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PREMIERE: Beatrice Deer Returns to Her Inuit Home for “Immutaa”

Half-Inuk, half-Mohawk indie pop songwriter Beatrice Deer hails from Quaqtaq, a small village in Northern Arctic Quebec that’s only accessible by plane. There, she planted the seeds of what she would become—a television director, clothing-maker, mental health advocate, a mother and songwriter—and there she returned to film a heartwarming music video for her rendition of the traditional Inuk song, “Immutaa.”

Teeming with the children of Quaqtaq, bundled up to their noses in snow suits and dancing in their school gymnasium, the video for “Immutaa” is an upbeat and unadulterated view of this vibrant yet underserved indigenous community in Canada. Deer aims to shed light on her Inuk roots by spreading their traditional music, folk tales and legends—the Inuk cultural story—through her raw, joyful songs that oscillate between English, French, and the native Inuk tongue. She also carries on the tradition of Inuk throat singing in much of her music.

Recently, Deer caught up with Audiofemme to talk about her Inuk background, the filming of the Beatrice Deer Band’s sweet video for “Immutaa,” and her most recent album, My All To You.

AudioFemme: Where is this music video set and why did you choose this location?

Beatrice Deer: The music video is set in my hometown, Quaqtaq – the place I was born and raised and where I learned the song at school, in grade one with my auntie Louisa Kulula as my teacher. I chose this location because I wanted to involve my community and the children who love the song so much. Music is a communication between the musicians on stage and the audience and I wanted the video to be a part of the audience as much as it is ours as the band. I want the world to see the warmth of my community and the people in it.

AF: Who are the children? Why did you want them in the video?

BD: The children in the video are the children of Quaqtaq. They are my family. They are my friends’ children. They are the future of Quaqtaq and Nunavik. I wanted them to have fun and experience something different. I want them to see themselves on a music video and realize that fun projects like that are possible to do, even for a small town girl like me. They’re me when I was their age.

AF: Can you translate the chorus of “Immutaa?” What does it mean?

BD: The song is a very old song and no one knows the date of origin or the songwriter. It’s ancient. It’s a bunch of words without a real story line. Random – when I say random, like extremely random – words like “Harvesting walruses, fish spears, milk, his mittens, five” among other things.

AF: I love how playful this song is. What about the hand gestures—at one point you have your fingers over your eye and the children mirror it—what does that symbolize?

BD: I do that hand gesture where I have my fingers over my eye when the song says in Inuktitut “and his eyes” and the children watch me do it so they mirror it.

AF: Tell me a bit about your background. How did you get into music?

BD: Music is something that I’ve always enjoyed ever since I can remember. My father plays bass and guitar, my mother plays organ and accordion so I grew up around music at home and at church where my parents played. When I was maybe four years old, I remember liking a melody (that turned out to be Roy Orbison as I later found as an adult) and other ’80s tunes that my older sister was listening to. I loved songs in Disney movies and movies like Grease when I was kid. My brother and I watched Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker video cassette until the tape disintegrated pretty much. I always dreamed of being a performer on stage. I was 13 when I asked my father to show me some guitar chords but I wasn’t that serious about it as I mostly wanted to be a singer. As a teenager, I would blast music in my headphones and sing at the top of my lungs while my friends and I drove around town on a snowmobile or a 4-wheeler. I watched MuchMusic whenever I came to Montreal and recorded my favourite songs on VHS to take back home to Quaqtaq, as MuchMusic wasn’t available in Quaqtaq. I wrote my first song with my cousin Jaaji Okpik when I was 15. It’s called “Ilaapik.” We sang that song at a local hockey team’s fundraiser at the school gymnasium in 1998 in our hometown of 350 people. That was my first official performance.

AF: You seem to be involved in many different creative projects other than music—can you give me a brief synopsis?

BD: Right now, I’m fabricating an amauti as part of the upcoming Red Dress exhibition at the National Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec in memory of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls as the Inquiry is coming to a close. An amauti is a coat that Inuit women wear to carry their babies on their backs from birth to about two years old. Hanging a red dress outside your door has become the memorial symbol of the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in Canada. I am honored and humbled to have been asked to fabricate this red amauti to represent the Inuit women of Nunavik who have fallen victim to the tragedy. Also, I work in television production full-time so that’s my day-to-day job. I recently finished recording a cute children’s song for a production company based in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Collaborating on songs with other musical artists happens on a regular basis. And of course, so does writing new songs with my band.

AF: How did you learn to throat sing? Can you tell me a little bit about the tradition and your exposure to it?

BD: I learned how to throat sing at 18 from friends. Throat singing has been around for centuries and it’s a simple rhythmic imitating game between two women. The leader of the two start off by making an imitating sound of, for example, the river, and the follower mimics the exact same sound half a beat after and they create a pattern. It’s quite challenging and technical which makes it a lot of fun. It was a pass time activity as women spent their days at the camp while the men went out hunting for the family. No one really throat sang in Quaqtaq and I only used to hear it from time to time on the radio or the Inuktitut TV when I was growing up. It is because it was forbidden by the missionaries in the early 1900’s so the oppression caused Inuit to think it was bad. Times have changed and many, many girls and women throat sing thanks to passionate people to encouraged and taught the songs before the practice completely disappeared. We as Inuit prefer to keep it within our culture since it is unique to us and it was something we almost lost due to colonization so we kindly decline requests to teach outside our culture.

AF: Inuit culture is not very well-known by most outside of the community. Why have you made it your objective to share Inuit culture and teach others about it?

BD: We were an oppressed people until recently. We are only 12,000 Inuit in Nunavik and 60,000 in Canada. That is a small number comparing to other cultures in the world. We have gone through so much atrocities as a people due to attempts of assimilation in less than a century. The media portrays the negative image of Indigenous people so that’s what the majority only sees. It’s a one sided story. No one really questions the why and just assumes that we are all homeless, uneducated, on welfare and addicted to something. We didn’t get to where we are on our own. So, I try to make a point in educating about the resilience of my people and the beauty of our culture. Our values, beliefs, and ingenuity. All [of the] things that brought us here today.

AF: Tell me about your new album, My All To You. I know that companionship is a major theme, and that you invoke the legend of “Atungak.” Why do these themes come up on your new album and what do they mean to you?

BD: My All to You is really about giving in. Giving in to a higher power, giving in to vulnerability. There is strength in giving in to the right things. Life’s challenges can make us feel alone and powerless but knowing and believing we are not alone in whatever we go through can give us just what we need to get back up. It’s empowering.

I don’t invoke the legend of Atungak in the album. I wrote [a] song based on the legend of the shaman that an Elder told me, God rest her soul, because I value the tradition of story telling in Inuit culture. Storytelling was a nightly ritual in igloos and tents during nomadic times as families were going to sleep and it’s a shame that it’s not something that many of us do anymore. I wrote it because it’s my way of continuing the practice of Inuit storytelling.

AF: Who’s in your band? Is it the same personnel that’s on the album?

BD: It’s always the same core members and sometimes we’ll have keys or another throat singer. The core members are myself, Christopher McCarron on guitars, Michael Felber on bass, management and producer of My All to You, Jordey Tucker, on guitars, and Mark Weathon on drums, who [also] produced My All to You. I usually have my friend Pauyungie Nutaraaluk as my throat singing partner and Parker Shper on keys.

AF: Anything else you want people to know?

BD: Fun fact: The “eskimo kiss” is not the touching of two nose tips, it’s actually pressing both nostrils on the skin and inhaling—as shown at some point in the video. Just clearing things up!

PREMIERE: Swimming Bell “For Brinsley”

Though singer-songwriter Katie Schottland is based in Brooklyn, the music she makes as Swimming Bell defies expectations one might have in light of that fact. The creative force behind the group, Schottland’s career began in 2015, when she broke her foot in a fall and began teaching herself the chords to Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon.” Her latest single, “For Brinsley,” is delicate and textured, Schottland’s drawling voice crooning over a haunting steel guitar. It’s the second single from her forthcoming LP Wild Sight, out April 5th via Adventure Club Records.

An intuitive and melodic artist, Schottland paints a vivid picture with “For Brinsley,” its characters coming together almost in front of the listener’s eyes. What I love most about the track, though, is how familiar it feels. It’s a long drive under a full moon in early autumn, the breeze carrying the first chill and the road stretching out as far as the eye can see. It’s the wail of a steel guitar on an old-timey radio, harmonies creeping through a still, dark night. It’s beautiful and ethereal, the kind of track that draws you in and wraps you up in it.

Audiofemme is pleased to premiere “For Brinsley.” Listen below and read on for our interview with Schottland for the surprising inspiration behind the contemplative track.

AF: Let’s start from the beginning; how did you get into music? When did you realize that music was more than a hobby and something you wanted to do as a career?

KS: I can’t really remember a time when music wasn’t a part of my life. It started with my parents and the things they listened to: The Beatles, Beach Boys, John Denver, and Peter, Paul, and Mary, just to name a few. I remember distinctly when I decided to make music more than a hobby because it was pretty scary. It was just a few years ago, and I was trying to figure out what to do with my life, in a bit of an existential mindset, and I kept coming back to music. It was the only thing in my life that I had ever wanted to work hard at, so I realized I should just do that.

AF: It’s mentioned in your bio that you played drums for a friend’s band. What’s it like to transition from a drummer in another band to the front-woman and singer-songwriter of your own project?

KS: “Played drums” is a pretty loose term! I played floor tom and snare in my friend’s band because I could keep a beat. I had already started writing songs and could play the guitar a little. This was a short-lived but very fun band to play in. A bunch of good friends, sometimes more, singing love songs. I started my own band very shortly after. We were called Stills. Since then, I’ve somehow managed to become the backup drummer for two other bands, which I find pretty funny. I love it all!

AF: What’s your creative process like?

KS: I find creativity can hit any time, anywhere. Very often for me, I’ll have a little line pop up in my head and I’ll jot it down. I lose many more little moments like this than I actually manage to keep. Sometimes late at night I’ll think of something and say to myself, “Write it down, or you’ll forget,” but often I’m too tired. Sure enough, it never comes back. Creativity also comes from just forcing myself to play the guitar and be in my studio for hours. Maybe I get nowhere, but I gotta get through that to find the next thing. There’s always something to gain from just practicing and playing.

AF: As a self-taught musician, how do you explain the way you go about writing your songs? Does it come very naturally, and, if so, does it ever surprise you how natural it is to you?

KS: I write songs in different ways, and I’ve had lots of conversations with many talented and trained musicians. I think everyone has their own methods and inspiration, but I’ve been surprised by how much overlap there is. Whether you’re a new songwriter, or a seasoned one, it all seems to come from a similar place. But I do think it’s a craft like anything else. As I said earlier, sometimes you have to just force yourself to play for hours knowing that maybe nothing will come out of it, but you gotta get through that to get to the next.

