside Goat Girl, Sorry

and HMLTD in the company’s roster of artists. Although they couldn’t tell me about their upcoming plans (highly classified information indeed) we caught up with the them about origins, songwriting and cheeses.

AA: How did the band first get together?

AA: Tell me about the songwriting process. Is there one main songwriter or do all three of you contribute equally?

AA: What bands have you enjoyed playing with the most? Who do you really want to play with?

Jonny: We’ve all always added parts into the mix. This normally takes the form of someone bringing vocal ideas and a riff or keyboard melody to the rest of the group. Then we play around with the idea until the other instruments have found interesting parts that add to the song. At this point it’s down to all of us to sculpt what’s just a concept into a structured song, sometimes even bringing in old semi-forgotten parts. This is normally what we find takes most time!

Sarah: We played our first gig for a while in Brighton with a band called The Goon Sax. They greeted us with various cheeses and tequila. It was love at first sight, not to mention their googling sounds, some reminiscent of 70s New Zealand post-punk. It’s a tricky question but The Leaf Library comes to mind. We played with them a while back at South Street Art Centre and their Stereolab footsteps left a very satisfying ringing in our ears.

Charlie: Me and Jonny left the world of hardcore punk, and our band The Imbeciles after the disheartening discovery that the 2016 punk ‘scene’ was made up of middle aged midriff bald men. We wanted a new musical venture so I posted on the Farnborough sixth form college freshers Facebook looking for a bassist. Sarah happened to come across this, and replied. Sarah and I spent the night sending music we loved to each other and it turned out we shared a love for the dreamy, ethereal feeling you can get from music. The jams started immediately and straight away we found we had chemistry

Words and Photography by Lucas Eveleigh

Are Streaming Sites Killing Grassroot Venues?

Charlie Conibear takes a look at music venues that are fighting for survival, and why streaming sites could be to blame It’s brilliant how we can access new music with a click of a button. Yet one can’t help but notice a correlation between the downfall of grassroots venues and the success of streaming sites. Before the likes of iTunes and Spotify lived as apps on our smartphones we would actually go to shows to discover new music. Imagine. Ever heard of the Music Venue Trust? They’re one of the few organisations fighting back and giving the grassroots scene a lifeline. BBC’s Radio 6 DJ Steve Lamacq will be hosting this year’s venue day on October 17th. Lamacq told the Music Venue Trust “Socially, culturally, creatively, we need venues. There are thousands of bands out there and thousands of music fans who’ve had their lives changed by going to grassroots music venues. Let’s never stop remembering how important they are.” According to UK Music, 35% of music venues in England have closed their doors over the last decade. Iconic venues such as London’s Astoria and The Boardwalk are some of the unfortunate many to

go. It’s almost as if people ditched buying tickets and replaced it with playlists curated by suits in the offices of Spotify.

“Maybe going to shows isn’t cool anymore” Maybe going to shows isn’t cool anymore, or are we out of touch with the social media generation? The so-called avid fans who “love music” will tweet how upset they are after hearing of yet another venue closure... but wouldn’t have attended their local one. This year we said goodbye to the Talking Heads in Southampton and by December the doors to Sticky Mikes in Brighton will close for good. Convenience could be to blame. You can now download a band’s entire catalogue in a matter of

seconds; fantastic from a consumer stand point but not for the music fan we used to know. Believe it or not there is a difference between the two although, they’re considered the same in the eyes of Spotify. Fans try new restaurants, consumers buy ready meals, and streaming sites are the equivalent of a Pot Noodle. These slick streaming services have eliminated the process of discovering new music, cutting out venue owners and promoters who work towards the development of new music. The algorithms that streaming services are using changes our relationships with artists. The high saturated market takes away any emotive response so we’re more inclined to think everything that Spotify tells us is good. Music, good or bad should create a response with the listener but people have become disassociated with the music they are consuming. We now have music services telling us what we like. Thank God we don’t have to think anymore, Spotify does it for us.

Dan Phillips talks South London’s emerging scene. Is this the utopia of diversity that punk has been waiting for? Or just exclusive, pretentious nonsense? South London’s emerging scene has been the subject of many dissections since it’s sudden explosion in 2018. Hardly a bad word has been spoken of it. But maybe it’s not all it seems - while it prides itself on inclusivity is this really the case? It cannot be denied that self-expression is a key factor of the make-up of this scene but is it only white young men? HMLTD, Shame and Hotel Lux are all comprised of white middle class men and are undoubtedly the key players in the scene. Is this representative of the music industry as a whole or are there changes that we need to implement, questions we need to ask?

“It cannot be denied that self-expression is a key factor of the make-up of this scene but is it only white young men?” The Fat White Family are one of the few exceptions to this. The Saoudi brothers are of Algerian descent - a key factor in their sound and ultimately their success. They have also recently added Mairead O’Connor on bass, certainly a step in the right direction. As kings of the South London scene, it’s promising that they are setting a precedent for some degree of inclusion and equality. Another band that are emerging with a similar progressive stance is

Bakar and the Badkids. They have three black members in their band - the new influences that they bring to the scene make them one of the most exciting bands to look out for.

“As kings of the South London scene, it’s promising that they are setting a precedent...” Originally starting off as a grime musician, Bakar brings these different influences to create his own brand of indie-punk-rap. Guitarist Jack Laver is keen to comment on the diversity of the current scene, saying, “I think the scene is diverse in areas, but there’s a lot of repetition also. I mean, there are only two bands with women in - Goat Girl and Sorry.” However, Goat Girl have found success with the release of their self-titled debut album earlier in 2018. The album made it to number 24 in the Official UK Album Chart - a remarkable success for an underground band. This is certainly a step in the right direction for inclusion in industry and frontwoman Clottie Cream has previously praised the South London scene in helping influence and shape their sound. Via Clash she claims that Goat Girl are “part of an exciting artistic movement”, while also praising the ‘community’ feel of the scene. Another up and coming band are

post-punk quartet Haze, originally from Oxfordshire. Their second single St. John has just been released via Hate Hate Hate Records, propelling them further into the forefront of the scene. Bassist Ollie Ratcliffe agrees with Clottie Cream’s praise and the ‘community’ feel of the scene. He says, “Many bands have helped by doing gig swaps, where we got to play in different towns and cities. That really helped widen our audience.” Ratcliffe believes that the scene’s success is most likely down to the level playing field - the bands see themselves as the same as their audience. He says, “I haven’t really experienced any difference in people’s attitudes. I think this is because, as a band, there is no moral difference between ourselves and the people that watch our shows.” This is undoubtedly a major part of the success these bands are currently experiencing. Bands such as Bakar and the Badkids, the Fat White Family and Goat Girl are helping to create a more diverse scene, but it is nowhere near as representative as it should be. South London has always been a multi-ethnic area and this leads to so many interesting inspirations. Now the scene needs to represent the area which has given them everything.

