CIRCULATION VOLUME 6 // ISSUE 3 // 2016 // FREE
Fresh, authentic, up & coming. We chat to Reading’s next big thing.
T WO DOOR CINEM A CLUB // SUPER H ANS // THE HUNN A THE LUMINEERS // GL ASS ANIM ALS // BL AEN AVON
Volume 6 / Issue 1 / february 2016 / free
HAIZE
EDITORS' NOTE Yo, we’re back again. Another term, another edition of Circulation. And although we’re
CONTACT
now set with our new design, we’ve gone for a totally different approach with this edition. I can almost guarantee you picked up this copy and didn’t know the cover band, and that’s totally fine. We’ve covered a bunch of really big and successful bands recently and so we’ve decided it would be great to give some credit to the small bands. The ones who haven’t quite made it yet and are stuggling to make it to rehearsals after working in John Lewis from 9 ‘til 5. So here’s to you HAIZE. You are this edition’s cover stars, and you
Want to get involved with Circulation? If you’re interested in contributing to any part of the magazine, you can get in touch by: Email: circulationmagazine@yusu.org
thoroughly deserve it.
Website: circulation-mag.com Apart from some back story into a rising indie band we have an overspilling, chock-ablock issue with reviews of new music from Two Door Cinema Club, Glass Animals, a handful of dance albums and even a live review of Super Hans. The one from Peep Show.
Facebook: facebook.com/circulationmag
Yeah you know, the “ketty beats” guy with the eyeliner.
Twitter: @circulationmag
Anyway, we hope you enjoy our attempt at student music journalism, Mk. II.
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Much love from your loyal Editors-in-Chief, Tom & Lucy x
THE TEAM EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
COMMENT EDITOR
DESIGN AND PRINT
Tom Cadman Lucy McLaughlin
Arun Kakar
Kolorco
DEPUTY EDITOR
EVENT ORGANISERS
PHOTO CREDITS
Rachel Moore
Jessie Adams Ellie Cawte
MANAGING DIRECTOR
WEB EDITOR
Nelson Autefault
James Rudge
HEAD OF PRODUCTION CONTRIBUTORS Christine Tan
ALBUMS EDITOR Adaobi Nezianya
LIVE EDITOR Jowan Mead
FEATURES EDITOR Maja Hjelm
one
Lydia Shu Matt McKee Ilana Zsigmond Max Haydon Liam Smith Jasmine Joshi Tom Killilea Ellie Sivins Sophie Goodall Fred Stiddard
Lydia Shu Jon Stone Anglo Management Jowan Mead Sarah Doyle Tom Cadman Matt Goff Black Arts PR
CONTENTS LIVE
ALBUMS
3 - GIG GUIDE
9 - TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB -
3 - MØ
GAMESHOW
4 - GLASS ANIMALS
10 - GLASS ANIMALS - HOW TO BE A
5 - SUPER HANS
HUMAN BEING
6 - THE LUMINEERS
11 - SOLANGE - A SEAT AT THE TABLE
7 - MOTHERS
12 - BANKS - THE ALTAR
8 - JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW
13 - ALUNAGEORGE - I REMEMBER
FEATURES
13 - NOFX - FIRST DITCH EFFORT
15 - THE HUNNA 16 - BLAENAVON
COMMENT
17 - HAIZE
14 - DEATH GRIPS: PUNK’S LAST
19 - HONEYBLOOD
HOPE? 21 - DID FRANK OCEAN KILL THE
THE MAGAZINE MIXTAPE
ALBUM?
HAIZE - BLUE LIGHTS GLASS ANIMALS - LIFE ITSELF
COLUMN
BLAENAVON - MY BARK IS YOUR BITE TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB - BAD DECISIONS
22 - IN THE CIRCUIT
THE LUMINEERS - OPHELIA DUSKY - INGRID IS A HYBRID THE HUNNA - BONFIRE MOTHERS - IT HURTS UNTIL IT DOESN’T MO - KAMIKAZE HONEYBLOOD - BABES NEVER DIE
TWO
LIVE
GIG GUIDE
MØ Leeds Stylus 12.10.16
24.11.16
PALACE - BELGRAVE MUSIC HALL, LEEDS
25.11.16
SLAVES - O2 ACADEMY, SHEFFIELD THE COURTEENERS - FIRST DIRECT ARENA, LEEDS
26.11.16
THE FRONT BOTTOMS - LEEDS BECKETT SU
29.11.16
JAWS - FRUIT, HULL
30.11.16
PIXIES - O2 ACADEMY, LEEDS GENGAHR - NATION OF SHOPKEEPERS, LEEDS
14.12.16
SLOW CLUB - THE CRESCENT, YORK
16.12.16
KING NO-ONE - FIBBERS, YORK
14.01.17
THE HUNNA - LEADMILL, SHEFFIELD
20.01.17
THE HOTELIER - THE WARDROBE, LEEDS
30.01.17
TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB - O2 ACADEMY, LEEDS
31.01.17
MENACE BEACH - PICTURE HOUSE SOCIAL, LEEDS
18.02.17
SUNDARA KARMA - LEEDS UNIVERSITY UNION, LEEDS
18.02.17
LITTLE COMETS - LEADMILL, SHEFFIELD
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October saw Danish singer-songwriter MØ bring a freshness to Leeds University Stylus with a premiere of her soon-to-be-released second album. Ascending the stage amid cheers from the audience and a majestic flashing “MØ” sign as a stage backdrop, the electro-pop wizard launches into the perfect opener ‘Don’t Wanna Dance’ with an explosion of fervent energy. From the get-go, MØ sets the tone for the rest of the night, plunging from her banging opener right into ‘Waste of Time’, an upbeat dance track that continues to have the audience screaming, singing along, and stomping their feet. The crowd whoops and cheers as a smattering of spidery lights dramatically make their way across the stage and throughout the dance floor. There’s almost a sense of fervid urgency as she leaps from song to song with hardly a breath in between, but MØ impressively manages to stay in tune throughout her dance-heavy performance. Her new songs range from twangy electric-guitar ballads (‘Fire Rides’) to bass-laden dance tracks (‘Walk This Way’) and liquid indie pop numbers (‘Dust is Gone’) that emphasise her spellbinding vocals. It’s a notably happier sound than her first album No Mythologies to Follow – a positivity MØ describes in an interview with DIY Magazine as an “oh, the
world is shit, but we’re gonna have a good time anyway” attitude. Always one to leave a firm impression on her audience, MØ is full of quirky antics – one moment she sings lying flat on the ground, and with the next she jumps right into the crowd. Small in frame, she would disappear completely if not for the multitude of raised phones that trail her as she makes her way through yelping selfie-snapping fans. Whipping her hair in time to a barrage of rapidly flashing strobes, MØ takes the stage once again, and in no time gets the crowd roaring to soon-to-be pop hit ‘True Romance’ amongst others such as ‘Glass’, and ‘On & On’. After performing her smash hit ‘Final Song’ with the entire venue singing along in accompaniment, MØ cheekily (and ironically, given the song’s title) saunters off-stage, only to be - as one would expect - impatiently cajoled back by a screaming and stomping audience. Closing the show with ‘Lean On’, the banger that parachuted her to fame, the 19 song long set ends on a high, with everyone singing and dancing. If there’s one thing to be said about MØ’s live show, it’s that she absolutely wrangles all pansy altpop expectations to the ground with her massive vocals, and doubtlessly delivers the blast of a night she promises.
