** PLUS **
YANNIS & THE YAW
DOWN WITH BORING.
ALFIE TEMPLEMAN
SWIM DEEP
THE MYSTERINES
Porter B I G SPECIAL LAUFEY LEIGHA N N E M A Y A H AW K E
GOAT GIRL
ORLANDO WEEKS
+ LOADS MORE
ISSUE 88 · JUNE 2024 · READDORK.COM
Robinson
English Teacher ThisEnglish CouldTeacher Be Texas The New Album This Could Be Texas Out Now
DIY
9/10
Loud and Quiet
NME
9/10
Uncut
Record Collector
Rolling Stone UK
Rough Trade “Album Of The Month”
Sunday Times “Album Of The Week”
Jo Whiley BBC Radio 2 “The fantastic and the everyday collide on this landmark debut - an adventure in sound and words”
INDEX.
BACK ISSUES! Want to complete your collection and grab Dork covers with all your faves? Get ‘online’ and head on over to shop.readdork.com and find our complete back catalogue, available while they last.
Issue 88 | June 2024 | readdork.com | Down With Boring
Hiya, Dear Reader.
June is busting out all over, and so is this month’s issue of Dork. We’ve got a veritable smorgasbord of musical delights for you, from the introspective musings of Maya Hawke to the genre-bending experiments of Porter Robinson, the raw power of BIG SPECIAL, the solo debut of Little Mix’s LeighAnne, and the jazz-pop fusion of Laufey. It’s like a sonic picnic, and you’re all invited. Leading the pack is the inimitable Maya Hawke, whose upcoming album ‘Chaos Angel’ finds her grappling with the complexities of love, fame, and the human experience. Maya’s not afraid to embrace the chaos and let her creativity run wild. Then there’s Porter Robinson, the electronic maestro who’s never content to rest on his laurels. His new album ‘SMILE :D’ is a giddy collision of 00s guitar and hyperpop attitude, proving that the most exciting music often lies at the intersection of the unexpected. BIG SPECIAL are redefining what it means to be a punk band in the 21st century. With their debut album ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’, the Black Country duo are shining a light on the trials and triumphs of workingclass life with unfiltered honesty and a healthy dose of humour. Fresh off her stint in one of the most successful girl groups of all time, Leigh-Anne is ready to make her mark. Her upcoming record promises to be a raw, vulnerable exploration of love and relationships – a far cry from the glitz and glam of her Little Mix days, but no less thrilling. And let’s not forget Laufey, the Icelandic-Chinese wunderkind who’s been winning hearts and blowing minds with her unconventional blend of jazz, classical, and pop. She’s proof that staying true to yourself can take you to some pretty incredible places. But that’s not all, folks! We’ve also got the scintillating sounds of Alfie Templeman, the mesmerising melodies of Goat Girl, the triumphant return of Swim Deep, the raw power of The Mysterines, the enigmatic Yannis & The Yaw, and the poetic prowess of Orlando Weeks. It’s a feast for your eyes and ears. So, Dear Reader, whether you’re a fan of introspective singer-songwriters, genre-defying innovators, or straight-up rock ‘n’ roll rebels, we’ve got you covered. Dive in, and let’s embrace the beautiful chaos together.
readdork.com Editor Stephen Ackroyd Deputy Editor Victoria Sinden Associate Editor Ali Shutler Contributing Editors Jake Hawkes, Jamie Muir, Martyn Young Scribblers Abigail Firth, Alexander Bradley, Ciaran Picker, Dan Harrison, Dillon Eastoe, Emma Quin, Finlay Holden, Neive McCarthy, Rebecca Kesteven, Rob Mair, Sam Taylor, Steven Loftin
Top Ten. 6. 8. 9.
FEET INDOOR PETS LAMBRINI GIRLS
10. 12. 14. 16. 17. 18. 20. 20.
YANNIS & THE YAW OPUS KINK ORLANDO WEEKS THE MYSTERINES EVERYONE SAYS HI TEENAGE KICKS: ORLA GARTLAND A DAY IN THE LIFE OF... NIEVE ELLA FONTAINES D.C.
22. 23.
GLASTONBURY 2000TREES
24. 25. 26. 27.
SUNDAY (1994) BEA AND HER BUSINESS NICE SWAN AZIYA
Intro.
Festivals.
Stephen Ackroyd ‘Editor’ @stephenackroyd
Hype.
28. 29.
LEXIE CARROLL NXDIA
30. 36. 40. 46. 50. 56. 58. 64. 66.
BIG SPECIAL ALFIE TEMPLEMAN MAYA HAWKE TALKING HEADS PORTER ROBINSON SWIM DEEP LEIGH-ANNE GOAT GIRL LAUFEY
72. 73. 74. 75.
DUA LIPA TAYLOR SWIFT WILLOW A.G. COOK
76.
CAITY BASER
78.
HOTWAX
Features.
Incoming. Get Out.
Backpage.
Snappers Adama Jalloh, Andrew Lyman, Derek Bremner, Frances Beach, Gemma Warren, George Muncey, Holly Whittaker, Jessie Morgan, Kate Friend, Kit Monteith, Patrick Gunning, Rishi Salujah, Sarah Louise Bennett, Steve Gullick PUBLISHED FROM WELCOMETOTHEBUNKER.COM UNIT 10, 23 GRANGE ROAD, HASTINGS, TN34 2RL
All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of The Bunker Publishing Ltd. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which The Bunker Publishing Ltd holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of Dork or its staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally.
READDORK.COM 3.
THE BEST HAPPENING
STUFF NOW.
Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
SITTING PRETTY
6. DORK
FEET‘s new single ‘Sit Down’ serves as a call to action against capitalist pressures, offering a moment of rest as a form of resistance. With their second album ‘Make It Up’ on the way, they’re about to “pump out a product we are all really proud of”. → FEET: a name that evokes stomping
rhythms, pulsating energy, and the joy of movement. And yet, the band’s most recent offering? ‘Sit Down’. “We’re currently on set shooting the video,” guitarist Harry Southerton reveals. They’ve just had to learn their first dance routine, apparently. Doesn’t sound especially sedentary so far. So what’s the deal with ‘Sit Down’? According to frontman George Haverson, “The triumphant parking of your derrière is an active form of protest against our capitalist overlords.” The song is “a celebration of that protest and our ongoing fight with gravity,” he explains. “We sit next to people every day of our lives, and that shared collective pause is a pretty central part of the human experience.” While Harry envisions the ideal place to park his behind as a backyard with friends, complete with a comfortable chair, and George’s signature potato salad, George’s dream scenario is a touch more unconventional. “Honestly, I’d like to sit on top of a moving train,” he admits. “I bet that’s quite the feeling. Might need some sunglasses for the bugs.” ‘Sit Down’ does give capital to the idea that it’s as essential to take a break as it is to push on and double down on the workload. With their second album ‘Make It Up’ imminent, the balance is something that FEET have had to work on. “It can be swings and roundabouts with this stuff,” Harry contemplates. “It’s hard sometimes to schedule time in the studio for writing, so when we get in there, we’re excited and grateful to put our ideas together. On the flip of the coin, sometimes we know if we’ve been pushing it when the completely horrific renditions of 12-bar blues occur it’s time for some R&R.” ‘Sit Down’ serves as a bridge between the two halves of ‘Make It Up’, Harry explains. “It’s the first song on side B, so it brings the second half of the record in with a healthy dose of excitement and pace after a fairly mellow previous track to end the first. Once we’d finished mixing the tracks, we knew we wanted to place it there for a second wave of buzz to start side B.” Looking back, Harry considers, “We’ve come a long way. Recently, we’ve been going through a tonne of old demos - it’s taken a couple of years of honing and
WHO ARE PERFUME? TOP TEN
“THERE’S A REAL RANGE ON THE ALBUM” GEORGE
HAVERSON.
sharpening our sound to get to where we’re at now.” “To have confidence in what we’re making now is the result of trial and error effectively,” he continues. “I like to think we all know now what our sound isn’t, so confusingly, by default, we all know what we’re doing.” Choosing which songs make the cut is a meticulous process for FEET. In the run-up to ‘Make It Up’, they’ve stated that there are “no throwaway ideas on this album” - so what makes a track a keeper? “We’ve never really had any arguments when it comes to choosing what we develop and what songs don’t make the cut,” George explains. “A new idea always seems to drift along, so if the holes are too stubborn to fix in a tune, we just move on to the next. The songs that held the most water are what you’re hearing on the album.” The recording process for ‘Make It Up’ was a live endeavour to capture the band’s raw energy. “We were lucky to have a cracking producer in Andy Savours to help steer the ship on the recording,” George said. “It’s mostly live, so the real challenge was capturing the spirit of the song in a full take and, particularly, at the right tempo. We must have done every song about 20 times in a range of about five bpm.” “There’s a real range on the album that will hopefully soothe any individual expectations,” he continues. “For me, the closing track is particularly special because it feels like a proper ‘band’ song. Everyone slotted into their parts pretty much immediately when we were writing it, which is always a sign of a very ‘FEET’ song.” Excitement reigns as George considers the future. ‘Make It Up’ isn’t just a reflection of FEET’s journey; it’s a springboard for further creative exploration. “We’ve been tinkering with the FEET machine for so long; it’s gratifying to see it finally pump out a product we are all really proud of,” he admits. “’Make It Up’ just makes me excited now to get back in the studio and keep that assembly line churning.” Comparing the new record to their debut, the fantastically titled ‘What’s Inside Is More Than Just Ham’, George still has love for what came before. “We are all very grateful for the platform the first album put us on and for the audiences we have now because of it,” he says. “I’d say ‘WIIMTJH’ was a decent first impression, but ‘Make It Up’ feels like more of a solid first step. No pun intended.” With live shows to come, the band are eager to get on the road. Though they probably won’t be making the human sacrifice before each show that George jokes is a pre-show ritual (“Flickering the lights on and off really fast has a similar satanic effect”), and audiences are definitely getting in on the act. “Recently, we’ve been debuting a lot of unheard tracks,” he explains, “so it’s been a lovely surprise to see people jump around to something they would have heard for the first time.” “Once the album is out in June we will be ramping up to play it all live in a very special album tour,” he teases. “All will be revealed later this year.” ■
→ Dork’s Night Out is set to return one more time this May, with a very special secret show from very special secret guests ‘Perfume’. Back at London’s iconic 100 Club to kickstart the Bank Holiday Weekend on Friday 24th May, we’ve been sworn to secrecy about the identity of our headliners, but they’re set to help us paint the town red at quite possibly our most ridiculous instalment of Dork’s Night Out to date. With support from special guests ‘TBA’, multiple Dork coverstars ‘Perfume’ will be welcoming in the dawn of an exciting new era on the night. If you want to avoid unwanted jealousy as the odd ones out when the show is forced to go on without you, you can take the easy way out and book tickets now via DICE and WeGotTickets. Trust us, you won’t want to miss this one. WHO ARE PERFUME, THEN? + They have had three (and a half) Dork covers previously. + Their last album was released in 2022. Their next is due ‘soon’. + They made a big splash when they first arrived.
SOFT GRAND SERVE THEFT APE
→ Soft Play have announced their first album in six years, ‘HEAVY JELLY’. The record – set for release on 19th July – features their recent tracks ‘Punk’s Dead’ and ‘Mirror Muscles’, as well as new teaser ‘Act Violently’. Laurie Vincent says: “We’re not gonna be the band that leads your protest march really eloquently, but we might be the band that motivates you to go down the gym or start doing something productive and that’s important too. What we can do is sing about relatable things and share that with people.” Isaac Holman adds: “Don’t try and be like everyone else. Just do what you want and have fun.”
→ Blossoms have released a new single titled ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?’ along with an… intriguing music video. The clip, directed by Ewan Ogden and the band’s own Tom Ogden, features a cameo from Everton Football Club’s manager, Sean Dyche, and ‘Gary the Gorilla’, an 8-foot fibreglass gorilla taken from a Lancashire garden centre last year. Sean Dyche shared his thoughts on participating in the video, stating, “I was delighted to be asked to appear in Blossoms’ new video and it was great to have a ‘craic’ with them whilst filming. Great lads and a great band … Loving what they all produce”. Gary the Gorilla had no comment.
READDORK.COM 7.
WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!
BE YOUR OWN PET
→ Fat Dog have announced their debut album ‘WOOF’, set for release on 6th September via Domino. The news follow the band’s early singles ‘All The Same’ and ‘King Of The Slugs’, as well as loads of live shows, including their first-ever headline tour at the end of last year which included a night at London’s Scala. They’ve also shared new single ‘Running’, and booked a new tour for the end of the year. “Music is so vanilla,” says frontman Joe Love. “I don’t like sanitised music. Even this album is sanitised compared to what’s in my head. I thought it would sound more fucked up.”
‘Pathetic Apathetic’ sees INDOOR PETS return embracing a heavier sound, grappling with the realities of life as a small artist while finding joy and purpose in the music they create together. → Indoor Pets never felt like a band scared
CITY SLICKERS
Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
→ Live at Leeds In The City has shared the first wave of artists set to appear at this year’s event, as the festival returns for its latest edition in November 2024. The groundbreaking Leeds new music all-dayer will welcome art-rockers Everything Everything, indie wonderkid Alfie Templeman, local faves English Teacher, Liverpool alt-rock quartet Stone, our buzzy new faves Soft Launch, party starter Master Peace, and a host of other artists at the forefront of the UK’s thriving new music scene. Live at Leeds In The City takes place on Saturday, 16th November.
8. DORK
“ALL OF OUR SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY THESE PURE MOMENTS OF JOY”
to put their own creative signature on things. From their early days playing sweaty, packed-out venues across the country to their self-imposed hiatus after a debut album that shone bright and - arguably, but we’ll argue for it - deserved better, the quartet have consistently prioritised their creative vision and the unbreakable bond they share as bandmates over the creeping urge to compromise. Some bands are just built that way - truly told, they’re usually the best ones. Now - as they release their second album, ‘Pathetic Apathetic’, via their original label home, Alcopop! Records - Indoor Pets are ready to redefine what it means to be a small ridiculous to imagine that we’d ever be able UK guitar band in 2024. Or at least, what it to financially benefit from this endeavour, so means to be this small UK guitar band. The all of our success is now measured by these album, which sees the band embracing pure moments of joy,” they explain. a heavier, more pummeling sound, is a The decision to release ‘Pathetic Apathetic’ testament to their resilience, unwavering via Alcopop! Records was a natural one for commitment to their craft, and ability to find the gang, who have always valued working joy and purpose in the face of adversity. with decent, passionate people over chasing “We needed a break, and then the world the empty promises of larger labels. Alcopop! presented us with one a la COVID-19,” the has built a reputation as one of the UK’s most band reveal, reflecting on the circumstances respected independent labels, known for its that led to their hiatus. We’ve nailed down eclectic roster and unwavering commitment frontman Jamie Glass and guitarist James to artists who refuse to compromise their Simpson for a long overdue catch-up with vision. The label has been a champion of a band that could make a decent claim for Indoor Pets since their early days, and the being the OG ‘Dork favourites’. “I don’t think band’s return feels like a full-circle moment. there was a specific moment that brought us As anyone who knows the UK indie back. It was more the fragile egos and hurt world will agree, Jack Clothier, the one-man feelings of being stuck in B.O.-infused vans machine behind Alcopop!, is quite probably for a decade had subsided and hardened into the best of them all. For Indoor Pets, the something more mature and enjoyable.” choice was clear. “Having to start from That spirit is evident throughout ‘Pathetic scratch, we had two options: 1. Drip feed Apathetic’, an album that sees Indoor Pets releases. Run the rat race. Try to catch the endure as they grapple with the challenges proverbial eyes of [insert a rich yet vapid of being a small artist in an industry that label wanting to sign a bunch of hairy often prioritises profit over passion. “As a 30-year-olds] for months on end; or 2. We band, we’ve made a plethora of choices in could make a record with the nicest person our careers based on the prospect of making on the planet who had always believed in us. It music for a living,” they recall. “And they have was a no-brainer,” they say, their words tinged almost always resulted in us getting burnt. with a mix of pragmatism and gratitude. Because it’s snake oil. Anyone can and will As our conversation draws to a close, promise a new artist everything they’ve ever Indoor Pets leave us with a simple yet wanted - with no evidence nor remorse if they poignant message they want us all to fail. Luckily for us, we’re far too old and ugly take away. “Remember when rock albums to have these prepositions offered nowadays. were melodic and sounded like a bunch of And the people who remain are almost humans in a room playing together? That was exclusively lovely people who love music. It a fun time, wasn’t it?” It’s a sentiment that took a lot of failure to realise how essential encapsulates the very essence of ‘Pathetic that is to an artist’s happiness. Maybe even Apathetic’ - a record that celebrates the more so than financial security.” raw, unbridled power of rock music and the These experiences have led Indoor unbreakable bond between bandmates who Pets to redefine their measure of success. have weathered the storms of the industry These days, they have one primary goal - and emerged stronger, more united, and existence. “For a long time, we didn’t think more determined than ever to make their we’d be releasing music ever again. Let alone mark on the world. Indoor Pets are back, and playing to an audience who have spent their - unless the sausage car turns out to be a goer hard-earned cash to hear it. It would be - they’re hopefully here to stay. ■
LA M
AMBRINI GIRLS MAKE A STAND Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
It’s eighteen months since Hope Tala dropped her last single, but as she returns with a brand new offering (and a freshly obtained driving licence), ‘I Can’t Even Cry’, she’s lost none of her power.