BASH! on being catchy, staying positive and geometric music We sent Michelle Huizen to meet positive pop quartet BASH! ahead of their show at Southampton’s Joiners The boys and girl of Southamptonbased BASH! are hard to miss when I met them in the cosy Mettricks cafe. Not necessarily because of their colourful appearances, but more so of the bands energy. Sitting down in a corner, cups of coffee and a single milkshake ready, I ask them how they’re feeling; they are supporting Husky Loops tonight. “Can’t wait!” exclaims bassist Miles Hobbs excitedly. “We’re showing off some new songs that the public hasn’t heard before.” The coming together of BASH! could’ve been considered a coincidence however, frontwoman Amanda Bashmakova believes it goes deeper than that. “I’d say that we met by destiny; through projects and uni and just by hanging out,”. Hobbs adds “It was very easy to form a band, because as far as I’m concerned, I’m in a band with my best mates.” The bands influences consist of Paramore, Fickle Friends and Blondie, but also the shapes in Cubism, the 20th-century visual art movement pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. “Geometric music!” laughs Hobbs. This aesthetic is mostly apparent through their vibrant music

videos, ‘Lovely, Smart and Beautiful’ being full of primary colours. “We take influences from literally everything and try to make it into a positive, upbeat message.” This is reinforced by keyboardist John Burdfield: “We just want to have lots of fun and be optimistic. We want to be a positive influence for the young generation. In a time where everything has to be black and white, we want to be a bit grey - or yellow.”

“We take influences from literally everything and try to make it into a positive, upbeat message.” While being a generally cheerful band, honesty is key for BASH!. Amanda discusses mental health, a topic now spoken openly in music: “We try to be quite optimistic, but we think about other things as well. It’s not always like: ‘Be positive, life is great!’. We can actually sit down and be like: ‘Shit man, I don’t feel too great. I’m a bit sad.’ We have those moments because we have demons, like everyone else has them.”

A band creating happy-sounding pop songs in an alternative genre makes them stand out. But this doesn’t faze BASH!: “I don’t think we should let the fact that one genre is more popular put us off of what we want to do,” says guitarist Joe Burgress. “As soon as we actually do it and do it well, I’m sure other people will listen to it and enjoy it.” Hobbs agrees: “We knew from the start that we didn’t want to be alt-rock. Not that we have anything against bands that do that, but we want to be pop because we love pop music. We want things to be catchy and not really riffy.” Writing music for BASH! is very much a group effort: “I think the thing that creates the voice we go for is everyone just sort of writing together. I don’t think I could’ve made any of the songs by thinking about it too hard,” says Burgress. In the studio, they try to take it easy, explains Amanda: “We just try to have lots of fun.” BASH! are keen to take their positive message nationwide, and while they may steer clear of being overly political, they bring an important message which is needed in this age of mental health struggles.

“Sounds of the Solar System” Astrofunk DJ and Solent Uni student Oliver Johnston speaks out on club culture and the commercialisation of house music In a galaxy not so far, far away is a 17-member-strong collaborative project made up of DJs, marketers and promoters all working together to create a brand you can totally immerse yourself in. Almost three years since the launch of Astrofunk, the group have rocketed across the South Coast playing shows across Southampton, Brighton and Bournemouth and even landed themselves on festival stages across Europe including Isle of Wight and Budafest. Sitting down with DJ Oliver Johnston gives us an insight into what it’s really like to build a brand from the earth up... “It’s all about disco, disco-house, tech-house and techno,” explains Johnston. Coining the term “Sounds of the Solar System”, their sets are designed to take you on a journey through space and time into the otherwise unknown. “Every single event ends differently which is what’s great about it,” he says, smiling. It should be known that the Astrofunk boys aren’t the type of people to be defined by one particular sound. “Different people play different things so I’m always careful of what they’re playing. I try to base my sets around the development of the sound. Some people play disco, so they’ll always be the lighter acts to start the night and then the heavier [techno] acts will take over to end the night.” Creating a brand from scratch can prove to be difficult, especially when people are opting for a takeaway in front of the TV over a night out on the town. “In Southampton this year, there’s a whole audience that just don’t go out. It’s a struggle trying to get them to connect with something they don’t want to do so it’s hard from my point of view,” he explains.

When asked about how they manage to pull in a crowd, the easy answer is “money!” Johnston says whilst laughing. All jokes aside, he mentions that it’s all about building a name for yourself. “People are more likely to follow a name than anything else and you’re more likely to go with friends. If two people know, then four people know and so on. Building a name is more important than booking a big act so I try and avoid it with Astrofunk. It’s really nice to have people focused on the name rather than having a pull because you’ve got a particular act there.” With house music becoming increasingly popular on the South Coast, names such as Alan Fitzpatrick and Darius Syrossian are taking up headline slots in Southampton nightclubs increasing the commercialisation of a genre that once belonged on the streets of 1980s Chicago. Johnston is on the fence concerning the issue. “Ah, it’s great! It’s the audience that make it the people that didn’t listen to house music before are getting to know these acts, and are now starting to go to our events,” he says, weighing up the pros and cons before reaching the conclusion of, “I don’t really care to be honest. It’s making the market bigger so in a way it’s helping.” This begs the question, is the market in Southampton really growing when venue closures and a significant lack of party-goers are currently prevailing? The recurring issue of club culture dying out altogether is rife, despite the market growing in popularity. Clubs closing down across the country with no hope of reopening doesn’t fill many people with hope about the subculture that took over Britain in the 1990s.

