COME PL AY WITH DEAP VALLY PA L E WA V E S
DJANGO DJANGO K E R R I WAT T / Z A R I F LYNK S / J UL I A B A RD O / LOKOY / L A NDE HE K T
/ ESTÈRE / LIZA OWEN TOKKY HORROR / TJ ROBERT S
AND LOTS MORE...
BEHIND THE SCENES AND UNDER THE SKIN OF ALL THINGS MUSIC
PICK ME UP FOR FREE OR BUY ONLINE / #013 / JAN2021
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TEAM CPWM
WHAT'S INSIDE NEWS 04 JANUARY 2021
MANAGEMENT Tony Ereira tony@cpwm.co
LONG READ 06 DEAP VALLY 26 PALE WAVES 32 DJANGO DJANGO
MAGAZINE Andrew Benge andy@cpwm.co LABEL Scott Lewis scott@cpwm.co
IN FOCUS 23 KERRI WATT
DIVERSITY EVENTS Emily Marlow emily@cpwm.co
AWAY FROM THE NOISE 12 LYNKS 30 ALEX AMOR 36 LIZA OWEN
DEAP VALLY COVER Kelsey Hart PALE WAVES COVER Jordan Curtis Hughes
DIGGING DEEPER 16 ZARIF 23 ESTÈRE
SPECIAL THANKS
in no particular order... Thom, Rob, Camilla, Cheri, Rachel, Ella, Ian, Julia, Beth, Alex, Bree, Lynks, Nisa, Liza, Lokoy, Joly, Lande, Sarah, Tom, Jamie, Zarif, Zee, Kerri, Carly, Estère, Ellie and everyone else who took the time to contribute and helped make this happen.
ART WALL 20 LANDE HEKT NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH 18 TOKKY HORROR / BIRKENHEAD & THE WIRRAL TOOLBOX 14 TIM SENNA / GETTING INTO RADIO 24 TJ ROBERTS / FEEDING YOUR LOCAL MUSIC ECOSYSTEM 5 QUESTIONS 35 JULIA BARDO 38 LOKOY
SMALL PRINT
Come Play With is printed by Mixam. Copyright © 2021 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email the publisher at andy@cpwm.co. Printed in the UK.
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NEWS
JANUARY 2021 Another lockdown - I know this is really hard on everyone right now. So thanks for taking time to check out our first magazine of 2021. Looking back on 2020, we didn’t manage as many new music releases as we would have liked but we’re very proud of the releases we did get out there - singles from Van Houten/In The Morning Lights and Chanté Amour/Straight Girl along with two compilation albums. The first was our showcase of brilliant artists we’ve worked with ‘Come Stay With Me’ raising money for the contributing artists and the second was our collection of Bond covers ‘Not From Where I’m Standing’ from The Wedding Present & Friends raising money for suicide prevention charity CALM. We didn’t get much done on the live side for obvious reasons (apart from a cracking gig with Big Joanie for Independent Venue Week 2020) but we managed a couple of Arts Council advice panels, some activity as part of November’s Yorkshire Music Forum convention, 5 of these magazines and two LGBTQ The Music panels that included an interview with John Grant and a panel with Mykki Blanco. We have a ton of good stuff coming up in 2021 - we already had a series of panels in mid-Jan aiming to offer advice/support to Women & People of Marginalised Genders in music - and that wrapped up with a cracking online event from Sunflower Thieves & In The Morning Lights and a couple of other IVW related online events. All of the above can be found on our YouTube channel. We’ve got news of a couple of new singles in the next month or so, one being the lead from the next in our series of compilation albums ‘Side By Side’ and in all, this is shaping up to very much not be a quiet year. We know things are hard and people often ask us for advice - which we’re always happy to give. Right now the advice we keep saying, including to ourselves, is ‘be kind to yourself and everyone else right now.’ Hopefully, while you’re doing that, we can inspire you with some new music/writing to soundtrack that approach! Thanks as always everyone Tony & the CPWM Team
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DEAP VALLY 6
If the last twelve months has left you feeling fatigued, LA duo Deap Vally’s "Digital Dream" EP conjures up a constellation of stars to brighten even the darkest horizon. 7
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LA-based duo Deap Vally has always been rooted in sisterhood and not the kind you find brandished on T-shirts hanging from a Topshop clothing rail. Take the band’s 2013 debut Sistrionix, a play on histrionics whereby a woman is labelled as “dramatic or attentionseeking”. Only, of course, that’s exactly what Deap Vally set out to do with their rockling riffs and thundering drums, singing loudly about financial independence (‘Gonna Make My Own Money’) and leering industry types (‘Creeplife’). When their sophomore release "Femejism" followed in 2016, it marked a powerful shift. Not only was it the pair’s first independent release from former label, Island, but it came on the crest of a new wave of women’s liberation. Something the band also felt in response to their debut drummer Julie Edwards explains, gesticulating in a vivid yellow animal print suit over our call. “Femejism was a response to our experience with Sistrionix, which was 99% positive. But it was the little things. The way we were adult women and were constantly called girls. The way that every time we ever did an interview, we were asked what it was like to be a woman. We didn't expect that,” she says exasperatedly. “I think I was really naive. I just thought we would talk about music! So yes, feminism, but also it's 'femejism'. It's very important and it's also not. This is music for feeling and moving your body and feeling your strength, not necessarily having this intellectual dialogue with yourself about your place in the world as a
woman”.
"IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE TO HAVE YOUR PLACE IN THE WORLD GET DESTABILIZED. WE'VE SEEN THAT TOO WITH WHITE PRIVILEGE AND THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, BUT IT HAS TO HAPPEN. WE ACCEPTED SO MANY AWFUL THINGS FOR TOO LONG." A year on from the record’s release and the #MeToo hashtag spread like wildfire on social media in response to the sexual allegations against former film producer Harvey Weinstein. While we experienced a similar galvanising here in the UK, it was nothing like the black heart in high-end Hollywood as guitarist Lindsey Troy recalls. “It's this bookmark in time. There was the world before #MeToo and then the world after #MeToo”, she repositions herself on the chair flanked by a trailing pot plant. “It just kept coming and coming, this flood, and you're like, ‘Is it ever going to stop? No, because most women have stories of creepers to varying degrees’”. Edwards is quick to agree. “There was such a huge exposure to gender sensitivity and empathy around what it's like to be a woman 9
and to endure all of those microaggressions,” she adds, pausing to reflect. “It's uncomfortable to have your place in the world get destabilized. We've seen that too with white privilege and the black lives matter movement, but it has to happen. We accepted so many awful things for too long”. Much like "Femejism" gave people the flavour of 2016 with its references to Snapchat, sex, and e-cigarettes, Deap Vally’s upcoming EP "Digital Dream" captures something of the last year. Millions of us propped up by internet connectivity, seeking out creativity in online domains. Inspired by rap and pop’s tendency for star-studded team-ups (see Ariana Grande and the might of Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat) the band was keen to bring these cross-group collaborations to the indie world. At the same time, they wanted to address a question that’s plagued Troy since forming over a decade ago. “There's always this looming question from the start when you're a two-piece. People ask, ‘Oh, will you ever add a bass player?’” “So we thought we would just add a lot of different bass players”, trills Edwards with a satisfied smile. It’s that North Star between the two polar points Edwards and Troy - that ignited both full-lengths previously, after all. Working with Grammy Award winning producer Lars Stalfors (Foster The People, Local Natives, Cold War Kids) on the first record and handing over mixing desk duties to Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ guitarist Nick
Zinner for Femejism. “So, for this third record, we didn't have a producer in mind per se but we wanted to still have that third-party in the room”, Troy insists. Rather than commit to one person this time around though, Deap Vally has enlisted a whole swathe of talented friends.