→ Lambrini Girls are built on defiance.
From their fizzy name, a playful rebellion against the expected, to their music, a blistering cocktail of punk fury and social commentary, they’re a band who refuse to play by the rules. Their spirit is as effervescent as you’d expect, blending humour with candid insight. “We drinking rum and blasting toilets,” they offer, a perfect introduction to a band that thrives on defying expectations and isn’t afraid to deliver it with some wry, dark humour and an underlying offer to fuck off and take it outside. The year so far has seen them over in Europe “shagging everybody’s dads (platonically),” as they put it. Perhaps that’s the ultimate Brexit benefit, who knows? Their latest track, ‘Body of Mine’, represents a deep dive into the personal, exploring the complexities of gender identity. “Our songs are usually observant, but this one is a little more personal,” they share. “’Body of Mine’ is about trying to connect to your gender identity, feeling like you’re not fully yourself, and struggling to figure out how to truly become it. Gender is an extremely complex journey for a lot of people, and this song represents only one experience out of many.” The track, recorded in Dublin with Gilla Band’s Daniel Fox, reflects their journey into more personal thematic territory, wrapped in their signature punk dynamism. While anger fuels their creative fire, they refuse to write for mere effect. “We’ll never address something for the sake of being political,” they promise. “It has to come from an authentic and genuine place.” Lambrini Girls’ music is just one facet of their activism. They’ve made headlines for their principled withdrawal from major music festivals like SXSW and Brighton’s The Great Escape. Their decision to pull out of SXSW stemmed from the festival’s association with the US Army and defence contractors linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict. This unwavering commitment to ethical consistency is a defining characteristic of the band. “Making the actual decision as to whether to play or not was not difficult.
“IT’S IMPORTANT POLITICAL BANDS DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN WITHOUT DROWNING THEMSELVES OUT OF THE INDUSTRY ENTIRELY” What was difficult was figuring out how to go about it,” they explain, highlighting the complexities of balancing ethical integrity with industry expectations. “It was a delicate situation, given our industry ties, and we had to think hard about how we were going to lay out our next steps,” they explain. “People expect us to make immediate public statements - understandable to a degree, but it doesn’t work like that. People assumed we were staying quiet in order to avoid the conversation because they don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. We have to get ducks in a row first, and that takes time.” This summer promises to be a whirlwind for Lambrini Girls. They’ll be making their US debut supporting the mighty Amyl & The Sniffers, alongside headlining their own shows across the pond. Festival appearances are plentiful, with slots at Wide Awake, 2000trees, the iconic Reading & Leeds, Green Man, Manchester Psych Fest, and the crown jewel - Glastonbury. To top it all off, they’ll be supporting IDLES at their soldout Alexandra Palace shows in London - but they do also maintain an admirable ambition for the rest of the year: “To punch Rishi Sunak in the dick.” Straight to the point: that’s Lambrini Girls in a nutshell. They describe their ethos succinctly: “Piss off the right people. Affirm the people who need it. Create safe spaces, and get conversations not designed for the mainstream, in the mainstream.” It’s a mission that resonates throughout their music and public actions. Lambrini Girls back the importance of community. They’re outspoken and unafraid to challenge the status quo. Their music - a potent mix of social commentary and glorious raw energy - is delivered with a healthy dose of humour and a disregard for censorship. In a world that often tries to silence dissenting voices, Lambrini Girls are a breath of fresh air. “After enough men tell you that your band’s shit,” they shrug dismissively, “you kind of stop giving a fuck about what everybody thinks about it.” ■
XO XO
TOP TEN
→ Camila Cabello has unveiled plans for her fourth solo studio album titled ‘C, XOXO,’ set for release on 28th June. The announcement follows the release of her single ‘I Luv It’ in March. At the time, Cabello shared her thoughts on the track, explaining, “Certain things in our human realm do make me feel like I’m in outer space, and the very rare few times where I’ve had incredible chemistry with someone is one of them. Part of that cocktail is also the emotional drama between you and that person, and the chaos and butterflies and nerves and passion. It’s unsustainable and not peaceful and exhausting, but also, I LUV IT.”
AMAZING GRACIE → Gracie Abrams is set to release her second studio album titled ‘The Secret of Us’ on 21st June. The former Dork cover star is following up her acclaimed debut album ‘Good Riddance’, continuing her collaboration with producer Aaron Dessner from The National. Abrams excitedly revealed details about the upcoming album on Instagram, where she shared the cover art photographed by her cousin Abby. She expressed her enthusiasm for the project, saying, “the album that I made with some of my favourite people!!!!” She also praised Dessner’s production work, stating, “Aaron produced the shit out of it.”
READDORK.COM 9.
THE BEATING HEART OF POP NONSENSE.
BASEMENT The lead track from YANNIS PHILIPPAKIS’ posthumous collaboration with Afrobeat drumming legend TONY ALLEN captures the electrifying spark that ignited during their global musical meeting, weaving a tapestry of sound that reflects the cultural touchstones of Lagos, Paris, and London. by MARTYN YOUNG. photography by KIT MONTEITH, RISHI SALUJAH.
10. DORK
FEVER
INTRO
“I
t’s about serendipity and coming together with someone.” There’s always something amazing when you get to meet your heroes, but for Foals singer Yannis Philippakis, the opportunity to not only meet but work with legendary Afrobeat pioneering drummer Tony Allen was a truly special experience. Tragically, Tony passed away during the pandemic, leaving the work that they started in flux, but seven years after they first met, Yannis has now put together a beautiful EP documenting their time and the music they made together as a special project under the name Yannis And The Yaw. ‘Lagos Paris London’ is a reflection of a moment in time and two generations meeting and creating a little bit of magic. With Foals riding high on the wild success of their fourth album ‘What Went Down’, a call offering an intriguing opportunity came following two years of hard touring. “I got a call when we were deep in a Foals tour. We were touring ‘What Went Down’ so it was quite a few years ago now. I got a call from a mutual friend who said, do you want to go and write with Tony Allen in Paris?” says Yannis. The mention of Tony Allen’s name immediately conjured excitement as he remembered the pivotal role Tony and his work as drummer for Fela Kuti, as well as his long and winding career, played in the genesis and evolution of Foals. “A lot of our formative musical years were spent listening to Fela Kuti,” he explains. “Especially this one compilation of Tony Allen’s that I think is just called ‘The Best Of’. It’s a quadruple vinyl. We used to hammer it when we were writing ‘Antidotes’ and ‘Total Life Forever’. I was a huge fan.” While the opportunity sounded exciting, a “no brainer”, as Yannis explains it, the reality of actually making it work became more of an issue. “I got home, and I hadn’t been home for a couple of months, and I collapsed into a puddle the moment the keys were thrown on the table. I was like, fuck, I don’t know if I’ve got the energy to get up and get to Paris the next day,” says Yannis as he describes his exhaustion after a punishing Foals tour. “I almost put it off, but my friend at the time encouraged me and said, look, you’ve got to go there for two days. It might be the experience of a lifetime, then you can come home and rest.” For the experience of a lifetime, Yannis recounts the details in a refreshingly simple and down-to-earth style. “So, I trotted off with my guitar to the Eurostar and I got there in the morning,” he begins. “It was a basement studio. Very French and very 70s. Full of cigarette smoke and bad carpet and mirrors in weird places. It was basically Tony’s home, in a way. His drums were permanently set up in the live room.” Almost instantly, the musical alchemy bubbled up, and from their first jam together came the project’s first track with the heavy groove of ‘Walk Through Fire’. “It’s a simple song,” he explains. “It largely revolves around this one riff. We played it round a couple of times, and some of these other French guys in the studio who knew Tony played along and were either helping out on bass or percussion. We kinda had it there. We were getting on like a house on fire after that. The room changed.” The jamming session in Paris was intended to lead to work beginning on a full album, but events got in the way firstly with scheduling issues and then Covid before Tony’s sad passing, which ultimately gave Yannis the
“THE RECORD IS A TREASURE AND A DOCUMENT OF TWO PEOPLE WHO CAME TOGETHER”
impetus to turn those special moments into something real and tangible. “Covid really scuppered us because he was based in Paris. It was impossible for so long,” he explains. “As is the way with collaborations, once you’ve captured the lighting in the bottle, sometimes you don’t complete it when you should. You know that it’s there, so you get slightly complacent about it. I had a lot of stuff with Foals and he was busy as well doing The Good, The Bad and The Queen. He was really busy, and between us we couldn’t get together. Sadly and tragically, he passed away during Covid. It strangely was a massive motivation to try to finish it. Largely out of guilt that we hadn’t done it while he was alive and realising that it had been such a special experience in my life creatively, but just as a person, it was such a unique moment for us to have not completed it and played shows together.” The EP is a beautiful tribute to the enduring legacy of Tony Allen and the creative spirit he represents. “His music will backgrounds and generations being thrust live on forever,” says Yannis passionately. together unknowingly without knowing “The drums will play on. He had such an each other and through music very quickly incredible and unique style of playing. He was bonding and forming and creating something the originator. He was the source. There’s an that will last.” untappable well that will continue to inspire This collaborative project comes at a people for generations.” time when Foals are able to take a pause The record is also an example of his and reflect on a triumphant couple of years dexterity as a musician and willingness to still following their euphoric 2022 album ‘Life Is try new things. “This release is an interesting Yours’ which cemented them firmly at the top perspective on Tony’s writing,” says Yannis. of the UK band pantheon after almost two “It’s definitely a different project than Tony’s decades of innovation. “We’ve been smashing worked on before. It’s the heaviest stuff he it for so many years; it’s been such a constant was involved in. For me, it’s obviously the focus of our lives,” says Yannis, explaining most inspired by jazz and Afrobeat. For the band’s desire to take stock. “It has been people coming to the EP, it’s an interesting incredible to devote yourself to something prism that we were both put in and thrust so absorbing, but I think every now and then together to write this.” you just have to come up for air and remind Even more remarkable is that it almost yourself what life looks like above the parapet. never happened. “Had I not gone to Paris For self-preservation and the preservation of that day and further along, had we not kept the band, it’s important to occasionally stop it up and had we not finished it, through these and assess what exactly we want to do next chance meetings and happenings, you can rather than just automatically make another end up with something that’s precious and is record without consideration. This time, we permanent,” he continues. “When so much of want to think about what we’re going to do life is impermanent, that’s a really important next, and I think that’s natural after having lesson that I learned. I feel protective over put out quite a few records; it’s important for the record. It’s a treasure and a document us to decide what we want to do.” of two people who came together. He was In the meantime, Yannis And The Yaw in his seventies when I met him, and I was offers the opportunity to have some fun in my twenties. There’s something amazing and do something a little different. Certainly about two people from different cultures and not a solo project, but just a different kind
YANNIS PHILIPPAKIS
of creative expression. “I’ve left it openended,” he says excitedly. “The idea behind the Yaw part is that it could be a rotating collaborative project. The title, ‘Lagos Paris London’, is the cultural touchstones for the EP, and it’s a musical postcard from these locations. If there was to be another project with the Yaw again, it would be three different locations and a different cultural mix. It’s not meant to be a solo expression. This EP is an archive of time recording with Tony and French musicians Vincent Taeger and Vincent Tuarelle, who were really important and produced it. I would imagine they might be part of the Yaw. It’s important to make the distinction. If I were to do a solo record, it would sound a lot different. This is led by Tony and the group of his musicians in France. If I was to do another one, it would sound quite different. There are no plans for that right now. I want to leave it open-ended and let this EP have its time in the sun, and let’s see what happens later on.” With the EP arriving at the end of summer, there’s a tantalising opportunity for perhaps some gigs as Yannis looks to continue to honour the legacy of one of his all-time heroes. “I think we will,” he smiles when asked if he’s planning to bring these songs to life on stage. “Not an extensive tour, but a couple of shows to give the record a good release and a good send-off and honour Tony.” ■
READDORK.COM 11.
A NEW INTRO
“A NEW DAWN IS TUNING UP ON THE HORIZON; THE DOLDRUMS ARE LIFTING LIKE AN ANCIENT CURSE” ANGUS
previously graced the stages of Dork’s Night he adds. “It’s totally just a character. OK?” Out with their electrifying performances. It’s a good job he’s clarified that. Opus The feedback was unanimous - they’re Kink’s brand of love is far from conventional, band OPUS KINK returns with ‘I absolutely bonkers. as evidenced by the eyebrow-raising line, “I Wanna Live With You’, a genreAt the heart of Opus Kink’s music wanna drink your blood.” Rogers elaborates, is a sense of unbridled creativity and a “I suppose it’s about the romantic urge to bending love song that delves willingness to push boundaries. They’re not consume and be consumed entirely!” into the neurotic and desperate afraid to experiment, take risks, or venture But it’s not just the lyrics that are pushing into uncharted territory. This fearless boundaries. The band set out to test their aspects of relationships. approach to songwriting and performing mettle in writing a sub-three-minute pop has made them one of the most exciting and classic with ‘I Wanna Live With You’, and by STEPHEN ACKROYD. unpredictable bands in a scene packed with they’ve succeeded with flying colours. “We pus Kink are a band who defy glorious oddballs and weirdos. And with the believe that Prince himself would’ve killed to categorisation. The enigmatic release of their latest single, ‘I Wanna Live record it,” Rogers quips. The single’s release on Hideous sextet, hailing from Brighton, have With You’, they’re poised to take their music Recordings marks a significant milestone been carving out a niche with their to even greater heights. Released via their own label, Hideous for the band. “We started the label a while unique fusion of jazz, country, and punk. Their music is a chaotic yet Recordings, in partnership with SO ago for a larf,” Rogers explains, “but our beautiful mess, a reflection of the world Recordings, ‘I Wanna Live With You’ is saxman and big-time Hideous label boss around them and the inner workings of a testament to Opus Kink’s unabashed Jed [Morgans] has built it into something their own minds. It’s a sound that has been creativity and their ability to craft a pop wonderful over the past couple of years. We described as everything from “gutter-pop” classic with a twist - a precursor to what thought we’d seize the means of production to “anxiety-inducing” and has garnered them promises to be a year filled with surprises for this one and wave our own flag.” Rather than sail out into the unknown a devoted following and plenty of critical and musical innovation. Frontman Angus Rogers, both answering without a map, the band have enlisted the acclaim alike. First bursting onto the scene with their our questions and editing the music video for help of SO Recordings, who are quietly debut EP, ‘Til The Stream Runs Dry’, they their next single, is adamant about the aims showcased their genre-bending approach of the band’s latest creation. “It’s a love song,” to songwriting and their electric live he explains. “We’re feeding the ‘Love Song performances. They quickly followed it Industrial Complex’ as per the Meatraffle up with the equally impressive ‘My Eyes, lament, but this one is more to do with the Brother!’, cementing their status as one pedant’s desire to love like normal people do, of the most exciting new bands in the UK. or be seen to do so. Essentially, the neurotic Indeed, they’re no strangers to anyone who and desperate aspect of relationships.” “To be clear, we’re all very well-adjusted,” frequents our regular live shows, having
Brighton’s most unpredictable
O 12. DORK
ROGERS
putting together a fearsome roster of exciting new bands with both BIG SPECIAL and Deadletter on their books. “Two heads are better than the guillotine,” Rogers jokes, but it’s a future partnership of serious potential when it comes to taking a band that don’t always fit neatly into mainstream spaces to the very top of their potential. While they aren’t letting us know much about what comes next - there are a few hints. “A new dawn is tuning up on the horizon,” Rogers shares. “The doldrums are lifting like an ancient curse”. What he will tell us, is that we’ll have more from the band “later this year”, where they’ll continue that unapologetic approach to songwriting that sets Opus Kink apart from their contemporaries. They’re not afraid to delve into the darker aspects of human nature, to explore the macabre and the beautiful in equal measure. As Rogers puts it, “The end result is shaping up to be a grotesque smorgasbord of various horrors, so hopefully, there’ll be joy, satisfaction, contempt and disappointment in spades for everyone.” So, what can fans expect from the band in the coming months? More surprises, more experimentation, and more of the uncompromising artistry that has become their calling card. “Who we truly are, stripped of pomp and vanity,” Rogers teases. “We’re working on that for you.” But for now, ‘I Wanna Live With You’ stands as a testament to Opus Kink’s singular vision and unparalleled creativity. It’s a love song for the ages, a twisted tale of consumption and desperation that only they could tell. And with their biggest headline show on the horizon and a slew of new material in the works, it’s clear that Opus Kink is just getting started. As Rogers so eloquently puts it, “Opus Kink, trowels and hoses in hand, are about to uncover the one road to paradise.” And we, for one, can’t wait to see where that road leads. ■
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DIG INTRO
W
ORLANDO WEEKS and Rhian Teasdale re-make promises and roll their eyes with the ex-Maccabees man’s new single, ‘Dig’, with a full-length ‘LOJA’ set to follow this summer. by CIARAN PICKER. photography by KATE FRIEND.