LYDIA SHU
Glass animals Academy 2 Manchester 26.10.16
LIVE
Gigs usually open with one of the band’s best or most recognisable tunes, but the peculiar Glass Animals, of course, chose to make an entrance by blitzing through the 36-second spoken-word stanza ‘Premade Sandwiches’. Before the crowd could recover from the delightful shock, we were swept up into the pounding folk drumbeat of ‘Life Itself’ and the tender but equally energetic ‘Youth’. The glistening sounds and fierce vibrancy of their sophomore album How To Be A Human Being were perfectly complemented by the oozing sinuousness of debut LP Zaba, which had people shaking and snaking their bodies, with wrists twirling in their air to the smooth groove of ‘Hazey’ and ‘Black Mambo’. Onstage, frontman Dave Bayley danced marvellously, hitting the beats with angular shapes. Musical interludes were fresh and varied, from sparse, ambient introductions, for quieter numbers, to rock-esque guitar solos, showcasing their wide palette of coloured sound. Despite the band’s extensive sampling and electronic sounds, never once did they rely on a backing track - everything was live and alive in function. Tentative synths eventually led into the opening lyrics of ‘Gooey’, and the collective thrill at its familiarity was palpable. This rendition was heavier and harder-edged than the single’s cooing roundedness on the album, which was not to my preference, but it demonstrated the band’s inventiveness and ability as live performers. Zaba’s lesser-known songs, though no less enjoyable, were perhaps harder to sing along and respond to, with the many of the lyrics being a tangle of nonsense poetry. I’d like to think that the lines of How To Be A Human Being work differently, each song weaving a profound real-life narrative that when chorused by the euphoric throng evoked a wild pathos. Mostly centred around one character’s affection for another, the stories of the songs are complex, often fraught with distress and helplessness that belie their glitter. Perhaps this is difficult to grasp fully without reading the lyrics, and some of it is very deep and dark – “It hits my head and I feel numb/my body's looking wrong” on ‘This Side of Paradise’ are the thoughts of a basketball superstar’s lover as she kills herself. It’s an idealistic thought, but I do believe that the act of singing drew us closer to these other lives. Being a part of that collective emotional ex-
perience, one person in the multitude singing together, surging to the same beat – this alone felt like magic, a celebration of human connectedness and “life itself”. Glass Animals saved two of their most popular songs for last: ‘Season 2 Episode 3’ had everyone singing to its cutesy video-game hooks and nearly all of its lines, especially relishing “My girl eats mayonnaise/ from a jar when she’s getting blazed.” There were calls for ‘Pork Soda’ right after, and what a stunning performance this one was. Beginning by whipping up a handclap rhythm in the audience (nicely corresponding to the setting of the song in city streets), Dave raised a pineapple above his head to the refrain “Pineapples are in my head/got nobody cause I’m brain dead”. An instrumental outro with a brilliant keyboard part repeatedly built up to several false climaxes, before giving the last one everything it had. This artful, gloriously manic finish alone made their somewhat short set forgivable, and we left a little dizzy from it all.
CHRISTINE TAN Photo by John Stone
FOUR
LIVE
Super Hans fibbers york 16.10.16 When Matt King announced he was going to don the feathered coat and eyeliner again to tour as his Peep Show alter ego “Super Hans”, there were questions asked about his intentions. Was he going to stay true to the ‘Big Beat Manifesto’? Will the set include a powerful sense of dread? What happened to the Macedonian moped rental business Hans said he would be setting up? The sceptics glumly speculated King was merely trying to capitalise on the character’s popularity in the aftermath of Peep Show’s ending. In reality, I am pleased to say, Super Hans was lively and authentic. King is clearly revelling in the opportunity to give the show’s cult of fans a celebration of the beloved character, and the night I had at Fibbers was loud, dumb and a lot of fun. The warmup act was presented by the live acapella mixing of Vox Cornelius. His ability to grow a song by spontaneously adding layers of vocals clearly wasn’t as exciting as the “big ketty beats” that were to follow, but the technical wizardry on display certainly made for an absorbing opener. From the moment Hans came on it was clear that King is a showman. He channelled the charisma of his character, and was well equipped with all the favourite quotes and amateur philosophy that Hans is known for. King isn’t quite as funny as Super Hans is on the show, however, and sometimes
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you can see a little of the man behind the mask - but this is forgivable given the clear and sincere effort he’s undertaken to make the set authentic and full of fan-service. The music itself wasn’t bad either. Hans was flanked by a couple of DJ veterans in the form of Pablo “Psycho Pab” Clements and James “The Hombre” Griffith from UNKLE. The big beat remixes that they came up with possess bass that hits you so hard, it makes you feel like you’ve just done 100 sit-ups. Some highlights included a reggae interval, which provided some welcome relief to my bass-beaten body, as well as a remix of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ that was so good that I spent a long time trying and failing to find it online for my own Halloween party. The music was loud and reckless, which perfectly complimented the anarchic stylings of the host. One question that must be answered, however, is whether Super Hans is any fun for people who haven’t watched Peep Show. The tickets for this particular gig were £16, so it’s understandable that a person
who can’t enjoy the endless referencing and quoting might not want to fork out just to see the manic and punchy DJ set. To people who haven’t watched Peep Show, I say first: what are you doing? And second: Super Hans is still a great night, even if you don’t know the show from back to front. It may be a little pricey, but if you have enough friends going and are willing to accommodate a constant feeling of being left out, then just enjoy the music. To Peep Show fans I say this: gather ye pearls while the hog walks and crank up the orgonometer; we finally have something to cure our post 9/11 boredom. MATT MCKEE Usually we put something here about listening to the album or going to the gig, but in this case, just watch Peep Show on Netflix
LIVE
THE LUMINEERS O2 academy leeds 24.10.16
The Lumineers are currently on a year long world tour for their second album Cleopatra, which at first glance doesn’t appear to be strikingly different than their debut album. It’s more mature and a little more complex, wanting for a hit track like ‘Ho Hey’ but rooted more heavily in folk. Their first album and tour were heavily praised for their quality and energy, and with more hits now under their belt, fans are excited to see what they’ll do with them. Immediately, they launched into their hits, getting their popular songs out of the way at the beginning of the set. ‘Ho Hey’ and ‘Ophelia’ were predictably well received, as quick, energetic folk-pop songs generally are. They’re good at performing these songs, if a little robotically, with very little talking between. With the sheer size of this tour, their more set songs are clearly rehearsed to the point of reflex. It was sometime after they’d finished playing their obvious songs that the band finally seemed to relax a little. The shift came in the form of an acoustic song that, according to lead singer Wesley Shultz, works very well in smaller venues. Everyone who wasn’t playing a necessary instrument stepped to the front of the stage and abandoned
their microphones. To hold a standing crowd of 2,000 people in total silence without electric help is difficult, especially to pair it with complex harmonies and a set of children’s bells. Still, nobody touched a phone or seemed to disengage, a calculated risk that completely worked.
bass players took turns at the piano and the mandolin without any hesitation. The execution of their songs was perfect, a string of consistency through their varied set. ‘Dead Sea’, the largest vocal performance on their debut album, was a stunning display of skill and songwriting that the crowd adored.
From there, they dug into a loud, active cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’, and they seemed like a completely different group. The abrupt endings of their popular tracks faded into longer playouts of their lesser known pieces. The instruments began to migrate through the musicians, and Shultz transitioned from standing still and reciting lyrics to dancing around in the fun. The mandolin player, totally barefoot, jumped up onto one of the amplifiers and serenaded the room while Shultz left the stage and sang from inside the crowd. A single blast of confetti towards the end was about all they used for theatrics, and a simple piano solo took the focus squarely back on the music.