AF: Who do you consider your greatest inspirations when it comes to songwriting?

KS: So many incredible songwriters! Some of the influential ones for me have been Fiona Apple, Tomo Nakayama, Paul Simon, and my friends!

AF: “For Brinsley” is such a haunting, ethereal song, blending layered percussion and steel guitar. How do you incorporate such timeless sounds and put a modern and unique twist on them?

KS: The production on this album was inspired by Beck’s Sea Change. That album blew my mind when it came out. I loved the layers, the strange moments, the pedal steel, reverbs, etc. I wanted to try and get my own version of those sounds. Oli Deakin, who produced it, did a great job interpreting my ideas and adding his own, and we built it together.

AF: What inspired “For Brinsley”?

KS: Brinsley Schwarz is a musician – and the name of a band – that has a song called “Don’t Lose Your Grip on Love.” I was listening to that song a lot when I was in California last year. I kind of “borrowed” the chorus, so I wanted to dedicate the song to him. I guess if he catches wind, I’m doing something right.

AF: What do you hope listeners take from the song?

KS: I hope they just like to listen to it and they take whatever they need or want from it!

AF: What do you consider the greatest accomplishment of your career so far? The greatest challenge?

KS: I think the greatest accomplishment so far is simply the ability to push forward with music. I’m just kind of proud and surprised at my drive in all of this. I just keep pushing myself and making music. The greatest challenge is not getting in my own way with doubt and insecurity.

AF: What advice would you have for your younger self?

KS: Don’t start smoking cigarettes.

AF: What’s next for Swimming Bell?

KS: I dunno! I’d love to be asked on a tour through Europe or something!

Follow Swimming Bell on Facebook, keep an eye out for her upcoming album, Wild Sight, out April 5th via Adventure Club Records, and catch her on tour this spring.

SWIMMING BELL TOUR DATES:

3/14 – Easthampton, MA @ Luthier’s Co-op
3/15 – Catskill, NY @ Hilo Catskill
3/16 – Rochester, NY @ Abilene Bar and Lounge
3/17 – Toronto, ON @ Burdock
3/19 – Burlington, VT @ Radio Bean
3/20 – Boston, MA @ Sofar Sounds
3/21 – Warren, RI @ Galactic Theatre
3/22 – New Haven, CT @ Crunch House
3/23 – Windham, CT @ Willimantic Records
3/24 – Westerly, RI @ Knickerbocker Taproom
4/06 – Brooklyn, NY @ Trans-Pecos (Record Release Show w/ Monteagle & Pale Mara)
4/13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Bourbon and Branch
4/17 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
4/18 – Athens, GA @ The Flicker Theatre and Bar
4/19 – Chattanooga, TN @ JJ’s Bohemia

PREMIERE: Rose of The West Maps Their Mythology With “Roads”

In the pale sands of a seemingly endless landscape, Gina Barrington stands like a bright bloom, her fiery mane adorned with a crown of sunbleached twigs. Droning harmonium adds a psychedelic haze to the reassuring words she sings: “If we take the long way, I swear it’s okay…” By the time she offers her solemn warning (“All the fragile hearts were break”) it’s too late; you’re already under her spell and along for the ride, no matter what lies ahead.

Barrington has been on a journey, one that the video for “Roads” reflects in saturated tones. Having moved from Milwaukee to Los Angeles and back again, her latest musical project, Rose of the West, takes the form of a dreampop five-piece, rounded out by Cedric LeMoyne (Remy Zero, Alanis Morissette), Thomas Gilbert (GGOOLLDD), Erin Wolf (Hello Death) and Dave Power (The Staves). The group takes its name from the colloquial term for Eucalyptus macrocarpa, an Australian plant known equally for the stunning electric hue of its blossoms and for its ability to flourish in hostile climates, certainly an apt comparison. As the first single from the band’s forthcoming self-titled debut, which arrives April 5th via Communicating Vessels, “Roads” provides a map revealing where the band has been, where it is going, and the perseverance burning in its core.

The video, directed by Barrington’s longtime friend and business partner Aliza Baran, positions Barrington as clairvoyant guide along an uncertain path, twirling in neon silks or squinting through a black lattice mask at the undulating horizon. These visuals cement the band’s rustic style as well as its mythology in a way only someone close to the project and its progenitor could. With its expansive beauty, full of possibility and danger alike, the desert could not be a better backdrop to introduce Rose of the West to the world.

Check out the video below and read our interview with Gina Barrington as she retraces the meandering path she took to get to this moment.

AF: Rose of the West is a project five years in the making – can you tell me about some of the challenges you’ve faced getting a permanent lineup together? How did the band finally form?

GB: Finding a tribe isn’t ever easy; it’s incredibly difficult if you happen to be a bit of an introverted soul. I felt like I was always in the wrong place at the best time, attracting people that were not a good fit long term. When the last version of the band fell apart, I stopped, took a break to breathe and heal from a turbulent relationship. I had more to figure out than just why things disintegrated again… I had to do some deep diving to work on fixing my shit. That was hard, and it hurt. Once I accepted things and started moving through it, this line-up came to me pretty quickly. It went through some changes in the beginning, but landed with myself and Thomas (guitar) first, then Erin (keys, voc), who I’d known as friends and musicians playing in other bands around Milwaukee. Eventually Cedric joined on bass, who I’ve known half my life and has always wanted to work with me. The last missing ingredient was Dave on drums, who we’d known from being in the Eau Claire scene. The chemistry finally seems right to accomplish what I’m after.

AF: What was your childhood like, growing up in a musical household and playing so many different instruments? How did that influence your sound?

GB: My grandfather was a high school orchestra teacher. He played many instruments himself, and really tried to get me to be a traditionally good music student, which I was not. I didn’t have the discipline, or the desire to sit and play scales on piano or violin. What I did have was a really good ear, and the ability to pick something up and play it okay enough to use it as a tool. I loved to sing, and just fiddle around on the piano. I wanted a guitar, which I wasn’t allowed to have until I had mastered the basics on piano… which I never did. I had music in my blood, I knew it would be a part of my life, but I needed to create it for myself. It took me a long time to find my voice.

I grew up listening to a lot of classical, and Italian folk music. My grandparents, brother, and I performed in the Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee for many years, so that type of music was in my head all the time. When I was a teenager, I was very hungry for new music, moving quickly past a lot of the radio pop. I started gravitating towards The Cure, Siouxsie Sioux, Kate Bush, Leonard Cohen… These types of artists satisfied my need for meaning in words and music, feeling just as truthful and expressive as the classical music played in my grandparents’ house, but somehow with a heaviness that resonated with me at that time so much.

AF: Sonically I hear some psychedelic influences – can you talk a little about the sound you were going for and what has inspired it, musically or otherwise?

GB: I usually try to create a feeling of sonic atmosphere around my storytelling…. it tends to be dreamy, layered, textural things I start with before I add lyrics and melodies. I like things to feel like we may be having a conversation about what it feels like to go through life and experience every emotion, even the most plaguing, difficult ones. I think the band as a whole tends to veer toward a heavy nod to the late ’80s, early ’90s vibes. I think the sound really came to life when we took the demos down to Communicating Vessels’ studio in Birmingham, AL to start recording. The direction and feeling were already there, but having the opportunity to take what we had done and really start experimenting by pulling those special otherworldly sounds and parts out was what we needed. With the guidance of Brad Timko and Jeffrey Cain, we found and created a world we could get lost in, and hopefully other people too.

AF: I love that the lyrics have a message of perseverance and echo some of the meandering routes you had to take to bring this project to fruition. What was your mindset when you wrote the song?

GB: “Roads” is a song that has been with me for quite awhile. I don’t think anyone thought of it as a single until we finally recorded it. It was born after a trip down to Chicago to purchase a harmonium, which I just loved the sound of. I brought it home and immediately went down to the basement and started recording the dreamy drone of one chord, and everything started to flow out around it. It came very quickly, and it was at a time when I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next – my life was a bit of a mess. I think I wrote it knowing things were maybe going to get messier, and they did. But I couldn’t give up, and couldn’t let fear of the unknown hold me back anymore, knowing both pain and happiness could teach me many valuable things.

AF: How did you hook up with the video’s director, Aliza Baran? What was the vision for this video initially?

GB: I have known Aliza for many years, maybe many lifetimes. We often collaborate on each other’s creative projects. I was in the process of planning the video, I wasn’t even sure which song was going to be the single. I had someone else interested in shooting and directing, but I wasn’t very excited about the direction, it wasn’t feeling right. Aliza and I were having coffee, discussing our business – the store we co-own (Serpentine Salvage) in Milwaukee, WI – when she mentioned to me that the direction of the video didn’t seem true to me, the band or the music, so I just plainly said, then do you want to do it? We had a plan within a few minutes. She is also very fond of the southwestern part of the country, also knows my father and has been there a few times with and without me – we even hosted her wedding there on a stunning vista. Everything fell into place, as “Roads” was chosen for the first single, and we felt that was the best location to shoot it, and showcase the strange duality of that gorgeous place, and of being human. We wanted to tell a visual story about the many paths and choices we have in life, good or bad, light or dark, easy or hard, vague or obvious.

AF: The video (as well as the name of the band) conjures very strong associations to the wild American frontier. What about that era and the West itself do you find compelling?

GB: I personally have a strong connection to the Southwest, and the high desert. My father has lived there for most of my life, in a very small town, Magdalena, NM. Half of the “Roads” video was shot there, and the other half in White Sands, NM. Both the beauty and the harshness of the landscape attract me equally. It’s mysterious, vast, and feels truly uncontrollable. It can make you feel so isolated, yet so full of peace at the same time. There is a darkness and a magic that cover things like a thin blanket there, and I often find myself wanting to return there.

AF: What else can you tell me about your forthcoming debut?

GB: Getting to this point and having the record done seemed impossible at times. I think some part of me always knew it would happen, but not easily. I would never trade any of the experiences I had leading up to this, and I think the record takes you on a journey with us when you listen to it. It’s intended as a full album experience like things I listened to growing up. I hope people can relate, and I can’t wait to get it out in the world officially.

AF: What are your touring plans behind the new record? What can folks coming out to see Rose of the West expect?

GB: We’re starting at home with a release show on April 6th, at Mad Planet (Milw. WI) and will continue playing regionally around the Midwest over the next few months. Then we’ll do a more extensive headline or support tour late summer/early fall. We’re looking forward to getting out there to support this record, and connect with people at our shows. We aim to make you feel and move.

Follow Rose of The West on Facebook.

PREMIERE: Lauren Eylise Documentary “The Most” Centers Female Experience

Lauren Eylise wanted to do something special for the music video for her song, “The Most.”