e’ve all known a couple like Rhian’s undeniable talent shines through this: they’ve been together for in the track, something which was evident years but have never really to Orlando in the studio and subsequently seemed overly happy together. in the accompanying video. “Rhian just has One is always kowtowing this miraculous presence,” Orlando states, to the other, and every few “they’re just a bona fide rock star. They came months, they threaten a break-up before in, nailed the vocal in four takes, and just miraculously making amends and beaming holds the room. Then, with the video, they were able to run on a treadmill while singing with pride for all of five minutes. On Orlando Weeks’ newly-released single, at double speed.” ‘Dig’, he takes on exactly this character, one ‘Dig’ represents just one of the multiwho promises things will change, while sided emotional journey that unfolds on his partner – in this case, Wet Leg’s Rhian Weeks’ new album, ‘Loja’, due this summer Teasdale – reels off veiled snipes and sly via Fiction Records. digs, stating, “I’ll believe it when I see it”. Heavily inspired by Orlando’s move to Given Wet Leg’s status as one of the Lisbon just after the pandemic, the title is world’s biggest new bands, Orlando being Portuguese for shop or store, referencing able to land such a prestigious collaboration the property he rents and uses as an art speaks to his reputation in the business – studio. The different pace of life, almost especially given how the relationship unblemished hours of sunshine, and initially began. “They asked me to be in a Orlando’s improved state of mind all Wet Leg video, and my reply was, ‘I don’t provided a levity to the album, allowing him want to do that’,” he chuckles, “but I figured, to be creative both musically and artistically. now they’ve asked, I’m entitled to an ask too!” “It’s definitely more laid-back than For Orlando, Rhian provided the perfect London,” Orlando posits. “There isn’t that sparring partner. “I’m such a huge fan of Wet hectic, oppressive, almost sub-conscious Leg. I was recording on the Isle of Wight, and fizz. I still find it romantic, charming; I’m it was like the first time they’d been back completely besotted with it.” Nods to his home for about two years, so it was written new home are peppered across the record, in the stars. The delivery of their lyrics with ‘Best Night’ containing Portuguese on their own work, the way they present spoken word, whilst closing track ‘Beautiful them, they have such amazing emotional Place’ illuminates his newfound joy on the intelligence. I felt like Rhian would be able Atlantic Coast, using sound, smell, and to get the hushed tension of the track, and sight to transport the listener to an almost she understood it straight away.” utopian landscape.
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His move to the Iberian Peninsula has been a long time coming, feeling like the place where he and his family were meant to be. “Before Covid, we were living in Berlin, and it was so cold. My wife turned to me and said, ‘Why are we still here?’ And I didn’t have a good answer.” As with everything, though, it wasn’t that everything just fell into place, with the small matter of a pandemic and the joy of having a child filling the time before they could finally live their dream. “It’s hard to remember the big plan sometimes,” he says, “but thankfully, my wife has always been good at keeping her eye on the prize.” Clearly, Orlando’s life is very different from 2022, when he released his last album, ‘Hop Up’. As such, the approach to this project was eminently different. “There’s less of a manifesto with this record. ‘Hop Up’ was as unrelentingly positive as I could muster. With this one, I wrote most of it in Lisbon and some in London, so it was more about capturing a moment.” Orlando’s life being split between his London birthplace and new Lisbon home is mirrored in the feeling of tracks on the record, allowing him to show all the sides of his personality. ‘Longing’ and ‘You & The Packhorse’ speak to his immense devotion to his family, whilst the aforementioned ‘Dig’ is probably the closest to a traditional rock song that you’ll find on ‘Loja’, using gritty guitar lines and vocal blending to portray the anger and inevitability of the situation. Elsewhere, ‘Tomorrow’ sees Orlando delve into introspection, opening up about his struggles with anxiety, using a violin to add a sense of chaos and spiralling madness to the track. “’Tomorrow’ was very nearly the lead single. Ollie from [folk-rock band] caroline played violin on the track. He’s a really talented musician and understood the way that I wanted to portray a hellish feeling alongside the absurdity of catastrophised thought that you have when you’re in that anxious place.” Building a team of trusted musicians was central to Orlando’s thesis for this project, shifting locations to the Isle of Wight to work with long-time friends and producers David Granshaw and Sergio Maschetzko. Combining with his touring bandmates, the group set about creating the record in just 13 days, an experiment that didn’t quite work the way Orlando had hoped. “The first half was a real pleasure. We were really concentrated; the flow was great. We could play with all the bells and whistles and be like, ‘Maybe we can use this massive
“THERE’S LESS OF A MANIFESTO WITH THIS RECORD; IT WAS MORE ABOUT CAPTURING A MOMENT” ORLANDO
WEEKS
glockenspiel somewhere?’ We left having a pretty good base, but it felt unfinished, and I knew the songs deserved better. Maybe I’m just not that kind of songwriter – one that can just go into a studio and capture the feeling of a room with all its foibles and eccentricities – but I want to try it again.” In spite of this pressure-cooker environment and a second week which, by his own admission, Orlando “ruined by trying to create something presentable rather than something that felt right”, there is a remarkable amount of content on the record. Intricacies and detail flood the record, represented by the swelling, layered synth and vocal work on ‘Wake Up’, or the driving guitar line that contrasts sharply with the female vocal on ominousyet-heartfelt ‘My Love Is (Daylight Saving)’. Chatting with Orlando, there’s a real sense that he’s a perfectionist, one who is overly harsh on himself and his own ability. “When I first heard the finished record, all I heard was the mistakes,” he admits. “Then I didn’t listen to it until I had to pick a single.” Thankfully, though, he’s since been able to separate himself from his own self-doubt. “It’s the longest I’ve sat on a record between finishing it and releasing it, but the more I hear it, the more I like it, and I am genuinely very proud of it.” As a relatively old hand in the game, with a wealth of material behind him from his time in The Maccabees and during his solo career, Orlando has been able to decipher exactly what it is he wants from this release. “The things I love about making music haven’t changed,” he shares. “The luxury of being able to create something from nothing, the privilege of being able to prospect for gold is all pleasure – even the frustrations are pleasure.” This new phase of Orlando Weeks’ life is, in many ways, the dream scenario. Moving to a beautiful city with a family you adore, being able to create art and music with amazing musicians, and not let any hurdles stand in the way of what you were born to do. By taking pride in every little detail of ‘Loja’, he’s created a record with a huge heart, immense warmth, but above all, a truly loveable soul. ■ Orlando Weeks’ album ‘LOJA’ is out 6th June.
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HARD & SOFT PLAY → Billie Eilish is set to hit the road for an extensive arena run, ‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR’. The dates kick off in North America in September 2024, moving to Australia in February 2025, and culminating with dates across Europe, the UK, and Ireland from April to late July 2025. She’ll play two nights at Glasgow’s Hydro, before six nights at London’s O2 and four at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena. She’ll finish up with two nights at Dublin’s 3Arena on 26th and 27th July 2025.
RUNAWAY
SUCCESS
→ Nilüfer Yanya has released a new single, ‘Like I Say (I runaway)’. The release – her first musical offering since her acclaimed 2022 album ‘PAINLESS’ – also coincides with her new partnership with Ninja Tune. The music video, directed by Molly Daniel, Yanya’s sister, features Yanya as a runaway bride. Yanya explains, “It’s about how you choose to spend your time. Time is like a currency, every moment. You’re never going to get it back. It’s quite an overwhelming thing to realise.”
BOOM
BOOM
BECK
→ Hinds have announced their new album, ‘Viva Hinds’. The news follows their recent single and video, ‘Coffee’, and arrives alongside ‘Boom Boom Back’ featuring Beck. The band’s first release as the original duo of Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote since 2014 debut single ‘Bamboo’, the album is due 6th September.
16. DORK
THE TOMORROW Liverpool alt-rockers THE MYSTERINES are heading deeper and darker for their second album, ‘Afraid Of Tomorrows’. Words: Finlay Holden.
PEOPLE
A
“THE BEST ART IS PROVOCATIVE, BUT NOT ALWAYS ENTIRELY TRUTHFUL” EVERYONE SAY
s far as Merseyside rock groups go in the 2020s, The Mysterines are at the top of the game. Having stormed into the Official Albums Chart Top 10 with 2022’s ferocious debut LP ‘Reeling’ and toured all over the world - including a huge stadium run with the one and only Arctic Monkeys - the four-piece are carrying a huge amount of momentum into their new project, ‘Afraid Of Tomorrows’. So, what is LIA METCALFE there to be scared of? Vocalist Lia Metcalfe takes a also understand that we’re having a they debuted onstage and was moment to reflect before resigning, laugh. We really needed that precise even chosen to open the support “Where do we even begin?” Across skillset this time around.” set for the Arctic Monkeys shows. 12 diverse tracks, this paranoiaThat precision genuinely reflects “We thought it’d be pretty cool to drenched second record diverts over the twelve songs making start with a song no one knew; not away from solely releasing pent-up up ‘Afraid Of Tomorrows’. From that many people at those shows energy as per their earlier efforts the surprising structure of ‘Tired would know who we were anyway,” and instead is a more measured Animal’ to the vulnerable dynamics drummer Paul Crilly jests. For approach focused on a desired of ‘Hawkmoon’, and even the joyous anyone familiar, it provides a nice form of output. “We had a better elements flaunted on the titular break from the first album cuts, idea of how we wanted it to sound closer, the record pulls the listener which have been toured for over going in that we had before,” Lia through a crucible of experiences two years now: “We’re all glad to be says, “because there was more of a while painting a vivid picture of The moving on,” Callum affirms. conscious effort to make this album Mysterines’ new world. Lyrically, it “We used to want to fuck them off, sound more true to us.” fuses reality with a dramatic fictional but there is now a tinge of humour Considering the undeniable flair to deliver an authentic time to playing them,” Lia is quick to add, appeal of their breakthrough capsule that also retains some promising that the older songs are effort, it would’ve been all too mystique. still always fun to perform. “They easy to hone in on that raw and “People don’t listen to music to come from a time when we were relentless tone, but guitarist Callum hear the truth anyway,” Lia admits. quite naïve. When we do the old Thompson asserts that all good “They just want to hear something songs we might laugh a little bit bands should aim to curate a varied that provokes them. The best art is because they’re not as serious as discography. “You look at people provocative, but not always entirely we thought they were. The new who try one-upping themselves truthful. You write something songs have a bit more emotional in the same and it’s usually better because you feel you need to. This investment.” when they weren’t overthinking it. record is largely a lot more personal. Part of that investment comes We’re different people from who we However, it’s obviously not entirely from this slate of tracks being far were a few years ago. We’ve been based in reality; that would almost more relevant to the musicians we introduced to new films, art, music; ruin the trick.” see before us today. As with most that moulds who you become. It’s The trick in question is realising debut records, ‘Reeling’ collected a journey we all go through together.” a sonic scene for your audience that material written over the formative Pulling The Mysterines into these fills a broad canvas with rich colour years of the band members – Lia periods of growth are constant without laying out every single detail. recalls that some cuts, like ‘Under challenges behind the scenes. While As with all good art, Lia wants her Your Skin’, began life when she was the recording process was more songs to stand independently but just a young teen – whereas ‘Afraid straightforward than the months draw in people capable of applying Of Tomorrows’ lays down the intent of in-and-out, disjointed sessions their own truths. “People listen to of The Mysterines in 2024. they endured in the past, the music without boundaries and relate “It’s more relevant to what we subconscious pressures of travelling to things in any way they want,” the want to create,” Callum agrees, but abroad did manifest. Lia reflects frontwoman remarks. “You don’t points out that, “I don’t think that on the time positively. “Some want to ruin people’s experience of at any song being released is a true difficulties are inevitable when you things because you have your own reflection of who the artist is at that care about something so much, selfish view. Keep that to yourself exact given time, but it is a reflection but at the end of the day, we got a and let people discover their own of what you want to create and the great album out of it that we’re all meaning.” direction you want to steer yourself super proud of. We were in LA for One great example of this sonically as a band.” five weeks, you know – what can go dichotomy is third and final single, So, what do The Mysterines want wrong there?” ‘The Last Dance’. Recognisable to create moving forward, and how Through moments of from their recent live shows, the much of this new chapter appeals to recklessness and others of track details a highly specific them now? “The mindset of wanting self-doubt, the Scouse quartet experience while allowing the to do something different is one that had veteran studio talent John context to be imagined, all through we’d always want to continue with,” Congleton in their corner. Having quite a unique lens. “It is a story Paul answers. “You just have to keep collaborated with countless artists about someone falling in love trying new shit, seeing what works and even possessing a Grammy for with a porcelain mannequin, yes,” and what doesn’t.” his work with St Vincent, John could Lia laughs, acknowledging the “You can’t predict that,” Lia quickly dissect the room’s dynamic perceived absurdity of the metaphor. highlights. “When you’re writing, you and help guide the group towards “Loneliness can bring you to reach surprise even yourself sometimes. their own treasures. out for comfort from things that are There are songs on this record that “John has an amazing knack inanimate, things that you should I never thought we’d accomplish if of knowing when to make things never to receive anything back from. you base it off the last one; ‘Afraid funny and light-hearted and when The repetition of the chorus is based Of Tomorrows’ is basically a country to turn it on and make things feel upon the wish that this inanimate song; who would’ve known? You’ll important so you get them right,” object would help you, but really, it never truly know what comes next, Callum recounts. “He was the serves as a call for help.” and that’s the best bit.” ■ The perfect person to make us feel the ‘The Last Dance’ is one of a Mysterines’ album ‘Afraid Of few previously unreleased tunes pressure when we needed to, but Tomorrows’ is out 7th June.
HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! As the drummer of Kaiser Chiefs, a songwriter extraordinaire and a solo artist, Nick Hodgson has pretty much done it all, but for his latest project EVERYONE SAYS HI he’s going back to his roots and starting a brand new band. Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
→ Drummer? Songwriter? Frontman? Nick Hodgson defies easy categorisation. In Kaiser Chiefs, he was the driving force behind some of the biggest indie anthems of the 00s, cutting a chaotic swathe through a scene that was remembering that, actually, not every cool band has to come from New York City. It might have been nearly twenty years ago now, but in some ways, between t’Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys, it was the last point that popular culture truly bowed to the sound of the northern indies. But we’re not here to talk about the past. Nick has long been more than just the singing stickman. He’s been a songwriter extraordinaire, working with everyone from Dua Lipa to Alfie Templeman. In 2018, he released his first solo album - a somewhat under-appreciated gem that features one of the best songs he’s ever penned (‘Suitable’, in case you’re wondering). Basically, he’s done a lot. And now he’s got a new band. This time around, Nick is taking on a new guise - the bonafide frontman. Everyone Says Hi emerge with a blend of experienced musicians and a clear vision, promising a sound that reverberates with echoes of the past while forging into new musical territories. Nick is clearly energised by his new bandmates, each bringing a rich history. “It’s me singing and playing rhythm guitar. Pete on bass; I’ve known him since we were in rival bands in the early 00s, and then he joined The Kooks for 12 years. Glenn from Howling Bells on drums, Ben from The Dead 60s on piano and Tom, our friend from Leeds, on guitar.” Hodgson embraces the spotlight with a blend of humility and humour, insisting that the golden rule is to “always listen to the drummer.” Collaboration does tend to bring the best out of us, and it’s something that proved right as Everyone Says Hi started to crystallise. “I tend to write a couple of verses and a chorus, make a really bad demo, and then hope that the others will join in and bring something extra,” Nick offers, “the things that I’d never think of.” The band’s debut single ‘Brain Freeze’ is a testament to this ethos. Written in Hodgson’s old flat in Leeds (“Maybe it’s magic”), it’s a song about “division in the world, society and everyday life and then trying to get away from it all by escaping to Ibiza.” As Hodgson looks ahead, he sees Everyone Says Hi not just as a return to his musical roots but as an opportunity to reconnect with the visceral joy of live performance. “I’m happy to play anywhere as long as there are some people,” he says, his enthusiasm undimmed by the years. “I loved playing in arenas cos it’s so unbelievably comfy, and everything’s done for you. But once you get onstage, the small venues are the best.” ■
“MUSIC IS THE WINNER” NICK
HODGSON
READDORK.COM 17.