the studio. Luckily, the pair’s decade-spanning friendship means they’re fairly accommodating to the new voice in the room. “If someone is dominating the process, we can adapt to the way they do it”, Edwards muses. “The thing you have to be as a two-piece is adaptable”. It’s not exactly The first hint of the new EP hard to be tolerant though appears with teaser single, when the person you’ve ‘Look Away’ featuring enlisted on the record is a Warpaint’s jennylee, who long-standing musical hero. Troy first bonded with over a Enter the EP’s standout birthday bonfire at Brody Dalle track, ‘High Horse’ produced and Josh Homme’s house (we alongside Scottish songwriter told you it was star-studded). KT Tunstall and iconic The track is an unsurprisingly performance artist Peaches. ethereal ebb and flow through the clouds with delicately Tunstall, Troy, and Edwards plucked strings and sustained wrote and recorded the track lap steel slides. “jennylee at Dave Grohl’s studio 606 in was the perfect person to San Fernando Valley. Mixed start with,” Edwards admits, on the historic Neve console running a hand through her Grohl picked up from Sound hair. “For Warpaint, there's City Studios before its closure a similar process of writing, in 2011, it seems only fitting so it was easy for the three that the same desk that has of us to hop in and be like, captured some of the biggest ‘Let's jam’”. Elsewhere on the names in rock’n’roll patriarchy record, listeners are treated would see a reimagining to a production stint by The from gender provocateur Kills’ guitarist Jamie Hince on Peaches. Sidling up alongside glitchy, guitar-guided ‘Shock the signature snare shuffles Easy’ and a reunion with long- and skronking guitars, the standing pal and pop prodigy transgressive musician calls Soko. The latter’s brother for us all to “Stay golden, pony was behind Troy’s early blues girls”. guitar lessons. But, as you might expect from this cross- The "Digital Dream" EP pollinated creative process, isn’t the first time Deap both Hince and Soko had very Vally has come together different ways of working, as with their chart-topping Edwards recalls. “Jamie likes peers though. Last year to get some stuff and then they sought escapism retreat to his world and work from the heavy headlines on it by himself while other in the psychedelic form of people, like Soko, go in and Deap Lips alongside lifeit's their project”. affirming, festival favourites The Flaming Lips. Originally Because sometimes Deap intended as part of a series Vally’s trademark back and with other artists, it quickly forth calls for that majoritybecame clear to Troy that rules decision making in the band’s frontman, Wayne Words by Cheri Amour
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Coyne, had bigger ideas than that. “With the Lips, Wayne needed to conceptualize this collaboration and, for him, it made sense to do a full release. He's very album-oriented”, she shares. “But it was an incredible experience for us, as we got to go out to Oklahoma City and stay at his house. It's like Disneyland”. Edwards remembers a particularly vivid moment in the South Central State together. “Wayne is a 360-degree artist. 365-24/7,” she jokes. “Every morning I would come down from the guest room we were staying in and he was working on a painting or building some prototype”. “He's such a special unicorn”, reasons Troy with a smile. And it’s into those fantastical realms that Deap Vally’s "Digital Dream" EP offers to take us. If the last twelve months have left you feeling fatigued, then Troy and Edwards have connected a constellation of stars to brighten even the darkest horizon. They sing of binary bliss in the title track imagining a post-apocalyptic world in 2068: “We’re ones and zeros / There are no heroes”. But in a way, a global pandemic has already tested us proving what matters most. For Deap Vally, that’s the unbreakable bond of two - a double star revolving around one another and occasionally welcoming a few friends along for the cosmic ride. "Digital Dream" EP is out 26 February via Cooking Vinyl.
Photography by Kelsey Hart
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AWAY FROM THE NOISE
LYNKS LYNKS’ CRISIS NOODLE
(SERVES 1)... Job application rejected? Boyfriend’s cheated on you with your cousin? Crushed by the weight of living a meaningless existence at the dawn of the sixth mass extinction? Damn. That’s tough. But don’t fret! Because even when the world around you spirals into chaos and existential panic, there’s one thing that’s always gonna have your back. No, it’s not your family and friends: it’s Lynks’ patented Crisis Noodles! This bowl of salty, carby, umami goodness is guaranteed to freeze any meltdown and turn your crisis into a light emotional wobble. You will need: Instant ramen noodles Peanut butter Laoganma chilli bean oil Spring onion + sesame seeds Words and photography by Lynks
(optional, depending on how together your life is right now) 01 Boil a kettle, letting the screams of the steam escaping the lid drown out the screaming voices in your own head. 02 (Optional) Repeatedly punch the noodle packet. This will break up the noodles and make them easier to combine with the sauce, but more importantly it will healthily release some of that repressed rage building up inside of you. 03 Open the packet of noodles, locate the seasoning sachets and place aside.
07 While the noodles are cooking, combine the contents of the noodle favouring sachets with 1tbsp peanut butter and 1tbsp Laoganma chilli bean oil in a serving bowl. 08 Punch a wall. 09 Using the other hand, drain the noodles and add them to the bowl. Stir well to combine. 10 (Optional) Finely dice one or two spring onions. If you’re crying, you can blame this on the onions. Scatter these, plus a tsp of toasted sesame seeds on top of the noodles.
04 Take a moment to reflect on how well you’re doing so far! Maybe you aren’t such a worthless sack of shit after all?
11 Take a beautiful picture of the bowl and post it to Instagram to show your friends how you are doing great, your life is together and everything’s fine.
05 Boil the noodles according to packet instructions.
Lie in bed and devour (cutlery optional).
06 Resist the urge to cry.
instagram.com/lynkslynkslynks
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TOOLBOX
GETTING INTO RADIO
WITH TIM SENNA (BBC RADIO 1 / INTRODUCING / SWITCH RADIO) In one of the most highly competitive careers in the media, it’s no surprise that getting your voice heard on the radio involves a hell of a lot of rejections, and more tea and coffee runs than you can count. Yet all this put aside, entering the world of radio might not be as unattainable as it seems. Talking with Tim Senna, a BBC freelancer and presenter on Birmingham’s Switch Radio, it’s clear that whilst achieving your dream may take a thick skin and an unshakeable drive, the chances of you worming your way into the offices of a major station all but increase if you make yourself known. He gave us some of his top tips on how
to get involved in both local and national radio, making a good demo and how to stay motivated for this edition of Toolbox. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING SOMEONE SHOULD DO IF THEY'RE LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED IN RADIO? Dive straight in! There are loads of amazing community, hospital and independent radio stations around the UKthe best place to start with radio is volunteering with one near to you. If you’re heading to or are at university, student radio is also a brilliant place to start- that's what I did as well as massive names in radio like Greg James, Nick 14
Grimshaw, Jordan North and Alice Levine. "GREG JAMES SAID ‘BE THE PERSON WHO NEVER GIVES UP’, AND THAT’S BEEN ON A NOTE ON MY PHONE AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER." WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE MOVING ON FROM STUDENT RADIO? I spent 3 solid years at Warwick university’s station, and it was the best time of my life. It was very much a young,
creative place and a safety net where I could find instant support and friendship from people in a similar position to me. Once you graduate it can get a bit harder; it’s vital you keep doing radio and unless you’re very lucky it may well be voluntary. Heading out of university, make sure you keep an eye on station schemes, work experience with the BBC, Global, Bauer and other opportunities to make contacts at a place you dream of working at. Keep your head up; it can get tough, especially if others you know have gone straight into industry jobs, but the only thing that matters is your journey and if you focus on that you can’t go far wrong.