Johnston says, “It’s never going to die, just because it’s a part of the commercial social life, It’s not dying out, it’s just changing.” Times may be changing but that still doesn’t mean there aren’t other obstacles to overcome. A little bit of healthy competition never hurt anyone, but battling it out with brands like Retrojam is a whole new ball game. According to Johnston, the best way to go about taking down the opposition is, “by simply annihilating them! By pushing them into places they don’t want to be,” he says jokily. “They’re competition but at the same time, they’re not because they can’t be. Unless we take their night and they stop, then we can’t win.” With the amount of funky events that keep popping up, it would come as no surprise if Astrofunk were to take over Retrojam’s place as the reigning kings of disco and house. His time at university might be coming to an end, but Johnston’s future as part of the Astrofunk crew is looking bright. Looking to get an office to keep up with day to day tasks and keeping up with the hustle of planning more events is enough to keep anyone busy. There’s even talk of descending upon Room 2 at Shoreditch’s renowned nightclub, XOYO. Now that’s one small step for man, but one giant leap for the ‘Funk. Getting a residency in London isn’t easy for anyone but it is possible if you put your heart and soul into what you do. Johnston adds, “Be confident in your own music. If you think it’s cool, someone else is going to think it’s cool!” Words by Chloe Gorman

Ghost In The Machine

Polt Her Geist discuss hardcore, paranormal activities and their latest EP 12

No one knows what happens on the other side. The great beyond has always been a mystery to us mere mortals. Polt Her Geist are an intense death punk band from Hemel Hempstead who explore the world we don’t know. “We’re all pretty interested in that kind of stuff,” explains vocalist Jack Watts. “What’s on the other side and paranormal activities. I read about the Enfield Poltergeist, which is one of the best-documented cases of poltergeist activities in the UK. We weren’t recording at the time but I was into the concept of it all. Artistically [the songs are] inspired by that story.” The resurrection of Polt Her Geist took place after a 10-month hiatus. They re-formed in 2017 and returned to realm of hardcore. “The split was because one of the members moved away and we were at a loss.” explains Bassist Lewis Preston. “When you start something as the four of you, it doesn’t make any sense to carry on if one of them leaves.” The working relationship the band members share is paramount to the success of Polt Her Geist. They are individuals in their own right however, the group mentality they share makes the band what it is. “It takes the four of us to write a

“We wanted to make it sound like the gates of hell opening”

song, not just two of us. At the time, it was like a different band.” Their artistic integrity couldn’t be compromised. Their ‘vision’ when recording Haemorrhage was the main focal point for Jack. “We wanted to make it sound like the gates of hell opening,” he says, while chuckling to himself. “We heard some stuff that Steve Sears had recorded before. We just thought that he would get it and it was a gamble but; we tried a few people and for whatever reason it wasn’t working.” Polt Her Geist and Sears had worked together on various side projects before recording Haemorrhage. Because of their previous working relationship, Sears knew what to do when he got the band in his studio. “Steve said straight away ‘I’m going to put you all in a room, with some mics and you’re going to play it.’ As soon as he said that we were so up for it. We wanted to capture what we do live. Primarily it’s a reflection on us, and we want people to see that. We want people to understand what we’re like live because that’s why we do this.” Polt Her Geist embodies a DIY ethos that separates them from their peers. This is represented visually within the artwork as their drawings bleed eccentricity. “It’s hard to explain conceptionally what it’s about for someone else to interpret,” explains Jack. “In the past we tried a Swedish designer who done a good job but it’s hard because the geezer isn’t from London.” Watts admits to being “obsessed” with the artwork, demonstrating their commitment to every element of the project.

“It’s the first time we’ve done anything like this” Now that Polt Her Geist has been brought back to life, possibly by a demonic spirit, the possessed band will be on the road for three days in November, joining Milk Teeth. One may be foolish enough to assume that these dates would be a walk in the park for this energetic quartet. “It’s the first time we’ve done anything like this,” explains guitarist Sonny Dunbar. “Ask us after its finished because we’ve never played three shows in a row… we might die,” Lewis intervenes “That’s nothing! We’ve got friends that are touring bands, so, the idea of us doing three or four dates and the idea of us ‘being tired’ is pretty funny.” The EP is set for release on 7” vinyl via the LP Café in late November. “We’re really close with Paul who owns LP,” explains Preston. “I lived in Watford and used to go in there every day and we’ve been friends for a very long time. He always wanted to turn the LP Café into a label and wanted us to be the first release on that. When we finally found Steve, he understood it entirely and Paul was desperate to put it out.” Words by Charlie Conibear Photography by Jesse Korman

Time For Change Management manipulation and interfering record labels - the music industry has a habit of pigeonholing our favourite artists, among them Ghanian singer Wiyaala. So whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the solution?

At some point in a musician’s career, their own willingness to succeed and level of artistic integrity will come into question. Fans and record label directors usually play the role of the interrogators. On the one hand, we have the ‘good cop’; the fans, kindly requesting that their favourite singer/songwriter continues to develop as an artist and create the intriguing soundscapes that enchanted them in the first place. On the other, we have the ‘bad cop’; the Orwellian adversary that is the music industry. It looms over the artist like a tyrannical sculptor, chiselling away at any excess stone that it doesn’t deem profitable. Ghanaian singer Wiyaala’s comments made in a recent interview with the BBC shed light on a topic that is all too often discussed, yet never acted upon with equal vehemence. She spoke about what music meant to her during her youth and how her career has blossomed. Yet her comments on the music industry and how it has attempted to rebrand her into a more marketable artist, made for more fascinating listening. “So I got into the industry, and everybody was telling me to be more feminine, more feminine,” she claimed. “They just want you to be Beyoncé, or Rihanna.” Despite her infectious joviality and light-hearted nature, there is something serious zigzagging its way through her insight into the way she has been treated since becoming a singer, something that prospective artists would do well to take note of. The music industry holds great sway over an artist’s success. Ever since music was moulded into an object that represented something bearing semblance to a commodity, the industry has been able to put music on a pedestal and ensure that everyone gets to enjoy a slice of the delicious ‘sound pie’. Fair enough. I think I speak for most when I say that music has an immersive power that we don’t quite understand, yet develop a thorough (and perhaps unhealthy) obsession with. For the championing of music from the industry, we should be grateful. Yet in Wiyaala’s – and many others – case, artist stifling is nothing to hold an open-top bus parade for. We’ve seen it before. Take a band we may have trodden on the heels of since their earliest of gigs, who captured our imaginations and infatuations with coarse effortlessness. A band that united it’s followers like a deity of some ancient civilisation, delivering its moral code in the form a tight rhythm section and melodic ingenuity. Fastforward five years, and its as though

each member has been replaced by a Benidorm-style caricature drawing of The Killers. “Our songs are for everyone”, they proclaim in interviews. “Our songs are bang average” is the rough translation. This, in my opinion, is music industry interference manifest. So often do we see artists leashed by the economical demands of the industry, which is understandable. The industry needs to propel itself into a position from which it can distribute music to the masses, otherwise the concept of accessible sounds folds in on itself. But that’s not how people view music. Many see it as an escape from whatever reality they inhabit, or use it is a tool for inspiration. However, most of us are just looking for something new. Something that catapults us from one place to another at the mere pluck of a string, and leaves us yearning for similar episodes of musical migration. That’s why pigeonholing needs to end. New and exciting sounds are something that need to be cherished to keep music alive, not manipulated for so that it might meet ‘consumption requirements’. Because which is more frightening, music slowly becoming a factory sample, or a few lost pounds?