INTRO
KICKS THIS MONTH...
Orla Gartland EVERYONE HAS THOSE FORMATIVE BANDS AND TRACKS THAT FIRST GOT THEM INTO MUSIC AND HELPED SHAPE THEIR VERY BEING. THIS MONTH, ORLA GARTLAND TAKES US THROUGH SOME OF THE SONGS THAT MEANT THE MOST TO HER DURING HER TEENAGE YEARS.
Mika
Grace Kelly
→ My dad is the best dad, he always has been. When we were kids, he got to work on building the dream garden for us: a treehouse with a working phone that could call the house landline and a big swing. I feel like I caught the very end of CD culture as a kid and when ‘Now That’s What I Call Music! 66’ hit the shelves. I put that shit straight into my walkman and headed for the garden. I was 12 and, in my own mind, alarmingly misunderstood by the entire world, so I spent many an afternoon after school listening to that CD, swinging back & forth for hours. When I heard ‘Grace Kelly’ for the first time I couldn’t believe how amazing it sounded... so colourful and stimulating, so many details, SO MANY CHORDS. I’ve never been a big musical theatre fan, but theatrical pop like this has always excited me, and I immediately adored how much that song wasn’t trying to be cool or overly earnest - it’s just pure fun. I’m in a band called FIZZ with three of my best friends and I would say that some of our record ‘The Secret To Life’ is actually pretty MIKA-adjacent.
Eminem
Mockingbird
→ Ok, bit of a rogue one, this. Shoutout again to my techy dad - he had a pretty amazing sound system in our house in Dublin where you could play our vinyl and CDs on speakers in most rooms and then decide which rooms in the house to pump the music out to (is my dad the unknowing inventor of SONOS?). I think
18. DORK
maybe he had Eminem’s 2004 album ‘Encore’ on CD and would try to play it quietly in the house to himself, but I always found a way to listen in. I know every word of this song still. In fact, most Eminem songs from this period. Luckily, I had literally no idea what the hell I was singing about - ‘Mockingbird’, for example, is about Eminem’s daughter Lainie and the hardships they experienced as a family: break-ins to their home, fame, divorce and custody, death threats and lawsuits... and there I was aged 10 and 11, scowling and spitting the bars out in my kitchen. I LOVED the flow of the rapping; trying to keep up and get all the words out of my mouth in the right order was a real challenge and way more worthy of my time and attention than any homework ever could be.
Katie Melua
The Closest Thing To Crazy
→ I think it was an aunt or someone from my extended family who was obsessed with this song when it came out, and so it came into my universe through osmosis. I remember hearing that little skipped beat towards the end of the chorus (when it goes, “I was never crazy... on my own”), and I couldn’t understand music enough to know what happened there, but I knew it was something unusual, it really tickled my brain. This song was also the first where I felt I could really appreciate the impact of a simple lyric tweak - they change ‘closest thing to crazy’ to ‘nearest thing to crazy’ in the chorus, and it’s like - WOAH! WOOOAHHHHHH. Listening back now, the string
parts and nylon string guitar jams go pretty hard; I can still stand behind this song; it will always have a special place in my little softie heart.
Paramore
The Only Exception
→ Wow, talk about a song that has aged like a fine wine. I was 14 when this song came out, skulking about the parks of North Dublin every weekend and pining after local boys that had no idea who I was. I had been playing guitar for a year or so at this point, and when I heard ‘The Only Exception’ out in the wild, all I wanted to do was sing Hayley’s part and play along to those chords. Hearing this and reading the lyrics on the home PC gave me the first version of that amazing, exposing feeling we can have as a listener - how did she crawl into my brain and write down exactly how I feel? This song is so beautifully simple; perhaps that’s why it sounds so timeless. A love song with an acoustic guitar - WILL IT EVER GET OLD? No, no, it won’t! Inject it into my veins.
Coldplay
Viva La Vida
→ Man, I know we ollectively give Coldplay a pretty hard time, but no one can deny that they put on a sick live show. In 2009, my dad took me and my best friend from school to the Dublin date of their tour, and I had never seen anything like it. They played to 40,000 people in Phoenix Park and pulled out every trick in the book - incredible lights, crazy pyro, they shot paper butterflies out to the crowd from giant canons... I was absolutely LIVING. I kept that paper butterfly in my journal for years. I’m not sure I could tell you what ‘Viva La Vida’ is about lyrically - all I know was that it felt like a moment, both at that show and in the general zeitgeist of that time. When I sang it, I felt like I was marching in some fictional
battle, crying out triumphantly for some unspecified victory. I felt powerful! Shoutout, too, to my other favourite Coldplay records, ‘Parachutes’ and ‘Ghost Stories’.
Joni Mitchell
The Last Time I Saw Richard
→ There will simply never be another like Joni. I can’t be sure what age I was when her music came onto my radar, but I will never forget the first time I heard ‘A Case Of You’, which is most people’s gateway into her landmark record, ‘Blue’. I could not believe a song so simple in its presentation could be so playful and unpredictable; the way she used her voice was absolutely mesmerising to me. Joni, for me, is the greatest storyteller. All of us songwriters are forever obsessed with specificity, cramming the names of streets and restaurants and friends into our songs to ground them in reality - but I think Joni does this like no other. The opening lines of this one always get me: The last time I saw Richard was in Detroit in 68 And he told me, “All romantics meet the same fate Some day, cynical and drunk and boring Someone in some dark cafe”
The Fray
How To Save A Life
→ It’s pretty remarkable to look back on the impact a single CD had on my musical upbringing - here’s another track from ‘Now That’s What I Call Music! 66’ - a hard copy of what felt like the first playlist curated specifically for me. The Mika track I mentioned was Track 1 on CD 1 and this song by The Fray was Track 1 on the second disc; a more solemn start than ‘Grace Kelly’ for sure. Listening to this song back then, it really made me wish I’d started learning piano instead of my first instrument, violin (as
if I was past my ability to learn anything by age 12 - come on). Alongside the likes of Keane and ‘Bad Day’ by Daniel Powter, this track felt like a pivotal moment for the anthemic piano pop of that time. ‘How To Save A Life’ also soundtracked a very powerful scene in Scrubs, one of my all-time favourite shows as a teenager. Looking back at that moment, I now understand the power of a perfect sync: two stories, one visual and one audio, put together to have even more impact than they could individually. That Scrubs scene extended the life of this song in my mind for years!
Sugababes
Push The Button
→ I feel guilty and severely unpatriotic having zero Irish artists in my eight mentioned tracks, but I cannot tell you how little Irish music was on our radio stations at home when I was younger - I remember almost exclusively Americans and British artists on the car radio. Oddly, however, it wasn’t the airwaves that delivered this one to me, and Sugababes came into my life the way all songs should - as a mobile ringtone. Age 12, my parents gave me my first phone, a humble and lovable Nokia brick. It took me no time at all to break and destroy that almost unbreakable phone so next I branched out to something much more exciting; a hot pink Motorola Razr. This is incredibly niche - but from memory, we used to send each other ringtones at school via Infrared. (Wow - well, now I feel old.) You had to hold the two phones right up to each other for the Infrared to work, and trading these weird little clips of audio felt like my version of collecting Pokémon or something. ‘Push The Button’ came to me at school in this way, and I was completely obsessed - it was like a hi-fi ringtone as opposed to a polyphonic one, and I would press my phone speaker right up to my ear to listen to it over and over. The pre-chorus of this song is one of my favourite ever pre-choruses. ■ Orla Gartland’s new single ‘Little Chaos’ is out 15th May.
UK and Ireland Tour 2024
MAXÏMO
PARK
LOW TICKETS 16/10 norwich waterfront
20/10 brighton concorde 2
22/10 bristol trinity
maximopark.com by arrangement with wme
CELEBRATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF GIVE UP & TRANSATLANTICISM
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
TEENAGE FANCLUB
SATURDAY 24 AUGUST
UTILITA ARENA, CARDIFF BY ARRANGEMENT WITH CAA
T I C K E T S
A V A I L A B L E
F R O M
CROSSTOWNCONCERTS.SEETICKETS.COM �CROSSTOWN_LIVE
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INTRO
ROMANCE AIN’T BORING
A
DAY
IN
FONTAINES D.C. ARE BACK!BACK!!-AND-INDEEDBACK!!! AND THEY’VE GOT NEW CLOBBER, TOO.
→ Fontaines D.C. are back, announcing their fourth album, ‘ROMANCE’, due out 23rd August via new home XL Recordings. Following the critical and commercial success of 2022’s ‘Skinty Fia’, which reached Number 1 in both the UK and Irish album charts, ‘ROMANCE’ sees the band expanding their horizons with a bold new image, and hints of new sonic frontiers. Lead single ‘Starburster’ explodes out of the blocks, a visceral exploration of a panic attack frontman Grian Chatten experienced in London’s St Pancras station. The song is a potent mix of sharp energy and sharper lyrics, promising big things from one of the most anticipated records of 2024. ‘ROMANCE’ finds the band channelling ideas that have been brewing since the release of ‘Skinty Fia’. These plans coalesced while touring the US and Mexico with Arctic Monkeys, where the band discovered a new-found appreciation for artists who build expansive sonic worlds. Individual band members also took time for personal exploration. Carlos O’Connell ventured to Spain’s Castile-La Mancha and became a father, while Chatten spent time in LA and Conor Deegan explored Paris. They reconvened in London, each pushing their creative boundaries with experimental riffs, chord progressions, and lyrical references. After wrapping up their touring, the band hunkered down for a month of writing, followed by pre-production in North London and a month-long recording session in a Parisian château. Speaking on the album’s title, Conor Deegan explains, “We’ve always had this sense of idealism and romance. Each album gets further away from observing that through the lens of Ireland, as directly as ‘Dogrel’. The second album is about that detachment, and the third ‘Skinty Fia’ is about Irishness dislocated in the diaspora. Now we look to where and what else there is to be romantic about.” Chatten expands on the theme, citing the animé Akira, where love blossoms amidst decay and unrest. “I’m fascinated by that idea – falling in love at the end of the world,” he says. “The album is about protecting that tiny flame. The closer Armageddon looms, the more precious it becomes.” O’Connell adds, “This record is about deciding what’s fantasy – the tangible world, or where you go in your mind. What represents reality more? That feels almost spiritual for us.” “We say things on this record we’ve wanted to say for a long time,” reflects Chatten. “I never feel like it’s over, but it’s nice to feel lighter.” ■
20. DORK
THE LIFE OF...
NIEVE ELLA You know what’s easier than following around your fave pop stars, day in, day out, to see what they’re up to right that minute? Asking them. This month, we nab NIEVE ELLA.
7:30AM → My alarm goes off, and I lie in bed for another half an hour watching TikToks. I tend to watch Keelin Moncrieff as she inspires me to get up, have a wash and put a more positive outlook on the day. As much as I love going to the studio, I do find it hard to get out of a comfy, warm bed, and my brain doesn’t start working until 1pm. I stay at my friend Fred’s house and he’ll normally offer me some porridge with bird seeds and magical honey that I’ll decline. 9:00AM → I’ll finally start getting ready. Usually, I’m still in bed, holding a mirror in one hand and a makeup brush in the other. I have to put on a YouTube video, either an Emergency Intercom or Never Mind podcast or Imogenation, as I would otherwise go back to sleep.
more trains and a bus by now, carrying my whole life in a bag from Primark. When I get in, I usually give the low down of my week to whoever I’m working with, as it helps to get us in a creative mood. I overshare a lot, but I can’t work and create if I’m not being completely open. I try to give the impression I’m cool and mysterious, but ten minutes in, and I’ve told them my whole life story.
2:00PM → HUNGRY NOW. If I’m with Finn (my guitarist/co-writer/bestie), I make him go to Lidl with me to scoff the whole of the bakery section, and then, because we are health kings, add a smoothie to the basket. As soon as we’re back at the studio, it’s time for Super Noodles for the added nutritional benefit!
10:30AM → I’m out the door feeling slightly more alive! I put on my headphones and try to hype myself up with whatever I’m currently listening to. I’ll walk down the road imagining I’m in the Truman Show and then start sprinting for my train because I am never on time.
3:30PM → After I’ve consumed all of the above, nap time hits. I’ve recently realised that my nan telling me to nap at around this time has stuck with me, and I try doing it at every opportunity I get. I find it really helps me reset, and magically, my brain starts working again. It would definitely be my one piece of advice to anyone ever - NAP.
12:00PM → I’ll arrive at the studio sweating because I’ve probably run for two
5:30PM → We’re on a roll at this point. I’ve been recently working on recording some
new music, and this is when the excitement really hits. I’m so lucky to be working with people who are as passionate about it as I am and I’ve really found the right way of voicing my ideas, whether that be refining lyrics or production ideas.
7:00PM → We normally start thinking about wrapping up as where I stay is quite far out of London. At this point, I don’t want to stop. I really get into the groove of it, but I try to be sensible and think about that alarm that will go off at 7:30am the next morning. 9:00PM → I get back, and Jo, my best friend’s mum, welcomes me with a hot dinner (love you, Jo). Writing this makes me realise how lucky I am to be doing what I do. What a slay life I have. I’ll catch Fred up on what’s happened during the day, and we’ll laugh until I get way too tired to put up with him, lol. 10:00PM → In bed, TikTok is on, and my brain is slowly turning off; I get to sleep by reflecting on my day and watching Edward Cullen edits so I can live out my vampire fantasy in my dreams. ■ Nieve Ella’s single ‘The Things We Say’ is out now.
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO YOUR FESTIVAL FUN.
GLASTO -NBURY DORK PICKS DUA LIPA This chartconquering main pop girlie is primed to turn Glastonbury into her own personal discotheque! Ms Peep will undoubtedly serve up a setlist stuffed with futuristic scorchers from her new record ‘Radical Optimism’. Get ready for British pop royalty to take the fields by storm - a non-stop grooveathon is imminent!
FESTIVAL FACTFILE
‘GLASTO’ 2024
Line up: Dua Lipa, Coldplay, SZA, LCD Soundsystem, Little Simz, Burna Boy, Shania Twain, PJ Harvey, Cyndi Lauper, Idles, Disclosure, The National, The Streets, Two Door Cinema Club, Avril Lavigne, Bloc Party, The Last Dinner Party, Jungle, Justice, Fontaines D.C., Yard Act, Arlo Parks, Gossip, Remi Wolf, Blondshell, Declan McKenna, Confidence Man and LOADS more! glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
22. DORK
FONTAINES D.C. Fresh from cooking up new bangers in the studio, these Celtic punk hellions are poised to be Glastonbury’s new swaggering rock overlords. Fontaines D.C. have the uncanny ability to transform any crowd into a beerdrenched riot, so steel your ears for a raucous onslaught showcasing sizzling cuts from their hotly anticipated ‘ROMANCE’ LP. CONFIDENCE MAN In desperate need
of a reprieve from the circle pit mayhem? Enter Confidence Man - the idiosyncratic electro pranksters here to get you shimmying with their oddball dance-rock antics. This eccentric Aussie duo wield the sort of hair-raising unpredictability and rapid-fire camp you’d expect from a vintage Top of the Pops guest. Contemplate bringing a towel to mop up the pure uncut zest! REMI WOLF This unhinged California maverick is the wild card genre-masher your Summer desperately needs. Remi Wolf’s scatterbrained blend of indie, funk, pop and hip-hop is a bonafide vibe kaleidoscope - one second you’re grooving, the next you’re a sweatsoaked tornado in the thick of the action. An utterly singular live experience that will leave you rattled in the most exhilarating way imaginable.