They closed with ‘Stubborn Love’, decisively saved for the encore. The repetitive chanting chorus throughout the room was reminiscent of a large campfire sing-along, confirming again that they know what they do best. The Lumineers are more than just ‘Ho Hey’. They’re a Coloradoan folk band, clad in matching suspenders and wide brimmed hats, singing songs about life, and when they remember that, they are spectacular. The beautiful quality of folk is in its contagious ability to pull people into an atmosphere without having to know every single word, and maybe that’s why they chose to play all their hits at the beginning of their set. They set out to prove that, with their new album and their years of experience, they can make mature music with great skill, and they definitely succeeded.
Despite their changes in energy, The Lumineers consist of genuinely very talented musicians. Shultz’s voice is striking, Neyla Pekarek’s cello sends chills, and the drummer and
ILANA ZSIGMOND
SIX
LIVE
MOTHERS
HEADROW HOUSE, LEEDS Mothers are a band with two immediate faces; one expresses brilliant musical soundscapes, spitting out ethereal guitar lines in hairpin-bend songwriting, and the other carries the worn lines of a poet. Kristine Leschper backs up her words, staunchly powerful in their own right (“I cut out my tongue/seeing yours would speak for the both of us” from ‘Lockjaw’ springs to mind), with the band’s beautiful math-rock arrangements - sparse when they need to be, and pulsing with energy in all the right places. It’s all very reminiscent of forbearers like early Modest Mouse and contemporaries like Tall Friend – so naturally I’m excited to see them in a thriving Headrow House this wet Friday evening. The firmament of the evening is ushered in by local bands Rain.Dance and KELL. Rain.Dance fill the room with a breezing haze of music along the lines of Arthur Russell’s more abstract work, making good use of a simple setup. A clarinet against gently twanging Telecaster arpeggios is met with the shaking of a Tupperware box filled with rice – DIY ethos embodied (towards the end of their set the band offer to auction the rice grain by grain). One of my contact lenses is slightly blurred at this point, deepening the band’s washing fuzziness; a car alarm sounds in the distance for half the set, only slightly out of time, and in the fog of Rain.Dance’s melodic wall it seems like just another element of the tranquil songs. KELL later choose to embrace the sparseness themselves, laying down the foundations for their pop ballads before exploding them out into a similar crescendo-laden dust cloud. Vocalist Katie Heap croons and gasps about cyanide and carbon monoxide in a very Lana Del Rey fashion,
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25.08.16
laying out her powerful lines with dramatic gesticulations and intense yells. With grapefruit juice in my hand, we move on to Mothers. Headrow has filled up at this point, setting the stage nicely for the headliners to overshadow the venue’s geometric lights. The band comes on with guitars jarring against each other – they have a knack for twisting long vocal notes over sparring riffs into a single rope of sound, bending along its length. In ‘Copper Mines’, Leschper cries “this is me mouthing words to you – from the longest distance”, before the band exhales into another tornado bridge in one of the set’s peaks. Lyrics aside, Mothers feel anything but far away in the venue; their presence is full of turmoil and rawness delicately expressed, and impossible to ignore. Towards the evening’s end, three quarters of the band leave the stage. Leschper is left alone to close out the night’s hum, playing a couple of stripped down numbers with just her guitar and voice. ‘Mother and Wife’, a skeletal forbearer track to LP: When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired, brings things to a ruminal descent. Leschper is a visual artist as well as a talented musician and poet, and the accompanying art to that song carries a small note on it: “do you see – some will remain quietly”. The song may leave the room in a quiet sense of disarray and awe, but there’s no risk of the night’s impact dwindling; Mothers leave a mark in their wake. JOWAN MEAD
LIVE
JAmes vincent mcmorrow
“I’m about to drop some fire.” - fire being a blend of indie folk roots and electronic rhythms from Irish musician James Vincent McMorrow’s third evolutionary album We Move that’s filling the corners of Leeds’ Town Hall. It’s a departure of sorts; his first record Early in the Morning nervously taps you on the shoulder and whispers delicate folk nothings through raw poetical musings, whereas his second, Post Tropical, throws similar metaphorical lines into a pool of electronica. Usually when my favourite artists attempt a renaissance it leaves me filled with despair: yet McMorrow’s electronic experiment proved my ‘second album suicide’ theory completely wrong. His falsetto-driven lyrics aren’t sacrificed to the plethora of sound; if anything they work together harmoniously, especially in ‘The Lakes’ and the popular single ‘Cavalier’. Finally, after an agonising 2 year wait for We Move’s release, Early In The Morning’s timidity is counteracted with one which smacks you round the face with deep electronic synths and hip-hop beats. In the midst of McMorrow’s liminal phase, I grasped the chance to see his fleshed-out live show brought to Leeds. As I entered the grandiose town hall from an outdoor drizzle, my first thought was similar to McMorrow’s on stage; “Fuck, this place is proper!”. The space was cathedral-like - a huge organ dominated the wall behind centre stage, although it was later dwarfed by the impressive ‘pipes’ shown on stage. (I apologise, just couldn’t help myself). The arrangement hit me first. ‘Breaking Hearts’ was given a figurative pace-maker; the debut album cut was given a taste of We Move with livelier electronic drums throughout. At least it was until the mic awkwardly lost power and the vocals disappeared. But hey, as McMorrow offered in apology, at least it wasn’t “backing track shit”. Mid-set, the supporting band members quietly exited the stage, leaving McMorrow literally alone in the
Leeds Town Hall 13.10.16
spotlight. He then played my favourite song from We Move, ‘Lost Angles’. The repeated line “don’t let fear control you” echoed around the hall, its vocals shining through minimalist piano chords and leaving a pensive silence in the grand room. Considering that the majority of We Move possesses an upbeat, punchy sound, it was a shame the venue only provided seated tickets. The song ‘Evil’ had drops which begged for some spur-of-the-moment dancing, but sadly we were left stationary with only tapping feet to hold company with. Jealousy erupted in me a few days later after seeing photos of the packed standing show in London. Following McMorrow’s own lines, “we move or we don’t”, but those of us in Leeds unfortunately didn’t have the option. Yet that didn’t take away from the ethereal atmosphere the band concocted, aided by the spaceship-esque lighting rig looming over the stage. Stripped back tracks such as ‘We Don’t Eat’ also found a space within the new electronic movement, showing the changeable nature of Mcmorrow’s music throughout his career. Essentially, James Vincent McMorrow carries the air of that kid in school that was good at everything. He switches from delivering the most chilling lyrics in unearthly falsetto to flawlessly encompassing hip-hop vibes as easily as flicking a light switch – but what remains buoyant throughout this change is the heavily considered words behind each song. Each track could easily be a single in itself. They act autonomously as self-sustained pieces, and yet each separate record flows with ease, sharing a common style. McMorrow’s performance truly illuminated the individuality of each song - the set had no fillers, and if it were possible I would have happily have sheltered from the rain longer, staying by the fire inside.
