LICKS Magazine - Issue 7

CHIEF

Jacqueline Scripps

BUSINESS DIRECTOR

Richard Hannan

EDITOR

Jack Parker

DIRECTION

Meghan Weale

Fanchon Dehillotte

Josh Aberman

WRITERS

Callum Crowe

Dan Flood

Jenny McDowell-Langford

Katie Hubbard

Laurence Kelly

Lily Blakeney-Edwards

Olivia Stock

Ruari White

Aaron Watts

Ana Strutt

Camille Bagnani

Marieke Hulzinga

Jelani Blackman (Jessie Rose)

Charlie Burg (Florence Bass)

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to LICKS Issue 7.

After a summer filled with live music, cathartic experiences and new music discoveries, we step into autumn energised and excited to present a magazine filled with our favourite artists of the moment.

We were surprised and honoured to hear that this is a first cover for both of our spotlight artists. London’s rapper, model and chief collaborator Jelani Blackman talks us through his musical journey, creating unforgettable live shows and thrilling new projects. While Detroit-born, New York-based soul-pop star Charlie Burg speaks to us about hometown influences, embracing his body and finding himself on the new album, ‘Infinitely Tall’.

A special thank you to the whole team who have worked on not only bringing this latest issue together but have been sweating it out at festivals this summer and tirelessly working on some truly exciting plans behind the scenes that we hope to share soon.

We’ve also taken this opportunity to promote Cheer Up Luv, a platform that uses photography, journalism and activism to empower survivors while tackling the normalisation surrounding sexual harassment. They have just announced the Cheer Up Luv Club, a programme to support their ongoing work which offers community perks, discounts, mentorship and more to members. Please check out www.cheerupluv.com for more information.

If you enjoy the magazine, or just want to get in touch, hit us up on socials and keep an eye on our website for the latest articles, interviews and LICKS live shows in the UK and the US. If we don’t see you around, we’ll catch you in December for the last issue of 2022.

Jack Parker Editor-In-Chief

LICKS

of Select

and is governed by the State Law of Travis County, Texas,

THE ROAD AGAIN

MADISON BEER

JOEY

BRAE

GRETEL HÄNLYN

BILLIE MARTEN

RAQUEL MARTINS

THE

OPUS KINK

THEY HATE CHANGE

CROSSING HIP-HOP, GARAGE, ACID HOUSE, JUNGLE AND MORE, TAMPA RAP DUO, THEY HATE CHANGE , HAVE TURNED HEADS WITH THEIR ECLECTIC AND UNPREDICTABLE SOUND. AFTER THE RELEASE OF THEIR THIRD RECORD, ‘FINALLY, NEW’, THE PAIR, FORMALLY KNOWN AS VONNE PARKS AND ANDRE GAINEY, STOPPED BY TO TELL US ABOUT THEIR FRIENDSHIP, NEW MUSIC AND THEIR PASSION FOR ANYTHING DIFFERENT.

You both began experimenting with music together when you were teenagers, what excited you about music then and how did it bring you together?

Andre: “It was the attention to detail. We would geek out and take apar t the tracks, digging around for song credits and f inding out who produced which songs, etc. Our sense of discovery is what really star t ed everything. Outside of the daily Shuckin’ and jivin’ at the apar t ment complex, Vonne and I would seem to challenge each other’s knowledge by saying some random lines and seeing if the other would know the track.”

Vonne: “Tons of arguments about which rappers were better, talking rumours and rap history and f inding new tracks that had leaked. I think us being a band is probably just the natural progression of that normal ‘music friend’ stu f f. Any friends that geek out about music together could probably make a good band!”

How do you think your relationship with music has changed since then?

Andre: “I’ve grown to respect it even more! Listening to tracks now, I can pick up on the production side of things a lot faster. Drum loops and basslines are what I’m usually paying attention to. Ableton has turned us into real audio technicians. Whether as a producer or as a consumer, the more we learn the more we grow. Otherwise, our love for music hasn’t changed.”

Vonne: “We’ve def initely kept the spirit we had as kids, and got even deeper with it. We’ll f ind a record we like, and fully dive into it just like the old days, but now we know exactly how to look for all other related materials; ar t icles, interviews, demos, who did the ar t work, and what design studio they worked for, what other albums that design studio made covers for, which session players show up elsewhere, etc. It’s not necessarily in the interest of being like, know-it-alls; that process has just become even more exciting for us over the years.”

You’ve previously described yourselves as ‘Anglophiles’, what mainly attracts you to the UK music scene?

Andre: “I think it might’ve star t ed with Vonne showing me old pirate radio sets. At f irst, it sounded a bit of f to me, but I star t ed digging fur t her to see what other classic rap tracks they might’ve f lipped and came across D Double E. That’s when I star t ed to understand. It was about the energy and, of course, skill as well. The f lows were in this weird pocket, and they are just smashing each track for thir t y-plus minutes straight! On a production level, we star t ed to understand how we wanted to add structure to our songs. Instead of the hook being in the middle of the track, it might come at the end because we want you to hear this patch we made using the MS-20 and a rack sampler. Come to think of it, there might not even be a hook at all.”

Vonne: “For me, I think the original attraction was just hearing something di f ferent. I’d be f inding bands that sounded di f ferent from anything I grew up listening to, and they would just happen to be from the UK, or I’d hear a great American band and f ind out their record was produced by a British guy. That was exciting enough to make us seek out UK music speci f ically, to understand what we’ve been missing.”

‘Finally, New’ is an amalgamation of many di f ferent genres including hip hop, drum

“WE’VE DEFINITELY KEPT THE SPIRIT WE HAD AS KIDS, AND GOT EVEN DEEPER WITH IT.”

and bass, footwork, electronic, post-punk and more, was this an intentional decision or a result of experimentation?

Andre: “Both, it’s in our DNA! Again, music discovery is huge for us and we always like to share and learn. Trying to make what is perceived as traditional might’ve stopped us from creating this record. When listening to other genres we’re always thinking about what makes a record good. If we grab cer t ain elements of these genres and add our style to them, why not. It presents us with a challenge, and it makes it more fun.”

As the name suggests, do you think ‘Finally, New’ marks a transition period for your music?

Andre: “Kind of hard to say really. Over the years we’ve put out loose tracks and instrumental projects. All of which have a

wide range of sound. Maybe it could be the case of fully leaning into this one new thing or just taking it back to some of our roots. We treat and create everything as if it’s our last so you can expect quality for sure! As far as sound, I think we position ourselves to have an open gate to whatever.”

What lies ahead for They Hate Change?

Andre: “More physical releases! “ Vonne: “ More tours!” •

They Hate Change’s latest album, ‘Finally, New’, is out now via Jag jaguwar.

Words by Ruari White Photos by Sal Redpath

Hey Ella! Where in the world are you today and what have you been up to?