“They just want you to be Beyoncé or Rihanna” Whilst on the topic of dwindling profits, the music industry could possibly benefit financially if it were to stamp out pigeonholing. The death of the album has been widely publicised in recent years, giving it some kind of eerie folklore status. Despite this, streaming has risen from the ashes, and is now the main source of music for fans the world over. And in the same place that the likes of Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer dismantled the album, the playlist has been built. Playlists allow for fans to listen to a far higher number of artists in one sitting than ever before, meaning more exposure to fresh sounds and unearthed genres. This, in turn, has led to the demise of the music fan who exclusively listens to one genre on repeat. You know the person I’m talking about, the one who harvests anything that sounds remotely similar to their most treasured of bands (see Circa

Waves fans circa 2015) and refuses to leave the cage they’ve willingly allowed themselves to exist within. Given the nature of the playlist, a person listening to one is forced to expand their musical horizons, as it will more often than not feature songs by several different artists throughout. This alone leads the listener down a rabbit hole of varying different sounds, even if the artists within the playlist draw breath from the same catalogue of conformities associated with a certain genre. This means that genre is becoming a lesser part of how music fans define themselves. The statistics don’t lie, in this case. Earlier in the year, a Vice Magazine survey indicated that 78% of young people said they couldn’t be defined by the genre they listened to. Not only this, but Alice Kimberley, Vice Media’s Head of Strategy and Insights, has stated that “no one cares what genre you’re a part of anymore”. Kimberley even touched upon how artists are also beginning to unshackle themselves from genre constraints, which has created difficulties for workers within the industry. She states “If I’m no longer defining myself by trap or anything else, then it’s really hard from a music marketing perspective, or an artist manager. How do I pigeonhole you?” So, don’t worry, music fan, it’s not just you flying the freedom torch. Artists want to see new music prosper too. Surely, with this information at hand, the benefits once reaped by the industry from pigeonholing have begun to perish. If the market doesn’t demand a set of rules laid out by a genre, then the music industry can’t benefit from attempts to discipline an artist with these rules. The message emitted from Vice over the past year regarding genre has suggested that we are slowly seeing the death of the close-minded music fan, so why does pigeonholing still exist today? Perhaps it’s the element of control that the industry is craving. There can be no doubt that the industry’s grip on all components of the business has corroded since the digitisation of music consumption - in turn leading to spiralling profits for record company fat cats. Perhaps there is still much to be gained from associating artists with those that brought about winning formulas for music industries. But as music fans, we’re collectively moving away from that now. Slowly maybe, but moving just the same.

Words by Joey Butcher

black midi:

Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worst kept secret Meet the quartet who are forging a new status quo for the alternative genre, and are determined to let the music speak for itself...

Black Midi are ghosts. Never before in this age of relentless social media marketing have a band been able to generate so much hype by hiding in the shadows. Their Facebook page looks like that of a band who are yet to perform a live set; their Soundcloud… empty. Starting out, they stalked the lower echelons of London’s support bills and slowly people began to notice, with the more successful of the London scene such as Shame and Sorry singing the quartet’s praises before anyone even knew who they were. Oxford postpunks Haze dubbed them “incredible” having performed with them at Green Man Festival. These guys don’t do promotion. Nobody even wanted to talk to me about them - their management, agents, label, all silent - despite my desperation to land an interview. I resorted to messaging the band themselves via their social media and was met only with the taunting “message seen” icon, upsettingly reminiscent of a Tinder rejection. But that only made me want to write this piece more. When every other band in the game are forcing their products down your throat with targeted online ads and uninspired merch, it is so

“It’s sinister, it’s deeply intense, it hypntises you into a stupor and punches you in the face”

refreshing to find a band that are letting the music speak for itself. I was determined to put them on the cover whether they liked it or not. I first saw them live at Portsmouth Psych Fest back in April. Having heard the rumours, I assumed that they’d been overhyped but was still interested enough to stick around for their set. When they walked on stage for their soundcheck I was taken aback by how young they looked none of them are over 18 years old. Their guitars almost looked bigger than they were and I was certain that these weren’t the guys I’d been hearing about. I was wrong. The sound that this band created was like nothing I had ever heard before... Razor-sharp guitars and basslines that throb like a beating heart are symbiotic with the most deeply complex jazz drumming, resulting in what can only be described as a milestone in the alternative rock genre. It’s sinister, it’s deeply intense, it hypnotises you into a stupor and punches you in the face with a motif that you thought had been abandoned long ago. One song never truly moves to the next; instead it morphs into another twisted but perfectly precise progression. It’s avant-garde, to say the least. Two guitars, a bass and a drum kit should not be able to make these sounds. But they do. And it works. Black Midi isn’t a band, it’s a unit, a well-oiled machine, ridiculously tight. They don’t talk to their audiences (they certainly don’t talk to journalists), they don’t even look at them most of the time and they do not stop playing.

“Black Midi isn’t a band, it’s a well-oiled machine” This aloofness, this apparent apathy only contributes further to the intrigue. This doesn’t care, this is new. What’s odd is that a band creating a sound so fresh, so exciting, actually emerged from London’s Brit School – the music academy that spawned Jessie J and Adele - itself an institution infamous for being highly selective. It’s there that Geordie Greep (guitar/vocals), Matt Kelvin (guitar), Cameron Picton (bass/ vocals) and Morgan Simpson (drums) met. When they perform it’s like they are one mind in four bodies. Simpson is the shining jewel in the crown though. His CV is immense: he started playing drums at the ripe old age of two; in 2012 he was nominated in the “Rising Music Star” category at Nickelodeon’s Fruit Shoot Skills Awards; and in 2014 he won the internationally recognised Young Drummer of the Year Award on his third attempt. All this for a guy who was born in 1998. Live, one can see what it really means to be one the best drummers in the world. This talent, supported by the soundengineering wizardry of Max Goulding (also known for drumming in Bo Gritz and formerly Rickyfitts) makes for colossal sound on stage. It truly has to be heard to be believed.