MAX HAYDON
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TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUb
“...one massive whirling disco ball” GAMESHOW
After four years of time apart that followed the cruel pressures of wild popularity and touring, Two Door Cinema Club have kept themselves alive and together. Sonically, the confident pop-gloss of Gameshow betrays none of the tension-and-illnessridden hell they’ve gone through. Their iconic guitar sparkle has morphed into synth shine, and their punk rhythms and knotty riffs have been smoothed to disco funk beats. The lyrics, however, point to intentional, darker messages of being consumed by consumerism, or disconnected in the Internet Age. Nothing terribly revelatory, and even with the backing children’s choir on lead single ‘Are We Ready? (Wreck)’, lines such as “There’s always something else/ Waiting on the shelf” fall flat on the ear and mind. Alex Trimble’s vocals, warm and spirited on the first two albums, sit in the background. We start to miss his previous expressiveness, where the poetry of a single line (remember “She spoke words that would melt in your hands”?) captured the ear in a way repeating
words cannot. There are definitely moments where their funk/80s/ Prince-inspired dance party truly comes alive. The affected whoops and classic rockstar abandon of ‘Gameshow’; the bright falsetto and groovy bass of ‘Fever’ , and ‘Je Viens De La’, which is a one massive whirling disco ball with Trimble blazing at cosmic pitches in the chorus. Some of it seems to be a tentative experiment in new sounds, such as the overt synths in ‘Surgery’ and ‘Lavender’, which sounds vaguely like a retro video game. The lyrics are puzzling at times—what does “And if I sleep tonight/ The cosmic radiation/ I won’t complain” on ‘Lavender’ even mean?—and dully lovelorn at others. It’s all not enough to lift itself out of the slush of crooning guitars, tinkly effects and regular beats. This and the incoherence of lyrics leaves us with nothing to grasp at and the album fades away forgetfully like music you heard while shopping for groceries. At the heart of the album lies an anxiety about what is “safe”, and what is “interesting”. In consciously creating music in the vein
of pop music of decades past, the new Two Door Cinema Club positions themselves at a tangent to what they were, as they try to repudiate certain aspects of contemporary culture and expectations of themselves as the typical indie rock band. What is new to them may not be to us, sadly, and Gameshow, for all its groove and verve, fails to captivate because we’ve heard a lot of it before. It lacks the surprise and imagination of a truly glorious retro-inspired creation such as say, Random Access Memories. Although the songs are longer, choruses and bridges pan out predictably and the heavy-handed production leaves us cold. Overall, however, we should be very glad that they’re back, and there is more than enough in the new album to party to, which I’m sure plenty will in their upcoming sold-out tour. CHRISTINE TAN
Download Gameshow now!
RECENTLY RELEASED
Glass Animals “But whatever their future destiny, it is clear that for now, resistance may be futile.”
How to be a human being We first met Glass Animals in 2014 with the release of their debut album Zaba, a heady mish-mash of bongos, synth-strings and slinky narcotic eroticism that took its listeners on a bliss-filled voyage through the Amazon basin. On How To Be A Human Being however, the four Oxford chaps have taken a different direction – they’ve more or less dropped the tropi-pop, stepping out of Zaba’s intoxicating murk into more illuminating shades of day-to-day reality. Each track paints the story of a fictional character born of the hundreds of tales frontman and producer Dave Bayley collected from strangers while touring Zaba. The characters are thoroughly fleshed out and often given a life beyond the music. While less subtle and atmospheric than before, the album is musically lush, surprising, and like its predecessor, suited for both the bedroom and the dancefloor. A distinctive feature of this album is its diversity. In opener ‘Life Itself’, uplifting sci-fi synths and massive oriental drumbeats follow a guzheng introduction to the musings of a delusional nerd-bum-weirdo who “Thought that [he] was northern Camden’s own Flash Gordon… /gonna be a superstar”. ‘Season 2 Episode 3’ is a quirky 8-bit jam about a lovable stoner girlfriend
who does nothing but eat and play video games at home – she uses “a cookie as a coaster”. The clean hiphop beat and smooth hi-hat taps hark back to early-2000s R&B, while sagaciously ridden with sound bites presumably ripped from Cartoon Network or Super Mario. A number of other interesting samples can too be picked up by the discerning ear. ‘Mama’s Gun’, a peep into the mind of a psychotic killer wife, samples ‘Mr. Guder’ by The Carpenters. A wry, sad jab at mindless civic obedience, Mr. Guder’s feature renders ‘Mama’s Gun’ all the more ironic and heart-wrenching. The band’s most notable departure from its archetypal sound is perhaps, when it indulges in a 36-second acapella “rap”. ‘[Premade Sandwiches]’, a weird hasty spoken intermission about the banality of contemporary consumption (“People standing in line to nuke themselves with ketamine…/What the McFuck are you eating?”) which, according to Bayley, serves as the band’s nod to the likes of John Cooper Clarke and Gil Scott-Heron “as we don’t hear spoken word tracks on albums much anymore”. Numerous wayward conversations litter the background of multiple tracks, as in the hyper-sexual ‘Take A Slice’ and eclectic ‘Pork Soda’ (“pineapples are in my head”), that
was named after a woman’s massive pig tattoo, no less. While Glass Animals’ seemingly haphazard new number lacks the coherence of Zaba, it makes up for this absence of thematic continuity with a barrage of raw humanity. Perhaps it’s this that serves as a consistent thread underlining the album despite its divergent sounds and stories. It doesn’t flow perfectly thematically or musically, but that was never the point. At the end of all its twisted, sordid tales and kooky musical manoeuvres, the essence and genius behind the album is precisely as its title promises – that it tells plainly the messy truth of how it is to be a human being. LYDIA SHU Catch Glass Animals on tour in March 2017
TEN
RECENTLY RELEASED
solange
“...an open and emotional celebrator of black identity” a seat at the table
Eight years on from her last full-length studio album, Solange released much A Seat At The Table. It had been postponed by Knowles after suffering a breakdown during the recording process due to the emotional strain of content of such an intensely personal nature. The years between, however, have been a blessing to her musical process. She is older, with a more mature and evolved style incorporating the Black Lives Matter movement. And its release coming just before Black History Month is seemingly with strong intent in the face of the current American political climate. Solange is a proud figure with shameless acceptance of her identity, and her outspoken nature upholding her decision to wear her hair natural in an act of liberation. Telling a seamless narrative of her struggle as a black woman, A Seat At The Table is more reminiscent than ever of Solange’s musical and cultural origins in the genres of funk, soul and motown from ‘Rise’, the album’s first track. The characteristic punchy funk basslines resonate throughout the album, alternating between the sweeter simplicity of ‘Cranes in the Sky’, an unusually hopeful and airy tale of escapism and vulnerability in the face of sorrow, into the more prideful and confident ‘Don’t Touch
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My Hair’. ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ is one of the standout tracks of the album. It preaches self-respect and tolerance of standards of beauty as Solange admits to her previous insecurities (“rode the ride, I gave it time/But this here is mine”). But encourages, harmonizing effortlessly alongside vocalist Sampha of SBTRKT fame, an attitude of self-assurance for black people universally. The spoken interludes are flawlessly integrated and relevant with artist’s such as Lil Wayne and her parents Tina and Matthew Knowles speaking. It is easy to forget, however, how socially-conscious and angry the nature of the album is due to the softness of her singing. In ‘Mad’ she croons “I ran into this girl, she said why you always blaming?/Why you can’t just face it?/Why you always gotta be so mad?” Some of the finest moments of the album appear towards its closing moments, with ‘Junie’ picking up the pace significantly in a sudden burst of joyful energy channeling funk artist Walter Morrison in a song about the detrimental effects of cultural appropriation. Onwards it begins to slow into in ‘Don’t Wish Me Well’. This is the track which is most telling of Solange’s maturation from her previous, more upbeat and electric sound in ‘Sol-Angel and the
Hadley St. Dreams’ as she sings “They say I changed/What a pity if I stayed the same.” However, although emotionally and lyrically powerful, the final sung track ‘Scales’ is flat and generic in contrast to the strength of an otherwise beautiful and distinctive musical narrative, ultimately ending on a somewhat unsatisfying note. Solange is an open and emotional celebrator of black identity, and after years of uncertainty and pressure within the industry to conform to a particular ethnocentric aesthetic ideal, she returns with a greater sense of empowerment. It is this self-awareness and brazenness in A Seat At The Table that leads it to become undoubtedly her most beautiful and influential album to date.