“We are in London spending a few weeks preparing for the release of ‘BLUSH’. We are rehearsing and prepping for our f irst European tour and enjoying spending our downtime bowling and eating delicious food!”

With your debut album ‘BLUSH’ on the horizon, how are you feeling about the release of the record?

“Surreal and excited. It’s felt like a huge buildup with such a quick summer campaign that just sor t of f lew past. We can’t really believe how quick it’s been. We’re most looking forward to being able to f inally share it with the people who seem excited to hear it.”

When and how did the new album star t coming together?

“We star t ed writing this album aft er lockdown, with the bulk of it being written across 2021. Some songs came together quickly and we were able to play them at festivals and on tour; however, some came together in the studio and we’ve really only just star t ed playing them live postrecording. We recorded the album in ten days, right between three-week tours, at Teeth Studios in South East London with Ben (Romans-Hopcraft) and Jamie (Neville) also on production. It was an incredible way to get the songs out, albeit wonder f ully hectic. It feels the most cohesive bit of work to date, with a lot of each of us in the songwriting. On this record, we tried to unify our sound fur t her still and move it closer to one sonic world.”

and the togetherness that creates. We like to create surreal characters and worlds for the lyrics to live in, narrating emotional battles and projections of the self.”

How has South London inf luenced your work culturally and through live music?

“There’s always been a great and thriving scene in South. You could easily go to a gig a night and discover new bands constantly. It’s also really suppor t ive and we got a lot of our early slots through promoters and friends having faith in our music, even though the set was a heavy work in progress at the time.”

How does live per formance inspire the music you create?

“We love to test run songs live, we feel that gives them more energy and we get to rework the arrangement fur t her based on audience response. There’s always a focus in recording to capture raw, live energy somewhere in the music.”

How did it feel when you heard the remix of your work was nominated for a Grammy?

“We were on our way to a band dinner and some of us were underground on the tube so we were excitedly waiting until every stop to get WiFi so we could see the news trickle in! We then had a wonder f ul Korean BBQ and went bowling. It’s still very surreal to us.”

What’s next for PVA?

“Touring, resting, writing, dancing!” •

PVA’s debut album, ‘BLUSH’, is out now via Ninja Tune.

Lyrically, what subject matter inspires your music?

“Inspiration can come from anything. One of the lyrics came from looking up at the sky one night and knowing someone you cared about had that same view in that moment

Words by Lily Blakeney-Edwards Photo by Tyree Anderson

CHARLIE BURG

WITH THE SUCCESS OF HIS NEW ALBUM ‘INFINITELY TALL’, A PACKED - OUT EUROPEAN TOUR AND A WHOLE HOST OF SHOWS AHEAD ACROSS THE US, THE WORLD IS CHARLIE BURG’S OYSTER. WE SAT DOWN WITH THE DETROIT NATIVE TO TALK SOUL, MOVING TO NEW YORK AND DEVOTING HIS LIFE TO THE NEW RECORD.

Hi Charlie, where in the world do we find you at the moment?

“Warsaw, Poland. At my connecting f light home from Hamburg with my team, having just f inished the European leg of our tour!”

How did you first get into playing and writing music?

“I taught myself how to play my dad’s acoustic guitar when I was four t een, aft er taking piano lessons for about six years. I’ve been singing since I was a little kid, and I star t ed writing when I got to college. I grew up with Motown, it runs deep in my veins and I can never change that! My dad played Motown records for me and my siblings as we grew up, in the house and on our rides to school. There were countless Motown ar t ists to name them all, but here are some of my hit list: Al Green; The Temptations; Sly and the Family Stone; The Spinners; Edwin Starr; The Chi-Lites; Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose! Soul isn’t a genre, it’s a way of expressing something - I believe

anything can be soulful. And then, later I’d listen to Joni Mitchell, The Strokes, The Avett Brothers and Prince. Avett and Joni cultivated my sense of lyrical storytelling, and the power of simply a voice and a guitar.”

You released your album ‘Infinitely Tall’ in August, how does that feel?

“It feels cathar t ic and relieving. I devoted my entire life and brain power to this project, and it served as a tool to learn about myself. Now that it’s out, I’m ready to begin examining new par t s of myself through my ar t .”

When did the album start to come together?

“The concept arose in February 2020; however a lot of the songs were gathered from my songwriting vault of the last several years. Joni Mitchell, Sade and Talking Heads were major inf luences. I recorded some songs in Syracuse, but most of it in NYC at my studio and in LA at Mike Malchicoff ’s studio. The recording process was unlike any that

“I LEARNED THAT I FIND SOUL AND LOVE IN MANY GENRES AND STYLES OF MUSIC AND IT’S MY DUTY TO THOROUGHLY STUDY, UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT THESE STYLES BEFORE ENGAGING WITH THEM. I LEARNED THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THE BLUES EVEN IF THEY DON’T REALISE IT.”

I’d been through before, seeing as it was the f irst time I allowed someone else to be involved in production. I was inspired by Prince and Stevie Wonder to play almost all the instruments on the record. It was a long, meticulous process that culminated over a few years, and I think the care and attention required to realise the album concept can really be felt in the body of work and its depth.”

Does your songwriting process normally follow the same formula?

“Chords and melodies usually come at the same time for me. It’ll star t with one rif f or string of notes/chords that come to me anywhere (at a bar, on a plane, whilst shaving) and I’ll run to the nearest guitar or piano and let my f ingers take me upstream.”

What do you want the listeners to take away from the record?

“Don’t be afraid to challenge your current skill sets and expectations. View everything as a story and a learning oppor t unity, and never fall back on what’s comfor t able or safe.

And nine times out of ten, your f irst instinct is the right one.”

You mentioned that the album was a tool to learn about yourself, what did you discover about yourself from making it?

“Making this record, I learned that I question my instincts too much. I learned that per f ectionism is both my greatest strength and my most formidable opponent. I learned to disallow per f ection from being the enemy of good. I learned that I f ind soul and love in many genres and styles of music and it’s my duty to thoroughly study, understand and respect these styles before engaging with them. I learned that everyone knows the blues even if they don’t realise it. I learned that accepting guidance and help is okay. I learned not to reject the par t of me that wants more out of life and ar t .”

You’ve created some great music videos recently on ‘Chicago’, ‘Dancing Through The Mental Breakdown’ and ‘97 Avalon’. Have you enjoyed the process of working on those videos?

“I BEGAN TO REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF EMBRACING MY FACE AND BODY, AS WELL AS TO ACCEPT THAT EVERY STAGE OF MY ARTISTIC EXPRESSION IS VALID AND TRUE ( EVEN IF IT FEELS CONTRIVED - THAT’S OKAY AND THAT IS SOMETHING TO EXPLORE ) .”

“Music videos were a great challenge for me, and I stepped far out of my comfor t zone by saying yes to them. I look back on those projects with pride that I challenged myself, and newfound knowledge on how to approach videos in the future.”