“Absolutely incredible,” Haze bassist Ollie Ratcliffe described the band to me in an interview. “But they aren’t all mysterious like people think. Because most of them are under-age so they can’t get that many gigs in London”. He went on to shine more light on their personalities by detailing how, at the Green Man Festival campsite, the band were more interested in kicking around a football than partying hard. At their headline show at London’s The 100 Club I ran into Loud and Quiet writer Cal Cashin, the only journalist to interview them so far. He described them as “very shy” recalling that he had rinsed all his questions on them in just ten minutes. As yet they have only two official releases, the first in the form of single bmbmbm, released under Franz Ferdinand producer Dan Carey’s Speedy Wunderground label. The title track embodies their sound, a five-minute industrial head-nodder

which progresses to a demonic climax. It’s an absolute monster of a tune, Greep’s scrappy, feral vocals wild, and chaotic above the hive-mind control and precision of the instrumental. The second is a highly limited run of cassette tapes titled damo suzuki live at the windmill brixton with ‘sound carriers’ black midi. Eponymous Suzuki, formerly of krautrock band Can, is a Japanese musician who travels the world playing music with bands he bestows the title “sound carriers” and the results are about as weird as you’d imagine. This tape only release is wonderfully bizarre and definitely one for the avant-garde minded. Current genres fail to accurately describe this band. It’s like industrial jazz or neo-punk if one can imagine what those would sound like… combined. For me, Black Midi truly are a groundbreaking band in terms of sound and genre, but I get the

feeling that the world isn’t quite ready for this kind of music to completely break through. To see them live is an experience, but whether that will translate into record remains to be seen. Even if it does, who knows how long they’ll keep making the same kind of music; they are still so young and everything could be subject to change. They aren’t here to save guitar music, they’re here to burn the rulebook to ashes. Here is a band that sounds distinctly modern, completely fresh and like nothing you have heard before. Black Midi could very well be the foundation for alternative music in the next decade. I don’t care if they don’t want the exposure and I don’t care if this piece doesn’t fit in to the whole mysterious thing they’ve got going on - this band needs to be heard. Words and Photography by Lucas Eveleigh

Exhuming musicians from the dead? Do holographic tours stop people from discovering new artists? Nada Olson discusses whether hologram technology is the key to the future of concerts, or if it’s better that some ghosts are left to rest Holographic concert tours have helped many iconic musicians rise from the dead, but are they haunting living artists? From Tupac‘s hologram that made a controversial debut at Coachella in 2012 and Michael Jackson’s hologram surprising the audience at the Billboard Awards, their estates have continued their legacy to create and sell out digitally remastered shows. It has been announced that an Amy Winehouse hologram will tour the world next autumn. Amy Winehouse died in 2011 after battling with a history of alcohol and drug abuse. And, with the release of her self-titled documentary ‘Amy’ in 2015, her fans can continue to celebrate her story and her music career. The possibility of seeing Amy

Winehouse perform live would be too good to miss for some. However, if fans are willing to spend money on tickets for ghosts instead of smaller artists in local venues, the music industry is always going to be swamped with the “classics”. Playing the album and placing a cardboard cut-out in your room will probably have the same effect as a pixelated version. Touring the world has been vital for upcoming artists in order to promote their new music and widen their franchise. You can argue that holographic tours are rare and have only been chosen for certain artists in high demand. Also, with Amy Winehouse’s upcoming tour, all the proceedings go to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which

works to combat and prevent drug and alcohol abuse among young people. With the money going to a good cause, it would be no surprise that Nada will be willing to not only experience a concert closest to the real thing but will help charity alongside it. One day hologram tours might become the new era and possibly bring a new level towards a show. However, it would ruin the authenticity of concerts and not only will upcoming artists suffer from lack of funds and gain no personal use from holograms, but hardcore music fans who enjoy the adrenaline from a concert will have to endure their favourite artists joining into the hype.

Should music education be cut from schools? With Ed Sheeran speaking out about the cuts to music education, Libby Briggs makes her voice heard on whether music curriculum should be done away with entirely Last year, the music industry was estimated to have brought in £4.4b, exported £2.5b, and it has created over 142,000 jobs. So why are working class children missing out due to education cuts? According to an article by the BBC, nine in 10 schools are cutting back on creative subjects. In an Instagram post, singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran wrote, “If you keep cutting the funding for arts you’re going to be damaging one of Britain’s best and most lucrative exports.” He then goes on to say, “I benefited hugely from state school music, as I’m sure many other UK musicians have.” However, The Guardian claims that music could disappear from the curriculum of state schools as there has been a 10% fall in students

starting a GCSE music course since 2016. It seems incredibly ludicrous that music education of all things should become a luxury. The people making these decisions assume that music isn’t an important school subject, or at least not as much of a priority as Maths, English, or Science. This shown by the fact that 18% of schools only offer music as an “enrichment day” (The Guardian). However, music education has been proven to help in more than just one area. For example, it develops creative thinking, teaches discipline, and improves coordination. If the government were to stop cutting the budget for music education, there would still need to be improvements. School leaders need to be innovative. Teaching a kid

how to play guitar is easy enough, but they must push for creativity and encourage children to express themselves in order to reach their full potential. Music education is not a waste of time and Ed Sheeran stands to be a perfect example of what can be achieved when children aren’t restricted to strictly academic subjects. The music industry brings in enough money every year to be considered important. It’s no longer a rare feat for state school children to gain recognition for their talents when they grow up, nor should it be.

GOUGE

AWAY

We sat down with the Floridian hardcore mob to talk about their new album, politics and getting hit by a truck As a place, Florida has never really seemed that exciting. Sure, you’ve got your giant, rodent-fronted conglomerate, and you’ve got heaps of retirees that have left the doom and gloom of Britain in search of a new perfect sunny life. All a bit boring, right? In that case, it might surprise you to hear that there’s one hell of an alternative music scene bubbling just under the surface. A band seemingly at the forefront of this are Floridian natives Gouge Away. We had a chat about all things hardcore related while the band are bombing it up the M6 on the way to Birmingham. First and foremost, Gouge Away have just dropped their second record (and their first on Jacob Bannon of Converge’s Deathwish Records), Burnt Sugar. “We’re really excited about it” explains bassist Tyler Forsythe. “The wait for it to be released felt like a really long time, so to have it out feels great, we’re just excited for people to hear it.” The band are quick to mention how different this record is in comparison to 2016’s Dies. “We definitely wanted to try some new stuff. Coming off the back of the first record, we’ve had a lot of member changes.” It’s at this point during the interview that the band goes dead silent due to nearly crashing their van. “Sorry, we almost just got hit by a semi-truck” half-jokes vocalist Christina Michelle. With member changes also came production changes. With a coproduction job from Jack Shirley, and Touché Amoré vocalist Jeremy Bolm, Gouge Away never felt short of

creative brains to turn to while making this record. “I don’t think they had much influence on the overall sound.” says drummer Tommy Cantwell. “We wrote most of it on our own, then Jeremy came in a couple weeks before we recorded it and flipped the songs on their head. He was like ‘Oh play this faster, or throw a chorus in here’ and stuff like that.” Something that is incredibly interesting about Gouge Away is their inability to be pigeonholed. You’ll never catch them playing the same kind of bill twice. They have a natural, adaptable talent that they are able to morph in order to fit anywhere. Make no mistake, they’re a heavy band, however, they are still able to tour with bands like Culture Abuse and Touché Amoré who are definitely towards the lighter spectrum of things. “It’s really beneficial for us. We don’t want to be pigeonholed into a genre. We like a lot of music and have a lot of different ideas, so for us to do the same thing and play the same shows over and over again would be boring.” states guitarist Mick Ford.