JASMINE JOSHI
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banks “The record’s naked introspection established Banks as one of contemporary music’s rawest and most vulnerable songwriters”
the altar
Banks’ highly anticipated debut, Goddess, was one 2014’s most bewitching efforts. Expertly blending brooding R&B with melancholic narratives of anguish, self-destruction and redemption. The record’s naked introspection established Banks as one of contemporary music’s rawest and most vulnerable songwriters. Her sonic ambition, emphasised by a sustained willingness to experiment with electronica and trip-hop, allowed her to carve a distinctive, personal space within a saturated musical genre. Her sophomore effort, The Altar, is even more tenacious, as the songstress continues to refine and expand upon the razor-sharp formula of her debut. In this album she incorporates a musical landscape that is substantially darker and richly diverse. Thematically, Banks continues to dissect the origins of her unsuccessful relationships in the distinctive manner we have grown to expect. More prominent this time around, however, is a newfound self-assurance and unbending confidence in her lyricism, which is notably more confrontational and unfiltered. The formula is flipped on The Altar, as Banks’ transitions into a role of strength unseen in previous releases. “I think you need a weaker girl” she croons on ‘Weaker Girl’, a track which
infuses 80s electro-funk beats with an orchestral backing. She taunts her lover that he no longer meets her standards singing, “I’ma need a bad motherfucker like me”. The robotic ‘Gemini Feed’, a SOHN-produced metaphorical middle finger, is even more vicious, as she berates the emotionally manipulative tendencies of her ex-partner, “If you would’ve let me grow, you could’ve kept my love”. Tracks like ‘Fuck With Myself’, the sultry lead single for the record oozes self-empowerment, as the songstress unapologetically affirms “I fuck with myself more than anybody else” over a witch-pop production. The record’s formidable lyricism is complemented by the immediacy of its lavish production, which includes offerings from Goddess alumni Tim Anderson and Chris Taylor. ‘Trainwreck’ boasts an exhilaratingly swaggering pace, as Banks spews rage, with an almost rap-like delivery. The Altar is packed with tracks that indulge in their own sonic atmospheres, from the haunting pre-chorus of electro-alternative ‘Poltergeist’, to the theatrical ‘27 Hours’. Elsewhere, ‘Judas’ described by the singer as “jagged black and blue song”, is a fascinating detour, infusing hip-hop elements with light strings and
backing vocals. ‘This Is Not About Us’ is one of the catchiest, commercial and immediately accessible tracks that Banks has released to date thanks to its up-tempo electro-infused production. Banks finds herself at her most introspective on the record’s quieter moments. The alt-pop ballad, ‘To The Hilt’, finds her reminiscing about the man she used to be with before her fame with her poignant vocal delivery, “now I’m drained creatively, I miss you on my team”. ‘Mother Earth’ is stripped back and deeply spiritual, as the songstress explores the depression she faced when she was younger. From start to finish, The Altar, is a refreshingly unapologetic and passionate album. Its mix of tight white-knuckle electro-pop and scorching slow-burning passages demonstrates Banks growth both artistically and personally. With a new found confidence, Banks has fully immersed herself in her ominous R&B aesthetic, and the end result is one of this year’s most compelling and convincing offerings.
LIAM SMITH
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alunageorge i remember
AlunaGeorge have returned with a new album this year after releasing Body Music in 2013 and a plethora of collaborations in the last three years. Body Music established the duo as eclectic yet niche, and their contribution to electro-pop quickly become a favourite in the genre, earning them a huge following. The most recent album I Remember only retains certain elements of their niche sound while heading in a commercial direction. Previous fans may be disappointed by the commercial aspect, but there are some moments in this album that are sonically great. It is clear that the album plays it very safe throughout, and whether this has lured more listeners is clearly seen in the chart-placements.
There are tracks on the album that will appeal to those who are not familiar with AlunaGeorge’s work. ‘Mean What I Mean’ is the most commercial sounding club-banger on the album, fuelled by simplistic lyrics that are futile at best - although Leikeli47’s verse is absolutely the biggest highlight of the track (and arguably the best collaboration on the album). The hip-hop influenced track ‘Not Above Love’ has great lyrical stylings by the duo, and even the vocals are greatly reflecting on this. The production is pretty good on this too, albeit slightly commercial, but that is to be expected with Rock Mafia lending their hand. ‘Meditator’ is the best song on the album. The sensual and sweet vocals by Aluna, who is primarily known for her sweet and almost childlike voice, complement the sensual and relaxing guitar strums and gentle chimes. It is very reminiscent of Sade as the ballad exudes sensuality. Not many electro-pop artists have been able to create ballads that authentically provide the ballad vibe.
‘Jealous’, ‘My Blood’ and ‘Heartbreak Horizon’. However, they still seem to play safe in the progression of their production. A lot of the tracks have a similar structure, with a drop between the verses and the chorus, like in ‘Wanderlust’ and ‘I Remember’. AlunaGeorge have a distinct sound that is unique to them and has earned them a name in the electro-pop genre. However, the album is pretty standard. Some say it has become very commercial compared to their last release Body Music. However, this is something that should come as no surprise to any listener as it follows the route that most artists go through when establishing themselves. In addition, the music business is not known for giving artists full artistic direction. As always, the vocals are fantastic but are not given the full room to shine. Hopefully in their next project they create a healthy balance between staying as AlunaGeorge but also experimenting outside their comfort zone with the production. KELLY KIESEWETTER
The main standout is the well-executed production on tracks such as ‘Mediator’ and ‘I’m in Control’, as well as
NOFX FIRST DITCH EFFORT
A band that is notorious for never having a major label, releases their 13th studio album of their thirty three year career. They must be doing something right, as proven in their latest album, First Ditch Effort which contains thirteen songs resembling the embodiment of punk. The band goes above and beyond to continue a light hearted vibe to each song whilst continu-
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ing to stay loyal to their angsty roots. First Ditch Effort contains a nostalgic idealism, with songs titles reminiscent of the years of NOFX’s origin such as ‘Sid and Nancy’. By contrast, the album is significant in its realist perspectives as NOFX seems to hint at the state of our future. Despite a continuous upbeat tone of the album, the band continually use American humorous tones in critiquing what remains of their nation, a reflection of their previous work such as Punk in Drublic. Within the songs ‘Sid and Nancy’ and ‘Oxy Moronic’, the band have chosen to use old news voiceovers which supports the band’s own nostalgia of how they came to be, and still continue to progress in music today. As the album descends, a recurring motif is the foreshadowing of our generation’s inevitable doom. The final song, ‘Generation Z’ contains the almost slam poet like voices of, frontman, Fat Mike’s daughter accompanied by Tony Sly’s daughter. Both create omi-
nous revelations to end the album. To hear the youthful anger of the girls in the ending of the final song reiterates an undeniable foreboding of the band’s expectations of the future. The penultimate verse contains the line “The last person on earth doesn’t give a shit”, NOFX draws attention to the throwaway society we have found ourselves in. The screams of “Generation Z” within the song become unsettling alongside the surrounding poem, in which the final line is “But man and woman kind have unfortunately been pronounced dead”- deciding our fate within the album itself. First Ditch Effort draws attention to the intellect behind the punk angst we all know and love, and causes the listener - if you’re really listening - to consider the future that is coming and theorise how we might all be doomed with the state of the earth, warped in hardcore punk spirit. ELLIE SIVINS
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Death Grips: Punk’s last hope? Death Grips are as close as we’ve got to a modern punk band. Punk music was a staple of the 1970s and 1980s, with bands like The Clash and The Sex Pistols running riot with their politically charged and angry message. As the 1990s and 2000s came, so too did the era of pop-punk, with much mainstream success but arguably lacking in substance. Now, with guitar music no longer the chart topping phenomenon that it once was, are there any bands out there that can truly be considered punk? Well if not Death Grips, I don’t know who. Death Grips are a Sacramento based experimental trio, consisting of MC Ride, Zach Hill and Andy Morin. To place them in a specific genre is difficult- the band’s music is famous for aggressive rap verses & beats from glitch hop to noise. In short, they’re loud and truly unique...no one really compares to their style. When asked who embodied his music most today, punk legend Iggy Pop claimed he felt at kindred spirits with Death Grips, a huge endorsement if there was any.
released them shortly after. The group clearly don’t give a f**k, the essential trait for any punk band. Cocks and record label disputes notwithstanding, Death Grips are the definition of what it means to be rebels in 2016. If there was ever a way to piss off the music establishment any further than a middle finger to big labels, Death Grips released their fifth studio album Bottomless Pit on BitTorrent for free, and then announced their breakup via Facebook with a picture of a napkin, only to reform a year later. The trio use modern social media to bring across their maverick attitude; releasing cryptic videos on their YouTube account in promotion of their upcoming releases (there have been four major Death Grips releases in the past two years, and all are available for free, so it’s always beneficial to be a fan of their music). They’ll cancel shows at a moment’s notice, yet we faithful fans will always continue to be fascinated by them.