HOW DO YOU MAKE YOURSELF STAND OUT WHEN MAKING A DEMO? I can’t claim to be an expert since I’ve never achieved massive success off a personal demo yet, but I’ve had some nice comments and won an SRA for a best sports montage that included my voice-so I’ll take that. The most important thing is sounding natural; this takes years of practice and you can’t really be taught it. Don’t read from a script unless you want to be a newsreader and do make sure you put all your energy into your voice and speak about things you are Words by Abi Whistance
genuinely passionate about. In the past I’ve found standing up can help find that energy if you’re feeling a bit tired and are recording somewhere where not a lot is happening. "WHETHER YOU’RE SPEAKING TO BILLIE EILISH OR BILLY THE PLUMBER FROM WREXHAM; UNDERSTAND WHO YOU’RE TALKING TO..." HOW DO YOU STAY MOTIVATED WHEN FACED WITH REJECTIONS? There’s nothing more gutting than a rejection from a place you want to be. I managed to get 3 rejections from Radio 1, two after interview and a third without even that. However, 3 months after the third rejection I was sitting in the Live Lounge working as a Radio 1 freelancer in a role with a lot more longevity than what I may have got otherwise. I remember watching a video where Greg James said ‘be the person who never gives up’, and that’s been on a note on my phone as long as I can remember. Rejection is the pathway to success, get lots of natural light, get outside and speak to people you care about or distract yourself with something unrelated if you need to.
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WHAT TRAITS/SKILLS DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR A CAREER IN RADIO? Without a doubt empathy and kindness. They may not be the first things that come to mind but radio comes down to very immediate human interactions. There’s no post-production like in TV or film, you’re dealing with things as they happen and you only have to look at the way Radio 1’s presenters handled the day after the Manchester Arena Bombing to see why these traits are vital. As a presenter doing regular interviews these skills are the way you’ll get a good reaction, whether you’re speaking to Billie Eilish or Billy the plumber from Wrexham; understand who you’re talking to and the situation they’re in. On a more practical level if you’re nice to everyone you meet it’ll greatly increase your odds of one of them sending an opportunity your way that makes all the difference. You can listen to Tim every Wednesday from 7pm on Switch Radio, and every Saturday from 8pm on BBC Introducing West Midlands. Follow Tim at @TimSenna on Twitter and Instagram.
DIGGING DEEPER
ZARIF IN MY NEW VIDEO, I SHAVE MY HEAD. HERE’S WHY... I made the video for my single, "Nothing But A Memory", two weeks before I was due to start chemotherapy for breast cancer. It was my second time being diagnosed with cancer, and so the second time I had to have treatment. The first time around, when I was told I would lose my hair, I had this idea that I wanted to recreate the scene from one of my favourite 90’s films, Empire
Records, where Debra hair would be going. All of shaves her head in the it. Eyelashes, eyebrows, bathroom of the record everything. store. I’ve always loved that scene and thought filming "WHEN I HAD CHEMO a homage would be a way THE SECOND TIME to turn my hair loss into something constructive. I KNEW WHAT TO But when it came down EXPECT AND I KNEW to it, I was caught up with MY HAIR WOULD the fear and uncertainty of BE GOING. ALL OF a new regime and its side effects, and any thoughts of IT. EYELASHES, a creative outlet were soon EYEBROWS, abandoned. EVERYTHING." When I had chemo the second time I knew what Shaving your head is to expect and I knew my usually seen as something 16
empowering, edgy, associated with confidence. But when you lose your hair and you have no control over it, it’s different. You lose a part of your identity and it is traumatic. I was determined to reframe the experience as a triumphant renewal, not a sad loss.
good friend and incredible director Joanna Coates was kind enough to agree to make the video, fellow filmmaker Daniel Metz sourced a great mini crew, and friends offered to help on the day. That week, I’d traipsed around London trying to find a good location (many an awkward I had written a song called conversation was had asking "Nothing But a Memory", venues if I could check out which is about being stuck their bathroom!). Then, two in one place while the world nights before the shoot, I changes around you, but went to a friend’s wedding it’s also about reinvention party in a pub, walked into and starting again. I thought the bathroom, and the shaving my head and location was found. emerging as a new person seemed like the perfect The day itself was fun visual representation, so and memorable. Being in I decided to turn the idea performance-mode kept into a music video. me in a creative zone - my happy place. There were Everything was planned enough creative decision in a matter of days. My making, hustle and bustle, Words by Zarif Davidson
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and friends bringing good vibes to prevent any melancholy setting in. Music, and indeed any art, has the power to provide catharsis, to reframe bad experiences and turn them into something positive. I didn’t choose to lose my hair. But I did choose to when to shave my head and how to do it. Thanks to amazing friends, a talented crew, a chance venue and many strong coffees, my second experience of shaving my head is now nothing but a good memory. "Nothing But A Memory" is out on 15th January, from the EP "Square One", out 29th January. zarifthemusic.com
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
BIRKENHEAD & THE WIRRAL WITH TOKKY HORROR
INTRODUCTION If you’re reading this and knowing me, it is probably from performing with Queen Zee, a queercoreish band I formed in 2016, or more recently as the masked gimp in Tokky Horror, an electronic collective that is none the less thrilling. But most
likely you have never heard of me, and in that case, I am Zee, nothing special of an artist, and I come to you as a Wool. For those residing outside the glorious towns of Merseyside, that means I’m a resident of the Wirral and my hometown Birkenhead. Not all wools are from the Wirral, but everyone from the Wirral is a Wool. Some say it comes from our ancestors being romantically inclined towards the sheep of the area and more PG accounts claim it was dockers unloading bags of wool from ships that 18
coined the term. I dislike them both equally and have different reasons for the love I feel for my hometown and all things Wool. WHY "BIRKO"? Younger Zee religiously skipped the train to Liverpool, where mates bands would play The Zanzibar (where I would also play my first poor attempt at a gig) in the afternoons and we would loiter stealing ciggies and gossip. Liverpool’s history of culture had provided the city with a wealth of places for kids
to hide out and play at being in a band. But, if like they say Liverpool is the British New York, then Birkenhead is Harlem. Every person reading this already loves a song by an artist from Birkenhead or The Wirral. Out in the semi-countryside, the more isolated Wirral, with its lack of nightlife or youth culture is a perfect hiding place for creativity and authenticity to grow. Locally we know the Wirral bands are the weirder ones of a Merseyside scene now saturated with music students and attempts at viral stardom.