“...I tried to write politically again. That’s what people were expecting...” Gouge Away have always been known for the strong political message that runs through their music, touching on topics like animal cruelty, social injustice and police

brutality. However, on Burnt Sugar, there is definitely a more personal feel. “The first record was really politically driven, which was important for us at the time.” states Michelle “Then going into writing Burnt Sugar, there’s a lot more personal stuff going on. I was trying to write politically again, because I figured that was what people were expecting. But it wasn’t stuff I was naturally writing, that didn’t feel fair to use just to meet people’s expectations.” The conversation quickly takes a turn to a discussion about new music in 2018. “There’s just so much stuff coming out all the time. It’s pretty hard to keep up.” explains Cantwell. “I know on our release date, so many other records came out that I wanted to hear. I thought ‘Oh this is cool, I want to find something new today too. I ended up listening to like 10 records’” states Michelle. We finish the interview with a chat about their home state. “There’s a lot of great bands in Florida, they’re just not really that active.” Cantwell states. “It’s really hard to leave Florida. It’s so big. It can take like 7 or 8 hours to leave Florida. We’re really far away from the major scene, so we do feel disconnected quite a lot. But we’re definitely lucky that we can get out and tour.” Gouge Away’s new album Burnt Sugar is out now on Deathwish Records. Words by Callum Hurst Photography by Michelle Huizen

ALBUM REVIEWS

Molly Burch - First Flower After making her debut in 2017 with the album Please Be Mine, Molly Burch has returned with her distinctive smoky vocals and a soothing beach-pop album. Compared to her first album, which featured jazzy instrumentals and consistently explored through the themes of budding romance, Burch’s second album has arrived with more confidence. She also has changed the perspective of love and romance inwards and explores what she desires from relationships and has a more delicate view on her own anxieties that affect her social interactions. With inspirations drawing from Burch’s favourite artists like Nina Simone, Burch’s sultry voice pairs effortlessly with her slow, melodious tracks. The first track of the album ‘Candy’ is Burch attempting to deny temptations from a guy. The 60s-era girl-esque sound and vocals give the track an assured vibe as Burch proves a convincing act that “This will really have to be the end.” The second track and the first debut single ‘Wild’ has a dreamy instrumental, Burch looks at self-acceptance and

how Burch wishes she was a “wilder soul.” The simple chorus is given depth with the angelic harmonies and holds a fantasy of a girl dreamily dancing at a festival. Despite some songs being lifted purely by Burch’s vocal delivery, the self-doubtful and relatable lyrics help convey her anxiety struggles. On ‘Dangerous Places,’ Burch reflects: “I hope I learn from my mistakes. I hope I forgive myself one day.” Despite the juxtaposition of the surfrock guitars and laid-back drums, the song shows Burch’s soul-searching and her current self-awareness. ‘Good Behavior’ is similar lyrically as it fits with the current concept of Burch asking herself self-provoking questions. “How can I explain myself, when I can hardly control it well?” It includes an instrumental bridge with a gentle violin; it is surprisingly uplifting. First Flower also encounters a strong female anthem with the track ‘To the Boys’.’ It articulates that woman do not need to imitate masculinity in order to be powerful. “I don’t need to scream to get my point across. I don’t need to yell to know that I’m the boss.” The soft-spoken

vocals still display assertiveness and is a delicate yet demanding way to sing about social politics. The album then closes with a slower track ‘Every Little Thing.’ The sorrowful song starts with assembling assurance and as it gains momentum with the post-chorus “I’ve worn my body down,” it documents the sheer exhaustion yet determination Burch has. It is paired with the instrumentals of a dispersed piano and entrancing harp. First Flower overall outlines themes of desires and calmness despite anxieties and with the help of Burch’s boyfriend and bandmate Dailey Toliver to bounce ideas back from, Burch has succeeded in visualising sitting on the sand, whilst enjoying the seaside. The Texas vocalist is slowly expanding her fanbase and is touring around America and the UK. With now over 160,000 listeners on Spotify, First Flower is going to cultivate Burch’s career within the modern indie-folk genre.

Words by Nada Olson

The Dirty Nil Master Volume Ontario’s finest Rock & Roll trio, The Dirty Nil, have been a force to be reckoned with. After dropping their debut record Higher Power, back in 2016, and a gap-filler compilation in-between, they’ve finally dropped the followup, Master Volume. Master Volume, does something that so many artists are afraid to do. It fully, unashamedly wears it’s influences on it’s sleeve. Be it shades of the Replacements, or a Cheap Trick-esque swagger, this record feels infinitely fun. However, this doesn’t take away from some serious subject matters, like addiction and death. A true standout is the rousing ‘Pain Of Infinity’, in which vocalist Luke Bentham’s attitude melds seamlessly with pained yelps. Words by Callum Hurst

Parcels - Parcels Combining the art-pop of Superfood and Two Door Cinema Club with the ‘70s sounds of disco, soul and electronica, Australian-via-Berlin five-piece Parcels have dropped their self-titled debut album. Instantly, comparisons can be made with fellow creatives Django Django – particularly in the smooth, soulful vocals. Opener ‘Comedown’ sets the tone nicely, with groovy riffs on top of retro-sounding synths. As adaptable as they are – some songs are more mellow (‘Withorwithout’, ‘Yourfault’, ‘Exotica’) while others are relatively upbeat (‘Tape’, ‘IknowhowIfeel’, ‘Tieduprightnow’) – Parcels have found an overarching system that works and are sticking with it, to convincing effect. Words by Adam England

FOUR FISTS - 6666 Fifteen years in the making, 6666 is Minneapolis hip-hop duo FOUR FISTS’ brainchild. Lead single ‘Nobody’s Biz’ sets the precedent with ‘trip-trap’ production and hard flow demanding your attention. Producer Subp Yao’s beats are the perfect backdrop for the angst-fuelled lyrics “I want a glock and an auto, I don’t trust the police, YES NOW!” foreshadow the political-punk rage which fuels the project. The album refuses to give rest, with each song necessary in the narrative of the LP. The wide array of influences is apparent on ‘Sid Vishis’ and ‘Joe Strummr’ being two obvious name drops. ‘Bobby Hill’ ends in a beatdown-like ferocity, adding to the punkish lyricism and anger. Words by Dan Phillips