→ It’s that time, festival fans. Hold on to
your welly boots and prepare to board the Megabus of fun - Glastonbury is here with a line-up so zap-pow-zinger, you’ll be doing dad dances in a farmer’s field from dawn till dusk. Returning to the hallowed ground of Worthy Farm from 26th-30th June, the Pyramid Stage will be host a trio of Very Big Deal headliners to lead the way. Chartroyalty and expert travel agent Dua Lipa will make her debut at the top of the bill, bringing fresh cuts from her new ‘platter’ ‘Radical Optimism’ to turn the fields into one almighty rave cave. Coldplay will etch their names into the crumbliest, crunchiest pages of history by becoming the first ever act to headline a mind-boggling FIVE times, while SZA’s red-hot BRITs-scooping pipes are destined to scorch the farm. But hold the lemonades! K-pop legends SEVENTEEN will be hitting the UK to bring something new to the Pyramid, while over on the Other Stage it’s a right proper punk pit party with aggy punk mosher types IDLES letting it all hang out with a headline set sure to have you pogoing up a frenzy. Wheyyyy! Fontaines D.C. will be whipping up the crowd with some sizzling new chuddies from their upcoming album ‘ROMANCE’, plus buzz marvs The Last Dinner Party, genremashing zany maker Remi Wolf, sardonic yelpers Yard Act and pogo-tastic electro jesters Confidence Man will all be making an appearance. From piping hot new acts to secret shindigs and the old guard muckers, Glastonbury 2024 has a bit of everything, shaping up to be one stonker of a summer spectacular. Whether you’ll be whizzing up a frenzy in the fields or rocking out on the sofa back on Zombie Island, it’s shaping up to be the most vital weekender of the whole festival season.
DOWNLOAD
2024
Download is reborn as DLXXI for its 21st edition from 14th-16th June at Donington Park. Leading the charge are first-time Download headliners Fall Out Boy. The multi-generational line-up is stacked with legendary names like The Offspring, Sum 41, Pantera, Fear Factory and more. Don’t miss rising stars like Bad Omens, Holding Absence and countless others representing the future of rock. DLXXI promises to be an unmissable festival experience. Visit downloadfestival.co.uk for details.
PARKLIFE
Parklife returns to Heaton Park in Manchester on 8th-9th June as the largest city festival in Europe and a true agenda-setter for modern culture. This year’s line-up is a genre-spanning extravaganza featuring some of the biggest names on the planet. Doja Cat, Disclosure, J Hus, Kaytranada, Becky Hill, Peggy Gou, Four Tet, Anne-Marie, Sugababes, and Camelphat lead the star-studded bill. They’re joined by voices shaping the future like Digga D, Mahalia, Rudim3ntal, Nia Archives, Patrick Topping, Folamour, Dom Dolla, Kenya Grace, and many more across countless sounds. With a brand new main stage, jawdropping production, and a fresh new look, Parklife 2024 is set to be the definitive summer festival party. Visit parklife.uk.com for tickets and info.
ISLE
OF
WIGHT
The iconic Isle of Wight Festival returns to Seaclose Park from June 20-23, delivering a stellar line-up spanning generations of legendary acts and future greats. Leading the charge are seminal electronic pioneers The Prodigy, pop icons Pet Shop Boys performing their “DREAMWORLD The Greatest Hits Live” set, and rock heroes Green Day making a UK festival exclusive appearance. Beyond the headliners, the bill is stacked with unmissable names like Suede, The Streets, Zara Larsson, and Blossoms. From established favourites to rising stars like Noahfinnce, there’s something for everyone at this historic isle event. Visit isleofwightfestival.com for more.
DORK
2000TREES
O Y
→ Get ready for another year of madcap
magic as the beloved 2000trees
returns to Upcote Farm in P I C K S Festival Gloucestershire from 10th-13th July. The LOS CAMPESINOS! The Welsh indie heroes are playing their first outdoor festival since 2014, making their long-awaited return to 2000trees an absolutely unmissable occasion. Expect the band’s trademark intricate, lyricallydexterous anthems to be transformed into a celebratory singalong extravaganza. A sublime mix of quirky melancholy and raw euphoria. MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA With their sweeping, emotionally-charged alt-rock providing the perfect backdrop for Andy Hull’s confessional lyricism, Manchester Orchestra have long been 2000trees fan favourites. The Atlanta quartet’s cathartic live show is a powerful, immersive experience that will likely convert any remaining nonbelievers into die-hard adherents. STATIC DRESS This British quartet channel the feverish intensity and anxious energy of a generation into their exhilarating brand of noise-rock. From blistering riffs to harrowing emotional honesty, Static Dress’ uncompromising sound is a bracing tonic - simultaneously provocative and cathartic. Brace for impact when they take the stage.
line-up is an absolute beast stacked with heavyweights and future favourites. New Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem will bring their soul-stirring anthems to a UK festival exclusive set. Australian maniacs The Chats are primed to deliver a blast of unhinged “shed rock” revelry. Don’t miss the anthemic emo-tinged singalongs of Manchester Orchestra or the raucous return of Kids In Glass Houses. The stacked undercard is loaded with gems. Eccentric Welsh heroes Los Campesinos! and the feverish intensity of Static Dress are must-sees. Keep an eye out for the vital perspectives of Bob Vylan and grandson. Genre-blurring forces Nova Twins and punk revivalists Hot Milk are unmissable. Other highlights include cult emo faves Turnover, former Dork cover stars Crawlers, the ferocious Empire State Bastard, and mavericks Creeper and Wargasm. The Mysterines, Panic Shack, CLT DRP and SNAYX are among the future legends primed to impress. With its intimate atmosphere and welcoming spirit, it’s shaping up to be one of the most unmissable events around.
FESTIVAL
FACTFILE
2000TREES
Line up: The Gaslight Anthem, The Chats, Don Broco, Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Manchester Orchestra, Kids In Glass Houses, Death From Above 1979, Los Campesinos!, Spanish Love Songs, Better Lovers, Cassyette, Movements, Hot Mulligan, Nova Twins, Turnover, Empire State Bastard, Creeper, Wargasm, The Mysterines, The Xcerts, Lonely the Brave, Skinny Lister, Cleopatrick, Bob Vylan, grandson, Hot Milk, Crawlers, Panic Shack, CLT DRP, SNAYX, Static Dress, Amigo the Devil, Dune Rats, Angel Du$t, Sløtface, NOISY, and many more heavyhitters and future favourites. 2000treesfestival.co.uk
READDORK.COM 23.
Sunday
YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE BEST NEW NAMES.
NEW MUSIC THIS
MONTH
IN
TELEVISION ROMANCE → 86TVs – the new project from The Maccabees’ Hugo and Felix White – have announced their self-titled debut album. The full-length follows on from their debut EP ‘You Don’t Have To Be Yourself Right Now’, and is set for release on 2nd August. They’ve also shared new single ‘Tambourine’.
FOREVER
FRIEND
→ Frances Forever has announced the release of their debut full-length album ‘Lockjaw’, set to drop on 28th June. The news comes alongside the unveiling of their new single and video, ‘Troll’. Reflecting on the project, Frances explained: “I’m so excited to announce my debut album, Lockjaw. This project contains my favourite songs I’ve ever written, and I’ve never put so much of my heart into something. It feels like my baby, and I’ve spent the past two years perfecting it,” adding, “It’s a dream come true to share this with you. Lockjaw era baby!!!”
24. DORK
(1994)
Arriving as a fully formed package, SUNDAY (1994) are a decade-long dream turned into a whirlwind of exciting potential. This really could be your new favourite band. Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
HYPE
→ Sunday (1994) are one of those bands.
“WHEN WE STARTED THIS BAND, WE KNEW THE VISUALS WERE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE MUSIC”
The once-in-a-blue-moon project that comes out of the gate knowing precisely who they are and what they want to be. Not just with perfectly pitched music, but with the entire package - an immersive world of sound and vision that envelops everything they do. They effortlessly weave together the bittersweet nostalgia of romance films with an equally cinematic sound. In short - they’re a bit good. Consisting of Paige Turner, Lee Newell, and the enigmatic drummer known only as X [Formerly known as Twitter - Ed], Sunday (1994) are a transatlantic trio that PAIGE TURNER has quickly captivated all the right people with their ability to find the magnificent in the mundane. As we dive into their world, One of the most striking aspects of a snapshot of a specific emotion or Turner and Newell share a glimpse of their Sunday (1994) is their cohesive and experience that listeners can relate to day-to-day life, which somehow manages impeccable visual aesthetic, which and find solace in. For Newell, the standout track on the to make even the most ordinary tasks perfectly complements their nostalgic feel extraordinary. With a glass of red yet fresh invigorated sound. “Visual EP is ‘Our Troubles’, a song that holds a wine “in tow”, they recount a day spent identity is extremely important to us,” deeply personal significance. “Truly, I love picking up film for tomorrow’s music Newell reveals. “We believe that you them all. If I had to pick one, it would be video shoot, volunteering on meal prep listen with your eyes. I’ve been cobbling ‘Our Troubles’ because it’s such an outlier. for an LA homeless shelter, and enduring together questionable art since before I It’s the heaviest track on the EP. It’s about “a slew of dreaded Zoom meetings.” Even can remember. A seldom found joy. When a very specific and difficult time for me. when asked to share a boring fact about I first got a PC back in 1923, I remember Drinking myself to life in the most foulthemselves, Turner’s proclamation slamming my hands against the keyboard smelling pub in Slough. I won’t call it out, of “I love vacuuming” is delivered with and mouse on Jasc Paint Shop Pro 4.0 but it rhymes with The Toes & Frown. I a charm that makes it sound utterly until I made something that looked close think Paige just sounds beautiful on it. I mean, she does on all the songs, but still…” fascinating. It’s this strange magic, this to OK. I haven’t stopped.” Turner, too, finds ‘Our Troubles’ to be a ability to transform the everyday into Turner, too, has always been drawn something special, that makes whatever to the visual arts. “I’ve always taken an favourite. “Singing about his experience it is they’re distilling such an intoxicating interest in fashion and design. I thought was a fun challenge for me,” she admits. prospect. that would be my career path before “It was like playing a character.” As for their songwriting process, Sunday (1994)’s core duo had always music found me.” Her past musical wanted to form a band, meticulously projects allowed her the space to Newell believes that “songs should ask crafting their ideal sound and aesthetic, experiment with aesthetic and learn how questions, not answer them.” He finds drawing inspiration from their shared to “curate” - a skill that’s clearly come in inspiration in the mundane moments love of film and their diverse musical useful when it comes to the cohesiveness of life, those fleeting instances that influences. of Sunday (1994)’s vibe. “When we started spark introspection and wonder. “’The “Paige and I have been dating for ten this band, we knew the visuals were just Loneliness Of The Long Flight Home’ was calendar years,” Lee explains. “It was as important as the music,” she expands. written on a plane when I had to fly back always our dream to start a band together. “It came naturally to us both, and we just to England and away from Paige when my So, over that time, we figured out exactly went with our personal taste and instinct.” visa was up. It was traumatic. It’s those what our ideal band would sound like and And what instincts they are. That keen small moments that ask: ‘What if this was look like, and here we are! In the presence eye for aesthetics extends to the band’s different? How would I feel?’” Turner, on the other hand, finds of Dork! 9.6 fiscal years later.” music videos and imagery, all shot on film Yes, Dear Reader. Finally, for Sunday rather than digital. “When shooting band catharsis in “complaining about life, our (1994), it’s all been worth it. photos or music videos, we intentionally worries and woes.” As cinephiles, Sunday (1994) draw The band’s DIY approach is evident only use film. Never digital. Film is in every aspect of their work. Newell tangible; it’s imperfect, and it’s not easy to heavily from the world of film, both in their is “in charge of writing the theme tune, navigate. That’s just how life is, and that’s music and visual aesthetic. For Turner, singing the theme tune, recording, mixing, what our music is about,” Newell explains, the medium’s ability to capture a specific artwork, shooting, editing, sobbing and highlighting the band’s commitment to moment in time is particularly appealing. absolutely nothing else”, while Turner authenticity and their desire to capture “I want our music to feel like that when you lists her jobs as singing, writing, creative the imperfections and nuances of the listen to it,” she explains. “A world you can envision stepping into when you put your directing and “a bunch of boring shit human experience. behind the scenes” thanks to not having “I think visually, shooting all our videos headphones on.” With their self-titled EP, Sunday (1994) a manager. This hands-on approach and pictures on film makes it feel very allows them to maintain complete control cinematic,” Turner adds. “Like it’s from have created a world that listeners can over their creative vision, resulting in a another era. Sonically, we tend to stick indeed escape into, a place where the cohesive and authentic output that puts to tempos and melodies you could hear bittersweet nostalgia of romance collides with the raw emotions of real life. It’s a those with gigantic teams to shame. as the credits roll.” The band’s journey took a significant “You do, in fact, judge a book by its testament to the power of music and turn when they released their debut cover,” Newell states. Sunday (1994) visual storytelling, and a promise of even greater things to come from this talented single, ‘Tired Boy’, just a couple of months definitely get it. ago. The track, with its confessional lyrics The band’s self-titled EP is a testament trio. With a mix of humour, authenticity and sparkling melancholic guitar, quickly to their unique sound and ability to find garnered attention online. “We put out beauty in the ordinary. When asked about and unapologetic self-expression, it’s our first song, ‘Tired Boy’, eight weeks the inspiration behind the release, Newell hard to imagine anything Turner and ago, our second song, ‘Stained Glass is characteristically enigmatic. “I hate it Newell put their minds to won’t end Window’, four weeks ago, and today, we when a film’s trailer reveals the entire coming up smelling of sweet roses. With release our EP. The reaction has been plot, so I will tread carefully. It’s about me an EP release party to plan, songs for an astonishing. We feel extremely lucky. and Paige. We came from two different album currently being recorded, and a Just when I’d given up on life, it goes solar systems and somehow arrived at promise of their first-ever live shows, and drags me back in…” Newell muses, the same place at the same time. Luck or they’re a band who have been building for a decade and yet are emerging like his words tinged with a mix of gratitude destiny? Who knows? Who cares!” and disbelief. The EP is a deeply personal collection a whirlwind. With chemistry to die for, “It feels like our lives have really started of songs that explore the ups and a captivating vision and a penchant for to change,” Turner agrees. “It’s all so downs of relationships, the longing for the dramatic, Sunday (1994) aren’t just exciting that I’ve had to start a rigorous connection, and the beauty found in life’s a band to watch; they’re appointment morning self-help routine to cope.” small moments. Each track is a vignette, viewing. ■
BEA BUSINESS GETTING
TO
AND
KNOW...
HER
A journey that began with a defiant nineyear-old in the car and has blossomed into a quest for pop stardom, BEA AND HER BUSINESS means… y’know… it’s in the name. Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
→ There’s no business like show business, but for Bea Wheeler - aka Bea And Her Business - it’s a world she’s determined to navigate on her terms. Her chosen moniker reflects not just a catchy name but a hands-on approach. Exhibit A of her ability to navigate the maze of music industry politics: At the time of talking, she’s in Paris for the second night of a headline European tour. Things are going well, she says, apart from her choice of baked goods. “So far, since being here, I’ve eaten what I thought was a very tasty baguette, but my fans have told me otherwise,” she reveals. “They say I need to go and get one from a traditional Parisian bakery! Rule 101 – never eat a standard baguette in Paris.” We’ll keep a list. Bea’s journey into music started in a somewhat comical sibling rivalry, as she sought to outshine her older sisters in singing the hits they loved during car rides. This playful competitiveness sparked her interest in music and set her on a path to prove herself. “I was determined to be better than my older sisters at singing,” Bea recalls. “They’d always know all the words to all the really cool songs, and I never did. It became my mission to sing a) louder than them in the car and b) better than them.” Her determination was not just a passing childhood phase; it propelled her towards a career in music. “I think I was definitely suffering from youngest child syndrome - unbearably competitive and always fighting for my voice to be heard,” she reflects, showing gratitude towards her sisters for unwittingly steering her towards her passion. “In my 9-year-old state, I proceeded to tell them that I was going to be a pop star whether they liked it or not.” The evolution of Bea’s songwriting mirrors her personal and artistic growth. From early attempts that included a humorous yet premature eulogy for her still-living dog, her craft has matured significantly. “The song that forever haunts me,” Bea notes. “My family never fail to bring up this one song I wrote at about 9 or 10 years old about my dog dying! Bearing in mind that my dog is still alive… “ “I’d like to hope that my current material has improved a little bit,” she continues. “At least I’m not writing about dying dogs anymore!” Bea’s story is a testament to the power of youthful determination, the democratising force of social media, and the universal language of music. It’s a journey that began with a defiant nine-year-old and has blossomed into a captivating artist commanding the stage. Every note she sings, every lyric she writes, is a step closer to that dream of massive stadium pop. Bea’s business is thriving, and with her infectious energy and relatable music, she’s aiming to conquer the world, one song (and hopefully, a decent Parisian baguette) at a time. ■ READDORK.COM 25.