WHO'S "BIRKO"? In recent days you will have heard of Miles Kane, She Drew the Gun, The Mysterines and local singer-songwriter Zuzu also bases herself out of the area. Yet to the south, Skyhammer Studio ran by doom-metal legends Conan, has leant itself to much heavier artists such as Electric Wizard and Slomatics. '00s indie legends The Coral & Bill Ryder-Jones are over on the west side known as West Kirby, also using it as a camp to run their Skeleton Key Records out of which has seen releases from the likes of Blossoms, Cabbage, The Sundowners and The Fernweh. On the bottom east-side producer Evian Christ has rapidly become one of the UK’s most exciting producers after being hired to Words by Zee Davine
produce for Kanye West’s "Yeezus" record. Whether it is our local cult hero’s Half-Man Half-Biscuit, Queer icon Pete Burns & Dead or Alive or even the fact John Peel is from the Wirral, a climate has arisen here where you are stuck to find someone who doesn’t know someone “in music”. Every taxi driver round here knew The Beatles, everyone’s uncle has toured America in the ’80s. To find such a wealth of creativity is not uncommon for places of such scenic beauty, but where these places are often isolated, the Wirral is connected to one of the most famous music cities on the planet by an underground
HOW "BIRKO"? However, the joy of appreciating music in the hometown of Birkenhead itself is a seldom felt occasion. Liverpool is packed with club nights and independent promoters bringing in waves of new talent for hipsters to lap up but until recently Birkenhead was bare of anything that resembled a relevant venue among a sea of karaoke pubs and empty pools halls. The recent opening of Future Yard, a brand new 300 cap. venue who’s inaugural festival brought the likes of Anna Calvi, Working Man’s Club, Squid & Pottery to the docklands has been a blessing that we have yet to truly enjoy 19
with the impact from the lockdowns. Yet, like always the best way to see a Wirral act in the Wirral flesh is to head to our little sister Liverpool on any day of the night (providing they are open) and watch the 1000 local bands filling the bars and entertaining tourists in Beatles wigs in the allies around The Cavern.
OTHER SPOTS FOR CULTURE The culture spot in the area is the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight, a scenic town built purely for the use of Unilever employee’s in the 1800’s. Aside from meaning that everyone's least favourite Christmas gift, Lynx Africa, is made on Wirral. It also houses a small art gallery that was built to entertain Lady Lever. Home to plenty of Victorian paintings, including some by John William Waterhouse where you can lose yourself for hours pretending you understand them. Personally, I would rather head to the seaside and waste a tenner playing the arcades in New Brighton. Zee Davine’s Tokky Horror release their debut EP “I Found Out The Answers and Now I Want More” this May via Alcopop! Records with a host tour dates to accompany including a date in hometown Birkenhead. Follow @zee_davine on Instagram, Twitter & TikTok. Main photograph by Alex Kenyon
ART WALL
LANDE HEKT I'm Lande Hekt, a queer musician and artist from Exeter but I live in Bristol. For the last ten years I've played in a band called Muncie Girls and I recently started a solo project under my own name. I've had the same interests since I was ten years old: playing in bands, art and skateboarding. The theme I've chosen 20
So the spaces I'm in are more significant now. I've included a few of my line drawings which remind me of lockdown, one of them was the accompanying artwork for my single "Kitchen." The other drawing is by my friend Bene (Splitpea Comics) who does amazing comic strip drawings and prints, a lot of them featuring isolation and despair!
here is lockdown and spaces For me, since the pandemic began, a massive thing I've started to notice is my surroundings and the spaces available to me. I'm not allowed to go to the places I used to venues, cafĂŠs, friends' houses - wherever.
This one is a lockdown mood, her housemates peering out of the window as they're all confined to the house. The debut album "Going to Hell" is out now on Queer-run independent label Get Better Records.
Words by Lande Hekt
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Photography by Gingerdope
DIGGING DEEPER
ESTÈRE WHY I STILL LOVE THE BEDROOM... Hi, I’m an artist and record producer from New Zealand. I make beats with my MPC Lola, write folkinfused RnB with my guitar (Strawberry) and enjoy walking through forests. So I’ve now been around the block… when it comes to recording in studios versus recording everything at home in my pyjamas. There are definitely perks to both. On one hand, being in a studio offers an extraordinary experience in a space outside of where you live. Studios can transform into ‘magic zones’ that shift your psyche, keep you on your toes, demand something of you. Words by Estère
Being in your bedroom… well it’s likely there will be a pile-up of plates stacked on your desk, crumbs of toast on your interface, the temptation to switch from Logic to Netflix… just for a second. But I have to say - there’s something about being able to do the majority of recording work from a space that is my entirely own, that I still really love. Recording vocals in my wardrobe amongst motheaten cardigans, strumming guitar while buses come and go outside my window, being told by my flatmates “that’s sounding good”, and then shutting the door to get back to my own world of wonder….Well… I like it! 22
Don’t get me wrong, I think recording in a proper studio gets results that are sometimes impossible to achieve with a home setup. (I couldn’t have made my latest album Archetypes in my bedroom) But I think that the democratisation of music production through computer technology means that people don’t have to be rolling in cash to do things that are extraordinary. And I think that is really important - because it stops the gatekeepers from dictating who can record and release music. Bedroom production for the win! Estère's third album "Archetypes" is out now via Blue Riot Records. Photography by Bayly and Moore
IN FOCUS
BORN TOO LATE... WITH KERRI WATT
I've always been a bit behind when it comes to musical taste. My parents were stuck in the 70s though I grew up in the 90s, so I spent my childhood listening to disco music. Saturday nights were spent dancing round the kitchen table to Chic and Donna Summer. Some of my favourite memories are going to the King's Theatre in Glasgow to see 'Boogie Nights' and 'Saturday Night Fever' although thinking back, I'm sure I was too young to be watching those shows at the time! I remember once asking a DJ to play Michael Jackson at my friend’s disco party (we were about 9 years old) and him telling me I was out of touch! By my teens I was discovering music for myself with the help of a boy I sat next to in art Words by Kerri Watt
class. He was very shy but we struck up a friendship over our shared love of great music. We'd swap iPod's and upload our music onto each other’s then give them back to check out the new uploads. That's how I discovered and fell in love with bands like Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, AC/ DC, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd - thanks Steven! In my early 20's I was learning to play the guitar which led to me some of the great singersongwriters that I'd somehow missed growing up. Bonnie Raitt, Tom Waits and Jackson Browne became my heroes. All of this great music is woven throughout the fabric of my life and really informed the writing and production of my debut album 'Neptune's Daughter.' 23
In my dreams I was born in 1960s Southern California, a teen in the 70s, in my early 20s in the 80s and living out the magic of the Sunset Strip at the height rock n' roll. I've actually had the pleasure of playing the Whisky A Go-Go a couple of times and you can really feel the energy that lives on in those walls. I'm super excited for people to hear this debut record and discover a new sound inspired by the good old days. The songs are full of colour and nostalgia set against a backdrop of golden dreams - just the inspiration we need going into this new year! The album 'Neptune's Daughter.' is out now on Cooking Vinyl.