Leifur James A Louder Silence Blending together a history of classical training and a passion for expansive electronic production, multiinstrumentalist Leifur James offers us his debut album A Louder Silence. Minimal and capacious, A Louder Silence sees James move away from his predominantly electronic-based earlier singles, channelling a far more warm, acoustic array of soundscapes. The album’s jazz-inspired melodies conscientiously approach the listener throughout like a veteran boxer, knowing exactly when to restrain and when to unleash the free-flowing energy that makes this such an intriguing body of work. With all instruments being played by the artist himself, James is certainly a man to keep an ear out for. Words by Joey Butcher

Behemoth I Loved You at Your Darkest I Loved You at Your Darkest is the follow-up to Behemoth’s critically acclaimed effort, The Satanist. Besides some similarities, the complex orchestrations mixed with Behemoth’s very defined sound, make this album simply beautiful and quite distinct from the rest of their back catalogue. The production is fantastic and the performances are almost perfect in every aspect. ‘Bartzabel’ is the biggest highlight of the record, personally, since it’s the closest they’ve ever been to creating a ballad. Definitely one of the best metal albums of the year, and easily the most accessible one in Behemoth’s discography. Words by Jose Cruz

Ella Mai - Ella Mai Fresh talent has arrived in the form of this British R&B singer but her self-titled album provides a sound not so fresh. With collaborations including Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign already out in the open, expectations for this album were high. However, the release has seen track ‘Everything’ featuring outdated soul singer John Legend fall short of exciting. Mai’s voice is so passionate and the potential is definitely there, but the spoken word intervals are awkward and messy. Produced by DJ Mustard, who has worked with Mariah Carey and Travis Scott, we see little sign of his magical touch here. Words by Rebecca Togher

Damo Suzuki & Black Midi damo suzuki live at the windmill brixton with ‘sound carriers’ black midi Damo Suzuki (former frontman of 70s krautrock band Can) teams up with London’s finest young band, the evermysterious Black Midi in what could be the least expected collaboration of the year. It’s a live recording of their joint set at The Windmill, Brixton, which Rough Trade released as a limited run of cassette tapes exclusively on Bandcamp. The only marketing being a blunt Facebook post from the so-called “sound carriers”. The combination of Suzuki’s vocals and Black Midi’s industrial free-jazz (however ludicrous it may sound on paper) works really well. Black Midi supply the perfectly twisted sonic backdrop for Suzuki’s unique brand of half-sung, half-growled spoken word. It sounds like the soundtrack to a mental breakdown as time signatures and grooves chop and change in the most beautifully confusing ways. Words by Lucas Eveleigh

Splitknuckle - Innocence Bleeds Essex’s very own Splitknuckle are back with their latest EP Innocence Bleeds. An unforgivingly abrasive take intertwining metal and beatdown hardcore, delivered lyrically through a somewhat fast paced hip-hop style. Vocally this album is amazing. The addition of ‘shrieks’ to Splitknuckle’s usual shouty-growl style really makes it stand out. The guitar work ranges from being calm and melancholic to blisteringly technical, accompanied by the bands usual breakdown orientated style. ‘Di(skc)losure’ spans a hefty ten minutes, with the last minute fittingly encompassing a chaotic final breakdown partnered with both high and lowly screamed vocals. Despite their provocative lyrical approach, Splitknuckle show maturity through their sound and production. My only complaint would be the use of shouted ‘gang vocals’ on tracks like ‘Lingchi’, as they are over saturated in this day and age. Compared to 2016’s ‘Ignorance Breeds’, ‘Innocence Bleeds’ is a huge step up. Undoubtedly one of the best hardcore releases this year. Words by Jack Rockey

POPPY TEARS BEHIND SCREENS Poppy Tears isn’t just another SoundCloud rapper; his latest record Behind Screens certainly proves that. A mix of experimental production, sorrowful lyrics and dreamy guitars give you a direct line into his emotions, thoughts and fears. Layered vocals on songs like ‘Waste Time Wasted’ and ‘Empty My Hands’ add another aerial dimension to the record. However, he does have some maturing to do - “I don’t really wanna fucking change right now / But if I won’t change, no, it won’t work out”, he rants on ‘I Don’t Really Wana Change Rn’. While it is honest, some more thoughtful songwriting would have improved this album a lot. Words by Michelle Huizen

Kaczmarek K.A.C.Z.M.A.R.E.K Standing at the forefront of the underground techno scene is Parisian, Paul Ritch. Using his mother’s Polish surname, ‘Kaczmarek’, as his new moniker in an attempt to try and avoid the curse of the second album, Ritch has crawled further down the existential pit to produce a record that entices his audience to the dark side. With no real track names, similar to his 2017 debut, IIIIIIIIIIIIII, this album leaves a lot to the imagination. Slowly building his sound up through a series of ambient waves and crashing down into mild jungle territory, it feels more like an attack on the senses than a cohesive album. Words by Chloe Gorman

D.U.D.S - Immediate Manchester’s D.U.D.S, have been one of the only authentic bands found in the 1980s revival, their cryptic brand of jazz-infused punk turning the underground scene on its head. Such is their haste that none of the 12 songs on the LP exceed two-and-a-half minutes. ‘Humour & Friction’ finds them at their classic best, with bouncing riffs from guitarist/vocalist Giulio Erasmus accompanied with mysterious arrangements from the rest of the band. Wandering basslines and drum patterns create the foundations for the melodies to bounce over the top. Their musical talent and tightness is most clear on ‘Same Device’, proving once and for all that D.U.D.S are almost untouchable. Words by Dan Phillips

reirei - mystery box. Owing to its name, mystery box., remains as enigmatic and discreet as its creator, the elusive reirei, throughout its entirety. Opening track ‘hey’ flies us over the cold, industrial landscape of reirei’s imagination. Featuring a delicately rising piano riff at the start, then coolly dropping the listener into the aforementioned environment via an icy drum loop, Its creator makes no bones as to what is intended. This is their world, and all are welcome. Rather than creating an album that revolves around hip-hop consistencies, reirei opts to dismantle and then rebuild the possibilities within this envisioned soundscape. ‘memento mori’ sheds light on the album’s darkest of corners, almost stumbling over its monotonous beats during the process, whereas ‘yun yun’ paints a far softer picture with its laidback, garagelike presence. A raw, idiosyncratic talent, reirei proves that image isn’t everything in hip-hop. Words by Joey Butcher