NEW MUSIC FIND FAVOURITE
YOUR
BAND
NEXT
NICE SWAN
26. DORK
label once again proves that they have their finger firmly on the pulse of the industry, and that they’re more than ready to help shape its future. We asked co-founder Pete Heywoode to give us a track by track run through of their choices.
DEADLETTER
Pop Culture Connoisseur
→ I’d been a fan of DEADLETTER for quite a while before we got the opportunity to put something out with them. Zac is a fantastic lyricist and frontman, the live shows are absolutely wild and this was a great early indicator of what was going to come from them. It’s kind of got that ‘Dark Of The Matinee’, Franz Ferdinand thing going on but with a bit more swagger.
Prima Queen
Chew My Cheeks
→ I absolutely love this band, and as soon as I heard this track, I wanted to sign them immediately! Produced by Fern and Jules from The Big Moon, it’s an expansive and layered track with a killer chorus and a saxophone solo – what’s not to love!? We met Blossom Calderone, who occasionally plays strings through the band and has since joined English Teacher (who we also manage) as a live cellist – Blossom will be releasing some new solo music on Nice Swan later this year.
Saloon Dion
Hey Hey
→ I first saw Saloon Dion on this tiny boat in Groningen. They were amazing, and it properly kicked off – the boat was literally rocking as they all kept swapping instruments and frontman duties. They’re a great bunch of lads from Bristol who sell sausage rolls and
sometimes pies at the merch stand after their shows.
Splint
145
→ A collection of musicians formed from various bands we all really dig, such as Working Mens Club, Julia Bardot and The Orielles, based up in Manchester. This band blow my mind; such a fantastic group of musicians and an absolute hidden gem in the UK indie scene right now – think Broken Social Scene meets Television. We’ll be releasing some more new music from them very, very soon!
Cowboyy
Gmaps
→ Stan Powell, frontman and guitarist of cowboyy is the most exciting new guitarist around for me, and this debut track really showcases his incredible ability. We went on to release their debut EP last year, and it’s one of my favourite EP releases we’ve put out. Another act that we’ll be releasing new music from soon – listen to this, then go and listen to the whole EP in the meantime.
Yabba
Get By
→ Hailing from Glasgow, these guys are absolutely ferocious. The Prodigy meets SCALER.
Human Interest
Mixing Paint
→ This was the first single we released from the London duo; it’s a proper vibe. These guys are as cool as the bassline of the track, stick on your headphones, walk down the street, and it’s impossible not to feel like you’re owning it. Following this single, we signed them up for two EP releases. ‘Empathy Lives In
MONTH
IN
WHO BE A
WANTS TO MILLIONAIRE?
NEW WITH
Co-founder Pete Heywoode talks us through the new compilation from buzzy indie faves, Nice Swan Records.
→ Few labels have demonstrated a knack for discovering and nurturing new talent quite like Nice Swan Records. Founded in 2016 by the discerning duo of Pete Heywoode and Alex Edwards, the label has quickly established itself as a tastemaker, consistently championing artists who go on to make waves in their immediate scenes and beyond. Nice Swan’s track record speaks for itself. They’ve been instrumental in launching the careers of the likes of Sports Team, Pip Blom, and Hotel Lux. The label’s keen eye for potential and dedication to artist development has earned them a reputation as a trusted source for the next next-big-thing. More recently, Nice Swan has been making noise with the likes of English Teacher, SPRINTS, and Courting, all of whom were featured on the label’s first ‘Nice Swan Introduces’ compilation in 2021 and have since gone on to rack up critical acclaim, devoted fans and, in one case, genuine chart success. Now, with the release of ‘Nice Swan Introduces Volume 2’, the label is once again showcasing their impeccable taste and commitment to supporting emerging talent. The compilation features ten tracks from some of the most exciting new artists in the UK, hand-picked by the Nice Swan team. ‘Volume 2’ offers a diverse array of sounds that serve as a testament to Nice Swan’s eclectic and forwardthinking approach to A&R. The compilation features contributions from buzzworthy acts like Prima Queen, DEADLETTER, and Human Interest, writing its own freshly updated list of ones to watch. As Nice Swan Records continues to grow and evolve, one thing remains constant: their unwavering dedication to discovering and supporting the most promising new voices in indie music. With ‘Nice Swan Introduces Volume 2’, the
THIS
Outer Space’, which was released last year, melds 60s Americana, psych and good old rock’n’roll, and they’ve just dropped the first single ‘Shapeshifting’ from their forthcoming follow-up and has been produced by Sergio Maschetzko (Black Country New Road, Black Midi, The Last Dinner Party, English Teacher). Great band!
Shady Baby
Come To Life
→ Produced by Theo Verney (English Teacher, FEET, Traams), Shady Baby are a four-piece from Brighton with a real knack for catchy Brit-pop. A modern-day British equivalent to Beck.
Avice Caro
At The End Of The Day, It’s The End Of The Day
→ Maria, aka Avice Caro, makes the most angelic, beautiful folk music bringing a modern twist to influences such as Vashti Bunyan and Linda Perhacs. She’s got this really unique style; imagine Lana Del Rey if she was writing music in the 16th century, and you’re heading in the right direction. A really unique and special talent that we are very excited to release more music with soon.
Chalk
The Gate
→ Stan Powell, frontman and guitarist of cowboyy is the most exciting new guitarist around for me, and this debut track really showcases his incredible ability. We went on to release their debut EP last year, and it’s one of my favourite EP releases we’ve put out. Another act that we’ll be releasing new music from soon – listen to this, then go and listen to the whole EP in the meantime. ■
→ Pixey has announced her highly anticipated debut album ‘Million Dollar Baby’, out 2nd August via Chess Club Records, and has shared the album’s title track. ‘Million Dollar Baby’ was born from a conversation I had with a girl in LA who was desperate for notoriety,” Pixey explains. “The track is satirical at its heart, narrating the absurdity of chasing fame and sugar-coated ambition. It reflects a lot of truths I realised while writing the album. The performative nature of the music industry often peddles illusions, and real fulfilment comes from writing the music itself.”
MAFIA
LIGHTS
→ Sad Night Dynamite have dropped a new single, ‘Godfather’. The duo’s first new music of 2024, it’s also the first taste from their upcoming, as-yet-unannounced debut album. “Godfather is the perfect return to the light and shade of SND,” they explain. “Inspired by the film, we descended into the world of the mafia, with its cycle of violence and betrayal. Sad Night has always felt like a bit of a cult, and ‘family is forever’ is the perfect strap-line.”
EBBB
FLOWS
→ London-based trio Ebbb have officially unveiled their debut EP ‘All At Once’, scheduled for release on 14th June via Ninja Tune. The forthcoming five-track EP, ‘All At Once’, is Ebbb’s first release with Ninja Tune.Regarding the EP, the band’s Lev Ceylan expressed his enthusiasm for the project’s dynamic nature. “I like that it can’t be pigeonholed,” says Ceylan. “We really do love plot twists – where it just explodes into something completely different.”
AZIYA
can be found. “I draw about 60% from rock ‘A Brit in America... what’s she doing music,” she explains. “The other 40% from here!?’”) with John Hill [Santigold, Devo, hip-hop, punk and alternative music.” Eyedress], the track showcases Aziya’s As for inspiration, it often comes from growing confidence as a songwriter and the most identifiable place of all: people. producer. “He provided a super exciting “I mean, we’re incredibly weird creatures,” space to just throw everything at the wall, she expands. “I feel like all of my songs are as well as encouraged my production,” psychoanalysis reports of either myself she explains. or others and why a situation didn’t work It’s a taster of new music that will Words: Stephen Ackroyd. out, why I didn’t say a certain thing in a be “a whole new but familiar world for particular moment, that sort of thing, ya your ears,” apparently - an exciting → Aziya is every inch the modern prospect for an artist willing to push the superstar-in-waiting. The London-based know?” Artistically, she has definite icons in boundaries of her sound. artist picks from a palette that goes But Aziya’s artistry extends beyond from the legends of rock to hip-hop to mind with her music. “I’m always tryna smart, brilliant indie-pop, redefining it produce tracks that I can imagine Debbie the studio. On stage, she is a force of for a new generation. With a musical Harry or Robert Smith would sing on nature, channelling her music’s raw range that spans decades and defies now,” she shares. It’s good to aim high. energy and emotion into electrifying categorisation, she’s a talent destined to This genre-bending approach is evident performances. Supporting Florence make a lasting impact, starting with her in her 2023 EP, ‘Lonely Castles’, which + The Machine at the O2 Arena was a highly anticipated performance at Dot To showcases her take on modern guitar particular highlight, one that fuelled her music. Standout cut ‘atomic’ revels in dream of one day headlining the iconic Dot Festival 2024. Born into a world of diverse and a spooky grace, while the project as a venue herself. “It enabled me to see how brilliant sounds, Aziya’s musical journey whole serves as a testament to Aziya’s a true professional does it; I mean, she began long before she ever picked up a uncompromising vision and tireless work is iconic and a massive inspiration for me,” she shares. “it fuelled my dream of guitar. “I got into System Of A Down as a ethic. Like basically everyone, Aziya selling it out myself one day.” It’s not hard kid because that was what my parents were playing in the car journeys to school,” discovered her people by sharing her to imagine Aziya commanding stages of she reveals. “My parents aren’t musicians music online. “I found a community of like- that magnitude in the near future, her or anything; they just have great eclectic minded people this way and found I could magnetic presence and undeniable talent tastes, from Patti Smith and The Cure experiment without any serious pressure,” captivating audiences from the first note to Wu-Tang and OutKast.” That early she admits. It’s a world that supported her to the last. As Aziya gears up for her Dot To Dot exposure to a wide variety of genres laid through to the point where things started performance, there’s a palpable sense the foundation for Aziya’s unique musical to take off. “The most defining moment was when of excitement in the air. The festival, identity, one that would later manifest in her own boundary-pushing compositions. I released ‘atomic’,” she recalls. “It felt like known for its diverse lineups and knack As Aziya grew older, her love for music people weren’t just listening and watching for spotlighting emerging talent, feels transformed from a passive appreciation my videos ‘cause they liked that I covered like the perfect stage for an artist like to an active pursuit. She began writing a Kate Bush song; they were tuning in Aziya, who defies easy categorisation and thrives on pushing boundaries. songs, experimenting with different styles ‘cause they were into my music. The creation of ‘Lonely Castles’ was a “Jockstrap and The Dare are two acts I’m and structures. “Dude, I used to write some bizarre conceptual songs,” she labour of love for Aziya, who poured every particularly excited to see,” she says, her recalls. “The first song I ever wrote was a ounce of her creativity and determination enthusiasm for the festival experience prog rock record that had two solos and into the project. “That EP is my baby, shining through. “I’m excited to catch up lasted seven minutes. I love that I had the for real,” she says. “I found it incredibly with my friends in The Magic Gang and fulfilling but also insanely challenging; it Trout, who I met on tour - they’re insane.” audacity to do that.” A true lover of the festival scene, While her approach to songwriting has was done completely independently, from evolved over the years, Aziya has never the creative, production, writing, music she’s already set her sights on future lost that fearlessness in her music. “I’ve video direction down to the particular conquests. “I love going to festivals; definitely kept that sense of adventure colour of pink used on the logo was all it’s the best thing!” she exclaims. “My and escapism in my writing,” she admits, decided by yours truly. It wiped me out, ultimate favourite is in Benicàssim, and “but I guess nowadays, my songs are but I’m so proud of it.” It’s a hands-on it’s called FIB. I also currently really love shorter, lyrically simpler and more direct. approach that’s a hallmark of Aziya’s Wide Awake in South London.” With her infectious energy and I find the best songs usually have the artistic process, allowing her to maintain complete control over her vision and undeniable stage presence, it’s easy simplest lyrics.” Fast forward to the present day, ensure that every element of her work is to imagine Aziya becoming a festival mainstay in the years to come. “I’m and Aziya has established herself as a a true reflection of her identity. Aziya’s latest single, ‘party’s over’, playing Reading & Leeds,” she shares, force to be reckoned with. Her sound is a kaleidoscopic blend of influences, marks another step forward in her “which is great ‘cause I grew up going to picking shiny gems from wherever they evolution. Written during a writing trip Reading, and I adore Leeds, so I’m stoked. to LA (“It could have gone terribly, I know. The one on the agenda to conquer is definitely Glastonbury; I wanna be playing that next year.” As our conversation draws to a close, Aziya leaves us with a parting message that perfectly encapsulates her playful spirit and confidence in her craft. “You earn superpowers and are also mega sexy if you listen to Aziya, especially if you listen to ‘party’s over’!” she quips. It’s a statement that might sound like hyperbole coming from anyone else, but AZIYA from Aziya, it feels like a promise. ■
With a musical palette that spans decades and defies categorisation, Londonbased artist AZIYA is poised to make a lasting impact
“PEOPLE INSPIRE ME; WE’RE INCREDIBLY WEIRD CREATURES”
READDORK.COM 27.
HYPE
LEXIE CARROLL was quite the hit,” Lexie recalls. Her early exposure to pop culture through mainstream radio and music compilations played a pivotal role in shaping her musical tastes, which were further nurtured by a supportive guitar teacher who encouraged her songwriting. “I was just a big pop fan growing up; whatever was on Capital radio or the latest Words: Stephen Ackroyd. ‘Now That’s What I Call…’ album was my jam,” → At just nineteen, Lexie Carroll exudes a she explains. “I did guitar lessons, and my lyrical wisdom and emotional depth that teacher was an absolute legend; he noticed belie her relatively young years. The London- that I liked writing and was really encouraging based singer–slash-songwriter has rapidly of that. And then, in my preteen/early teen made a name for herself with a sound that years, I was so enthralled by all the people blends melancholic indie, folk, and pop, which, putting their music on YouTube, like dodie yes, means drawing comparisons to Phoebe and Cavetown. The fact that they seemed so Bridgers and Bon Iver, but she’s way more than “normal” and they were just making music in just an artist on-trend and so-right-now. Her their bedroom and putting it online made it all music echoes the same emotional depth and seem like something I could do. That definitely intricate nuances, yet she infuses her songs spurred me on to make my own stuff. “ Lexie’s latest single is a brilliant marker for with a distinctly British sensibility. Her lyrical themes often explore personal transformation not just where she is as an artist right now and the bittersweet nature of growth, yet her but also her undoubted potential to come. sound incorporates a lighter tone, too. Lexie’s ‘Laundry Detergent’ captures the essence of songs, intimate glimpses into her soul, dance new love with a unique, everyday twist. She and skip between hopeful joy and reflective explains, “I wrote ‘Laundry Detergent’ about wistfulness. Today, she stands on the cusp of releasing a just announced new EP, ‘you look lovely when you’re living’, a collection that promises to be her most personal work yet. Lexie’s journey into music began in the playgrounds of London, where she and her friends would craft their first songs. Influenced by pop and inspired by an exciting wave of YouTube artists, Lexie found in music a medium where the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary. “I’ve always really loved writing - my friends and I would make up songs in primary school. I remember we had CARROLL one called ‘Best, Best Friends Forever’, which LEXIE
From schoolyard songs to soul-stirring melodies, LEXIE CARROLL delves into the everyday magic that fuels her indie folk-pop journey.