Photography by Hana Haley
TOOLBOX
FEEDING YOUR LOCAL MUSIC ECOSYSTEM WITH TOM ROBERTS FROM TJ ROBERTS
INTRODUCTION My name’s Tom and I front the band TJ Roberts and am a director of the record company Rose Parade Recording Company. As a band we’ve been performing together for just over 2 years and have recently released our sophomore album ‘Love, Loss & Other Useless Things’. We are all from and based in Cardiff and the community of Welsh music plays a huge role in not just the label but also the band itself. This was a year of firsts for us. Our first sold-out show, our first self-released record and our first global pandemic. DEVELOPING A VISION One of the cornerstones in starting a label is having
a strong vision. This wasn’t an idea that arrived from nothing. It was directly in response to the industry around us (the good and bad elements) and the apparent space for our label amongst the existing artists and practitioners in our area. Our primary driver in establishing the label was to distribute democracy more evenly amongst those who had a stake in the label’s success; including its artists. Too often it seems that small or independent labels are beholden to a singular voice, albeit one belonging to an incredibly hardworking and passionate individual. Rather than create an echo-chamber of sorts, we wanted to create a label where the addition 24
or removal of bands from the roster brought with it new visions for success. In this way the label can be more than the sum of its parts and actually develop organically with the music and community forming around it. "UNDERSTAND NOT JUST THEIR GENRE OR MARKET OF MUSIC, BUT THE LIVING BREATHING MUSIC ECOSYSTEM THAT SURROUNDS THEM." USING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT By the time it came to get this idea in writing, it was clear that we
wanted to have these sentiments clearly written in our contracts and legal documents. We were fortunate enough to solicit the advice of a charity called Wales Co-Op who took our case from its start through to incorporation for free. Thanks to our amazing advisor Rhys, we were able to navigate issues of ownership, contracts and our legal obligations in about 2 months. Rhys helped us decide that the structure of the label should be a community interest company (CIC). This structure gave us the framework to develop our working methods, which include weekly and monthly meetings between members to allow for the voting on demos, spending and design. DISTRIBUTION As many ways as there are to produce records there are equally as many ways to distribute your records and its always worth considering what fits your needs and your ethos. We made the decision to be a mixed-platform label, as opposed to a cassette or vinyl-only label and so our distribution methods reflect that. We have a unique distribution deal which we initially signed with TJ Roberts; which we have opened up to the rest of the label. This deal allows us to skip a whole tier of streaming middlemen ensures that we are able to return 100% of the streaming royalties artists receive from the platforms themselves. It is also much easier for us to be entirely transparent with artists when we distribute Words by Tom Roberts / TJ Roberts
cheques at the end of the month, which includes a breakdown of our spend on their campaign. But as with all independent labels we are dependent on the support from our community in purchasing merchandise and physical copies and so we try to offer something a little different. Our first release, TJ Roberts’ ‘Love, Loss & Other Useless Things’ I believe is the first record to include a Welsh language OBI strip (typically used for Japanese releases). As a welsh speaker myself (but not welsh language lyricist) I felt it really important to ensure that the label had a foot in both the Welsh and English language industries, which can at times feel unnecessarily separated.
who could advise us on next steps and give either affirmation or critique for our ideas. Being a person in your community is so much more important than international acclaim at the end of the day, because these are the people you live with and whom you can really impact. So, make sure you go out and support the people around you and champion ideas that excite you; especially if it comes from a voice that may not be given the same opportunities to succeed.
RELEASE DATES Rose Parade Recording Company has a number of exciting releases throughout 2021 including the debut EP by electronic artists Shreddies, RESPONDING TO THE releases from art-punk COMMUNITY AROUND YOU band Blue Amber and its I think the most important rolling Singles Club which advice we could give will feature incredible to anyone looking to music from a range of start their own label or international artists. distribute their music themselves is to ensure that they understand not just their genre or market of music, but the living breathing music ecosystem that surrounds them. At this point in time it’s much harder to go out and meet people, but reach out to other musicians in the area via email or social media and seek advice from people who may have experienced TJ Roberts’ debut ‘Love, the same things you’ve Loss & Other Useless come up against. We in Things’ is available now particular are beholden on all streaming services to a couple of pivotal and via the Rose Parade relationships developed Recording Company. with a generation of musicians who have roseparaderecordingco.com already been through the industry and understand the pitfalls and dangers, 25
PALE WAVES The metamorphosis of Heather Baron–Gracie: Enlightened from the early days of Pale Waves, and personal growth fuels a powerful second album. 26
When a young artist takes those first steps into the limelight, introducing their painstakingly crafted debut album to the sea of faceless strangers on the internet, it can feel emotionally equivalent to entrusting the public with their own child. This debut album represents the blood sweat and tears shed to make it to that point, and is often deeply personal. As a result, while willing a warm reception, they brace themselves for the inevitable criticism which can feel to the young musician, who is not yet weathered by years in the public eye, like disapproval against their very being. All the while, they remain unaware that in only a matter of years, the greatest critic of said album would be themselves. It is human nature to reflect on where we have come from with a critical lens and nowhere is this more the case than in artists who, after years of development, may look back on a body of work and no longer recognise it as a reflection of themselves. This was the reality for Heather, lead singer of Pale Waves, who in response to this realization set out to make “Who am I”, a triumphant second album which is thoroughly reflective of her in every way. Through every creative decision, Heather has woven her presence into the very fabric of the record, creating a physical marker of how she's changed as an artist and as a young woman since the Pale Waves debut.
and so it's been a recurring theme throughout my life.’ She explains,‘There’s something so beautiful about butterflies and their metamorphosis, so that’s why I wanted to make it a theme. That and because this album is more me, so every little detail of this album will have stemmed from something in my life.’ The butterfly is not only a nostalgic emblem for Heather but a symbol of growth.
"I’M JUST QUITE LITERALLY BEING ME. A LOT OF THE TIMES I MAKE MISTAKES AND I’M NOT PERFECT AT ALL SO IT IS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY."
The young artist has gone through a metamorphosis of her own in the past few years, maturing as an individual as well as building a stronger footing within the music industry. ‘I’ve found myself, and my voice so much more than I did on the first album. On the first album I was quite naive and a bit intimidated by the whole thing, going into the studio and making a record. I didn’t really know what I wanted to be or who I was. I had no remote idea. Through that time period I really just grew as a person. I found my voice and I knew what I wanted to From the very moment the stand for and talk about as listener is presented with this an artist.’ Ever the optimist, record, they are confronted Heather remains appreciative with something explicitly for her early days in the Heather. The butterfly album industry. Meeting new people art conveys deep meaning and travelling the world while for the artist. ‘The butterfly touring gave Heather and her came because my mum is bandmates the opportunity obsessed with butterflies to educate themselves and 27
become more rounded as individuals, all of which feeds into this new record creating something authentic, unapologetic, and raw. The newfound grasp on who she was allowed Heather to be more vocal about her sexuality. ‘I knew that I was gay for years I just hadn’t talked about it publicly as much. I dabbled with it in the public eye but I wasn't ready to be so outspoken. There’s one thing knowing your sexuality but there’s another thing owning it. I hadn’t mastered owning it yet. It took me a while to feel comfortable and it took me meeting someone who really changed my life to be able to be so open and proud about it.’ In track 3 ‘She’s my religion’ with the lyrics “She helps me find a new kind of love”, Heather pays homage to meeting that special person, who helped her find the courage to talk about it so openly, in a way that many young listeners will be grateful for. Being proud of her sexuality means Heather takes the opportunity in her music and in conversation to celebrate it. She does so in a matter of fact way to reduce the stigma, and shrugging her shoulders ends with, ‘Now I speak about it whenever because it's just me at the end of the day. It's all about normalizing it. We shouldn’t still have to fight for it but we do.’ Heather knew what she wanted to talk about and with her newfound confidence in who she was, she had the power to say what she wanted, and say it loud. But she's not alone. Strong female artists like Avril Levigne, Courtney Love and Liz Phair became sources of inspiration and admiration for the young artist who
“drew confidence from their confidence” as she calls it. Heather now stands shoulder to shoulder with such legends tackling the personal and provocative themes of sexuality and female empowerment with the same sort of tenacity as her idols. Being a strong female figure in her own right, and such a powerful symbol and source of confidence for her fanbase brings a sense of responsibility. ‘It’s quite intimidating because I don’t want to mess stuff up because I’m just quite literally being me. A lot of the times I make mistakes and I’m not perfect at all so it is a big responsibility.’ ‘At the end of the day, I can just be authentic to myself. The internet can be quite cruel. For artists and for people that have a bit of recognition, people don’t allow any space for imperfection or mistakes. They expect artists to be perfect and it’s like ‘you do realise these people are human as well?’ That’s just something I keep trying to preach. It’s easy for artists to put themselves on a pedestal, so if anything I just want to get rid of that pedestal and reassure people that everyone is just a human being at the end of the day. I just make music.’
represents Heather in her truest form, unencumbered by the fears and insecurities of a young musician and instead laden with the kind of ballsiness she admires in her heroes, but above all, stands for in her own right. For all she tries to remove the rockstar mystique, the feverish reception for the latest singles is testament to the fans’ admiration for this band, and they absorb her powerful lyrics as though they are a religion.