With them being outside of your comfort zone, what did you learn from your recent music videos and what would you do in the future?

“I began to realise the impor t ance of embracing my face and body, as well as to accept that every stage of my ar t istic expression is valid and true (even if it feels contrived - that’s okay and that is something to explore). I also learned that it’s okay to relinquish control when necessary and trust others in carrying out your vision. In the future, I may allow the ar t to take shape naturally.”

You’ve been living in New York of late, how have you found the city?

“I love it here. I’ve been in Brooklyn for three years and still feel like I’ve hardly scratched the sur f ace of getting to know this vast, beautiful, complex city. There are so many pockets to discover; New York is full of stories, treasures and inspiration. Always a good time awaiting me on any day of the week! I’ve gone through phases of feeling energised and exhausted by the city, but as cooler weather approaches I’m excited to dig into this community.”

Are there any art ists, other creatives, or even places in New York that inspire you?

“Yes, I’m very inspired by the parks of New York. I go and people watch

oft en, it’s the best place to do that. In terms of creatives and venues, I think I’m more inspired by New York ar t ists of past eras; such as Television, Tribe, Patti Smith and LCD Soundsystem, and the lore surrounding those scenes. But there absolutely are incredible ar t ists doing cool things around the city. I’m looking forward to getting more tapped in when I’m not touring.”

You’ve just been on a European tour. How was it and what were the highlights?

“Rewarding, exhausting, challenging, and enlightening. Yet, in the end, amidst all the tribulations that we encounter on the road, I will always cherish the rush of sharing the joy of music with strangers around the world. The European tour was a fantastic learning experience. The best par t was the realisation that every show and crowd was so dif ferent; every city had a unique and palpable energy that we played of f of.”

Do you have anything in mind yet for the next album?

“Without a doubt. I always have something up my sleeve. But for now, it’s the U.S. tour, writing songs all the time, playing with my new sampler, cowboy boots and sequins.” •

Charlie Burg’s latest album, ‘Infinitely Tall’, is out now and you can catch him on tour across Nort h America this autumn.

Words by Jack Parker Photo by Florence Bass

Wunderhorse

WITH THREE SOLD OUT NIGHTS AT SOHO’S THIRD MAN RECORDS, A US SUPPORT TOUR WITH FONTAINES D.C. AND NEW ALBUM ‘CUB’ NOW HITTING THE AIRWAVES, WUNDERHORSE HAVE FIRMLY STAMPED THEMSELVES AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING BANDS THE UK HAS TO OFFER. WE SAT DOWN WITH THE LONDON QUARTET’S ENIGMATIC FRONTMAN, JACOB SLATER, TO DISCUSS THE NEW ALBUM, HIS PUNK

FOUNDATIONS AND LEARNING TO BE MORE VULNERABLE.

Where did your interest in music begin?

“Well, I’ve been into music for as long as I can remember, really. Some of my earliest memories are of my dad playing me bands like The Who and Led Zeppelin along with songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. A lot of the old classics were a par t of my life from a very early age and they’ve inspired me into creating music.”

You were previously par t of the South London punk band Dead Pretties, how did that impact the foundational par t of your music career?

“I’d just turned seventeen, left home, and was listening to a lot of bands like The Stooges and The Clash. I think when you’re that age you’ve got a lot of pent-up anger and aggression, punk is a really good vehicle

for that expression - so I star t ed writing songs in that vein. It just made sense for the age I was at and what I was trying to do at the time.”

Both sonically and lyrically, how has your approach to your own music changed since going solo?

“We were running out of steam trying to be this angry punk band all the time and I wanted to write more varied, ref lective music. I guess that the main di f ference, as you get older, is being a bit more self-critical as well, especially lyrically. Also, writing about other people as well I think was a big change. When I was in Dead Pretties I feel like I def initely had created a character, and all the songs were from that character’s point of view. The writing now is more vulnerable and naked. Hopefully more authentic, too.”

What have you found most exciting and challenging about this new direction?

“The Dead Pretties’ success came quite quickly. A lot of young kids got into it because it was the kind of music you can turn up to with your mates and get into a mosh pit, drink a load of beer and have fun.

I don’t think that same crowd followed along when it came to writing the new stu f f and that’s totally fair enough. It doesn’t serve that purpose par t icularly well. So that was interesting, just being like ‘is there going to be an audience for this at all?’. Obviously, you can star t playing mental games with yourself like ‘fuck, is what I’m doing actually

any good?’. But I think it’s been good in the long run. If it comes too easy you don’t learn anything.”

I love the simplicity of the ‘Leader of the Pack’ music video. What inspired this and do you enjoy creating music videos?

“No, I don’t like music videos. I just see them as a necessary evil you have to make to market the record. I’m not doing it because it means it will have loads of success, I’m doing it because I’m serving the songs and if that can help the song reach more people then I guess I should do it. But, I don’t consider myself very good at them and I don’t like them. For ‘Leader of the Pack’ we wanted to see how simple we could make it, so it’s just the song speaking for itself really. Just get us all in a very bland room and play the song.”

What can we expect in the future from Wunderhorse?

“More songs and developing them both musically and lyrically. I feel like that’s all that counts really, the rest of it is just noise.” •

Wunderhorse’s debut album, ‘Cub’, is out now via Communion Group.

Words by Ruari White Photo by Waespi

“WHEN YOU’RE THAT AGE YOU’VE GOT A LOT OF PENT-UP ANGER AND AGGRESSION, PUNK IS A REALLY GOOD VEHICLE FOR THAT EXPRESSION.”

PERSONAL TRAINER

Personal Trainer began as a very unique project with its shi ft ing line-up, how did this latest incarnation of the band come about?

“I’ve been in bands before this one and met a few people in the process. I decided to star t a new band with some songs I had been making, and some people I had met. Aft er a couple of rehearsals and one show, I

wanted to play more and I booked us three shows with two befriended bands with overlapping members. We came up with the idea to do one long show instead of three separate ones, and to have the three f low into each other with people joining in on songs sporadically. This felt interesting to me, so I decided to ask some more people to join Personal Trainer and the band grew. Some people stuck around, some only played one show.”

AMSTERDAM’S SEVEN PIECE, SUPERGROUP PERSONAL TRAINER HAVE BUILT A FOLLOWING WITH THEIR EXPERIMENTAL INDIE ROCK AND TONGUE IN CHEEK WITTICISM. WE SPOKE WITH LEAD SINGER, WILLEM SMIT, ABOUT THE BAND’S BEGINNINGS, LIVE EXPERIMENTATION, AND THEIR MUCH ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM, ‘BIG LOVE BLANKET’.

How did having those changing members af fect the live shows and your writing process?