"now hanging out in subreddits rather than back� streets"
As Punk music has largely phased out of popular culture, there is a real nostalgic feel to listening to bands in its tradition. The Ramones, along with aforementioned The Clash and Sex Pistols remain popular due to their huge cult following. Enter Death Grips, with their “cock’s on cover” attitude to advertising (the release of 2012’s No Love Deep Web’s album title was emblazoned on a penis for the album’s artwork). The same album was also released by the band online for nothing, in direct opposition to their newly signed contract with Epic Records, which
Their cult status brings to mind followers of punk, now hanging out in subreddits rather than backstreets. They embody this attitude for the modern era, and they really have no competition - I can’t name a group that has succeeded in having the ravenous support and keeping such loyalty from fans with the “nof**ks given” attitude that Death Grips display. They are the punk band that the internet-era deserves, and their music ain’t bad either. TOM KILLILEA
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THE HUNNA
On Friday the 30th September, I sat down with Ryan, Dan, Jermaine and Jack who make up Watford band The Hunna for a chat before their headline gig at The Wardrobe, the Leeds date of their UK tour. As a band you’ve got a strong aesthetic that extends into everything that you do, from your merchandise to your social media presence - such as having your own catchphrases and nicknames - to the treatment of your fans - such as replying to their comments on Facebook. The Hunna as a band come across as very inclusive. Is that what you’re really all about? All: Absolutely Dan: We’re here today because of the fans, without them we wouldn’t be playing these shows, we believe in being positive and nice to people because what comes around. Ryan: We want to make music that connects with people. Dan: Ryan writes about real experiences, and people have a lot to relate to - we’re the same as everyone else. Jack: We want to cover every area of what the band is as a package. Aside from that though, do you have a particular ‘gateway drug’ music influence that inspired you to make music? Jack: Queen’s greatest hits, so many bangers… Ryan: Beatles no. 1 album, every single song is just a hit and the melodies are insane, and vocally I’ve picked up on that quite a lotJermaine: From a young age MJ, especially BAD Dan: Classic rock, my dad got me into AC/DC, Guns n Roses, Bowie - then I moved onto Indie music So, what about if you could open for any band/artist who’s either still alive or not, who would it be? Jack: Opening for MJ would be insane. Ryan: Guns n Roses. Jack: We’re basically picking the biggest acts in the world. Jermaine: Kings obviously would be amazing Jack: That queen show at Wembley? Was unbelievable. Jermaine: Wouldn’t mind a bit of Jimi Hendrix, that’d be cool. Dan: Nirvana. Ryan: I think we’d give Nirvana a run for their money - and I don’t think we should.
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Jack: Well we can’t. Ryan: We’re too similar I think, I think me and Kurt would have it out, a lot of people keep saying ‘are you Kurt’, so I think him and me would just have to have a fight. Jack: So whoever wins the fight headlines. Not that we’re about that… Where would you most like to play in the world? Jack: We’re straight thinking big. Ryan: The Super bowl. Jack: Headlining Glastonbury, Madison Square Garden. Ryan: Old Trafford. Jack: Niagara Falls on a helicopter. Ryan: I’d love to play on a lorry, just shut down the motorway. Jack: Like a parade? But just us. Ryan: We’re not even gonna move, just shut it down. Dan: Like Avril Lavigne? Jack: Like in ‘Need for Speed’ when they go under the car? Ryan: Then everyone’s like “what the fucks going on?”, then both lanes are like, ‘oh shit, The Hunna are playing a gig!’, helicopters like OMG, everyone’s getting out of their cars – you know the Bon Jovi video? Like that – but with us. Jack: Playing in a boxing ring as well, a heavyweight championship fight, we just intro it out. Ryan: Soon as he knocks him out, we start playing our songs, or when he comes through and they have the ‘walk on‘ song, we play behind him. SOPHIE GOODALL Catch The Hunna’s UK tour in January.
Blaenavon Sat in the bar the Wardrobe in Leeds, I wonder what my first impressions of Blaenavon will be. Will they be keen to meet student interviewers, or fed up of doing the umpteenth interview before a tour show? My actual first impression: really quite bizarre. As the three Buckinghamshire boys “with a story to tell” (as it says on their bandcamp) approach, I can’t help but notice what seems to be a spoon hanging out of lead singer Ben Gregory’s top jacket pocket. After some small talk I ask: why carry a spoon? Perhaps a pre-show ‘Petits filous’ is the band’s ritual? It turns out they all carry one as a good luck token from an old friend in Leeds. However, the striking moment comes next, as Ben takes out the spoon to tell me about it, out falls a small black package. It’s a condom. He quickly grabs it, holds it to face and whispers ‘black velvet’. Yeah, sounds to me like they’re trying to enjoy the ‘Rock’n’roll’ tour stereotype, but I’ll let you make your own conclusions.
About time for some real questions. As Blaenavon’s fan base has been constantly growing due to backto-back support tours with bands including Mystery Jets, The Hunna and DIIV - which climaxed with a headline show in London’s Scala - I decided its a good idea to get to
know these emo alt-rockers a little better. Upon asking where the influence for their band has come from, Ben Gregory’s (vocals) response is, “my parents were both very musical in different ways. My mum is a great pianist and cellist, whilst my dad got me into loads of great records from an early age. I remember mixtapes he’d make for the car with Bowie, Lou Reed and a whole crop of other legends. He bought me my first guitar and that’s when it all started really. I also used to sit at at the piano and cover some really crap pop-rock songs - fortunately those days are almost over.” Blaenavon’s tracks to date have had a continuously dark undertone in the lyrics, and I’m keen to find out why. One of the three boys pipes up to say “it’s important to us to write music and lyrics that inspire people and to try to steer clear from the typical boy/girl dilemma or even ‘can’t get into the club’ theme that seems to be cropping up these days. We want to capture serious emotion and hopefully make music that people can properly connect with, relate to, and feel they should come back to”. With songs that say “let’s pray for death”, and their single ‘Into the Night’ seemingly a metaphor for letting go and accepting an imminent death, the boys seem to have accomplished their aim of escaping the “typical boy/girl dilemma” with a large degree of success. Whilst at the same time the pace of their songs stops the listener becoming manically depressed. The prospect of such deep under-
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tones may seem enough to put off someone who just fancies a listen to some upbeat tracks more typical of the genre, however, the three put on quite the show. The dark lyrics juxtaposed with the distorted guitars and unique drum grooves really gives the audience something to enjoy. Not least when Ben Gregory joins Harris McMillan on the kit whilst Frank Wright OD distorts his bass for the climatic breakdown at the end of ‘Prague’ to bring the set to an end. Definitely one to trawl around YouTube to try and find. Blaenavon have released a number of singles and EPs to date showing they’re enjoying getting to grips with the music that works for them. Added together with the long string of support tours and increased media attention it’s only expected that an album must be coming. So I end by asking, what’s in store for 2017? “Loads more touring! We want 2017 to be the year of the road for us. Our album will be coming out at the beginning of the year, too, so expect the drip-feeding of a few new bits up to then!” Just as I hoped, 2017 will certainly be a big year for Blaenavon, so if you missed them on their support tours I highly recommend catching them in 2017. TOM CADMAN
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HAIZE HAIZE HAIZE Music journalism focuses on bands who’ve made it. Bands who have been on global tours. Bands who have performed sell out shows. Bands who are signed to huge record companies- and so it should. It’s great to be able to grab onto pearls of wisdom from your favourite artist or get a glimpse at their lifestyle.However, it is rare that we’re able to see the flip side. For bands climbing their way onto the music scene, tales of main stages at festivals and releasing records can seem a million miles away. Bands don’t just become famous. Music doesn’t write itself.So how does it all come together? What’s the secret to making it in one of the hardest industries in the world?