"I JUST WANT TO GET RID OF THAT PEDESTAL AND REASSURE PEOPLE THAT EVERYONE IS JUST A HUMAN BEING AT THE END OF THE DAY. I JUST MAKE MUSIC."
there to help them. As a result of the accident, which left her bandmates needing a chance to emotionally and physically recover from their ordeal, Heather, always one to seek out the silver lining, felt the pandemic couldn't have come at a better time. ‘I feel like because of the accident, if anything they just needed space from the whole thing. They needed space from the career and the music. They sort of had to just go away and work on themselves which I think has been really beneficial for them. I feel like the pandemic came at the perfect time really. We would have had to have jumped straight back on tour if it wasn't for this so if anything they can take positives from this pandemic in that it allowed us to have the time to just breathe and to just live a normal life for a second.’
While recording the album in LA, Heather brought in Personal growth and some new faces, as the metamorphosis was one others took a well deserved piece of the puzzle in and much needed backseat creating this self-reflective for the recording process. masterpiece. However, it Notably, the guitarist Joel was a series of unexpected Shearer, known for playing events, that led to the with Alanis Morissette, to recording largely falling on tease out some of the more Heather's shoulders along complicated fragments. ‘I with the writing as initially brought in Joe because I was intended, that made the DNA basically finishing the rest of this record truly Heather of the record off by myself. through and through. While Charlie and Hugo flew home Despite the pressure, 2020 shaped up to be a because of everything that Heather is proud of this difficult year for everyone, had happened with the big sister role she has with for Pale Waves it was off to accident and the pandemic, her fans and something she a particularly rough start they understandably wanted misses most about touring is when the band’s tour bus was to be with their family and the instant connection this involved in an accident while their loved ones. Ciara was in-person interaction brings. touring in Europe. By some in LA with me and they’d go ‘I miss performing for them stroke of fate, Heather was do their thing and record the and seeing the ability that not on board and had opted drum parts but then they these words and music that instead to take a flight with would go back home as well I came up with have to make her girlfriend. Watching the so I had a lot on my hands them feel so comfortable and accident unfold from the to do. So I got Joel to come understood. It's so rewarding. outside looking in bought up in and record some of the To know I can help anyone intense emotions for Heather more intricate parts for me is amazing.’ “Who am I?” who felt guilty for not being which sped up the process 28
so much.’
the first album. That was a conscious decision of mine. Although it is a shame to hear I didn’t want to rewrite the less of Heather’s bandmates first record. I had already on the record, adding done that and I was kind of Joel Shearer to the mix over the 80s music and being succeeded in putting further an 80s indie pop band. It mileage between the debut just wasn’t me anymore and and where Heather feels the so I made that conscious band exists now. decision to write a more ‘It was really refreshing, I love alternative record. It is still getting people involved and I pop, one hundred per cent, love collaborating, especially but I would say it’s less with top artists, people that decorated in production.’ are really passionate and amazing at their craft. So "IF ANYTHING it was really awesome that I was able to do that and THEY CAN TAKE that everything wasn't just POSITIVES FROM on my shoulders, because I would have had a freak THIS PANDEMIC IN out you know? I love writing THAT IT ALLOWED guitar parts but I don’t like recording that much US TO HAVE THE because I’m not a perfect TIME TO JUST player. I’m more of a writer BREATHE AND then I am a player.’ The extra pair of talented hands, TO JUST LIVE A not only lifted the weight NORMAL LIFE FOR A off Heather's shoulders psychologically but left SECOND." her free to put her all into delivering the powerful and gutsy lyrics. The album was recorded with producer Rich Costey While the lyrics still often known for working with Biffy remain true to the band’s Clyro and Muse, the perfect poppy roots: short, sweet choice for injecting the kind and catchy, they make way of coarseness to match the for a rawer, more gritty side powerful mantras Heather in both subject matter and establishes in the lyrics delivery, all topped off with and with a less embellished the addition of grungy and production, they are given powerful guitar riffs. While the chance to really shine Pale Waves made a name through. for themselves by adopting a distinctly 80s sound, their Recording the album during earlier releases being heavily the pandemic means the adorned in twinkling synths, creative process will remain with “Who am I?” Heather truly unforgettable for shifted decades. ‘The first Heather. 'It was so odd. It album was really influenced was just me and the producer by 80s music, with a lot for the majority of the time of arpeggiated synths and in masks and in gloves and being really decorated in trying to keep our distance its production whereas this from each other. It really album is more influenced by was just a strange and the 90s and 2000s. It’s a lot sterile environment.' The more alternative and raw and rapport between musician stripped back compared to and producer is so vital for Words by Ella Cockerill
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the success of a record and so it’s a miracle that in an environment that must prevent much contact or spontaneity in the order to keep everyone safe, that the two emerged victoriously. Like many people during the past year, they have made the most of what they had and the result is something to be proud of. 'It did drain the fun a bit, but I’m just glad I got it done. I’m glad that this record is fully finished and is alive.' For Heather, not making it work was never an option. After grafting away at the early stages for so long, to finally breathe life into those words on paper was essential, and all the more rewarding. With a title like “Who am I?” Heather’s intentions with this record are clear. It represents the journey the band has been on since the debut and reflecting on where she has come from and who she is now, fuels this formidable comeback, in which Heather expresses herself so authentically, pressing her very essence into the record grooves. Forged from the fires of their early career, and personal metamorphosis, Pale Waves emerge as fiery altbutterflies. The album "Who am I?" is out 12th February on Dirty Hit.