“We played simple songs to make it work with as few rehearsals as possible. I liked the uncer t ainty and wanted to chase the little magical moments in rehearsal spaces when something suddenly works or doesn’t work at all. I think those moments happen more oft en when you’re not really sure what you’re doing yet. It’s weird playing a not-soper f ectly-rehearsed show and playing set songs with a lot of people you don’t know that well. You don’t really have time to listen and you have to focus on playing these pretty simple lines. But you’re also looking for each other. Or at least, that’s what I think now, looking back. I was busy singing without a guitar for the f irst time and trying to keep track of which par t of the song we were playing.”

How did being signed to Holm Front in 2019 come about?

“My girlfriend is in the Dutch band, Pip Blom. They toured with Spor t s Team when they were both star t ing out. I organised band nights in a rehearsal space in Amsterdam called Helicopter. Spor t s Team was around for Eurosonic in Groningen and Pip asked if they wanted to do a show in Amsterdam on their way back, and they did. Pip was playing and we were opening the night, playing one of our earlier shows. Spor t s Team walked in during our soundcheck and really liked that. They asked us if we wanted to put out a single on their label that night. We did!”

What ar t ists have been inf luential to Personal Trainer?

“At the star t of Personal Trainer I was really into Brockhampton’s ‘Saturation’ records. We suppor t ed Crack Cloud in Amsterdam when they f irst toured Europe. They played to us and our families and friends in a tiny brewery and they played this truly insane show where all of us were blown away. The

f irst bands I properly listened to were Pixies, Arctic Monkeys and dEUS. I then listened to a lot of Ought, Girl Band, and Parquet Cour t s in high school, that stu ff ’s gonna stick with me forever. Recently, I saw Blue Bendy at Green Man and it felt like an impor t ant show to them - that was cool!”

How was the writing and recording process of your new album ‘Big Love Blanket’?

“Very long! It took three hard but fun years. I had been stockpiling demos for a long time. Picked a bunch I thought stood out and worked together well, and star t ed recording them with my friend Casper van der Lans. Casper played bass in Personal Trainer and convinced me to make it a recording project, I’d wanted to do it as a live-only project at f irst. We worked from my demos and recorded a bunch of di f ferent instruments in di f ferent places. Getting together once in a while to work on the same album for a couple of years is interesting, but def initely more tiring than recording a record live with a band in a studio, doing a few overdubs, etc.”

What else does the future hold for Personal Trainer?

“We’re putting out Big Love Blanket; we’re recording a new one; we’re playing a BBC6 Music session with Marc Riley; we’re playing The Crescent in York on the 2nd of November; we’re playing The Windmill in London on the 3rd of November; we’re playing Mutations Festival in Brighton on the 4th of November; we’re touring the Netherlands with Dutch band De Staat, before our big headline tour through Europe in 2023.” •

Words by Jenny McDowell-Langford Photo by Marieke Hulzinga

Personal Trainer’s debut album ‘Big Love Blanket’ is out November 4th, 2022.

ALBUM REVIEWS

Sorcha Richardson returns with ‘Smiling Like An Idiot’, capturing the intense love that she feels for Dublin and its people.

Throughout her sophomore record, Sorcha’s soft vocals and angelic harmonies build an atmosphere of serenity. ‘Spotlight Television’ with its dreamy guitar melody resembling the warm sound of classic ‘80s pop, accompanied by vocals reminiscent of the ambiance of Slowdive. As the title track closes the album with a sense of ref ined peacefulness, it’s undeniable that Sorcha Richardson has a talent for creating beautiful, calming and introspective indiepop tunes.

Words by Jenny McDowell-Langford

Set amongst minimalistic string-led decoration, emerging songwriter Madison Cunningham delivers intricate lyricism and innate emotional honesty on her stunning second offering. We begin with ‘All I Ever Known’ which swerves and diverts expectations from the get. Pacing acoustic drumbeats and leaping folk melodies lead the track at a pace, while extended vocal notes from Cunningham suspend the listener in her storytelling. As the album progresses, the eclectic staccato notes remain, changing in tone and mood across the twelve tracks.

On ‘Life According to Raechel’, they become a lulling synth rhythm that sways alongside Madison’s falling melody lines with ease. These wave-like patterns mirror Cunningham’s bittersweet goodbyes as she recounts the most painful of experiences. ‘Revealer’ is true to its title. It can only be described as intricately crafted truth.

Words by Lily Blakeney-Edwards Words by Katie Hubbard

‘Feed the Flowers Nightmares’ is the latest album from Wyldest, consisting of eleven ethereally beautiful tracks with a darkness beneath their sur f ace. On this third record, Wyldest has created an album full of both wonder and wariness. This twisted fairy-tale meanders from expansive, considered composition in ‘The Best is yet to Come’, to playful alt-pop via ‘Tin Foil Girl’, and f ingerpicking folk in ‘Easier to Believe’. The expansive soundscape, at times, runs the risk of feeling disjointed but the album transverses this ambient space well, existing in the cracks between, forging its own path through Wyldest’s enchanted forest.

‘FEED THE FLOWERS NIGHTMARES’ Wyldest OUT NOW

‘REVEALER’ Madison Cunningham OUT NOW

‘SMILING LIKE AN IDIOT’ Sorcha Richardson OUT NOW

Invokingacontemporarysoundthatdrawsfrom‘70seasylisteningandmodern-dayrock-pop, EllieBleachisanexpertatspinningmesmerising,everydaystoriesthatdrawthelistenerin. Allperfectlybalancedwiththeatrical,butneverover-the-top,instrumentation.Humourous, heartfeltandwhollyunforgettable.Oneofourfavouritesoftheyear.

Oozingwithcynicism,self-deprecationandemotion,thedebutEPfromLondonsingersongwriterEllieBleach,‘NoElegantWayToSellOut’,isabrilliantcatalogueofstyle,mystery andtongue-in-cheekwitticism.

WordsbyCallumCrowe

WordsbyOliviaStock

It’sasenseofirresistiblecharmand originality,however,thatmakethesetracks amongstHibberd’sbestyet.‘AverageJoe’, packedwithlaugh-out-loudvignettes; cataloguesthemundanity,pomposity, andsheerridiculousnessofLittleEngland, whiletheriotous,radio-readypop-punkof ‘StepMom’couldsoundtrackare-makeof ‘Wayne’sWorld’. Aboldstatementofintentthatfurther honesherbelovedbuzzysound,Hibberd hascreatedacollectionofbrilliantly brattyoutsideranthemsthatanytwentysomethingwouldbehard-pushednotto relateto.

Teemingwithregionalquirksandspiky guitarlines,IsleofWight’sburgeoning, scuzz-popdarlingsavesyoutheferryon ‘GaragebandSuperstar’–adebutLPwith alltheverveandaplombofthegenre’s greats.

4.6/5

WordsbyLaurenceKelly

Overall,foracollectionofsongsdescribed byfrontman,EliasBenderRønnenfelt,as “misfitchildren”,‘ShaketheFeeling…’holds itsownandactsasanecessarybookmark forabandpoisedformore.