“The Most (Madonna-Whore Interlude)” comes off the Cincinnati singer’s most recent album, Life / Death / Life and explores themes of shame, expression, and owning the dialogue surrounding female sexuality. Because of her connection to the song and the conversation it promotes, she decided to film a mini-documentary targeting the exact same subject.

The Most documentary asks four Cincinnati women – Brittany, Savannah, Erin, and Sandra – as well as the singer herself, about their first introductions to sex, not just from a physical standpoint, but also about their mindsets surrounding it. Lauren wanted to feature women of different backgrounds, races, ages and experiences in order to properly portray the diversity of women in general. While they differed in first times, body image and upbringing, the women shared similar anxieties, initial introductions and perceptions. The documentary sparks a conversation about slut-shaming, the media’s role in body image and sex, sex portrayal through a predominantly male gaze and the harmful initial introduction many women have to sex and their bodies. The documentary closes by asking each of the women “Who are you?” All of the subjects look taken aback and contemplate the question. The doc then transitions into the music video portion, where Lauren creates a visual image of self-love to her song “The Most.”

Here, Lauren talks about The Most documentary, future visions for a similar ongoing video series and why she’s an advocate for open and honest dialogue about sex. We’re premiering it below in honor of International Women’s Day.

AF: Congrats on your premiere! What made you want to do this documentary-style video, rather than a traditional music video?

LE: Thank you! There were so many risks with it. For one, it’s an interlude. It’s the shortest song on the album, but it really means the most to me because of the commentary. It was definitely a labor of love. But I’m not gonna lie, even premiering it, I’m very nervous about it from a music perspective, with it being a lot more message-centered. It’s in alignment with me, but still. And then the actual music video portion of it is just me touching myself, which was very intentional as well! Every time we see sex portrayed, generally, it’s through a male gaze. Sometimes it’s a woman perpetrating it, but it’s pretty much her putting on a show of her internalized misogyny. As bare as possible, I don’t need to be doing anything extreme, it’s not about that; it’s about the female form.

I think it was Brittany in the video who mentions how women see themselves. She talks about seeing things in lines and curves and shapes and I’m like, sister, I’m with you! When I talk about sex it’s not necessarily in alignment with the way the male gaze perpetrates it. I see lines and curves and shadows and all those things I demonstrated. I’m very proud of myself and the team for executing it and I just hope it’s well received. But at the same time if it’s not, I don’t give a shit! If you don’t receive it, it’s not for you. It is for us, the women who are seeking to redefine that narrative.

AF: Why do this video and style for “The Most”?

LE: There are women, generations even, removed from this conversation. Woman and wife are not synonymous. Woman and nurturer are not synonymous – though, that’s a very positive and beautiful trait of women. My entire purpose of “The Most” was to express female sensuality and female autonomy therein through a woman’s language, a woman’s gaze, because it’s very important to me.

I love my parents, but a lot of their old paradigms and thoughts were manifested into me. ‘Don’t have sex until you’re married,’ which I’m not saying is a bad thing, but it can be a bad thing. We’ve gotta get to the why. Why? Why shouldn’t I have sex until I’m married? And why is that the beginning and the end of the conversation? I don’t even know my body and you’re telling me not to use it. I was not comfortable with [the fact] that I was 23, 24, 25, reflecting and trying to figure out my body. And what really sucked is that I’m trying to learn some of these things, and unlearn some of these things, in the middle of conflict with my body. I’m already using my body at this point, and so now I’ve got shame and guilt because of things I was taught that aren’t necessarily true.

Tradition and truth are not interchangeable. My purpose for “The Most” was really like a fuck you to patriarchy and the way that it plays itself out in life and the way that it manipulates women, and men too, and how we’re all bound to it and enslaved by it. Transforming our thought process around sex is important to me because it’s a pillar for bigger conversations.

AF: How did you find women who wanted to share their stories and perspectives of sex?

LE: These are all women that I know; we’ve become friends for sure. Brittany, I didn’t know her at all before. A friend of mine called me and said hey, my friend is getting engaged and she wants you to sing for her engagement. I said okay, I sang at her engagement, her and her wife Erica, and then I sang at their wedding. So we’ve built a relationship because I was so involved in their union. And then the other women I’ve worked with in more professional spaces and then came to build a relationship.

It was interesting; I didn’t know anything about them, to that degree. I was grateful that I had different perspectives. Savannah, who’s been comfortable with her body—she’s a dancer, whereas someone like Brittany who grew up in the church and had a lot of issues with her body image. It’s very reflective of women, generally. I appreciated their honesty and transparency. Even the conversations we had off-screen—I was bawling.

The Most — Photos by Kevin J. Watkins (@ohthatsdubs).

AF: What’s something you learned or had solidified in your mind about the various female perspectives of sex through filming this documentary?

LE: Something that was solidified was that I’m not alone in this. And they’re not alone in this. Sure, all different experiences [but] there were so many similarities. It was reassuring that the work I am seeking to do through my art is necessary. Because again, just as there are men who don’t know, there are women who don’t know. Women who are like very stuck in these roles and these beliefs, they don’t even know why they believe them. My thing is always like, believe what you want to believe, but know why you believe it. If your answer is just ‘the way it is,’ nah. Come again.

AF: You talk about how we need to open up a dialogue with other women and men about sex and that you’d also like to turn this documentary into an ongoing series. For future videos, would you include men in the conversation?

LE: Absolutely. We actually talked about that. I have a song that will hopefully make my next project, it’s called “Real Boy.” It’s a play on Pinocchio and it’s very intense. It’s a call for the destruction of toxic masculinity. Masculinity has a place, just like femininity has a place. Neither of them are tied to either sex. Women have masculine traits and feminine traits. But yes, this conversation definitely has to keep going. I’m going to use my art to push that conversation along, so I do hope that I can manifest that with this next song and this next project.

It’s funny because it was a male videographer who worked on this and it was interesting to hear his response to the women and to hear his response to the questions. He was baffled. He was like, ‘Man, I didn’t know.’ He was baffled at the entire concept of these roles not being innate to us. And I know there are levels to that. Some men are deeper in the rabbit hole and some are not. But he even said, I would love to have this conversation with women and more men because I don’t think a lot of us even know about these things.

Unfortunately, we have our experiences, and some of the women talk about their first times and whatnot, we make the mistake of assuming that all men are like those men we had those experiences with, when they’re not. I don’t think any real healing will take place until we have that open dialogue. It’s still going to be an imbalance if we have all these women healing and gaining awareness and then we have all these men falling behind. We’re still not connecting, and that’s important. We’ve got a lot of healing to do!

PREMIERE: Taleen Kali Covers “Baby Love”

Valentine’s Day is more than just the seminal masterpiece starring Bradley Cooper, Jessica Alba, and Ashton Kutcher (I kid, I kid). It’s a day of flowers, candy, and hiding away in your apartment listening to sad songs on repeat.

If Adele’s 21 has invaded too many of your Spotify playlists, Taleen Kali’s latest single “Baby Love” will fill your I-bought-myself-chocolate disposition. Originally recorded by The Supremes in 1964, “Baby Love” has that classic Diana Ross cool to it – a detached sadness that pairs perfectly with a shoulder length bob and a glittering pantsuit. Kali’s cover combines a modern beat with a ’60s surfer vibe vocal; it’s a definitively West Coast rendition, the kind of tune Don Draper would spin in his California bungalow. If you’re looking for a gimmick, look elsewhere *cough Weezer*; Kali retains much of the original song’s melancholy, while adding in a style that is all her own.

Read about the song’s production process – with help from former Dum Dum Girl Kristin Kontrol – and listen to “Baby Love” below:

AF: Why did you choose to cover this song?

Taleen Kali: “Baby Love” is the first song I remember singing along to as a kid… I’d sing it to my parents all the time, so this one’s dedicated to them. I’ve always wanted to do a noisy space-rock take on a classic Motown love song, and nobody does girl groups quite like Diana Ross.

AF: What is the experimentation phase like for a song like this?

TK: This one was a total studio experiment during our Sunset Sound album sessions. I wanted to keep the lyrics old school and subvert the classic love song by shaking up the instrumentation, so we went through a few different vibes with the band. First we tried a grungy take that didn’t land, and then a sleepy shoegaze version that was too saccharine – there was no bite. Once my producer Kristin Kontrol helped us find the right beat, Miles Marsico’s fuzzy bass line was able to take front and center, and then everything else fell into place from there.

AF: Did you have the phrasing down when you went into record or were there a few variations at first?

TK: I always knew I wanted to sing certain parts with that classic girl group affectation of feminine yearning, and then at some point to disrupt it, updating it with an active drive. The phrasing was all done on the spot, line-by-line… it begins with a question and ends with a demand. It feels so empowering.

Taleen Kali’s latest record Soul Songs is out now Lolipop Records. Looking for the perfect date night? Catch her LIVE:

2/13 Valentine’s Single Release @ Alphaville, New York

2/15 Live on the air @ KUCI 88.9FM Radio, Irvine

3/01 DUM DUM Zine Fest @ The Smell, Los Angeles

5/18 L.A. Zine Week Kickoff @ The Echo, Los Angeles

PREMIERE: Lovebird Duo The Bergamot Celebrate Valentine’s Day With “Periscope”

High school sweethearts Jillian and Nathaniel make up The Bergamot, an indie rock band based in Brooklyn. The two met in their home state of Indiana and moved to New York together to start their music career adventure, which lead to tours, performing at SXSW and releasing five albums.

Today, they release their music video for their latest single, “Periscope.” Produced by London-based engineer Matt Wiggins, “Periscope” was written by Nathaniel as a love song to Jillian as the couple took a long road trip and traversed across 50 states in 2016. The Bergamot is currently co-producing a full-length documentary also inspired by footage of this trip and the “Periscope” music video includes footage from six of the states over the course of three years. The duo is also set to release a full-length album and go on tour this summer. Here, they talk about their music video, their upcoming album Mayflies and what it takes to be successful partners in music and in life.

AF: Tell me a little bit about your band—are you husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend?

Nathaniel: Jillian and I are high school sweethearts from the heartland. We fell in love in Indiana, got married by my great Uncle and partied in a barn until the wee hours of the morning in South Bend, IN (2013). In the winter of that year we moved to NYC and never looked back. Our single “P.D.R.” began a journey for us that culminated with us traveling to London to make our new record with renowned Producer/Engineer Matt Wiggins. Our newest single “Periscope” is the first release from that journey and we could not be more excited to drop it on Valentines Day.

AF: Where was this music video filmed?

Jillian: It includes six States (HI, CA, MI, IL, TX, OR). The music video was filmed over a three-year period. Some of this footage is from our 50 State – 50,000 mile journey in 2016 filming a documentary called “State of the Unity” set to drop this year. The live footage is from a headlining show in Chicago (at Schubas) and from when we opened up for the X-Ambassadors in Austin, TX.