Dillon Carmichael - Hell on an Angel Writing and recording as a barely established artist is hard, especially in a genre often tainted by the generic ‘Nashvegas’ sound. Carmichael takes this opportunity to transport us back to 1999; Sitting on a porch in Texas, the weather’s hot, the beer is cold and the music blaring from the radio makes the world go by in slow motion. The themes explored on the album follow the traditional heartbreak, ‘this is me doing me’ outlook on life; Taking outlaw country back to its original honkytonk roots. Dripping in the sweet sounds of steel guitar and raw with emotion ‘Old Songs Like That’ and ‘It’s Simple’ are enough to make country legend George Jones himself get up out the ground and two-step his way back home. But the real killer on the album is ‘What would Hank do?’. This song alone is reason to buy the album. The throw-down outlaw sound sends chills down your spine, it’s the kind of song that you can relate to even if you can’t. Words by Rhiannon Street

LIVE REVIEWS

Our Girl sound like a dream in Heartbreakers Southampton The delicate voice of singer Soph Nathan fills a packed, but quiet room. She performs like she sounds; held back and slightly endearing, but still confident. Melodic guitars support their intimate performance of ‘Level’. The high demand for this gig might come from Our Girl being the side project of Nathan’s well-known band The Big Moon, which are influences that you can definitely hear in Our Girl’s energetic yet airy sound, Still, the band proves to be able to stand on their own and put on a strong performance. After support sets from the atmospheric Breathe Panel and highly energetic and fun Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, it is Out Girl’s turn to prove themselves. When starting off the set with self-titled track ‘Our Girl’, you can’t help but notice the obscene amount of guitar pedals on stage. One thing is for sure: this band is not afraid to play with reverb- and echo effects during their shows. This results in a captivating, almost shoegazelike sound that resembles bands like Slowdive and steadily looms through the room.

Still, it would be unfair to dismiss Our Girl as just a dreamy indie group. Other than the curtain of starry-like lights behind the stage there might not a lot going on, but this band doesn’t need that. Especially in a live setting, the band is noticeably energetic, moving all over the stage like it’s their second home. Riffs on songs like ‘I Wish It Was Sunday’ and ‘Two Life’ sound explosive, just like the rougher vocals Nathan sometimes incorporates. The grungy fuzz can sometimes make it hard to distinct vocals from instrumentals, but it doesn’t distract from the fact that this band sounds excellent live. Our Girl is lively not only in their musical performance, but also in their stage presence. Nathan might be stuck behind the microphone during her vocal parts, but during the instrumental parts, her and bassist Josh Tyler’s find each other to play their riffs together. Sometimes drummers might be hidden away behind their drum set and forgotten about, but throughout the entire show, it is impossible not to notice drummer Lauren Wilson. Throughout the entire show she has a

big smile on her face, without a doubt massively enjoying herself. During ‘In My Head’, she even shows off some great vocal chords that match Nathan’s voice perfectly. These are more prevalent in a live setting than on the album. Hopefully we will see some more of that on future records, because it is a surprisingly great addition to the sound of Our Girl. The performance of the last song of this set, ‘Boring’, is everything but what the title suggests. The song starts off sweet and innocent, but transforms into something else entirely. At the end of the track, the distorted yet atmospheric sounding guitars take over, with Nathan kneeling on the ground to give the guitar pedals their final tweaks. With this gig, the band proves that they are not to be disregarded as another side-project, making them one to watch in the future. Words and photography by Michelle Huizen

Haze @ Heartbreakers// 12/10/18 Oxford’s finest post punks, Haze, graced Southampton’s Heartbreakers for the last night of their supporting tour with whenyoung. Haze took their catchy, politically fuelled messages to Brighton, London and Coventry before tonight’s final show. Their contemporaries have consistently sung their praises, with more established bands in the scene such as Shame and Hotel Lux being just two of Haze’s growing fanbase. Newest single ‘St. John’ was released in the midst of the tour to critical acclaim, adding to their rapidly increasing reputation as brash, abrasive, confrontational teens armed with a message.

Their support slot at the Heartbreakers lived up to this reputation with hardly a moment of silence, mostly ensured by bassist Ollie Ratcliffe’s drunken ramblings. Storming onto the stage with characteristic arrogance, they wait for silence before charging head first into thirty intense minutes. The bouncing drum patterns from Daniel Hearn hold the band together, allowing guitarists Will Harrison and Conor Kearny to roam freely. Distorted hooks come naturally from both- they clash and collide in an erratic but controlled manner. ‘St. John’ is an instant highlight with the reassured nature of Haze’s carefully crafted

lyrics “they don’t make ‘em like they used to/ Well they didn’t even then/ And they never have and never will.” Harrison’s lyrics are playfully provocative, shouted in a nostalgic yet somehow fresh manner. Debut single ‘Ladz Ladz Ladz’ was the finishing touch on tonight’s powerful show. Armed with a cow bell, Hearn showed off his immense talent, keeping the whole band in time, acting as the glue holding them all together. Haze are taking their apocalyptic post punk across the country and cannot be stopped. Words by Dan Phillips

Naropa @ Heartbreakers// 16/10/2018

Five-piece Indie punk-rock band, Naropa, made their first appearance in Southampton. Originally based in London, this group of youngsters are a long way from home down south but the group still receive a hearty welcome as though they have been in Southampton their whole lives. The gig is on the top floor of Heartbreakers, in a room not much bigger than my living room, but the place is alive with crowds of overly drunk ‘ruffians’ screaming their hearts out to ‘Sometimes at Night’. The whole aesthetic of the band is faultless from the clothes to the make shift logo on the drums in red electrical tape; fitting perfectly to the genre and location of the event.

There is some interaction from the band while playing, lead singer Josh Mead, even leaving the stage briefly to sing and hold hands with people in the front. However, I keep finding myself more interested in the band and what notes they were playing rather than focusing on the vocalist. Musically, it was enjoyable but it was painful to watch the blatant lack of self confidence from frontman Josh Mead when engaging with the audience. His engagement with the band while playing was good, they looked like they were having fun and that’s what it should look like facing the crowd too. They played 4 songs for their half an hour set and when asked for an

encore the response was “If you like us that much buy a fucking t-shirt and catch us in London” yet in the next breath asking us to buy their new single. Very rock-star but not exactly giving off the ‘cool’ vibes they were hoping. While it’s clear they may not quite be in the range of Blur or The Sex Pistols; in a small venue like this, they are right at home. Words by Rhiannon Street Photography by Eleanor Freeman

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