Photography by Jordan Curtis Hughes
AWAY FROM THE NOISE
ALEX AMOR MEDITATION & CLEARING THE BRAIN FOG... I seem to eat, breath and sleep making noise so it surprises people when I tell them I love sitting in silence. Being in the music industry is complicated: there’s lots to think about, from every angle and there’s an undercurrent of pressure that we always should be doing something to sustain our careers. Artists don’t get to switch off from work at 5 pm, we are constantly planning, scheming, writing, posting or at the least worrying
about doing all of those things. I used to say, it would be amazing to get a holiday away from my mind, because no sandy beach could ever relax me and no Netflix could ever chill me out. As a creative with ADD, who’s natural temperament leads to ups and downs, I always thought I was destined to ride the emotional rollercoaster for life and be forever caught in brain fog. I was never someone who could tick off my to-do list because my mind was constantly racing, getting 30
distracted here, there and everywhere. That’s until I tried meditation. I was lectured to try the app, ‘Headspace’, for three months before I eventually sat down to do my first meditation. Three years on and this practice continues to save me from myself. It lifts the veil of anxiety from my body and anchors me down into the ground. It helps me find new perspectives on stressful situations and makes enough space in my brain to keep me
constantly creative. It’s also an antidote to social media. By default, we’re used to comparing ourselves and judging others, seeking validation externally to feel whole. Meditation trains your mind to be aware of the moment, to be content as you are, seeking peace from within. It teaches you to be present with pain instead of numbing it with the relentless daily scroll, as we all become more and more addicted to the dopamine rush on our phones. In a year like the one we’ve just had, it’s especially important to look after our internal world as our external environment
continues to be uncertain and even at times scary. If you feel like you are struggling to find the calm during the storm of the pandemic, I thought I would recommend some meditation apps that offer guidance for your practice from the comfort of your own home. One of my favourites is ‘Insight timer’ which has the world's largest free library of guided meditations, with an array of gong timers to choose from as well as live seminars to connect with teachers around the globe. Then there’s ‘Headspace’, which first got me into meditation and has a course for your every need - from sleeping
Words by Alex Amor
better to thinking clearer and reducing stress. And who knows, maybe during the most turbulent year yet, you might just find the inner peace you’ve always been searching for. Alex Amor is a Glasgowborn, London-based singer/songwriter and creative. Her debut EP "Love Language", produced with Karma Kid, is out independently on January 15th, 2021 via Believe. Alex Amor is set to perform at The Great Escape, 2021.
Photography by James O'Donohoe
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DJANGO DJANGO Always focused on making music to their own beat, Django Django has accumulated a cult-like following for their signature fusion of electro-indie and psychedelic-rock. Despite forming over a decade ago, their innate creativity still continues. 32
After discovering their shared groove in 2009, the line up remains unchanged, consisting of drummer and producer David Maclean, singer and guitarist Vincent Neff, bassist Jimmy Dixon and synthesizer operator Tommy Grace. The band certainly started how they meant to go on, their début album self-titled (2012), earned them a Mercury Prize nomination. With the release of their fourth album, "Glowing In The Dark" on the horizon, acting as a follow-up to "Marble Skies" (2018) - their tendency to bend genres and blend their individual influences is as prominent as ever. Their drummer and producer David Maclean has recently begun a new house-driven solo project, which has undoubtedly influenced their process, as noted by their keyboardist and synthesiser, Tommy Grace. “I mean Dave’s [Maclean] been more involved, he’s always taken the role of producer when we’ve been making music. But, this time, compared to albums two and three, he’s been a bit more present when it comes to writing as well. He formed the main part of "Glowing In The Dark", which is definitely straight house. I don’t think ‘Glowing’ is that indicative of the album as a whole. The album is still really quite broad and there’s a lot of different material in it. But yeah, the album has been changed by the presence of Dave [Maclean], basically writing a bit more. He definitely has more of a personal interest in dance music, more so than the rest of us.”
You’d certainly struggle to find two Django Django tracks that sound alike, as they’ve become notorious for never sticking to one genre, which Grace believes is "always a natural thing." This is seconded by their bassist Jimmy Dixon, “I guess we’ve never shied away from trying to embrace different genres.
"WE'RE ALL VISUALLY REALLY CURIOUS AND INTERESTED. WE ALL WENT TO ART COLLEGE AND IT’S REALLY DIFFICULT IN SOME RESPECTS TO ASK SOMEONE TO PUT A VISUAL TO YOUR SONG” - TOMMY GRACE
There are four of us in the band, and we’re all quite different. While I might be sitting at home listening to kind of seventies songwriters, Dave [Maclean]’s listening to house records and coming up with something else. So, we’re all bringing different things into the studio. I think that’s the nice thing about the production and how we put an album together. You wouldn’t just reject a track because it doesn’t sit well next to another track. When we’re working, it’s just getting each song as good as it can be. I guess it’s like finishing a painting or finding how different things sit next to each other. We’ve always just enjoyed not limiting ourselves to genres.” This tendency to always 33
strive for creative freedom is the crux of what has enabled them to stand the test of time and dates back to their college days, as noted by Grace. “My music taste broadened massively when I went to college, actually living with Dave [Maclean] because he’s always collected records and DJ’d, like ever since he was fourteen. He introduced me to loads of stuff, I still really like and am fond of stuff when I was at school. I’m still really interested in folk music. I really like Fairport Convention and British folk music, which is probably an outlier but it doesn’t really bleed through.” With each member having an artistic background, their music videos are a natural extension of their creativity and kept in line with their clear artistic vision. They even rejected the first music video for ‘Spirals’ even though according to Grace, “They’d spent lots of money on it” “We just weren’t happy with it. So, we started totally again. I guess we’re all visually really curious and interested. We all went to art college and it’s really difficult in some respects to ask someone to put a visual to your song. In our heads, we’ve got this idea of what it should look like, but it’s hard to describe that and tell someone to put that down. We were just really fortunate with ‘Spirals’, that things came together. It was really satisfying. I felt like there was an energy between us and the directors. We also were able to do it during a lockdown, which made everything much more difficult. It’s not like we
ridiculous amount of tracks. It’s almost like we throw everything at a track and strip what comes out. It’s just enjoying the process of seeing what we can do with what we have in our studio. Our studio in London is just full of synths, guitars, loads Enjoying the process is a of weird little drum characteristic which the band all have in common, as machines that Dave Dixon remarks, “I think when [Maclean] has bought. It’s just a chance to mess we’ve made videos for around and play about with ourselves, we’ve always an idea. I certainly think that enjoyed seeing the process we’re all on the same of it being made, like with wavelength when it comes our video, ‘Default'. Physically filming a video and to just trying to experiment as much as we can. When printing out thousands of we play live, if a track stills from it and then doesn’t have the impact that painting each still. I think it we want or expect, we take would be similar to the ‘Spirals’ video, where there’s it back to the studio to alter it and make it as fun as we a process behind it. It’s almost like a revelation when can to play live. If we manage to do that, then it you’re looking for how it’s made. We’ve always enjoyed translates to a live audience, I guess.” seeing the process of it.” could just get together, or play in a room. We were lucky that the video was able to be photographed for those sequences when he’s running about on the zoetrope thing.”
It’s this meticulous attention to detail that has helped them to stand out, and the band is understandably itching to share their new material. Grace’s selfproclaimed favourite track, ‘Spirals’ is described by Grace as, “Great in that it seems fresh, but it is also a good representation of how we are live. Sometimes, we struggle to get that across. We were just saying before, that we like ‘Hold Fast’ on this new record. It’s driven by synthesisers and electronics, but it’s also got this sort of live drumming. I think it just seems like a really nice balance and it doesn’t get too fussy.” As for what they aim to capture in the studio, Dixon states, “When we’re recording, we’ve always been open to trying things out. We generally end up having, like sixty or some Words by Camilla Whitfield
always say that we should try to approach an album in the same way that we approach it live. But I just think we’d probably lose something from the recording process if we did that.” In reminiscing about their roots, Grace notes, “That’s kind of because we were doing these tiny gigs, and we had much less to lose. If we were to try like a jazzy improv set just to see how things were, do you know what I mean?”