However,flashesofwiderinstrumentation, asshownbythestringsectionontheir slurrycoverofBobDylan’s‘I’llKeepItwith Mine’andexoticacousticguitarontheir stabbingtakeofAbnerJay’s‘MyMule’.

DanishQuartet,Iceage,returnwithan expansivecollectionofunheardrarities coveringeightyearsandthegroup’sfirst threealbums.Throughouttherecord,there arefamiliarmotifs–thunderingdrums, looseguitarthrashinganddrivingbasslines.

REVIEWS

ALBUM

‘NOELEGANTWAYTOSELLOUT’

EllieBleach OUTNOW

‘GARAGEBAND SUPERSTAR’ LauranHibberd OUTNOW

KYNSY

Pushing the boundaries of their creative expression through songwriting, production and performance, indie-pop artist Kynsy isn’t content with sitting still. After establishing themselves with their debut, ‘Things That Don’t Exist EP’, the Dublin-based artist talks us through growth, romance and collaboration on their latest release ‘Something To Do With Love’.

Congrats on the release of ‘Something To Do With Love’, how are you feeling about getting your sophomore EP out into the world?

“Really good but strange. It’s been a funny old time working on the new EP this past year and it has been a long process to get it together for sure. I’ve evolved a lot as a person through the making of it and it’s always nice to f inally get ideas and songs of f the hard drive and out into the real world. It’s been fun to get the music videos and ar t work and stu f f like that together for the new songs too, but I will be a bit relieved for sure when it’s released as it takes a lot out of you.”

When did you f irst begin working on this project?

“At the beginning of this year, I was working on di f ferent recording ideas and deciding what to bring into the studio. I felt there was a collection of songs there that when I looked at them dealt with the di f ferent phases of romance and love. I think overall that is what the EP is about. ‘Point of You’ is about trying to deal with rejection from someone I was a bit obsessed with. ‘Thumb Wars’ looks back at an abusive relationship that happened in my teenage years. With ‘Love of Your Life’, I was almost setting myself a challenge to see if I could write a straightforward love song. It’s an expression of that feeling and thought process you go through when you f irst meet someone you really like. When you’re in the early stages of infatuation with them and you fantasise over what the two of you could possibly become in the future. I think as the songs were all recorded it became apparent that there was that broader theme running through them which maybe I wasn’t quite sure of when they were written.”

How do you feel this new music compares to your debut EP, ‘Things That Don’t Exist’?

“I think the f irst EP was a little bit more poppy at times and also possibly a bit

timider in its production and arrangement ideas. ‘Something To Do With Love’ leans a bit more into experimental arrangements and interesting sounds. It sounds a bit more like some people I look up to. I love ar t ists like Roisin Murphy, Broadcast, Por t ishead, Micachu & The Shapes. I think the f irst EP was a good introduction into my songwriting but on this second EP I wasn’t afraid to go to weirder places that maybe I was a little bit afraid to go to before.”

As a solo ar t ist, how does introducing others into your creative process change your music?

“I think it allows a lot more doors to open in terms of the direction a song could go down sonically and it also allows for things to be brought up that you would have not thought of. It opens the process up that way. On the song ‘Love of Your Life’, I had done a basic MIDI string arrangement but we had the terri f ic Will Gardner come in and write a full string arrangement which was an extremely interesting process, plus a bit of a bucket list tick-of f for me as I always dreamed of having a real string arrangement on one of my songs.”

What lies ahead for Kynsy?

“I’m looking forward to playing these songs live. I’ve had a fun summer playing festivals but it’s usually quite a shor t set length so it will be nice to play some of my own shows and play all of the songs. Everything I’ve released, I’ve written by myself. But I do f ind it a little bit solitary at times, so I’ve also been enjoying some co-writing lately and getting to bounce ideas around with someone else. Otherwise, I’ll always be writing songs as that’s what’s most impor t ant to me and working towards putting an album together.”

•

Kynsy’s self-released, sophomore EP, ‘Something To Do With Love’, is out now.

Words by Callum Crowe Photo by fnati.c

NAROLANE Limerick, Dublin

This joyous and upli ft ing hip-hop blend underpinned by strong lyricism and undying energy f inds Denise Chaila, MuRli and God Knows coming together to celebrate life, of fering up moments of introspection alongside outward displays of love and joy.

IZZI DE - ROSA London, England

With her signature witty lyricism and attitude, the self-proclaimed ‘Queen of Brat Pop’, Izzi De-Rosa, throws back to a uniquely British sound of pop. Her latest single ‘love u in the morning’ sees her merging the worlds of Kate Nash and the Sex Pistols.

COBAIN JONES Manchester, England

If you’re the f irst musician that Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Brad f ield is producing outside of the band for nearly twenty years, you must be a special talent. Meet Cobain Jones, a standout, f irebrand singer-songwriter amongst the peers of his generation.

$1000 WALLET Glasgow, Scotland

A Kirkcaldy native, Glasgow-based producer Lee Christie found his community amongst the alt-electronic, hip-hop subculture. His latest EP flips from club rhythms to hard-hitting trap drums, to more experimental electronic sounds, marking him as one to watch.

XONA

Dublin, Ireland

Emerging, London-based artist Xona is a musical triple threat, combining a special talent for songwriting and production with his stunning vocals to deliver sensual and soulful pop music. Keep an ear out for his upcoming single ‘Religion’, a powerful dance track co-written by Grammynominated artist MNEK.

SMOKEY.T

London, England

Exploring all styles within the underground continuum, smokey.t delivers high-energy and hard-hitting sets. A genre-splicing producer with releases ranging from Techno, Jungle, UKG and more, smokey.t is releasing music under Sounds of Craft Records, the music division of London-based creative and consultation lab, Sons of Craft.

COCO & THE LOST

Brighton, England

Euphoric anthems on the slow death of love, sweeping dramas imagining the final resting place of great lost ideas, defiant singalong bops proclaiming everything is fine when life feels anything but fine. Welcome to the irresistible world of Coco And The Lost

MAWPIT

Cardiff, Wales

This Cardiff trio fuses grunge, punk, pop, and soul to create an otherworldly amalgamation of grit and finesse. With strong, socio-political themes, expect an unrelenting storm of elegance, anger and passion with every listen.

SABIYHA

London, England

Championed by the likes of Jack Saunders, Jess Iszatt, Nadine Shah and Iggy Pop, South London-based alt-pop artist, Sabiyha, is returning with new music this autumn that explores sexuality, queer identity, addiction, family, heartbreak, mental health and sisterhood.

CHISSU Leeds, England

Conceived as a side project by R&B singer August Charles, CHISSU ventures into a new world of dangerous soul. Their latest EP mixes jazz, rock, and alternative soul, as the band explores their sound with no restrictions.

ALFIE NEALE

Brighton, England

Influenced by artists such as Easy Life, Anderson .Paak, Tom Misch and Remi Wolf, Brighton singer-songwriter and producer serves up his own ‘cool-pop’ brand of alt-indie that incorporates elements of soul, R&B and dance music.