“I WAS SO ENTHRALLED BY ALL THE PEOPLE PUTTING THEIR MUSIC ON YOUTUBE, LIKE DODIE AND CAVETOWN”
28. DORK
the awkward but sweet part of realising you’re starting to fall for someone. Just wanting to be around them and picking up on weird things like the smell of their clothes that you maybe wouldn’t normally notice.” The inspiration for her EP’s title, ‘You Look Lovely When You’re Living’, stems from her love for the mundanity and beauty of everyday life, particularly highlighted in the track ‘Sunflood’, which contains the lyric it’s lifted from. “I just love people living their lives,” Lexie admits, “doing their thing - it’s so nice to see.” “I’m trying to write about everyday things more and more,” she explains. “I guess it goes back to what I was saying earlier about writing about what I’m seeing around me rather than just trying to write a dramatic break-up song because that’s what I thought songwriting was about. I love the every day; it makes me so happy and so sad! “ Among the EP’s tracks is ‘Never Made It To Glasgow’, a song born from unforeseen tour changes and a spur-of-the-moment writing session. “I was on tour opening for James Marriott, which was SO FUN, and James is so great, but he got ill and had to reschedule some of the dates,” Lexie recalls. “So, the day I was meant to be playing a show in Glasgow, I ended up going to my good friend and collaborator Jack Hardman’s house, and we decided to use that as a starting point for a song. It was so random, and unlike any other experience I’ve had writing before, but I’ve been working with Jack for a while, and so we just were having a load of fun, and it all spilt out.” As Lexie prepares for her upcoming tour with Bears In Trees (“It’ll be my first time going on a tour bus, so that is exciting, but also, I have no clue what to bring”), an upcoming appearance at Dork’s Night Out alongside Nell Mescal and Scout, and juggles her university exams, she remains committed to her craft, continually writing and planning for future projects. When she’s not immersed in music, she enjoys simple pleasures. “Big fan of pubs,” she reveals, “just being with friends and my family. And then anything crafty - I have a scrapbook where I document pretty much everything, which I really enjoy doing and is a nice chilled activity.” Reflecting on the transient nature of her art, Lexie’s approach to music is as much about capturing moments as it is about creating them. Her songs are vignettes of life, woven with the threads of her experiences, thoughts, and feelings, making ‘you look lovely when you’re living’ not just a title for her latest collection, but a statement of her artistic ethos. With each note and lyric, Lexie Carroll invites her listeners into a world where ordinary moments are celebrated, examined, and transformed into something truly extraordinary. Given her early inspiration from the world of mainstream pop and the cultural maelstrom of daytime radio, though, there’s only one question we really need an answer to. As a potential future triple-A-star herself, is Charlie Puth underrated? “I’m not sure I have any strong feelings,” she laughs, “but maybe after a smoke and seven bars of chocolate, I might change my mind.” ■
NEW MUSIC THIS
FLYING
MONTH
IN
HIGH
→ Griff has announced her debut album ‘Vertigo’. The full-length is set for release on 19th July, accompanied by a world tour that includes a night at London’s Ally Pally. Griff explains: “The album is about vertigo as an emotion and the dizziness and upside down feeling of heartache. I wanted to drop this project in parts from insular low feelings (Vol.1) to desperate euphoria (Vol.2) and with volume three, the full story.”
MOB
RULE
→ London newcomers Alien Chicks have officially announced their debut EP titled ‘Indulging The Mobs’, set for release on 18th July via Hideous Mink Records and SO Recordings. The news also comes alongside the project’s lead single ‘Steve Buscemi’. “We hope that our whole EP shows how much we value our live gigs and the people who make them so energetic,” the band explain.
GLO
UP
→ London-based oreglo have announced their signing to Brownswood Recordings, coupled with the upcoming release of their debut EP ‘Not Real People’, set to drop on 5th July. The band shares, “Not Real People is a reflection of our growth from adolescence into adulthood living in London. Our feelings of alienation, identity and love. Sonically this EP represents our exposure and interests in all genres.”
NXDIA
HYPE
With ‘Jennifer’s Body’, NXDIA intertwines the influence of her cinematic upbringing with her musical evolution, reflecting on toxic relationships through the dual lenses of film and personal experience. Words: Stephen Ackroyd. → Manchester hums with the echoes of
iconic figures - a city where musical, cultural and sporting history spills onto the streets with a swagger. Nxdia (pronounced Nadia, ‘FYI’) is the latest voice to emerge from this vibrant landscape. Blending the angst of pop-punk with the introspective lyricism of modern storytellers and with roots that trace back to the bustling streets of Cairo, their music is a vibrant tapestry of influences, reflecting a life lived between two distinct worlds. Nxdia’s journey into music is as unique as their sound, sparked not by familial tradition but by the eclectic mix of music that filled their childhood home. “I don’t come from a musical household,” Nxdia shares, “apart from Dad occasionally listening to AC/DC and Mum listening to traditional Arabic singers like Umm Kulthum, who are both legends in their own right. Our house was pretty quiet, really, but I think that just made me fixate on music much more.” This blend of rock and Arabic music provided a backdrop to a childhood spent next to a cinema in Roxy, Cairo, where Nxdia was immersed in the world of films and stories, fostering a deep love for storytelling and melody. “I’d look out onto the busy streets and spend ages watching people,” they continue, “examining the details in the movie banners and imagining people’s lives morphing with the storylines in the movies, all against the scent of grilled corn. I always loved writing and humming random melodies or making up songs about the soundtracks I could see.” Nxdia’s path to sharing their music with the world began in the digital realm, where they first experimented with posting covers and original songs online. “It started with YouTube and Instagram. I’d post covers and originals online with no idea how to actually release music; I just wanted to get anything out there!” This digital exploration was a crucial step that led to more structured opportunities, such as the Levi’s Project through her local youth club, Z Arts in Manchester, which opened doors to collaborations and the reality of music production. “It really opened me up to the world of tangibly releasing music online and trying to find community,” they reveal, highlighting the valuable roles such programmes hold in setting new artists on their creative path. Reflecting on a moment when they felt their career was truly beginning to take shape, Nxdia recalls a performance that left a significant impact. “Probably at the end of last year; I’d played a gig in King’s Cross, and it was the first time I’d seen so many people sing along to my songs.” This experience was a profound affirmation of Nxdia’s connection with their audience, highlighting the communal power of music. “I struggle with the idea that I exist outside of my body, even online or anything,” they continue. “I’m always pleasantly surprised if someone comes and says hi or tells me they like my music, so being in that room and
“I WANT TO FEEL CONNECTED TO SOMETHING BIGGER” NXDIA having people sing along so loudly genuinely stopped me in my tracks. “I’ve always wanted community and to bring people together with music, so with that gig and the one at London Pride in the summer where I got to chat to so many people afterwards, it just made my heart feel so full!” Nxdia’s latest single, ‘Jennifer’s Body’, delves into themes of toxic relationships and personal growth, inspired by the cult classic film of the same name. The musical take “is about a toxic back-and-forth situationship,” Nxdia explains. “I’m quite avoidant generally, but I found myself almost addicted to the toxic push and pull - I was drawn in for all the wrong reasons, and it took me a while to understand that it wasn’t healthy and that it wasn’t just me overthinking or being avoidant.” “I was already writing about this experience,” they continue, “and one time, as I was rewatching Jennifer’s Body, it really helped me frame my thoughts more. It’s just such a cult classic - sapphic coded and one of my favourite movies - but I’d just realised it meant something totally different to me compared to the first time I’d seen it. I was reflecting on the toxic relationship, but also my personal growth - the progress and fluidity in how I self-identified; I just saw the film in a whole new light.” Discussing the cinematic Jennifer’s Body, Nxdia believes it was initially misrepresented, which affected its early reception. “It felt very ‘Omg, look, two attractive actresses!! Kissing!!’ at the time,” they comment, critiquing the superficial marketing that overshadowed the film’s deeper themes. “It’s actually a really cool film about changing, growing up, and the death of innocence and normalcy in a way.” Looking ahead, Nxdia’s aspirations are deeply intertwined with their communityoriented vision. “I want to feel connected to something bigger, a community where I sing with people who feel safe and seen in that room,” they articulate. “There are so many people who feel isolated growing up and burdened by who they thought they had to be. I want nothing more than to give them the confidence to be themselves and worry less about what people will say. Creating this safe space is my dream, really.” But really, Nxdia has one clear message for those reading today. “Please watch the film Jennifer’s Body if you haven’t already! It’s fun and cool and weird and cute. So yeah, please watch it.” “Also, stream the song if you feel like it,” they add, almost an afterthought that shouldn’t be. “Love ya!” ■
READDORK.COM 29.
COVER STORY
30. DORK
BIG
BIG SPECIAL
From the Black Country to the world stage, BIG SPECIAL’s debut album ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’ is a raw and honest reflection of the band’s journey and the universality of working-class struggles. by CIARAN PICKER. photography by DEREK BREMNER.
B
lack Country punk poets BIG SPECIAL are a bit of an anomaly in today’s music biz. Separately and together, the lads have been making music for the last sixteen years, so they know better than anyone that it’s not every day you feel like you’re on to a winner. Since the release of their debut single ‘SHITHOUSE’ almost a year ago to the day, life’s gone just a little bit weird for Joe Hicklin and Cal Moloney. Their debut album, ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’ isn’t some flash in the pan; it’s the peak of decades of dedication and tireless work that now sees them ready to not only take on the world but take it over completely. “We keep catching each other’s eye and going ‘What are we doing?’” Joe grins. “I’ll be sat on the sofa, look at my phone and go, ‘Oh, I’m on the cover of Rolling Stone!’” Cal agrees. “It’s the first time we feel that we’ve made a step on the right path for a long time.” Just home from tour, fans across the country turned out in their droves to watch the band. “We never thought we’d get out of the Birmingham scene, to be honest,” Joe reveals. “Like, people in the South understanding what we’re on about just never occurred to me.” “I never thought we’d reach Sheffield,” Cal laughs. Even more baffling for the boys was the reaction from fans during their support slot for emo-rock behemoths Placebo across South America. “We were in an airport in Mexico, and this guy came up to us and asked us to sign stuff,” Cal remembers. “I was just thinking, ‘What the absolute fuck is going on?!’” “We got recognised in a Brazilian mall too,” Joe giggles, “but then you come back and walk around Brownhills Market, and nobody knows who you are.” It’s impossible to separate BIG SPECIAL and their work from the wider national and global context in which it was built. For Joe, it was a shimmer of light in an otherwise pretty bleak period during the pandemic. “I sort of fell out of love with music; just as lockdown hit, I was ready to start releasing stuff, so it was like, ‘Fucks’ sake, now the world’s shut down to stop me from making music!’” At this moment, Cal came through with the idea that would ultimately morph into BIG SPECIAL, giving Joe the opportunity to get onstage and finally perform the words that he’d been harbouring since his teenage years. This time, though, he was afforded the opportunity to not only
READDORK.COM 31.
COVER STORY
“OVER THE LAST WEEK, I’VE SEEN PROBABLY SIX OR SEVEN GROWN MEN CRYING AT OUR GIGS”
show off his full range of blues-rock though, they aren’t stuck in their ways, vocals but to look deeper into the altering how they work to make the band’s own local history, shining a most of the sound they create. light on an accent that is as distinct In an industry that benefits those as it is hidden from the wider music brave enough to innovate, BIG industry. SPECIAL are proof that sticking to “Lockdown gave me the chance your guns is always worth it. “When to focus on rhythmic and rhyming you start playing around at the edges poetry,” Joe recalls, “and I stumbled of punk, especially as a two-piece, I on Liz Berry. She’s a poet from the was paranoid that you’d get some Black Country who writes in our cranky old bastard going, ‘Where’s dialect, and it made me think about the bass player? Where’s the guitarist? using that a bit more, then suddenly This is wank!’” Cal chuckles. He this BIG SPECIAL thing came through, continues, “At the start, I know I was and it made it all make sense.” so quiet on the drums to not get in BIG SPECIAL gave the boys an the way of Joe’s words, but now we’ve outlet to combine their tried and done about 70 gigs, we’re starting to tested methods with new ideas that get the hang of it, I think.” kept them fresh and interesting, Now, 70 gigs might sound like a lot, Joe’s exploration of his own voice but in the grand scheme of things, it’s through spoken word blends with hardly any at all. That makes Joe’s the bluesy, Americana roots of his next statement even more impressive. previous work. Meanwhile, Cal has “I can’t remember where we were, but a been able to rejuvenate his “caveman guy came up to us at the end of a show and even bigger soul. This comes drummer” status by experimenting and said: ‘I’ve been going to gigs for through potently in the songwriting with triggers and, in his words, “all sixty years, and that’s the first time but is equally clear in the way that this new-fangled technology”. I’ve cried’.” they treat their ever-growing fanbase, The more traditional elements Cal nods, “Over the last week, I’ve fighting against the profiteering in the of BIG SPECIAL’s sound allow seen probably six or seven grown men industry. them to tell stories from across crying at our gigs. Hopefully, that “We always have to do the QVC the ages, reliving tales from their means we’re doing something right!” section of the gig, where we direct childhood and beyond, bringing to BIG SPECIAL represent all that people towards the merch stand if life the characters and images that music should be, going back to they can afford it,” Cal says candidly. surrounded them as they grew up basics and creating art that is raw “But we want to keep gig tickets and in the West Midlands. Thankfully, and confronting, with a big heart album costs low; we’ve all been to shows where artists are trying to flog you a ticket for £80, then £50 for a shirt or a vinyl – at that point, it’s not about the fan anymore.” Being relatively old hands in the game – although ones who are still, to
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MOLONEY
quote Cal, “young, hip, and cool” – the boys have seen the industry change more rapidly than probably at any other point in history, with the rise of social media again jarring with the overall ethos that BIG SPECIAL represents. “I don’t wanna be too down on [social media] because it clearly works for some people,” Cal states. “We’re on TikTok and whatever, but it starts to verge into that whole capitalist ‘click me, like me, buy me, sell me’ bollocks. The album is about authenticity; we don’t wanna be Instagram influencers or TikTok stars.” It’s that very authenticity that keeps people from all parts of the world, from all walks of life, coming
BIG SPECIAL IDLES
back to BIG SPECIAL. Good news, then, that three years after their inception, the band’s debut album, ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’, is finally out in the world. A fifteen-song masterpiece, it delicately deals with the vulnerabilities of working-class life, taking the minute details of growing up in the West Midlands and turning it into an immensely relatable and realistic picture of 21st-century Britain. From the outset, the boys give you a bird’s eye view of what it’s like to grow in an environment built to keep you down. Somewhat understandably, the lads have been widely defined as a punk outfit, with the bold, shouty energy of ‘SHITHOUSE’, alongside the visceral imagery of ‘BUTCHER’S BIN’. As with much of today’s musical discourse, though, that broad-stroke approach not only ignores the nuance of the sound on display but actively underplays the technical brilliance of the album’s themes, influences, and atmosphere. “I’m happy to be unspecified,” Joe smiles. “Some of my favourite music is shouty, punk, nail your colours to the mast music, but I don’t think that’s our band.” Cal agrees, “If you were searching BIG SPECIAL on Google, we’d be under the ‘Other’ category, and I love that.” This sparks a memory of one label bestowed on the lads by an American institution, which sums up the point pretty perfectly: “My favourite
“THE ALBUM IS ABOUT AUTHENTICITY; WE DON’T WANNA BE INSTAGRAM INFLUENCERS OR TIKTOK STARS” CAL
one was in the US where we were described as a hip-hop duo!” The lads then rattle off a list of made-up sub-genres that they’ve described themselves as - geezcore, post-bloke, pubcore, ramble-punk – that all basically stab at the heart of what the band is actually about. BIG SPECIAL are more an ethos than a band. The project is made up of equal parts vulnerability, depression, exasperation, hope, joy, and laughter. “All of the artists I’ve been most drawn to have created a unique centre and built their own specific voice,” Joe reveals. As a kid, he was attracted to the wonders of Tom Waits, Jimi Hendrix, and Freddie Mercury, but also to the gritty realism of authors Charles Bukowski and Hunter S
Thompson. Through these heroes, he discovered his musical talent and learned how to avoid the pitfalls that brought down some of those who came before. “If you look at someone like Bukowski, he had his own way of reporting what he saw,” Joe posits. “But towards the end, that eye became a bit cynical – when do you fall for your own myth and start to force description to fit that voice? We’ve tried to find a balance.” The lyrical content of ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’ strikes exactly this balance, with decades of poetry melded together to create a greyscale collage that provides the cinematic backdrop to the journey through BIG SPECIAL’s
MOLONEY
native landscape. None of this detracts from the sonics, though, with Cal’s drumming dictating the tempo and providing the frame upon which their story shines. “It’s deliberately a big album,” Cal levels. “We kept it at fifteen because it gave us more time to direct emotion and sit with feelings. There’s a movie feel to the record, and we didn’t want to rush the story.” Joe sniggers, remembering conversations from the studio. “We’d be sitting there for days twiddling with top lines or whatever going, ‘No because if the sound was a story, it would go up here, then down there, and blah blah blah’.” Nothing about this record is easy. No corners were cut, nothing has been
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COVER STORY