When suggested that they should do that next, Grace jokingly stated, “Let's do it.” Whatever the band desires to do next is guaranteed success, if their previous efforts are anything to go by. As for their latest release, even though it was written before the pandemic its central message couldn’t be Grace agrees, “It’s just filling more relevant. It is well in those tracks and trying to summed up by Dixon. “There’s a recurring theme find out the key elements through this album of and making them as connectivity and things that prominent as possible. Just cutting out any of the boring kind of connect everybody bits in the live stuff, because on a very basic level. ‘Spirals’ is about the idea of you know when you’re being alive and the very playing it and folk have kind basic things that we all of lost interest. That’s why share. Songs like ‘The World it’s so helpful to play something live, and then you Will Turn’, ‘Spirals’ and take it back and change it in ‘Hold Fast’, are just us trying to give a very basic positive the studio.” message. During the process of the past 3 or 4 years, This process of performing ‘toilet tours’ from 2010-2011 we’ve stripped ideas back to is how the band wrote most a simple message. That’s what we’ve tried to do more of their début album, as Dixon says. “We would slowly so in this record than anything else.” write the tracks and be taking them out and playing them, and then taking them The new album, "Glowing In The Dark", will be available back into the studio and from the 12th of February tweaking them. I guess we on Because Music. still do that, but these days by the time we get to that point, the album has been out a year and not coming out in a year. I guess we 34
Photography by Maxim Kelly
5 QUESTIONS
JULIA BARDO
WHO ARE YOU? My name is Julia Bardo, I am a person, a woman, an artist. I am originally from Italy but four years ago I moved to Manchester. I used to play guitar in the band Working Men’s Club but I left to embark the solo career, when I signed with Wichita Recordings. WHAT DO YOU DO? I play guitar, bass, I write songs and I sing, mainly. I also like to cook, I read, I write, I watch many films, I take long walks. Sometimes I forget to breathe. WHY DO YOU DO IT? I do what I do because it makes me feel proud of myself and because I haven’t done anything else apart from this in years; I like doing it and Words by Julia Bardo
I will do it until I am sick of it.. WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW? I have just finished recording my first solo album, in November I released a single called “It’s Okay (To Not Be Okay)” on Wichita Recordings. I am learning how to play the saxophone, I feed the squirrels in the park near where I live, I take photographs, I am looking for a job. At the moment I am reading a book by Susan Sontag, my new muse, called “Against Interpretation and Other Essays”. I think I will cut my hair soon and then regret it every day until they grow back. WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC? Right now the hot topic is live music and “best albums of the year”. 35
People can’t wait to attend and/or play gigs in real life. I am more of a studio person so I am not too bothered about it, for now; obviously it would be nice to be able to play the new music I’ve just recorded, but I am an extremely anxious person and live gigs are definitely a very overwhelming experience. They are also very emotional, which is the beauty of it. I will avoid to say my opinion on the latter. There is no plan to do proper live gigs so far, so I take this opportunity to try and live day by day. It’s really hard but it's the only thing you can do right now. I will release another single in the new year, followed by the album.
AWAY FROM THE NOISE
LIZA OWEN QUEEN OF CRAFT... The recording studio and the stage are my normal habitat. Writing songs for myself and other artists is a craft I’ve spent my whole life trying to perfect. It’s the space where I feel most comfortable and in a strange way, where I push myself to be as uncomfortable and vulnerable as possible. A quote that always stuck with me is “Don't get too comfortable with who you are at any given time - you may miss the opportunity to become who you want to be.” 2020 introduced a whole new kind of uncomfortable.
Silence. Solitude. A god damn global pandemic. An ‘unknown’ I had not prepared myself for in any way. It dawned on me that I usually spend 95% of my life surrounded by people. When was the last time I didn’t leave my house for weeks and weeks on end? When was the last time I was forced to create music completely alone? At first, it propelled me into a bit of dark place where absolutely no creativity lived but then it propelled me somewhere totally unexpected. Back to my childhood. 36
Growing up I was the queen of crafts. Yes, I was a crafty little girl but I’m talking arts & crafts.
"THERE’S SOMETHING SO SWEET ABOUT ALLOWING YOURSELF TO BE CREATIVE IN A WAY THAT’S JUST FOR YOU. TO BE PLAYFUL. TO PUT NO PRESSURE OR EXPECTATIONS ON THE END GOAL..." For as long as I can remember I’ve always been
extremely imaginative with my mind and creative with my hands. Coming from a tiny nowhere town in England, you had to be. These days when I need a little escape You’ll find me painting on cowboy hats, adding feather trims, putting rhinestones on anything you could put them on. Making and accessorizing clothes. I’m extremely deadly with a needle and a glue gun. There was the 'Sewing personalised face masks for my friends' phase and now I can’t get enough of making bead bracelets and necklaces for anyone and everyone. Hit my up, I’ll Make you one!
yet. That's the inner child. I’m in the business of mass approval and this is something that feels completely opposite. The best part is, I couldn’t give two shits if you think my bracelets suck (they don’t, they’re fabulous) because they’re all for me.
Slowly I found that my writer's block went away. I felt renewed and inspired. I've been able to create music videos and make music with what feels like a totally rejuvenated mind. I still can’t explain why that is, but I make sure I give myself the time for There’s something so sweet what has now become my about allowing yourself to be therapy. Perhaps some of that carefree "it’s not the creative in a way that’s just for you. To be playful. To put end of the world" attitude is no pressure or expectations seeping into my songwriting process. It’s sad that preon the end goal, because pandemic I didn’t allow time you haven’t been there Words by Liza Owen
for myself to do something that I find so therapeutic and calming but... we are growing and we are learning! It’s a wonderful thing to learn how to be still in a world that’s constantly moving. You owe yourself that stillness. 2020 was the year of slow and I’m grateful for that pause I never know I needed but 2021 is my year of GO and I’ll be bringing that inner child with me. Starting with my next single ‘JOSIE’ that comes out March 5th followed by the release of my debut EP in the summer. I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.
Photography by Ryan Jay
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5 QUESTIONS
LOKOY WHO ARE YOU? I’m Lasse Lokoy! I’m a 24 year old artist/producer from the west coast of Norway, currently making music in my studio In Oslo with artists such as Jimi Somewhere, girl in red and Safario <3. I like snowboarding and movies. I have a degree in literature and I’ve also been playing bass with Sløtface for 7 years (basically touring the world non-stop). I love to utilise the punk philosophy I’ve learned in Sløtface and push that into new genres and styles. Also, I listen to quite a lot of music. WHAT DO YOU DO? I work as a producer and artist. I spend most of my time in the studio and I’ve just released my debut album "Badminton!" I also love directing music videos and I’m working on my first ever interior design collection which will drop shortly! Words by Lasse Lokoy
WHY DO YOU DO IT? I can work for 8 hours straight and not think about anything else. It inspires me and it still feels like a hobby. Being a musician, producing and writing is something I want to do any day, anytime. WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW? I just came back from an exciting trip to Portugal. Me and Uffie have been there working on her new record. And did I mention I just released my debut record? It features Nils Bech, Safario, Moyka, Emilie Østebø, Sofus, Varpu and hart! In other words: a lot of exciting Scandinavian artists. I hope everyone will check it out! WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC? Power structure in the streaming services. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how most artists aren’t able to live off streaming money 38
while some ‘superstars’ are taking it all, as that's how the pay method is structured right now. For example: if I only listen to one artist during a whole month, the money I pay to Spotify should go directly to that artist, but right now the money is put in some sort of label pool which, in a way, feels a bit off. At the same time, they’re building foggy algorithms that are not necessarily for the artists but for the listeners - who never get challenged anymore just so streaming services will secure a continuous flow and low skip rates. I’ve seen some artists now seem more stressed about pleasing the playlist-curators rather than themselves or their fans. Which to me, seems like a tragedy for the culture of music.
Photography by Mohamud Abdirashid
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