MALAKI

Dublin, Ireland

Fusing personal expression with piercing social and political commentary, Malaki is a raw talent that broke through this year as one of Ireland’s most exciting new young ar t ists, as illustrated on new single ‘Never Mind’ which is out now.

Marlon Williams

Hi Marlon, how are you feeling about your third album, ‘My Boy’, being out in the world?

“I’m really looking forward to getting it of f my chest and out into the world, and hoping people have a lot of fun with it.

There is a lot of fun, New Romantic inf luences in there. I love the songwriting and over-thetopness of bands like Duran Duran. I was too young to have a sense of it the f irst time round but at least to the modern ear, there’s a silliness to the pathos in that music that

makes for a lot of fun which inf luenced the tone of the record.”

You’ve changed things up on this new album, choosing not to record with your usual backing band of The Yarra Benders. What inf luenced this decision?

“I did. I was very concerned with trying to af ford myself the space to be someone I’m not, as it were. The Yarra Benders and I are extremely close and they all know me so well; I wanted to be the new kid at school, to step into new shoes without feeling like an imposter.”

You have spoken about exploring di f ferent characters within your music, do you f ind that your acting work helps with this?

“Weirdly, I largely got into acting through acting in, and occasionally directing, music videos. Following the journey of the song through to its digestible public conclusion. I’d like to think that it star t ed the other way around. But yes, I’d like to think it’s working back the other way now.”

What do you f ind to be a more e f fective form of ar t istic expression, acting or music?

“For me, I think singing is always going to be the most intuitive, visceral, and gratifying way to express myself but who knows?”

You combine your acting and music work in your video for ‘Thinking of Nina’ that was directed by Spor t s Team. What was it like working with them?

“I love those guys and have known them for years and years. I think the fact that they understand songwriting and how a visual narrative can upset or enhance what’s in the music is such a wonder f ul asset. For us

to have feet in both camps couldn’t help but strengthen the overall result.”

You are set to go on a pretty epic Nor t h American and European tour this autumn, which songs are you most looking forward to per forming live?

“All of them really, but I suppose I’m most looking forward to the challenge of presenting the ones that mark the starkest depar t ure from my previous work: songs like ‘Don’t Go Back’ and ‘Thinking of Nina’.”

What do you want people to take away from ‘My Boy’?

“More questions than answers. I want the album to be obvious, straightforward, and fun in some ways and a little more opaque and darker where it counts.” •

Marlon Williams’ acclaimed third album, ‘My Boy’, is out now via Dead Oceans.

Words by Katie Hubbard Photos by Derek Henderson

Our team has put their heads together, fought it out, and settled on our highlights-in-hindsight, since LICKS #6.

Let us know at @LICKSmag what you think of our hit list from the last three months in music.

BEST VIDEO

BALMING TIGER ‘SEXY NUKIM’

Teaming up with BTS member RM, alternative K-pop collective Balming Tiger endure shock therapy, an asylum and a creepy fan shop in the music video for new single, ‘Sexy Nukim’. Sleek, trippy and dripping with the swagger you come to expect from everything Balming Tiger touch.

BEST DEBUT

JOCKSTRAP ‘I LOVE YOU, JENNIFER B’

Chaotic, thrilling and exper t ly executed, the high-anticipated debut album from London duo Jockstrap doesn’t disappoint. Dancing through EDM, house and experimental pop, ‘I Love You, Jennifer B’ is a fearless and hallucinatory ride that is sure to be one of the best albums of 2022.

BEST SINGLE PRIMA QUEEN ‘ECLIPSE’

Featuring new love interests, relationship hangovers and burgeoning regrets, Prima Queen’s anthemic new track, ‘Eclipse’, is the group’s biggest sounding release to date. Definitely worth catching live during their debut headline tour this autumn.

BEST COLLAB

MURA MASA X ERIKA DE CASIER

Shapeshifting British producer Mura Masa has teamed up with Danish R&B singer Erika de Casier to create the glitchy, old-school-garageinspired new banger ‘e-motions’, which standouts as a highlight on his incredibly stacked, collab-laden new album, ‘demon time’.

BEST ALBUM

CRACK CLOUD ‘TOUGH BABY’

Crack Cloud’s sophomore album ‘Tough Baby’ is a serving of equal measured tomfoolery and theatre. An album that pulls in every distraction, the Canadian collectives have created an utterly unpredictable record, filled with industrial overtones, u-turns, and enough layering to keep you discovering more from each listen.

BEST SHOW ALEXANDRA SAVIOR @ ELECTRIC BALLROOM

Despite two postponements, Portland’s Alexandra Savior finally took her place on stage in front of a sold-out Electric Ballroom. With a setlist filled with greatest hits from 2017’s ‘Belladonna of Sadness’ and 2020’s ‘The Archer’, Savior’s stunning vocals and charming charisma captivated the Camden crowd.

Words by Jack Parker

JELANI

Shirt: Art of Football Chinos: Lee jeans

Footwear: Saucony Chain: Jelani's own (worn throughout)

Can you remember when music first became a part of your life?

“I’ve always done it if I’m honest. It wasn’t an active decision to star t getting involved; it was always just music, music, music. For it to become a career, I think that was a di f ferent step. I don’t know when that would’ve been, I think it was actually quite late in my career. I guess I realised that it was a job because I’d done it so casually for so long. When I star t ed making my name, it still just felt like second nature. It was only when I realised that it was in jeopardy of not happening anymore that I really star t ed taking it seriously and taking steps to make sure I could carry on doing it.”

Was there a part icular moment in which you realised that it was becoming more of a career?

“I guess when I stopped working and it became my full-time job, that should’ve been a sign. But no, it was actually aft er, during a record deal when I wasn’t par t icularly happy and I was questioning what I was doing. I had to ask myself, ‘do I really want to do this?’, and if I do then I should take some ownership over how I’m doing it.”

What records made the biggest impact on that early period of your career?

“‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ is an album that I love but in terms of albums that actually inf luenced my style and understanding of music,

I would say Kanye’s ‘The College Dropout’ and Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Boy In Da Corner’ were really impor t ant. The musicality of ‘The College Dropout’, the range of songs, and how all of them feel like anthems.

It’s hard to create an instant classic and I feel like nearly every song on that album is one. With ‘Boy In Da Corner’, I don’t think I’d ever heard an album from London that felt so iconic and had so many songs that I wanted to listen to over and over again. London is at the hear t of the music that I make with its energy and the stories and the perspective. I think that’s all from growing up here.”

You’ve had a big last twelve months. Your mixtape ‘Unlimited’ came out, you’ve played SXSW, The Great Escape, Glastonbury, and sold out shows across Europe. What were the biggest highlights?