AF: What made you decide to compile three years worth of footage for the video?

Jillian: The last three years of our lives have been spent living out of suitcases all over the world. We have had amazing experiences and some devastating ones as well. With this new release, we really wanted to capture and share some of those real moments with our fans. In a way we wanted to take them on the road with us to see what it was like out there.

AF: What’s different about your relationship now that you work and play music together?

Nathaniel: We know our jobs, we know our roles, we help each other out and stay out of each other’s way when needed. I grew up working on a farm and Jillian grew up mowing lawns and saving money. Now we own a record label together. We work really hard and are not afraid to ask for help.

AF: What advice do you have for couples who work or create together?

Both: In the beginning, do everything. No matter what the task, just jump in and learn how to solve problems. There will be plenty of them. After a while, you begin to learn your strengths and weaknesses. Don’t be afraid to admit when you are wrong and if you fucked something up. Ask for forgiveness and help when you need it and sometimes when you don’t. Finally, learn to be strong for each other in times of weakness and never stop loving each other.

AF: Tell me a little bit about the message behind “Periscope.”

Nathaniel: Falling in love is easy, staying in love is hard. I have always been fascinated by the ocean. During our journey in 2016, I was reading the great maritime novel Moby Dick during our journey from sea to shining sea. Most of the book is spent swimming through life at sea. The great sighting only occurs in the last few pages of the book. The real story is the journey – and the journey the story. Road life has a way of stripping life down to the very basics. “Periscope” attempts to paint love as it occurs living out on the road. As if I was submerged under the ocean waters, viewing the vastness of life and love through the narrow lens of a periscope.

AF: Did you write it together?

Nathaniel: I wrote this song for Jillian halfway through our 50 State journey in 2016. It was a vulnerable period for myself and for our relationship. I was a struggling husband trying to let my worried wife know that we will be alright. Even though to this day I have probably never been more scared for our lives and overall well being then during those months. Those days still keep me up at night, the things we saw out on the road that year, but that’s for another time.

AF: You’re gearing up to release an album this summer – what can fans expect?

Both: Our new album Mayflies takes you on a journey. Just as the environmentally sensitive little creature the mayfly journeys fearlessly through its short and vulnerable life, so do we on our human journey. From a release standpoint, we have been pretty quiet over the last few years. Not for a lack of effort, that’s for sure. We had so much to learn and so much to write. When you are out there touring profound stories and wisdom that had been overlooked come to you and change your perspective.

Out here on the road, we experienced awe-inspiring stories and insights from everyday Americans. We had to go to all 50 states to find them, live with them, breathe with them. This was real. We are sick of a lot of the music on the radio and TV – so much posing. We are really proud of this collection of songs on Mayflies – the lyrics, arrangements, and productions. Matt Wiggins and his team are simply genius. We are deeply satisfied with the record we returned with from London.

AF: You’re also going to be touring this year and performing at Wanderlust Music Festival. When will you be releasing your tour stops and dates?

Jillian: Our summer dates are starting to fill up fast. We will be making a big summer/fall tour announcement in the next few months so stay tuned.

AF: Last but not least, how are the two of you celebrating Valentine’s Day?

Jillian: Most likely we will be eating PB&J’s in our van listening to Steinbeck somewhere on I-17 between Los Angeles, CA and Phoenix, AZ. That night we have a performance in AZ for a “Cloth & Flame” event in the desert which will be super fun. With a brand new album and a documentary on the horizon, times are tight but I can feel that our best times lie ahead of us and that is something to celebrate.

PLAYING ATLANTA: The Howling Tongues Premiere New Single “Daily Dose”

When The Howling Tongues hit you, you know it. Atlanta’s brazen sons of rock ’n roll — Davey Rockett, Nick Magliochetti, Brandon Witcher, Thomas Wainright, and Tylor James — are best known for their signature garage rock-inspired records and over-the-top, bombastic performances, and made their name in the darkest, grimiest rock clubs around the country before taking the stage with Bon Jovi at State Farm Arena in May 2018. After spending most of the last decade wearing out the roads and leaving fans dazed and confused, the quintet is back and better than ever with a series of singles preceding their newest recording project.

Audiofemme caught up with lead guitarist and producer Nick Magliochetti and drummer Tylor James for the premiere of their newest single, “Daily Dose.” They’re gearing up their last show of the year, The Howling Tongues “It’s Not A Christmas Money Grab” Show at The Earl on December 20th. Read on and get ready to party with rock’s most devoted disciples.

AF: You’ve been together for over seven years, and friends even longer than that. What’s your secret to longevity?

NM: The fact that we were friends for so long before really set us up to be able to communicate more openly. We live together and do a lot of things together, when a lot of bands don’t go that far with their relationships. We’ve kinda just been rooted in that for so long, it’s become second nature.

AF: What’s been the biggest change within the group since you started?

NM: I think the biggest change has been streaming and availability of music. The modern DIY scene had just kind of started when we were starting out as a band. We were selling a ton of CDs in the beginning. Now with Spotify and Apple Music and others, our big sellers are vinyl and other merch items. I think Spotify is a tool that artists can use nowadays to promote themselves.

TJ: And sometimes we can charge money to go play somewhere.

AF: How do you keep the creativity flowing and evolving? Do you ever feel musically stagnant, and if so, how do you get beyond it and keep creating?

NM: We try not to put ourselves into a box when we’re in the studio, but more into a situation where a song can come out. Whether someone writes a part on an instrument that they’re not used to, or has a strange idea for a song lyric or title, that’s the stuff that’s inspiring. Having lots of options and infinite time is the real killer of creativity.

TJ: And you’ve just gotta keep listening. Everyone’s gonna get stagnant once in a while, but that can be limited by constantly seeking inspiration, whether it’s music or otherwise.

AF: “Daily Dose,” and your last single, “Fever Dream,” are a step away from the sound you trademarked in 2016 with Boo Hiss. What new sounds and techniques are inspiring you guys for these latest songs, and how important to you is it to maintain The Howling Tongues’ sound?

NM: With Boo Hiss, we wanted to be more bold and daring and take some chances. We’re all about creating moments in songs and on stage, so this is really us taking that ideology and diving even further into it. We’re always trying to push ourselves and continue to make the kind of music we love. We are always pushing the studio to the limits, using different equipment and things that might be unique. Sometimes the stuff that’s broken or almost broken can be inspiring and create a really cool moment in the track. I think we did some of that with these latest singles.

TJ: I don’t know if I could cite one sound or technique specifically, but we try to never be afraid to just play around with shit in the studio until we stumble into something we enjoy playing and hearing back. The Howling Tongues’ sound is free to change as we change; we’re not Aerosmith.

AF: How has the creative process changed for you guys?

NM: Since we have our own studio, it’s good for us to put a little pressure on ourselves and create deadlines. If we don’t do that, then we sit on stuff for a long time, which is easy to do that because of infinite studio time. If you limit that, it forces you to make decisions and that usually leads to some pretty cool stuff happening.

AF: What’s been the proudest moment for you as a group over the last seven years?

NM: Every time we release something new is a proud moment for all of us. That’s what gets us most excited. We want to keep making music that people can turn up really loud and get lost in it for a moment. That’s what gets us going.

AF: How has the Atlanta music scene impacted you as a band? What’s your favorite part of the music scene here?

NM: The Atlanta scene has been amazing. We have seen so many bands come and go in seven years of being a part of the scene. Plus it’s so diverse in Atlanta. There are a lot of bands with their own unique sound, and that creates interesting shows here in Atlanta.

TJ: There are so many different and fun places to play, and some good promoters in the city that are willing to give a young band a shot.

AF: What inspired “Daily Dose?” What was the writing process like?

NM: I wrote the main riff on a bass guitar and wouldn’t stop playing it until the rest of the band joined in. It developed into this really funny jam and it kind of has this Jekyll and Hyde thing going on with the verses and the choruses being one and the end being a faster different feel.

AF: What’s your goal, moving forward? You’ve already toured the country, opened for Bon Jovi, and released an EP and two full-length LPs. What’s next?

NM: I think for us it’s always going to be to keep creating and pushing ourselves to be a face for rock ’n roll music. If we can inspire someone to pick up a guitar or drumsticks, then it’s all worth it for us.

TJ: I want to get a big corporate sponsorship, like Olive Garden or something.

Keep up with The Howling Tongues on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and if you’re in Atlanta be sure to stop by the Earl on 12/20.

PREMIERE: Kim Anderson Debuts “Yarrow” LP

Debut albums are an interesting lot. Oftentimes, they’re described as a “freshman effort” in an attempt to explain work that isn’t fully realized. Sometimes, they are the product of years, finely tuned and immaculately coiffed, a near-perfect reflection of an artist coming into their own. Kim Anderson’s debut album Yarrow is quiet and introspective, it’s subject matter lying at the crossroads of New York City and nature itself; we’re pleased to premiere the record in its entirety below a day before its release on Biophilia Records.

It’s in the small, intricate details that Anderson truly delights. “In this place we turn from girls to women / Streets like fingers reached out after us / The car alarm screeched with some crazy rhythm / A song we felt we were the guardians of,” Anderson articulates with care on the track “By the River.” There is a plodding, steady quality to the record: it’s a soundtrack meant to accompany a day spent by yourself.

We sat down with Kim and talked about her jazz musician parents, being raised in New York City (before the Highline was a thing), and how her label promotes volunteering as a integral part of being an artist.

AF: You grew up in New York City, raised by jazz musicians. It sounds like a very romantic upbringing. Did you take an interest in music early on?

KA: Always. I can’t really remember learning to play piano, exactly, although I know I had a few lessons. I was terrible at practicing, because I was always just making stuff up. The first songs I can remember playing are weird little melodies I made up on the piano.

AF: So you leaned toward the avant garde! At what age did you begin to really construct songs?

KA: Probably around nine or ten. I was also listening to the radio, too, so much to my jazz-playing parents’ chagrin, the first complete songs I wrote were clumsy pop songs. It wasn’t until a few years later that all that interesting music they played and listened to started to influence me more directly. I still have a big place in my heart for both great jazz and a really catchy, concise pop song.

AF: You went to school at the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. How did you come to study West African music?

KA: My immersion in the music and dance of West Africa, particularly from Ivory Coast and Guinea, started when I was about 14. One advantage of a great big cultural center like NYC is that people who are masters of their craft come here to teach. And that’s where I got really lucky – there was a dance and drum school just north of Union Square that focused on West African music and dance traditions, among other things. The teachers were phenomenal. A friend brought me to a dance class, and I fell in love.

Today I’ve definitely fallen off my dance game, but I still do manage to take drum classes here and there and participate with a NYC-based Ivory Coast dance and drum company. It’s a kind of apprenticeship, in a way; it’s a great honor that they let me sit in with them and learn as I play.