ative stages, it’s surely hard to afford professional photography. Luckily for the boys, they grew up with photographer Matt Goff who has worked with the likes of fellow Reading band The Amazons. “We went to school with Matt, as we’ve grown so has he,” Jacob (lead vocals) added. The band certainly look the part. From the trademark long overgrown hair to shirts probably found at the back of their dad’s wardrobes, they wouldn’t look out of place next to the likes of Blossoms or Peace. Oddly enough, the hair of bassist Sam created
“It’s annoying when you see bands who think they are unearthly”
I was lucky enough to catch up with HAIZE, an up-and-coming band based in Reading. While they didn’t for a second pretend to have all the answers, the determined four-piece gave me a raw and compelling insight into what it’s like to start out as a band. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover - but a band’s image is incredibly important. For HAIZE it’s all about good pictures. “It’s such a massive part of bands these days,” Alex (drums) explained. But as a band in its form-
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quite a focus of our interview. “One of the hardest parts for the band was when Sam went to dye his hair… we were all biting our nails.” The long, blonde, highlighted locks weren’t a success at first. “It came out bright ginger,” Ben (bass) added, “but now it’s become a part of the band and we’ve all got ours booked in.”
They clearly don’t take themselves too seriously which is refreshing to see. “Being relatable to people” is a big part of the band’s ethos. Rightly so, when you look at the artists that capture the nation’s hearts and who make it big, charisma always plays a part. They all agreed “It’s annoying when you see bands who think they are unearthly.” I wanted to delve further into this idea, it’s all very well and good claiming to be down-toearth, but how does that work in practice? Sam added “putting on cool live shows and speaking to people afterwards.” But what about for those who can’t get to see the band? The trusty CD seems to be the answer. HAIZE put two of their singles Solar and Blue Lights on a CD along with a couple of their all-important photos and offered them out free to fans via social media. “It’s quite a nice personal thing.” This expense may seem somewhat contradictory, but for bands starting out, getting noticed is vital. Small personal touches can have a huge impact. Money, time and money again: the key struggles the boys have
features faced. “We’ve invested so much time and money… more than I’ve ever earned in my life.” However, like any lifestyle decision, risk-taking is so important. “It would be pointless to now be like ‘fuck it,’” they explained. But what does an average day look like for a band just starting out? “We all work” is the simple answer. As a result, rehearsing and gigging has to take place around normal 9-5’s. Getting noticed while “finding time when we are all free to rehearse” is a struggle for HAIZE. “It’s always really, really late for like two hours… rehearsals take place 9-11pm,” Sam added. Once they’ve managed to work out when to rehearse, deciding where is another question altogether. “We don’t have our own space to practice,” they explained, “sometimes we practice at my Dad’s school.” However, tonguein-cheek as ever, they managed to sugar coat the venue: “It’s more of a stadium practice.” Work finished, rehearsals over, what about gig day? Throughout our chat what became more and
more apparent was the boys’ love of Wetherspoons. At every venue a key part of their schedule is to “find a ‘Spoons’.” (The Tennessee burger is highly recommended by Sam…). After that it’s time to “run back to soundcheck, which we’re always late to” and hope it’s all sounding “squeaky clean.” Although, as they say in the industry, even if it’s not all good, the show must go on! In recent months the bands portfolio has grown enormously. From supporting bands like The Amazons and Spring King - whom are both making their mark in the alt-rock scene - to recording in Liverpool, slowly and surely they boys are making progress. “We haven’t done many festivals”, they explained, but they expressed a love for small gigs. “They’re really intimate and everyone just goes nuts,” Alex added. With regards to
recording, it was a landmark occasion for HAIZE. “It was the first time we’d felt like a proper band,” they said “we went to the studio and the kit was way more than we could ever afford.” and “To get an offer to record was sick,” they all agreed. But how did they manage it? The answer is fairly simple. “It was a favour.” Luck seems to be a key ingredient to starting out as a band, they sent over some demos to the studio and “to our surprise he actually really liked them.” After gauging an idea of what the boys have been up to and achieved so far, our talk turned to the future of HAIZE. “We’ll see how far we can get,” was the general consensus. Battling the perceived expectation to go to university, HAIZE are determined to put their all into making it. And if one thing is certain, their aim is “not wearing proper clothes ever”, “Imagine having to wear a suit…” Ben ended on.
“We don’t have our own space to practice... sometimes we practice at my Dad’s school’”
RACHEL MOORE Follow Haize to watch them rise through the industry: @haizehaizehaize
EIGHTEEN
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HONEYBLOOD
It’s that time of year again – chilly damp nights, the clocks have just gone back, hastily ripped T-shirts of Halloween-diehards still sticky with fake blood… and in-keeping with the atmospheric mood, Honeyblood are releasing Babes Never Die. We caught up with the lovely Stina Tweedale, half of the Glaswegian duo Honeyblood, to discuss the release of their triumphant second offering from its conception to playing it live for the first time this autumn across the UK and US. “The album does follow a continuous theme of creepiness”, admits Tweedale, laughing as she recalls bandmate Cat Myers’ initial reaction to the “ideas that came out of my head” right at the start of song writing for Babes Never Die. The themes on the new album certainly seem darker than they were in Honeyblood’s more loved-up self-titled 2014 debut, and mostly concern, destruction and heartbreak – but the songs are made more light-hearted by Tweedale’s catchy, sassy lyrics. Tweedale refers to Honeyblood and Babes Never Die saying that for her, “if you listen to them back-to-back, I think they’re so different in loads of ways”, and really, this is unsurprising given how far Honeyblood has evolved as a band since 2014. The first album was a product of Tweedale and Shona McVicar’s collaboration, but on parting ways in 2014, Myers became the new half of the band. Tweedale notes the effortlessness of the relationship between herself and Myers as bandmates, recording a brand-new album having only played together as Honeyblood for one year, yet “we learned how we worked musically…to be honest, it made it easy to go into the studio, we had a very common goal.” In writing and recording Babes Never Die, Honeyblood “wanted it to be faster, and we wanted it to be heavier…but we wanted it to show off our live shows and how we are now. I feel like if you listen to the first album now, that is not a true representation of how Honeyblood is now. This new album is where we are at,” concedes Tweedale.