“The tour was a big moment, I think. It was something that I’ve wanted to do for a really long time and it was just amazing to be able to actually get out there, especially of f the back of Covid and the lockdowns. For some people, live music stopping wasn’t as big of a thing and they were actually thankful to have that time to focus on something else. But it was a nightmare for me because I just love playing live so much. So getting on tour was big and it felt like it was never going to happen again at a cer t ain point. Getting back into playing made it feel real, to be honest.”

Moose Knuckles

Nanamica

What is it you enjoy most about touring?

“The people. They’re the people that I’m making the music for. Playing live feels like making the music all over again. I always feel like, when you’re doing a show, you’re recreating the music with the people who are there, and the energy is always crazy. I love that. I’m pretty consistent in what I bring and how I play. I know the songs really well, so I don’t do a setlist. I just decide the songs that I want to play at any given time in the set based on the crowd’s energy. I think that works better for me, and I can be more f lexible. That changes from place to place.”

What crowds surprised you the most when out touring Europe?

“It was all surprising because I had no idea what to expect. It was the f irst time I’d gone and played in a lot of those places so it was all unexpected but I think my favourite was Stockholm. Berlin was also great. I think they were maybe my two favourite shows I played but everywhere had something di f ferent. I loved it all, to be honest. I loved every single one for di f ferent reasons. I think a big par t of the plan next year will be getting back to playing live in a lot of those places.”

In your latest single ‘Comfy’, you’ve collaborated with Moonchild Sanelly and Trillary Banks and previously you’ve worked with the likes of Gorillaz, Big Zuu, and Jords. What do you get out of those collaborations creatively?

“Yeah well, it’s just bringing something else into your own music and sound. There are things that you’d never do, or be able to do yourself, without introducing someone else’s ar t istry and their own identity into how you play. So I think it’s one of the best ways of exploring new things and expanding boundaries and making something interesting. I actually met Moonchild Sanelly in Austin at SXSW Festival, and we chilled out there for a bit and got on really well. We decided that whenever she comes back to the UK we’d do something. She’d been working with Trillary and they had a song out. It was all very natural and had good vibes. We made ‘Comfy’ in a night and then she was gone again.”

Is there anything that you take influence from away from music?

“I like reading a lot. I guess that would be my main inf luence. I’m reading a

JELANI BLACKMAN

“THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU’D NEVER DO, OR BE ABLE TO DO YOURSELF, WITHOUT INTRODUCING SOMEONE ELSE’S ARTISTRY AND THEIR OWN IDENTITY INTO HOW YOU PLAY.”

lot of nonf iction about politics and sociology and philosophy at the moment. I think that’s always been an element of my writing but it’s probably feeding into my music a little bit more than it used to and I’m making music with a purpose and a message, as well as being fun. I think that’s something that’s impor t ant if you can. If that’s your thing.”

On your track ‘Tricky’, you tackle themes of contradiction and privilege. Do you think it’s import ant to write about social issues?

“It’s par t of who I am as a person so it f ilters into the music that I make. I like social history and I’m interested in the way the world works and, by extension, how the mind works - how people function and lots of the contradictions that you see in the world every day that we mostly ignore. But for me, those contradictions, they’re really obvious all the time, so I like to try and highlight them if I can. I don’t think it’s impor t ant for everybody to send a message with their music, because if your opinion is not informed, then I think that’s a dangerous thing. I think that nowadays we live in an era where everybody has an opinion but not everyone’s opinion is informed.

We’re already living in a challenging time so if it’s not pushing things forward and it’s maybe cultivating negative stu f f then no, I don’t think it’s impor t ant for ar t ists to use their platform. If it’s informed by actually looking at what’s going on and thinking about how things could be moved forward, then yeah I think it’s wor t h saying.”

What’s next for you?

“For me, ‘Unlimited’ wasn’t an album. It was more of a mixtape, it was a collection of songs. But I’m working on an album at the moment and it feels really good. I’m enjoying getting into it. You’ll be hearing it next year, def initely. There’ll be more musicality to it, more depth, and it will be bigger for sure.” •

Jelani Blackman’s latest single in collaboration with Moonchild Sanelly and Trillary Banks, ‘Comfy’, is out now.

Words by Jack Parker Photo by Jessie Rose Styling by Rickardo Mattocks-Maxwell

“I’M INTERESTED IN THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS AND, BY EXTENSION, HOW THE MIND WORKS AND HOW PEOPLE FUNCTION.”

Photo by Peter Eason Daniels

When did the new album star t to come together?

“A few of the songs star t ed trickling through when Asha (Lorenz) and I were writing before lockdown, and then when lockdown happened we wrote most of it then. There wasn’t much to do during that time, so we were sor t of f iguring things out. We recorded it last year and it took quite a while to get it all done. We star t ed in August and we f inished it this year in February.”

What was the recording process like? I noticed you worked with quite a few di f ferent producers on the record.

“This album was supposed to be a bit more ‘live’ compared to our f irst one. But we always star t with a demo or a couple of songs. We then went to Bristol to record it with Ali Chant and Adrien Utley. The bulk of that was three weeks. Aft er that f irst recording period, we took a step back and realised we had to write a couple more songs. So Asha and I hunkered down and spent a couple of months trying to write the new songs. We then went back into the studio with Charlie Andrew in London and

did a couple more songs with him. There was a bit of back and for t h, it was a really hard process this one. Not in a bad way, but with our f irst record we didn’t think about it too much. We just did it. But with this second album, we thought about things a bit more.”

How do you think that af fected the outcome and the songs that were created?

“That’s a good question. I wouldn’t say the back and for t h impacted the songwriting too much. We always knew what we wanted to do with it. The back and for t h came to us because we felt there was a bit of energy lacking aft er we went to Bristol. We wanted to add a bit more of an edge, so adding two new songs, ‘Let The Lights On’ and ‘Key To The City’ def initely livened up the album. I think it made it a lot better.”

What was in your mind when you were writing the songs to begin with?

“I think we always wanted to hone in and get better at songwriting. We would previously rely a lot on the computer or the production side of it to make the songs f lourish. We wanted to build up the songs and make sure

AFTER THE SUCCESS OF THEIR ACCLAIMED, DEBUT ALBUM, ‘925’ NORTH LONDON’S SORRY HAVE EXPANDED ON THEIR DARK TINGED, GRUNGE INSPIRED SOUND TO CREATE THE WIDE EYED, BITTERSWEET NEW ALBUM, ‘ANYWHERE BUT HERE’. WE SPOKE WITH GUITARIST AND VOCALIST, LOUIS O’BRYEN, ABOUT TOURING WITH SLEAFORD MODS, GETTING OVER TO THE US AND CREATING A BIGGER SOUND ON THEIR SOPHOMORE EFFORT.

they were really good and proper before we star t ed recording them. We also wanted to implement the use of samples and the more electronic stu f f we do into the actual live recording process. With the f irst album, we recorded it all and then put everything on top of it. Not to say that is the wrong way to do it, but this time we wanted to try things di f ferently. Going into the recording process, we already knew what the songs sounded like and we knew all the electronic bits that were going to happen. I think the outcome made it sound a lot more old school and implementing the samples that way feels like a more classic way to do it.”