AF: Yarrow is your debut album. You crowdfunded on Kickstarter to get the initial funds. What was that experience like?

KA: Humbling, first and foremost. I knew I had a community that would support me, but I didn’t know how much of an outpouring of support I would get until I tried it. Anyone who’s crowdfunded a project can speak to the fact that it is both really moving and also very exhausting! Not that I’m complaining. But promoting your project, reaching out to people, following up, making update videos – it felt like a full-time job. Nowadays, when artists don’t have the revenue sources they traditionally did from hard-copy album sales, we’ve got to innovate. Find patronage in our own ways. And both the Kickstarter and my partnership with Biophilia Records have been part of that journey for me.

AF: I’m fascinated with your record label – is it true that they require artists in their contracts to volunteer?

KA: Absolutely! Biophilia is the brainchild of Fabian Almazan, a great musician who was looking for a way to support other musicians he cared about, and doing so in a way that would create a minimal environmental footprint, even be a positive conservational force one day. So all artists volunteer for a certain number of projects – river cleanups, tree-planting, hands-on things.

This was a no-brainer for me because I’ve spent the past seven years or so helping to manage a community garden I co-founded in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and promoting cooperative green spaces and gardens in urban environments like NYC has been a lifelong passion of mine.

Biophilia produces no CDs, which are made with plastics that are nearly impossible to recycle; instead, they produce beautiful hard-copy liner note foldouts called Biopholios. A download code on recycled paper, with the lyrics and album art that a CD or vinyl would normally have.

AF: Nature seems to play a part of Yarrow. The album has a gentle, wistful feel to it, like walking through the woods alone. It’s a difficult feeling to describe. I want to write the word melancholic, but it’s really more uplifting than that. Can you tell us a bit about the themes on this record?

KA: There are definitely literal references to flora and nature in general throughout the record, through the lens of a child in the middle of a great big city. If you grow up instinctively drawn to nature and you live in a place like Hell’s Kitchen, you find it in strange corners. Community gardening was one way of connecting with nature, but I also did a great deal of wandering, and songs on the album like “Yarrow,” “By The River,” and “The Arriving” are inspired by experiences I had searching for solitude, and a place for introspection, in New York.

For example, before the Highline in Manhattan was the magnificent park that it is, it was just an empty elevated railroad track, floating above the West Side of Chelsea. I used to sneak up there (it was closed to the public then), and sit and write. Many decades of abandonment had allowed a kind of scraggly ecosystem to begin taking hold, wildflowers and weeds growing up between cracks, a few small trees here and there. And really beautiful graffiti. The stark contrast between the silence of the elevated, empty Highline and the roaring trucks of 10th avenue resonated really deeply with me.

AF: How does the introspection on the album translate to the stage? Do you find the audience leaning forward, really listening intently to the lyrics?

KA: Onstage, it’s pretty intimate. It’s not a big, loud spectacle. People do tell me that they connect very much with the lyrics of certain songs, and I think that anytime you work hard to translate an experience that’s true into words, it will resonate with an audience, whether they’ve had the exact experience you’re singing about or not.

AF: What advice do have for a young musician still struggling to find their voice?

KA: I’m still on that journey myself, so I’m not sure if I can really speak with authority on that. But I do acknowledge that the struggle to make ends meet, to keep up with social media and a virtual life, to be a “productive” member of society, can be distracting for a person who is a creative soul. I say this to myself as much as anyone else: if it’s music you love, treat it with reverence, and find the time to make it. Even if it’s hard at times.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

PLAYING DETROIT: Tart Premiere New Single “Like Lovers Do”

Detroit shred-pop band Tart meet us at the end of cuffing season with the release of their sexually-charged single, “Like Lovers Do,” a lo-fi, lusty track about the electric feeling that comes with a new crush. The trio, comprised of Zee Bricker (vocals), Adam Michael Lee Padden (guitar), and Donny Blum (drums), achieve their gritty sound by layering Padden’s rollicking guitars and slightly distorting Bricker’s sweet and snarly vocals. The combination of the two result in a genre-bending sound that lies somewhere between New Wave, surf-rock, and power glam-pop.

Bricker says the song’s angsty vibe sprouted from a typical band-practice spat. “Donny was being a perfect angel – it was really Adam and me fighting about something dumb at practice,” says Bricker. “We occasionally butt heads creatively. Donny started playing this awesome beat and Adam was super frustrated, so he started hitting chords really angrily and dramatically. And, for whatever reason, this all made perfect sense to me so I told them not to stop.”

The band’s heated jam sesh translated well into a fiery infatuation anthem, at times almost mocking conventional courtship rituals. “We could shake hands like lovers do / Make plans like lovers do / Take it slow like lovers do,” Bricker sings with an eye roll that can be heard through the speakers. After a face-melting solo from Padden, the song breaks down into a sickly sweet Bricker singing, “I could be gentle / I could be calm / I could be cool for you,” as her vocals slowly work back into a blustery fever dream, guided by Blum’s rousing drum beat.

Ending on a single note from Padden’s warbly guitar, the song leaves us breathing heavily and wanting more, almost as if we’ve got the hots for a new flame. In Bricker’s own words, “The song’s about desire, but in the least melancholic way possible. It’s less about longing and pining, and more about feeling desire as a bubbly, exciting heat in your body. It’s not about love, it’s about crushes.”

<a href="http://tart.bandcamp.com/track/like-lovers-do">Like Lovers Do by Tart</a>

PREMIERE: Emily Blue Unwraps Heteronormative Romance in “Cellophane”

Former frontwoman of Chicago math rock outfit Tara Terra Emily Blue has added to her arsenal of patriarchy-dismantling sugar pop with her latest single, “Cellophane.” Following the suit of her 2016 solo record, Another Angry Woman, “Cellophane” urges listeners to challenge the way they think about societal norms. Disguised as an irresistibly catchy banger, the song is both a critique of possessive relationship dynamics as well as a reflection on Blue’s habit of preferring fantasy over reality when it comes to love.

“This song is about my tendency to get really excited for the idea of a relationship, then, once I’m in it, realize it’s not the fantasy I built about this person,” says Blue. Blue’s sentiment is relatable to pretty much anyone who has been in a relationship long enough to find out their partner’s flaws, whether it’s leaving a dish in the sink for two weeks or actually enjoying The Big Bang Theory. Once the proverbial new shine has worn away, you can’t help but look back on the golden days when you thought that person was perfect. In Blue’s case, that was before her partner started treating her like a possession – a little more severe than poor taste in television.

“Don’t you wish everything was still like it was back then / When I could call you anything I wanted to, my lover and my friend / And you would not possess me / when you would undress me,” Blue sings in the opening lines of “Cellophane.” Blue explains that the line refers mainly to male/female relationships. “Especially in heterosexual relationships, there’s this sense of ownership over your female partner, and this song is critical of that.”

However, the song’s disquieting subject matter doesn’t stop it from being incredibly danceable. Blue and co-producer Max Perenchio pulled inspiration from the King of Pop himself for the song’s infectious drumbeat and topped it with layers of bubbly synths and Blue’s salient vocals. Following in the steps of female pop transgressors like St. Vincent and F.K.A. Twigs, Blue proves that smart, thought-provoking music and party anthems don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Although Blue’s upcoming EP is comprised entirely of songs about love and sex, Blue says “some of them are really quirky and almost parodies of types of love songs you would hear. Others are a bit more close to home.” With “Cellophane” as a strong introduction, Blue’s upcoming release is sure to be an arresting addition to the current school of female power pop.

“People think pop is lazy as a genre but it’s a science to me,” says Blue. “I really love flipping the script, because that’s when you come up with something really new and fresh.”

Listen to “Cellophane” below.

https://soundcloud.com/emilybluemusic/cellophane-1/s-qmgpE

BAND OF THE MONTH: High Up Premieres “Alabama to the Basement”

Ever been to a karaoke night and heard a voice rise up that actually sounded… really good? Christine Fink has one of those voices. She’d relegated her talents to karaoke nights in crowded Alabama bars – that is, until her sister Orenda, well-known for her work with Saddle Creek mainstay Azure Ray, dragged her into a bigger spotlight.

Christine moved to Omaha to form High Up with her sister, brother-in-law Todd Fink (also of The Faint), Josh Soto, and Matt Focht. This month, they released a self-titled four-song EP that blends classic Southern rock and soul, with a little punk vibe thrown in for good measure. Thematically, its songs capture longing and love in the tradition of Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, but also critique the Capitalist machine with sassy bangers like “Two Weeks” and “Your System Failed You.”

Whether belting out a protest anthem or crooning an ode to a crush, High Up is a band that feels good to listen to, like slipping on a favorite jacket you haven’t worn in a while. Their debut album You Are Here, slated for release next month via Team Love, continues along the same lines, mixing up bluesy, heartfelt ballads and raucous shout-along refrains, like on album opener “Alabama to the Basement,” which we’re premiering below.

The song is a celebration of letting go and rocking out, with clear autobiograpical vibes regarding the band’s origin story. As a kid in middle school, there were certain songs I would set my radio to wake me up to; this song has that same rush, that energy you need to fight through another day, or push through a shitty situation on your way to something better. It’s the perfect introduction to an album that that tonally runs the gambit from high energy cheer to soulful sorrow.

We sat down with Christine to talk about loving your parents music, what it’s like writing with her sister, and when we can see High Up out on the road.

AF: You’re originally from Birmingham, Alabama correct? What did you grow up listening to as a kid?

CF: Yes, born in Birmingham, but spent varying years of my life in other towns – Ashville, Oneonta, and Muscle Shoals. My parents exposed me early on to stuff like Pink Floyd, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Hank Williams, Graham Parsons and the like. I was really into oldies as a kid – Frankie Valli, Beach Boys, etc. My first real exposure to soul I think was when I saw Smokey Robinson on Sesame Street in the late ’80s. I was never really the same after that. As I grew older, I developed a taste for punk and indie as well, and all those styles kinda melded to form my tastes as an adult.

AF: I always find it funny when people initially reject their parents music, only to come back to it later on with more perspective. Music can be so interesting when styles collide.

CF: Absolutely. I don’t remember really ever having disdain for what my parents listened to. They have great taste! Of course, they might remember differently!

AF: The story goes that your sister and band member, Orenda Fink, saw you perform karaoke in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. She was blown away and immediately thought you should start a band together. Was this a scary proposition?

CF: I jumped at the idea. It was really a big reason for me moving to Omaha to begin with – giving up the corporate grind and pursuing more creative endeavors. I’ve always had such great reverence for Orenda and her work, and wanted a chance to work with her creatively. The scariest part is probably the financial instability of playing music more or less full time. And rejection of course. But those fears come with the territory and the rewards outweigh the risks in my eyes.