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And certainly, although playing live is undeniably important for any artist, Honeyblood’s whole approach to their music seems to stem from the desire and pleasure of bringing it to life for an audience. This is reflected in the excitement of their live shows so far, which Tweedale proudly notes “have all been packed so far”. This is definitely a band with a devoted fanbase. Despite this tour purposefully being very much “a showcase for the new album” with very few songs from the back catalogue being played – something that Tweedale feels “can be quite daunting for an audience” – it seems that instead “people [have been] on the side of Honeyblood and the new album”. Both Tweedale and Myers share the same favourite track on Babes Never Die, the intoxicating ‘Love is a Disease’, which “helped us to open doors musically”. ‘Cruel’ is another personal favourite for the band – “even though it’s pretty soppy” admits Tweedale, a self-confessed “sucker for sad songs”, and its lyrics are certainly depressing and introspective, with “when I do things to hurt you, it’s to my own affliction”. Both also agree that the hardest track to record was the ethereal ‘Walking at Midnight’, as “it’s about an atmosphere…trying to nail that atmosphere became really hard”.
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However, given that they only spent 13 days recording the album, Tweedale recalls making Babes Never Die a smooth process, and this was also thanks to the support of producer James Dring – who has worked with artists including Gorillaz and Jamie T. “Yeah James is probably the perfect match for us…he is very focused and he listens really well,” Tweedale comments, crediting Dring with letting Honeyblood take control of their sound - “Cat and I wrote every inch of these songs” – as well as bringing his expertise and experience from having worked with other alternative bands. Tweedale notes that Dring helped Honeyblood open up to being more experimental on the record, adding a synth and electronic elements to tracks such as ‘Wolf Sister’ and ‘Gangs’, without taking away from their “grounded sound”. Fans who have already heard the singles which have been released so far, including ‘Sea Hearts’ and ‘Ready for the Magic’ will know that this “grounded sound” and the “melodic simplicity” so characteristic of classic Honeyblood tracks such as the feisty ‘Killer Bangs’ or the dreamy ‘Fall Forever’, remain on Babes Never Die. ‘Ready for the Magic’ starts off fun and upbeat, reminiscent of Best Friends’ ‘Cold Shapes’ or Haim’s ‘Honey & I’ and then builds to a grungy climax more in line with Wolf Alice’s thudding ‘You’re A Germ’ – in a similar way that ‘Sea Hearts’ grows to Tweedale shouting “hey, hey! it’s just a little heartbreak!” Babes Never Die reflects Honeyblood’s feisty lust for life and is definitely worth a listen when it is released in November. But it is a record that really comes into its own live, so watch out for their remaining tour dates ending at Glasgow in December! JESSIE ADAMS
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COMMENT
DID FRANK OCEAN KILL THE ALBUM? When Blond, the much anticipated sequel to Frank Ocean’s seminal debut Channel Orange was released this summer, something in the air had changed. First of all, Ocean had done something that only superstars are capable of doing, notifying and dropping his album in a very short space of time to much critical and audience frenzy. The key difference was that Frank isn’t Beyonce, he’s not on that level of stardom that facilitated the success his album received. But yet, the media, as confused as we were by the suspense of the months leading up to Blond, lapped the story into the biggest news of summer. The odd one from Odd Future had made it – not by rigorous press circuits and interviews, but rather through a lack of presence in the limelight altogether. And yet there was my little brother, 14 years old, listening to the album on Spotify without ever having heard of Channel Orange or Ocean himself until a few weeks before. How did this happen? The album itself, by the way, finds its place amidst a confused time for the music industry. Not only did Ocean himself buy his way out the contract he was in at the time, he was also simultaneously able to turn the eyes of the music press to his direction without doing much at all. The model has changed, and Blond marked the next phase that has been gestating for the last few years. This phase is namely a reversal from how the media no longer need the labels, the labels no need the media. It’s easier than it has ever been to make and release music yourself. In an era where the bulk of an artist’s pay check is made up from live performances, the focus has also switched. Content has become trivialised, almost valueless now – why spend a tenner on an album when you can get access to millions of them for a fiver a month? This has changed how albums are made too – look at how, for example, Kanye West was able to tweak parts of The Life of Pablo after it had been released. New media and new ways of making albums are two factors that have drastically changed in the last decade, and when Blond came out, it marked a new standard for how things could be done in the face of this new future.
countries, notwithstanding the visual album Endless that preceded it. It’s an exercise in experimentation – a fluid sandbox that tests and resists conventions of the album and songs, choruses and genres are played with to some very interesting results. It’s a marker of how far we’ve come since Lil Wayne brought the idea of a mixtape to internet prominence, eschewing the event of an album with a recognition of the Internet’s intangibility. The demands of the traditional album are becoming weaker when there is less commitment from the audience to spend a certain amount of time with an artist when they appear on a streaming platform. So there’s more of a challenge to push boundaries and tap into attention spans for a full listen. We’re increasingly using trusted music journals now as searchlights in a crowded sea of content, and this has effected the album too. Kanye West recognised this change back in 2011 when he and Jay Z released Watch the Throne. Leaving a 3 minute silence between between tracks 12 and 13 as a throwback to the times when listening to an album, you’d be unsure about the bonus tracks being on the end of a record. Novelties like this don’t exist anymore. And now, after Blond, we’re left in a strange place. Playlist culture, if it hasn’t yet, is definitely on its way to finding more listeners than albums. DJs find themselves atop more festival lineups than bands, and you’d attribute that to free streaming sites like Soundcloud. With social media the relationship between audience and press has become more reciprocal than ever. Ocean is the exemplary case of this – his success has been a careful and confusing one, mined through his enigmatic online presence that has drawn attention from the most mainstream of sources; he’s demonstrated that the traditional structure of albums and their releases are more open to creativity than ever before.
"a fluid sandbox that tests and resists conventions of the album."
Blond isn’t a conventional album, which is all the more strange considering how it got to No. 1 in more than a few
TWENTY ONE
ARUN KAKAR
COlumn
palace
Palace have truly kicked up a storm in a very
short time, whipping up anthemic indie tunes with relative ease. Having just released their album So Long Forever, a combination of reverberant guitars and bluesy vocals, Palace are very much a band with a lot more to give. Check out our favourite track from the album, ‘Live Well’.
Jay Watson’s
(of Tame Impala fame) solo venture GUM are now onto their third LP. How he has time to write albums in-between his other duties is beyond me. The
in the circuit
new album Flash In The Pan is full of brilliant synth work, dreamy pads and psychedelic vocals. Although reminiscent of Tame Impala’s Currents, it
‘In The Circuit’ is our new weekly online column
certainly has its own flavour.
where we bring you our five favourite artists that
Check out the first single from
have been tickling our eardrums over the past
the album, ‘Gemini’.
week. So to tempt you to head to our website, here’s a round-up of our favourites so far.
the japanese house
gum
Unless
you’ve been living under a rock recently, you’ll have already heard of her. But Amber Bain’s solo project has already seen her garner support from music aficionados around the globe with her unique brand of dreamy pop. Having just released her Swim Against The Tide – EP , and completing the UK leg of her mammoth tour, she is destined for greatness. ’Good Side In’ is a particular highlight, blending luscious guitars and dreamy percussion, its one of those songs to get lost in.
a tribe called quest Of course they’ve made it onto our list! Tribe return with their first album in 18 years, only months after Phife’s untimely passing. Thankfully, it was recorded before his death and the album sees the collective regroup for a final farewell to their fans. A heartfelt and politically charged
the seshen
Electronic-soul hybrid group The
album, with the same quality
Seshen, returned with their sophomore album Flames & Figures’ The
production and sampling that we’ve
Seshen are a 7-piece who combine drum machines, live instruments and
come to expect, it would be equally
sweet harmonies making for a beautiful sound that is unrivalled in its
at home in the 90’s as it is today.
uniqueness. And the album more than lives up to expectation. Enjoy the
A wonderful parting gift to Tribe’s
first single of the album ‘Distant Heart’.
adoring fans. Check out ‘We The People’.
FRED STIDDARD
TWENTY TWO
CIRCULATION YORK’S PREMIER MUSIC PRESS M AGAZINE // EVENTS // RADIO