Lyrically on the album, how much of that was af fected by writing it during the pandemic? It sounds like quite an optimistic record in places but also like you are yearning a lot in other places.

“I’m glad you said that because I think it is quite optimistic but I think the nature of it makes it seem a bit downbeat and sad. But yes, overall I think the lyrics are quite optimistic. Lockdown did inspire us, not the actual lockdown itself but what happened to everyone’s lives. Everything changed so much, it was impossible for us not to write about things that happened. Our relationships with friends and loved ones changed a lot during that time. Even though we tried to avoid the whole pandemic, it was impossible to ignore how it af fected us. So it naturally creeps its way into the songwriting. Especially because we write about relationships, so I think it was impossible to ignore.”

You mentioned the fact that you went with the live approach on this record. What was the thinking behind that?

“We wanted to try and get a bigger, fuller sound. It was also a way to inspire us. We want to change the way we do things every time, otherwise we get quite easily bored or we feel like things can stagnate if it is the same process. I think we mainly just wanted

to try something di f ferent. We have also been listening to a lot of ‘70s songwriters. Asha was listening to a lot of Carly Simon during lockdown, and I was listening to a lot of Randy Newman. Ar t ists like that inspired us to be real musicians.”

You went on tour earlier this year with Sleaford Mods. How was getting on the road with them and playing in Nor t h America?

“Yes, we toured around the US and Canada with Sleaford Mods. It was great and it was crazy. None of us had really been there before. We had played one show in New York right before Covid, and then the whole world went crazy and we had to immediately come home. So it felt nice to f inally ful f ill that prophecy and to travel around America. Sleaford Mods are lovely and they are really nice guys. They are so good live, so it was cool seeing them. The way they take it so seriously was inspiring, even though their live show is quite theatrical and quite pantomimey, in the best way possible. Also, America is insane, I have never been to a place like it.”

What was the highlight of the tour?

“I thought Chicago was cool, it had this crazy kind of manic energy. New York is wicked, obviously. It was the f irst time most of us had been to the West Coast and visited places like LA, so just seeing that was pretty insane.”

What’s the plan for touring with the album?

“We’ve got an American headline tour in November. Then we’ve got some UK dates at the end of October, as well as some in-stores. We’re going around Europe next year as well, so it should be fun!” •

Sorry’s new album, ‘Anywhere But Here’, is out now via Domino Records.

Words by Laurence Kelly

Photo by Iris Luz

Hey Pixey! It’s been such a momentous year for you. Was there a cer t ain moment where you felt things were going par t icularly well?

“I think the f irst time I realised something was actually happening was when ‘Free to Live in Colour’ hit one-million streams. I get really bad imposter syndrome so I didn’t believe it was going to happen for a long time.”

With your thoughtful style of lyricism, we weren’t surprised to f ind out that you studied English literature at university. Do you think studying poetry and the like inf luenced the way you approach songwriting?

“Although I wish I was naturally gi ft ed at writing lyrics, I think reading poetry helped with my vocabulary. In terms of songwriting, I think listening to music primarily inf luenced how I approach writing music.”

They say music is healing, but with you, that took on a whole new meaning. Do you mind telling us a little bit about how facing health adversity became a catalyst for your music career?

“My family were told to prepare for the worst and that I was probably going to die and to be honest I felt at death’s door. It put into perspective how I was taking my life for granted and that I wasn’t brave enough to pursue something creative.”

Your sound is exhilarating and totally unpredictable. Do you think opting for a more self-taught route as opposed to more traditional music training has played into that unique Pixey sound?

“Absolutely! I’m so glad I was self-taught - it gave me a sound that was truly mine and completely straight out of my brain. Although it would be nice to properly be able to EQ my projects which I’m getting better at now.”

IT’S PIXEY BITCH! A YEAR AFTER UNLEASHING HER SCINTILLATING SECOND EP, LIVERPOOL’S COSMIC POP LUMINARY CAUGHT UP WITH LICKS ON HER RETRO INFLUENCES, BALANCING THE SAD WITH THE SUNNY, AND THE DOWN-LOW ON HER NEW MINI-ALBUM, ‘DREAMS, PAINS & PAPER PLANES’.

What is your favourite track from ‘Dreams, Pains & Paper Planes’, and why?

“My favourite is def initely ‘Kids!’. I was feeling in a total rut about life and I wanted to write something really nihilistic. I guess to try and make sense of my feelings. I love the groove and it’s one of my favourite vocal deliveries too.”

You’ve predominantly gone with a homebrewed bedroom production style for these new releases. What about that dynamic suits you and your sound, and do you think it will stay that way rather than opting for more studio time?

“I think this will be the f inal all round bedroom project. This mini-LP has been a real labour of love for me, but I’m ready to star t experimenting more with synths and a more polished sound I think - keeping my production style though.”

You’re the self-proclaimed ‘indie Britney Spears’. What is it about that era of pop that you love so much? And, if you could only listen to one of her songs for the rest of eternity, which would it be?

“I love the simplicity of those songs. They didn’t take themselves too seriously either which is something I f ind with a lot of ar t ists these days. And probably ‘...Baby One More Time’.”

The Pixey sound incorporates everything from dream pop and breakbeat to breezy lo-f i and sixties psychedelia but oft en gets classi f ied under the indie-pop umbrella. Do you have a preference in terms of pinning down your music, or would you rather forgo labels completely?

“I understand why people put things in a box - as a small ar t ist, I guess some people need a label on it before they decide whether to bother listening. I’ve never really written with a genre in mind though - I like genrebending.”

You’ve had a stacked festival season so far with sets at Y Not, Truck, and Tramlines to name just a few. What is it you love about per forming at festivals and has there been a show that’s stood out to you speci f ically?

“This has been my f irst festival season and I can’t tell you how enjoyable it’s been. It makes me realise how amazing it is to play music for a living. They were all grand for di f ferent reasons, but I really loved Y Notthe crowd were so boss.”

With the retro inf luences and sunny melodies, there’s a real sense of escapism imbued in the Pixey sound. If you could travel to one place in the world right now, where would it be and why?

“Thank you, this means a lot to me! I would def initely be somewhere in Tuscany or one of the Italian Lakes, it’s my favourite place in the whole world and I think about it all the time.” •

Pixey’s new mini-album, ‘Dreams, Pains & Paper Planes’, is out now via Chess Club Records.

Words by Olivia Stock Photos by Isaac Lamb

“I’M SO GLAD I WAS SELF-TAUGHT -

GAVE ME A SOUND THAT WAS TRULY MINE AND COMPLETELY STRAIGHT OUT OF MY BRAIN.”

STRUGGLING TO BREAK INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

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