AF: What were your go-to Karaoke songs?

CF: I love trying out all genres, so I pepper in a little bit of everything. My go-tos are usually midnight train to Georgia – Gladys knight and the pips, whole lotta love- Led Zeppelin, sometimes I’ll throw in some Radiohead or Dolly Parton for kicks.

AF: Can you tell us a bit about the songwriting process for High Up? Is there a lot of back and forth between you and Orenda? Or does she take lead when it comes to composition?

CF: Orenda does the bulk of the songwriting, but I co-write and we have a few other co-writers. The whole band collaborates on the tunes to varying degrees. It’s very open and collaborative.

AF: I love the video for “Two Weeks.” It really nails the playfulness and soul of the band. What was the production process like?

CF: Thanks! We recorded the video over the course of two days I believe? Harrison Martin directed and filmed and we had so many friends help. It was a blast and very low stress. It’s important to have a good time and we wanted to reflect the good vibes of the group who gathered to help us. It was a relatively quick and easy process because of the professionalism and talent of everyone involved. The scariest part was probably me having to stand on the table without busting my ass!

AF: “Blue Moon” really hit me in the gut. Can you give me a little background on its genesis?

CF: It hits me too to be honest. I’ve struggled with mental illness most of my life, and the song is really a way to express an almost constant sinking feeling, of feeling like I’ve exasperated those I care most about. There’s a little glimmer of hope in there: “I can’t take it much longer… Or so I say.” Because I can, I hope we all can, and can learn compassion, patience and love for those in our lives who are struggling.

AF: It’s wonderful that you felt comfortable sharing that kind of emotion. I myself struggle with anxiety and depression. It can be comforting to hear someone else’s journey. Were the lyrics difficult for you to share with the band? Or was it more of an unburdening?

CF: I feel like not sharing that emotion would be disingenuous. It’s who I am and I’ve gotten such comfort from other musicians who have been brave enough to open themselves up. Orenda and Morgan Nagler of Whispertown actually wrote that song for me, culled from many tearful admissions on my part. They took what I was experiencing and their reactions to it and wrote the song. It was heartbreaking to read for the first time, but also very cathartic. I’m so very grateful for their talent and ability to fine tune my messy emotions.

AF: Many of the songs on the album take their subject matter loosely from the Bible, such as “Glorious Giving In.” How does spirituality (or your reaction to it) play into High Up’s themes and material?

CF: I can’t speak for other members of the band, but I don’t have any kind of religious belief system. I love religious iconography and many of the allegories associated with religion, but I don’t subscribe to the actual belief system. We use spirituality and references of such because they do speak to the human condition a lot, and I appreciate that. I’m more of a nihilist, with a heavy dose of the Golden Rule.

AF: Can we expect to see High Up on tour soon?

CF: Yes!! We have a nationwide tour in the works for the month of March in support of our first full length, You Are Here, which comes out February 23rd on Team Love.

AF: What do you hope the audience takes away from a High Up show?

CF: Lots of merch! Just kidding… My goal is to entertain and connect. I want people to have fun, get mad with me, get sad with me, laugh and cry with me. We’re all pretty fucked up, right? And so many times we feel like we’re the only ones, but we’re not. It’s important to reach out to others and say hey, you’re not alone, we can get through this together. If you can dance and sing along through the anger and tears, so much the better.

Preorder High Up’s debut album You Are Here via Bandcamp, and be sure to check them out on tour this Spring.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK OF THE WEEK: The Royal They “Say Less”

Happy 2018! Out first track of the week in the new year also happens to be an exclusive premiere of “Say Less,” from The Royal They‘s new record Foreign Being, which comes out next week on King Pizza Records. Although the Josie & The Pussycats comparison seems so overused these days, all those ’90s high school movies and Buffy the Vampire episodes with pop punk bands at their dances is the first thing I picture while listening to “Say Less.” Frontwoman Michelle Hutt takes her own advice and says less in this song by mainly repeating this phrase like it’s a meditative affirmation that will save her own sanity and possibly her high school prom date’s life. The Royal They will celebrate their album release on Saturday, January 13th at The Gutter with Illiterate Light (VA), El Silver Cabs and The Rizzos.

Check out the full track of the week playlist below…
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TRACK PREMIERE: Cassandra Violet “Invisible Man”

Cassandra Violet, much like Batman, lives a double life. When she’s not teaching high schoolers, she’s creating music that spans the genres of rock, folk, and pop. In the past, Violet’s music slanted toward melancholy modern folk, with songs like “Beyond The Fray” and “Lady” painting portraits of desert sands and long lost love.

Her new track “Invisible Man” is a refreshing drink on a hot day. There’s an aggressiveness, an edge to Violet’s voice that takes center stage, balancing the sweet piano and subtle horn section. In a year full of negative headlines and desperate news stories, “Invisible Man” is a sunny diversion from the darkness.

We spoke with Cassandra Violet about breaking out of her folk roots and how a horn section really does make all the difference.

AF: You’re a rare bird: a native Angelino! You grew up in Venice, which I’m sure has changed a lot since your childhood. What was it like growing up by the beach?

CV: Venice was really different when I was growing up there! It was less expensive, for one thing, so artists who weren’t wealthy could actually live there affordably. I remember there being some gun violence and gang activity. It definitely was not the Google mecca it is now. My parents still live there (both of them are artists) and every time I go over there, it’s so strange. Like everyone is under 30 and brewing their own kombucha and going to spinning classes. Not to hate on Venice!

AF: Yes, it’s all Andrew Keegan and hot yoga nowadays.

CV: It’s just this insane example of what happens when a place gentrifies the most it could possibly gentrify.

AF: In terms of the art community, do you still see it coming up out of the concrete? Or has the scene mostly moved?

CV: I know artists who still live there, but a lot of them are from my parents’ generation, I think. I know there are exceptions, but I think a lot of creative people have moved further east.

AF: At what age did you first take interest in music?

CV: I was really young when I realized I loved to sing, and that I could imitate a sound when I heard it. Also, my dad taught me how to whistle when I was little, probably around five years old. I got really, really good at whistling, better than him.

I started to play the clarinet in fourth grade, and in middle school and high school I sang and played clarinet in band and orchestra. I really loved music but I always felt really constrained playing classical music. I wanted to experiment more, and I really loved writing, but it took me a long time to sit down and write a song.

So, I guess you could say I come from more of a classical background. The only music that my parents played around the house was classical music and jazz. My dad loves Wayne Shorter. And that was a great musical education, but I had to figure out my own way of creating and accessing pop music. The point of making music for me is that it’s a pure form of expression, and it is completely free for me to do whatever I want, and become whatever person I want to become.

AF: What were some of your early pop music finds?

CV: Gosh. Ever since I can remember I have gravitated towards women singing autobiographically. When I was younger I was obsessed with No Doubt and Fiona Apple and Lauryn Hill. I also always loved pop singers from the ’60s like Dusty Springfield, and obviously jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn, who have this insane control of their instrument. But I’ve always been most inspired by music that makes me want to move, so I changed things around.

AF: When you’re not weaving tunes, you work as a teacher for the LA Unified School district. You’ve said in interviews that you like to keep those two worlds separate, as your music is of an intimate nature. Do you find that your students influence your creative side in spite of that separation?

CV: I think the separation is pretty essential for me to be able to feel like I have complete freedom to create whatever I want to create. I will also say that the world has gotten pretty dark, and I think making art is one thing that everyone can do to make their voice heard. I constantly tell my students that art is the most powerful thing they can have access to, and encourage them to make art, because they have amazing stories and because art brings people together in these trying times. I always tell them to be vulnerable when they are performing, so I guess it is a little bit of pot calling kettle black. But I don’t want to think about work when I am making music! I want to be completely free.

AF: You said your last EP Body & Mind was created “alone in my apartment with a guitar, a loop pedal, and a tambourine.” What was the process like for your new record?

CV: I write songs by making a loop on my trusty Boss RC50 loop pedal, and then adding words, and then adding more chords. My loop pedal is covered in dust and has probably 100 loops on it right now. For this EP, I really collaborated with Derek Howa, who produced it and also cowrote and arranged the record. We wanted it to sound contemporary but with a retro feel. Brijesh Pandya (drums) and Brad Babinski (bass) were really important to the sound too. In the middle of arranging the record I went to New Orleans for New Years Eve and became obsessed with brass instruments, and I immediately wanted a horn section on the EP. Ryan Kern wrote the horn arrangements and Jonah Levine and Conor McElwain played horns. But all of the songs started with me in my living room on a loop pedal.

AF: “Invisible Man” has such a bright, cheery, upbeat sound. Can you give us a little background on this track?

CV: Yes! I had written some really dark songs with a folky vibe, and I was starting to feel kind of trapped by this folky persona. I wanted to write something honest and true, but I wanted it to sound as poppy and catchy and shimmery as possible. Derek also really helped create that sound with the chord arrangements and the synth lines. So, the song itself is about this sort of universal loneliness and longing for connection, and also about missing someone you love, but you want to dance to it and sing along.

AF: Question lightning round! Album you can’t stop listening to right now.

CV: SZA’s Ctrl.

AF: Favorite Los Angeles music venue to perform in.

CV: Oh gosh! Well I’ve performed a lot at Resident, which is always a great space. I performed at the Regent this past summer opening for Joan Osborne, which was wonderful. LA always has new great spaces to try out, too.

AF: Favorite secret LA hole-in-the-wall.

CV: I mean it’s not super secret. I find myself constantly going to Tacos Ariza next to Lassens, even though they usually have a C rating and I got mugged there once, years ago, at night. Burritos are comforting I guess

AF: Other than upbeat tunes and a horn section (which I find thrilling beyond words), what can fans expect from your new album?

CV: Fully realized songs you can dance to, about super personal and vulnerable topics, including body image, loneliness, self-doubt, and female empowerment, sung in three-part harmony! I think the topics are pretty relatable, and I really wanted it to be music you can move to. I also want to mention my amazing backup singers, Heather Ogilvy and Pamela Kilroy, who do three-part harmony with me and dance moves when we perform these songs live. It’s good vibes about personal heartaches all around.

Are you a Los Angeles native? See Cassandra Violet LIVE October 22nd at Lovesong Bar and again on December 2nd at the Moroccan Lounge. And be sure to keep an ear out for her new EP, out this December.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

ALBUM PREMIERE: Galleriet “Romantic Gestures”

Katharina Stenbeck is a prolific Swedish artist who creates thought-provoking electronic music as Galleriet, a solo project she launched in the spring of this year. Stenbeck’s impressive DIY approach led her to self-engineer and produce her debut album Romantic Gestures, premiering today on Audiofemme.

The record is informed by Stenbeck’s varied background in the performing arts. She studied acting in adolescence, experimental and classical theatre in Stockholm and New York City as a young adult, and then broadened the spectrum of expression when the band Folding Legs was formed with friends in 2009. After six years of performing together in New York and honing her skill as a frontwoman and musician, she uprooted herself to Los Angeles where she painted, cleared her mind, and ultimately birthed a solo project with the purpose of presenting a different perspective of what it means to be a “female artist”.

For each of the record’s first three singles, Stenbeck created a music video accompaniment combining dance, theatre, and at times symbolic imagery, like in the video for “Right Wavelength,” to confront themes of gender, death and rebirth. She most recently released a stop-motion video for “Allting är som Vanligt,” a song in her native tongue, that explores the depths of female sexuality.

Audiofemme had the pleasure of speaking with Katharina about the making of Romantic Gestures. Listen to it below!

Audiofemme: Galleriet is Swedish for “the gallery”…what is the significance of this word to you and the art you are producing?

Katherina Stenbeck: I came upon the name “Galleriet” while reading works by the Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer. “Galleriet” is the title of one of his poems and the name stuck with me. It also felt fitting, as I aim to marry several different art forms into this music project, turning it into a gallery of sorts. I felt passionate about having a Swedish name, as I’m born and raised in Sweden and wanted this project to connect to my roots.

AF: How do you typically write and record your ideas? What is your demoing process?

KS: An idea for a song can come to me at any given time, which I’m sure most creatives can relate to. However, sometimes the vessel just feels more open, and several ideas can come through at a rapid pace. I’ve gotten up in the middle of the night to hum a melody into my iPhone if I think it’s a keeper. Sometimes those hummed or garbled sketches will be the beginning of a song when I sit down at my computer. Other times, I’ll just start playing around on my keyboard with a clean slate and see what comes out. For Romantic Gestures, I wrote everything on a midi keyboard and my laptop, in GarageBand, as I didn’t want to wait to learn Logic while I felt the ideas were coming through.

AF: What is the process like of taking your demos and sketches into the studio and final stages of production? Who do you like to collaborate and produce with?

KS: For this recent album, which is also my first as a solo artist, I worked in a very solitary environment, at home. I self-engineered and self-produced, as I think I needed the autonomy to find my own voice and sound for the project. For future albums, I would definitely be open to exploring a collaboration of some kind.

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AF: What influences your music, visuals, performance?

KS: I draw a lot of my inspiration from theatre and performance art, as my adolescence was spent studying at acting conservatories in Stockholm and New York. I also have a soft spot for old European illustration and animation, as well as somber stop motion videos. People like Jan Švankmajer, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Niki de Saint Phalle, Roy Andersson and the music of The Knife have all been very influential on my art in different ways.

AF: What do you find appealing about creating electronic/dance music?

KS: Electronic music is very empowering, as you are able to draw from all the colors of the musical palette even if you don’t have access or ability to master all the different instruments you desire to incorporate into your soundscape. I love the freedom of being able to create something lush from nothing but my keyboard, my laptop, and my voice. On future songs, I’m definitely curious about incorporating some more organic instrumentation along with my electronic sounds, to see where that takes me.

AF: What is your favorite gear for writing and performing?

KS: For writing/recording, I use a midi keyboard (currently a Novation LaunchKey 49), my MacBook Pro and a good mic for recording vocals (I use a Mojave MA-301FET mic with an Apogee Duet audio interface). For this recent album, I recorded in GarageBand, but I’m in the process of learning Logic now. If all you have is GarageBand, definitely don’t frown upon that – get to work and create your music! GB worked great for me as I was getting my project on its feet. I haven’t gigged with Galleriet yet, but I’m currently in the process of organizing a setup for that, most likely involving Ableton Live and Resolume Arena. I’m really looking forward to playing live again.

AF: What is the theme of the latest video “Allting är som vanligt”? What does that translate to in English? Why did you choose stop-motion for this video?

KS: I have always been drawn to stop motion as a medium. In general, I often find myself gravitating to “DIY art forms” like papier-mâché, sewing and to a certain extent installation art and performance. The title means “Everything is as usual” in English. It’s a rather ironic title, as I wrote the song during a time in my life where a lot of things were changing around me. The video explores that theme of metamorphosis along with meditations on female sexuality, animal instincts, love, and death.

Still from “Allting ar som vanligt” video

AF: What did you learn about performance with your time fronting Folding Legs? Is your stage presence or performance style different in Galleriet?

KS: Folding Legs was a great forum for me to experiment with my stage persona as a vocalist, and it was with the band that I first started incorporating visual art and performance art on stage. With Galleriet, I’m planning to start out by gigging alone with backing tracks, accompanied by some very curated visual effects. Being alone on stage will be quite a departure from my days in the band.

AF: Are you currently living in LA? What are some differences you see between NYC and LA, especially as an artist?

KS: I’m currently living in Ojai (north of LA), after a couple of years in LA and several years in NYC. I really enjoy the openness that LA offers, and the wave of creativity that the city is currently experiencing. New York will always hold a very special place in my heart since it’s where I spent most of my 20’s and where I cut my teeth as a creative. Both cities have unique qualities to offer, and I hope to gig on both Coasts.

AF: What influence has Swedish culture had on your art? Do you travel to Sweden? Do you still have family there?

KS: Swedish culture is my DNA, so it influences everything I do to a certain extent. At the same time, I’ve been living in the States since I was 18, so I feel very at home in the US, too. I think the duality of that is omnipresent in my person and my work. Most of my family and old friends are still living in Sweden and I usually go home a couple of times a year. It really means a lot to me to go home, speak my language and reconnect. One of the most influential aspects that Swedish culture has had on my art would be the normalization of non-commercial creativity and the open-mindedness regarding art that challenges, stupefies and discomforts an audience. Swedish culture doesn’t shy away from the dark, the ugly and the surreal.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK PREMIERE: Pill “Side Eye”

Pill gives us strength as we come to terms with chaos in the premiere of “Side Eye,” a single from their upcoming EP entitled Aggressive Advertising. Due to be released on June 30, they are following up their 2016 debut LP Convenience with a second release on Dull Tools, returning to the cassette tape roots of their first EP.

Pill is Veronica Torres, Jon Campolo, Ben Jaffe, and Andrew Spaulding. Politics remain important to Pill and these themes persist in “Side Eye.” They refuse to roll back efforts to scratch away at the burning itch of misogyny, although arduous. They maintain creative flexibility and innovation in these seven tracks as moods range from guarded and abrasive to relaxed and danceable.

Torres and Campolo talk with Audiofemme about the underlying theme of “Side Eye” and their recent European Tour.

AudioFemme: What is the subject or theme of “Side Eye”?

Veronica Torres: The song explores the duplicitous feeling of needing to take action and burn down walls against misogyny, and then the exhaustion that comes along with being questioned for every action and your capability to do any job. In an interview last fall a journalist asked me if I was an angry girl, and I battled against it and fiercely denied the term he applied to me and our music. I still believe that if I was a man I would not be positioned so crudely into a one-dimensional feeling. I think it would have been padded to suggest some focus in ideology, or at the very least I could have been called a woman. At the end of the day though, I guess I am angry. There is a lot to fight—sexism, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, etc—but I feel comforted by the fact that there are so many beautiful people holding up a torch in these dark times.

AF: Where was Aggressive Advertising recorded? What did you look to for inspiration while creating?

Jonathan Campolo: We recorded Aggressive Advertising with fifth Pill Andy Chugg, who’s produced everything we’ve made. This EP comes with a little reinvention, a little shift in language—for instance, I sing throughout a full track for the first time (“Afraid of the Mirror”), something we plan to work with more for the next record. There are also moments, like in “Piña Queen,” that are legitimately posi and danceable, a feeling not so present on our first LP Convenience, with all of its anxieties.

VT: We really wanted to push the boundaries of what we ourselves think Pill is as a band, and to also have fun since it’s an EP. We were initially inspired by a library “muzak” record that Andrew got his hands on—also called Aggressive Advertising—that had a sharp 80s business edge. I could hear the stock market rising and all the power suits tightening around every crotch.

AF: How did the making of this record differ from previous releases?

JC: This new EP still retains all the genre-jumping and instrumental changes that every Pill release has had so far, but more concentrated. On tracks like “Side Eye,” we combined almost four different demos into one song. The format of an EP is very fun for that reason—we don’t feel pressure to keep to a single narrative, concept, etc.

VT: With this EP we had a much more touch and go approach. There are some pretty strange songs that didn’t make the cut, but I hope will get released some day…

*Photo Courtesy of Pill: (L-R) Andrew Spaulding, Veronica Torres, Jon Campolo, Ben Jaffe*

AF: Who are some local bands that inspire you and why?

VT: I feel so lucky that Olivia Neutron-John is now a local NYC performer! I am also deeply in love with Sarah Kinlaw’s new recordings on Soap Library.

JC: Other local weirdos we love are: Palberta, Frank Hurricane, Dougie Poole, Macula Dog, Tredici Bacci . . . All of these people are invested in invention. For all those who are lost that believe nothing feels “new” anymore, leave your homes!

AF: What was the most interesting and/or challenging experience of your recent European tour? Did you feel a difference between Europe and America in their attitude toward your work?

JC: DIY is alive and thriving! On this last Euro tour we played squats, house shows, tiny bars, and festivals—really ran the gamut. My favorite memory was post show in Hanover, DE. We were taken to a STATE-FUNDED artist village made out of shipping containers that a friend-of-a-friend was DJing (Cumbia all night baby), and got to jam on a drum kit and guitar setup in the middle of a hand-made skatepark. (Veronica played guitar?!) We kind of hijacked it, maybe drunk jammed for about two hours, then realized no one was left.

AF: What’s next for tour? Will there be a release show?

JC: YES!!!!! We are concentrating on writing again, and will have a release show this month; details are still in the works. We have some local shows this summer and may tour ye olde USA a little this fall. See you out there!

Stream “Side Eye” from Aggressive Advertising below!

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TRACK PREMIERE: Sad Baxter “Doubt”

When I was first introduced to the music of Sad Baxter, via 2016’s Weirdy, I realized they filled a void I didn’t even know existed: here was a band that was not afraid to go full grunge, and the payoff was great. Dirty guitars, heavy backbeats, and a Cobain-like growl mixed with a delightfully bizarre view of the world made the duo (Deezy on guitar and vocals, Alex on drums) instantly endearing.

Their newest song is “Doubt,” a split-single release on Cold Lunch Recordings with fellow Nashville band The By Gods. According to Deezy, the drums and guitar were tracked live in the same room to get a realistic sound. She also gave us the inside scoop on the track’s meaning:

“The song is about someone who catches your eye, but soon you realize they are nobody you would ever really consider spending more time with. But, for whatever reason, you find yourself still curious about them. You can’t quite figure them out, which is probably what keeps you around. It doesn’t feel healthy. You don’t even like them as a person. It’s not good, but you can’t help it.”

“Doubt” opens with the unsteady bend of a whammy bar, the wavering of the guitar reflecting Deezy’s misgivings as she gradually recognizes her mistake: “Your mouth on mine is something I should do without/And I don’t know who you are.” Just as the realization hits, the chorus brings an eruption of energy and emotion. It’s the song of the summer for those who pick the worst person to crush on, and you can hear it below.

The duo is also currently on tour- check out the full list of summer dates:

6/16 Bowling Green, KY – Tidball’s

6/17 Nashville, TN – Fond Object (4th Ave)

6/18 Chattanooga, TN – JJ’s

6/19 Asheville, NC – Sly Grog

6/20 Atlanta, GA – Mammal Gallery

6/21 Chapel Hill, NC – The Cave

6/22 Richmond, VA – Canal Club

6/24 Philadelphia, PA – PHARMACY

6/25 Portland, ME – Oxbow Brewing

6/26 Boston, MA – Charlie’s Kitchen

6/27 NYC – Gold Sounds

6/28 Cleveland, OH – Maple Lanes

6/29 Columbus, OH – Rumba Cafe

6/30 Cincinnati, OH – The Comet

7/01 Louisville, KY – Third Street Dive

7/17 Bloomington, IN – Blockhouse

7/18 Chicago, IL – Mutiny

7/19 St Louis, MO – The Sinkhole

7/20 Kansas City, KS – Bubba Spins Flop House

7/21 Denver, CO – Lion’s Lair

7/24 Seattle, WA – The Funhouse

7/25 Portland, OR – Ash Street

7/26 Oakland, CA – Stork Club

7/27 San Francisco, CA – Hemlock Tavern

7/29 Los Angeles, CA – Silverlake Lounge

8/01 Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone

8/04 Nashville, TN – The East Room

TRACK PREMIERE: Citrus & Katie “Sludge”

Citrus & Katie’s latest track “Sludge” embodies its title, dredging its way through your system and sitting contentedly in your ears. It’s parts garage rock, funk, soul, and pop, making for an upbeat fusion track that’ll leave you smiling. For the most part, “Sludge” is true to its name as a slow moving track, until the end when it really picks up pace, kicking up the rock ‘n’ roll vibes and ending on a fun note. Take a listen to it below! Their new album, NSTYLDY is out this month.

PLAYING DETROIT PREMIERE: Nydge “El Segundo (ft. Kim Vi)

What better way to express an impassioned, tumultuous romantic entanglement than through a tropical, pop whirlwind that is as torn and collaborative in its conception as the aforementioned relationship? “El Segundo” is the latest sonic story from Assemble Sound resident producer and synth-pop artist Nydge who is as masterful as a collaborator as he is a solo entity. With an impeccable flair for sophisticated and positively infectious hooks and shoulder-shimmying beats, here Nydge finds an accessibility without conceding his innately distinct auditory architecture. “I try and be as intentional as I can with making music and with the Nydge project, specifically. I want to make pop music as interesting as possible while still being consumable,” explains producer/artist Nigel Van Hemmye. “Often times I find myself trashing musical sketches early on, sometimes less than an hour in. I now find my way to be more akin to mining for ideas. Sometimes I go deep into the cave of creativity to come out with nothing. My job, then, isn’t to make something amazing every day, it’s to be ready, patient, open and excited to strike gold; pickaxe in hand.”

Featuring multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Kim Vi whose contribution aided the tracks rolling momentum and solidified Nydge’s commitment to concise layers, “El Segundo” is refined yet grinds with a untamed attitude. “I’ve never been to El Segundo. I didn’t even know it existed until Kim Vi spouted it out for the first line of the first verse. Kim is a welcome asset to any writing session.” Nigel says. “Throughout the song I used his arsenal of abilities, ranging from guitar, bass, singing, clapping and chordal changes.” The result? A textural playscape that is tender and frustrating with an intoxicatingly pop-purist bounce that could just as easily be a dance-floor groove or a fiery backseat rendezvous.

Listen to the latest from Nydge (ft. Kim Vi) below:

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TRACK PREMIERE: The Hamiltons “Take the Hit”

An instant pop classic with an old-fashioned twinge, The Hamiltons’ latest single “Take the Hit” is a timeless piece that’ll have you swooning. It’s a unique genre-mashing track in that it’ll transport you from smack dab in the 60s to the mid-90s over the course of a few lulling notes and jazzy vocals.

Based in London after relocating from Sydney, this sibling duo not only performs their own music, but also produce and write it. And their investment in their music is apparent in “Take the Hit”–it’s dripping with passion and affection, carefully honed to present you with an entrancing final product. With influences in jazz, folk, country, and cajan, it’s no wonder their sound is so eclectic.

EP PREMIERE: Milán “Time”

Austrian-born, Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Maria Neckam, aka Milán, has been a long-time AudioFemme favorite. We’re thrilled to premiere her latest artistic creation, an EP titled Time, that is a sonically beautiful creation demonstrative of Milán‘s abilities to create songs about morbid subjects that you also want to dance to, akin to post-punk masterminds such as The Cure and Siouxsie Sioux. Coming from the soul of Milán, it’s steeped in modern internal struggles and dressed up in a glorious tutu. Also the name of one of the songs and a theme throughout the EP, of the title selection, she tells AudioFemme: “It’s about the question: ‘When is the right time?” – and how to find out.”

While those questions are a burden each individual is left to carry, putting on Milán’s EP will make the contemplation all the more enjoyable. Both industrial and eclectic, the EP is perfect for brooding electronic fans. “I would like to inspire my listeners to reflect upon what they can do, in their own lives, to make their environment a better one, and what kind of choices they are making each day. A change in one person’s heart will create a ripple effect of change. I want people to become more aware of their own power,” says Milán.

The title track, “Time,” was inspired by a family member’s incurable lung disease diagnosis. About never giving up, “Now, is time, to fight my friend!” the song orders. After succeeding in raising huge sums of donations, Milán’s friend survived. Yet it also gets political. “The song ‘Time’ deals with the issue of nuclear power, and of politicians forgetting about their duty to serve the people, instead of the other way around,” she says. “Motivated by the desire for power and financial gain, decisions are made that have a life-changing impact on millions of people’s lives. As citizens of this world, I believe it is imperative that we stand up and fight such injustice, for the sake of all humanity.”

The EP’s release also accompanies a raw and riveting music video for “Split Second,” a song Milán penned for a friend lost too soon named Abbey. “I wanted to express the feeling that we are still connected, and my gratitude for having shared a piece of life with her,” she says. Even if you didn’t know Abbey, you know someone, or perhaps yourself, that grapples with the stigma-ridden cage of mental health issues. “Here in the west, we have more opportunities than ever, and a better life quality than in most places of the world, and still there is so much anxiety, loneliness and depression,” she says. “I believe that much of this comes from a lack of communication and real, meaningful connection between people. We tend to forget that we all need each other.”

We do need one another, so hit up that friend that’s been on your mind and enjoy Time together. As for her answer on when the right time is? “The conclusion I came to is that we ourselves have to create that time, the “right” time. It is the moment we make up our minds. When we decide to stand up and fight – for our own happiness (to live the life we imagine for ourselves), for justice, for a peaceful society that respects the dignity and value of each person’s life,” says Milán.

Fuck yeah. Stream the EP in its entirety below.

<a href="http://milanishere.bandcamp.com/album/time">Time by Milán</a>

TRACK PREMIERE: The By Gods “Good Lie”

If you’ve ever logged onto Facebook only to be sickened by that one friend that insists on documenting every single thing that happens to them in order to prove how #happy and #blessed they are, “Good Lie” by The By Gods is the song for you.

Whereas January’s album, Get On Feelings, was a solid, sincere throwback to 90’s rock, the Nashville trio take a confrontational turn with their latest track. Singer George Pauley demands, “Tell me ’bout your friends and your wedding day/ Tell me how you’re blessed in every way,” before pulling back the curtain on all the positivity, practically sneering the words: “Tell me ’bout the good life, yeah it’s such a good lie.” The By Gods have figured out the perfect formula for catchy songs: repetitive riffs and rhythms that build on tone and texture, making the track memorable and immediately recognizable.

Speaking of repetition that isn’t so catchy, how annoying is that friend we were talking about? They’re probably instagraming their lunch right now. Ugh. Get ready to vent by listening to “Good Lie” below, and order The By God’s upcoming Phone Calls EP ahead of its July 8 release date here.

VIDEO PREMIERE: Metacara “Hornets”

A forest. A girl dressed all in white. Lanterns swinging from trees, hovering like fireflies. These sound like the elements of a fairytale, but in the hands of Metacara, they’re the ingredients of something far more sinister.

Both Kyla Rae, the vocalist of the electronic outfit, and Vegas Gold, who provides beats and production, appear in Metacara’s video for “Hornets.” Kyla starts the video in a dreamy setting; she’s alone in a dark forest, walking among lights hanging eerily from the trees while she sings. But, foreboding synths hint the scene is actually a nightmare. Soon, the lightbulbs break, Kyla’s face contorts into a scream and back, and she’s joined by a group of dancers from the Pitt Hip-Hop Dance Crew. “Come with me to a dark place,” she beckons, as they surround her. Distorted echoes of her own voice and wobbling bass add to the dream-like feeling of the video. As she and the dancers weave between the swinging lights, Vegas watches from a distance.

The two met while Kyla attended the University of Pittsburgh, and Vegas asked her to contribute vocals to a few of his beats. Their combination of delicate, jazzy vocals and gloomy, heavy beats complemented each other well, creating a smooth, spacey sound that was also soulful. Last May, they recorded their EP, Stone Love. Check out the video for “Hornets” below.

TRACK PREMIERE: Lara Maxen & Mickey Valen “Your Anything”

Today we have a double hit of premiere for you, all in one sultry song. In “Your Anything” vocalist Lara Maxen purrs brazen lyrics elevated with production by Mickey Valen. “Your Anything” is the 18-year-old Lara Maxen’s debut track, as well as the debut track in a series of collaborations producer Mickey Valen has lined up with other artists.

Listen to “Your Anything” below.

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TRACK PREMIERE: Kat Solar “Infinity”

Kat Solar, aka Katrina Connor from Detroit, is a pop artist putting her drama background to work, whether it’s performing cabaret-like routines with a full cast of dancers or shooting ambitiously choreographed music videos. Since her last album Snake Eyes, the performer has been working on a different class of new material, which she calls dance-inspired songs that explore “love and all its myriad possibilities.” Her new single from the upcoming album Infinity is sparkly pop meets EDM, full of theatrical anthems and catchy beats. Check out “Infinity” below!

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Tag: premiere