done half-heartedly or rushed to a deadline; it is a project that wasn’t to be released until it was ready. “We had a finished version about two years ago,” says Cal. “But then we took it on the road, and we let our growth inform the growth of the record. It reached the point where we were down to the last few hours, and this guitar line just fell out of Joe’s fingers, and we were like, ‘That’s got to be in the album!’” Just as the record’s subject matter is organic and natural, so the writing process took on the form of a living, breathing organism, coming back to the duo’s determination to just let things happen. Where parts of the album were wrapped within five minutes, others were the product of decades of grafting. “There’s no chicken or the egg with it,” Joe says. “Just like we never sat down and said, ‘These are our influences, this is the band we’re gonna be’. We haven’t got one particular method.” Cal agrees, “Some stuff comes from loops or jams we’ve done, and lyrically, it’s from a pile of lines
Joe’s had for years that have fitted with an idea. I remember Joe writing ‘TREES’ – he challenged himself to write a two-minute banger, and within about five minutes, he’d done it! But then there are other times where you lose days of sleep over one beat that people probably won’t even hear.” Every little detail, both sonically and lyrically, has a meaning. Just like the ecosystem in the postindustrial town that the guys created for the record, if one thing doesn’t work, the whole hierarchy tumbles. In this way, the album is elevated from just another punk record into bona fide art. Much like classic Hollywood tales of vulnerability – see It’s A Wonderful Life, Little Women, Finding Nemo – ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’ sees our hero spiral across the first half of the album. Once Earth-shattering opener ‘BLACK COUNTRY GOTHIC’ sets the scene, one of misplaced nostalgia in a town as covered with filth and delinquency as
“YOU’VE GOT TO DO WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY; THE HOPE’S SLIM, BUT IT’S THE REASON YOU KEEP GOING” JOE
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HICKLIN
ever, we zero in on our tragic hero. Through their experience of self-doubt in ‘I MOCK JOGGERS’, of unemployment and hopelessness in beautifully bare ‘MY SHAPE (BLOCKING THE LIGHT)’, and even of staring death in the face in ‘BLACK DOG/ WHITE HORSE’, it becomes clear that this town is one where struggle is the order of the day. Again, though, this album is all about light and shade, as the halfway point is marked by the starry-eyed wonder of ‘BROADCAST: TIME AWAY’. When asked about the track, Joe reveals, “We put [‘BROADCAST’] in the middle to symbolise the beginning of hope. It’s a song that says, ‘I wanna make something of my life’; it’s looking around you, seeing what’s happening, and making something happen.” All of the rise and fall, continuing in the second half of the album through the contrasting of tonguein-cheek mental health anthem ‘DUST OFF/START AGAIN’, what-if sermon ‘MONGREL’, and the longing look back on a life well loved in ‘FOR THE BIRDS’, culminates in the final scene: ‘DiG!’. For Cal, “’DiG!’ is basically what we’re all about: it’s not about a genre or fitting into a box; it’s about showing that, at the end of the day, hope is all we have.” That message is felt immensely personally by Joe, who used his own past dealings with mental health to apply it to the wider context of class struggle, both today and throughout time. “If you look at it, there are three main forms of depression: personal, social, and generational. The whole message is that the past, the present, and the future all inform each other. It’s all different forms of the same shit, and nothing’s changed.” Both the boys know, though, that this is a struggle that has been going on for centuries and will likely continue for more to come. “The record nearly didn’t come out until next year,” Cal discloses, “but we knew it had to come out now. It’s written about stuff that was relevant three years ago, is still relevant now, and will probably be relevant next year no matter the result of any general fucking election, but you don’t want to be the last ones out the door before it shuts.” Joe nods, “All of this would’ve fitted ten years ago, too; it’s a message that exists out of time because if you asked any working-class person, they’d tell you it’s been going on for decades.” For this reason, it’s somehow still a radical thing for working-class kids to tell their story. “Art from working-class backgrounds is immediately political,” Cal states, “because it’s not from a place where people have that life set out for them.” Across the record, the idea that the central character might have dreams of a creative career is widely derided, from the degrading claim in ‘BUTCHER’S BIN’ that there’s “no pay for strange labour” through to the dream-crushing “you can’t shine in shit kid/and life ain’t no fucking disco” in ‘SHITHOUSE’. Again, though, this tongue-in-cheek foray is all meant to inspire, not inhibit. “Essentially,” Joe surmises, “the whole album is saying, ‘Carry on if you can’. It’s saying, ‘It’s shit, and you’re right to moan’. People are getting blamed when it’s the politicians that should be in the dock, but you’ve got to do whatever makes you happy; the hope’s slim, but it’s the reason you keep going.” That fact is felt more keenly today than at any point in the last ten years, with the cost-of-living crisis, climate emergency, and overwhelming lack of compassion and humanity from governments across the globe to those in need always coming
BIG SPECIAL
“AT THE END OF THE DAY, HOPE IS ALL WE HAVE”
are characteristically one step ahead, already planning out how to subvert expectation and keep the hype at fever pitch. “We’re not a political band, really,” Cal puts it. it after, and now I look forward to it, being able to “We don’t wanna stick to a brand, we’re all about move around and play with electronics and feel the perspectives, so we want to keep true to ourselves, crowd a bit more.” which means releasing something where people Cal laughs, “I remember him standing there go, ‘Jesus, I wasn’t expecting that!’” All of this bleeds holding on to the mic stand like it was gonna save back into BIG SPECIAL’s authenticity and genuine him from a flood! I know that when I play live, I feel soul. “We want to respect the fans enough to keep most potently myself; all my anxiety goes away, so I putting out honest material; we’re gonna keep being can’t wait to get back out there.” respectful by being true to what we do, taking our The immediate future is admittedly less time, and not predicting anything.” rock’n’roll, with Cal on his way out to mend a fence If the last year has proved anything for BIG that keeps falling down (again, “young, hip, and SPECIAL, it’s that you can’t predict what comes next, cool”), while Joe’s afternoon promises time spent so they’re understandably hesitant to make grand, with dogs and having a smoke. You get the feeling, sweeping prophecies for the future. “You never though, that this is the calm before the storm that know, people might not want a second album!” Cal could sweep them into that thing known as The says in a characteristically mischievous way. “To Big Time. In case you needed any convincing of CAL MOLONEY be honest, we’d be doing this anyway; we’d have that, Cal proudly boasts that Sleaford Mods’ Jason made it no matter what and probably just put it on Williamson described the record as “not shite”, Bandcamp and be done with it. We never set out which is the highest praise one could ever hope to back to haunt those at the bottom much more than to be the next Robbie Williams, so anything that achieve. those at the top. comes our way we’re grateful for!” Standing on the edge of this next chapter in Joe The album’s title speaks to the very heart of this We can be pretty certain of two things. One, and Cal’s lives, you get the sense that, deep down, issue, creating a community under the gospel of people will definitely want a second album. Two, they’re still the Black Country kids listening to Tom ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’. “The title there’s going to be a whole lot more gigging. This Waits in their bedrooms and dreaming of future recognises that there are hundreds of places just full of simple pleasures. “All we want to do is make like where we grew up,” Joe states. “We wanted to be summer, they find themselves on the Reading & Leeds lineup, as well as at festivals all over the globe, a minimum wage doing what we love, and we’re specific in our writing so we could make relatable sharing stages with icons as big as Pixies and Jane’s finally doing that. Anything else is a bonus,” Joe art. It’s meant to be a reflection of the personal in Addiction. They’ve also got sold-out gigs across the points out. Inadvertently, he’s summed up exactly the universal; if I’m singing about me, I’m singing UK, all culminating in their biggest headline to date what BIG SPECIAL represent. Life may not be grand, about you.” at London’s Kentish Town Forum in November. A shiny, and full of gold and silver, but it’s always full The deft touch with which the boys have daunting schedule, sure, but one that the pair are so long as you’re doing something worthwhile. BIG conveyed the exact emotional palette that many more than ready for. SPECIAL are the voice of the nation, and it’s finally urban communities have drawn from across “When we first started out,” Joe recalls, “I was so being heard. ■ BIG SPECIAL’s debut album the last century or more has created a fanbase terrified being on stage without a guitar; Cal always that is not only dedicated to their cause but are ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’ is out said it was like leading me to the gallows! I loved ready for what’s coming next. Luckily, the duo now. READDORK.COM 35.
FEATURE
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ALFIE TEMPLEMAN
A ALFIE TEMPLEMAN’s sophomore album ‘Radiosoul’ is a kaleidoscopic journey through his musical mind, as he embraces collaboration and pushes the boundaries of his sound. by ABIGAIL FIRTH. photography by JESSIE MORGAN.
lfie Templeman wants you to know he’s more than an indie pop boy. Yeah, he says it directly in our chat, but a spin of his second album, ‘Radiosoul’, is proof enough. “It’s not that I don’t want to be seen as that; it’s that I don’t want to be limited to that,” he explains, after joking he doesn’t resonate with being a pop star or rock star and instead wants to be a Philly soul boy. Still, with his sophomore record scratching nearly every itch in Alfie’s full-to-bursting brain, Philly soul isn’t miles from what he’s capable of. ‘Radiosoul’ pinballs around as many genres as possible in eleven tracks without it feeling like you’ve got whiplash when the song changes. “The whole idea of it was to essentially make a double album in a single album,” says Alfie of his motive this time. “Just make as many different kinds of songs and piece it all together and make it sound somewhat cohesive. I always said it was incohesively cohesive, even though that makes no sense whatsoever. I had so many different genres in my head that I wanted to go to.” Kicking off the cycle with ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, a pop bop that recalls early Scissor Sisters, dropping the sultry, groovy title-track early on, and recently releasing ‘Hello Lonely’, which he calls “the definition of indie-pop, a hybrid of Dua Lipa and MGMT”, it was clear he was hinting at losing the label. A proper music nerd, his encyclopaedic interest in every corner of music lends itself well to the album’s mood board. He goes for Beck-style slacker rock on ‘Beckham’, the chorus evoking the British mundanity of ‘Parklife’ as he reels off places in London he wanted to live; he nods to A. G. Cook’s peppy production and autotuned vocals on ‘Drag’, ‘Switch’ aims for a spacey, Alex G sound, while ‘Run To Tomorrow’ rounds out the record with 90s Jeff Buckley flair. His years of ripping off Nile Rogers’ guitar style also pay off, as the legend himself appears on ‘Just A Dance’. “That’s how working with him came about,” Alfie says, explaining the link up. “It just happens, and I subconsciously start playing like
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FEATURE
him. It’s tried and tested and proven that that choppy sound sounds the best, and he’s the one to do it.” Working with a tight team of Will Bloomfield, Justin Young and Dan Carey – the former two helping out on Alfie’s debut album ‘Mellow Moon’, the latter coming in this time around with an equally varied approach, as his recent work is within the British and Irish post-punk scene but extends as far as Kylie’s ‘Slow’ – it was important for Alfie to only work with those who ‘get’ him and his process. While he’s spent most of his career so far producing his own music, noting that creating ‘Mellow Moon’ involved a lot of playing around and figuring it out himself, ‘Radiosoul’ was a far more intentionally collaborative space. “I don’t do many writing sessions anymore apart from with people I have a good relationship with, staying with people I trust who understand my vision. I got down to that list of people over time because I work in the studio in a very particular way; I go from one instrument to another, and I’m very scatterbrained. I worked with a lot of other people who just couldn’t put up with that at all, and they’d want to just get a good melody or a few bars of something where I’d want to write a massive song and go crazy putting in all these secret little bits that pan weirdly.” The team he’s got on ‘Radiosoul’ allow him to do exactly that, almost every track starting small and swirling out into huge, layered anthems. Arriving at the studio with ideas “three-quarters baked, definitely not half”, Alfie wanted to stay spontaneous and let the producers flip the song upside down. “When you have that combination of people that still want to work together but also push on what you’re doing and try something completely backwards and completely new that you wouldn’t have thought of before, then I think those are the exact producers I want to work with. I didn’t want to make it so I was sat in a room amongst a bunch of East London hipsters eating seven quid Pret A Manger sandwiches doing silly writing sessions. That’s not me at all.” Although it wasn’t about relinquishing control, it was about fulfilling his vision and replicating what he hears in his head, recognising that’s not something that’s always possible for Alfie alone. What makes ‘Radiosoul’ such a massive sonic step forward is a combination of ambition, time and collaboration. “All the best melodies I’ve had are ones that come to you. You sit there, and you internalise everything, and the next minute, it’s there. I do often think about that and how you can dream a song and hear it in your head and just put it down. How it materialises from just a thought is so interesting to me. It’s incredible. “This is why I worked with other producers this time, because on ‘Mellow Moon’, I had so many good ideas that I just wasn’t capable of doing myself. On a lot of those early EPs, I used to go and record things, a lot of crazy ideas, but the problem was I didn’t have the right guitar tones or the right synth lines and stuff and they’d kind of fall flat. It was such a shame that some of those ideas were only 85% instead of 100%. With this record, it was about making sure I maximised those ideas and made them as close to what I imagined as possible.” Reflecting not only on his debut full-length but on the numerous EPs he’d released since 2018, Alfie realised how much both he and his approach to making music had changed. Once able to knock out songs in a couple of hours, leaving his teens brought forth a new, self-critical side that forced him to think differently. ‘Radiosoul’ marks the longest stretch of
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“I NEEDED SOME TIME OFF TO BE H O N E S T. I HAD HIT A WALL” ALFIE
TEMPLEMAN
time he’s gone without releasing any new music, with his previous release schedule involving dropping gradually longer EPs every year until the album arrived in 2022. “You start off with a few songs that you think are good, then you go off and record a few more songs, and you think the ones before are crap, and you just keep going around in this spiral into craziness. Making this album was basically doing that.” It’s obviously quite jarring to hear someone who’s barely broken into their twenties talk about how they made music when they were younger, but, even if it’s not on a Disney kid level, Alfie has grown up in front of an audience, and it’s something that’s taken a bigger toll on him than he thought. “It was more difficult than I expected. I had a really busy year in 2022 and I needed some time off to be honest. I had hit a wall. I had a pretty busy four years of my life where I’d worn myself out a lot. For some reason, imposter syndrome hit me out of nowhere, and it was really strange. You’re always going to have your highs and lows in this industry, and after so much of a high, it was like, ‘Ok, here you go, you’re at the bottom’. But it made me write so much better. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, feeling like crap
when you’re writing songs, but sometimes you do have to go there.” Closing track ‘Run To Tomorrow’ unpacks a lot of those feelings, but as he claws his way out, it leaves the record on a more positive note. “That was a lot of this album, to be honest; just feeling a bit confused by the last few years and like, what just happened? I’ve left school and I’ve blinked and I’m 19 and everything has just gone by me. All these gigs, records, people coming out to see me. It’s a lot to take on, and I was like, mate, I’ve just come out of being a kid, what’s happening now? I’m a role model for people but I don’t even know who I am? There were a lot of conflicting things in my head. Where do I go now? I was like, ‘Ok, I just have to be me and do the same thing that I did all those years ago that made people want to listen to my music’.” It’ll always feel patronising to say “He’s only 21!”, and even Alfie (who’s kept his age in his bio since he started dropping EPs at 15) seems to be growing tired of the longstanding surprised reactions to his age. It’d feel even more patronising to say ‘Radiosoul’ is a record that’s wise beyond his years, but it is one that requires expectations to be left at the door. “It was about coming out of essentially what people bought into my music for: being young and being a teenager. I wanted to say, well, actually, in the last couple of years, I’ve grown up a bit more, and things have changed a bit. I’ve moved out of my parents’ house; I live with my girlfriend now in London. I wanted to experience more of life, have deeper meanings to my songs, and focus on lyrics a bit more.” ■ Alfie Templeman’s album ‘Radiosoul’
is out 7th June.
COVER STORY
“I was listening From witch therapy to musical mantras, MAYA HAWKE’s ‘Chaos Angel’ is a journey
back through
of
self-discovery,
breaking
patterns,
and
learning
in
front
of
everyone.
the audio of the by ABIGAIL FIRTH.
witch therapy session...” 40. DORK
photography by ANDREW LYMAN.
A
MAYA HAWKE
s a child, Maya Hawke paid a visit to a witch therapist, who was supposed to help her work through some early depression. The series of sessions concluded with a selfactualisation ceremony that set out to remove the shield that had hardened across young Maya’s chest and then replace it with a golden bubble. “Just to be clear, I’m not entirely that woo-woo,” says Maya. “It was an experiment to see how to make a kid not depressed. It was a lot of talking and mythologising, and you’re talking to your spirit animals and your spiritual guides. It was really quite intense, actually.” The hour-long session was recorded, the audio of which was unearthed to be used on Maya’s second album, 2022’s ‘Moss’, but she couldn’t find a place for it. It did, however, sit perfectly at the start of her upcoming third album ‘Chaos Angel’. “I knew that this record was going to be called ‘Chaos Angel’ from the time we started recording it, and I was listening back through the audio of the witch therapy session, and I found her say, ‘You become an angel in human form, does that make sense?’ I was like, oh, that’s how I’m gonna open my record. And there’s a little voice that goes, ‘Yes’. That’s me as a little tiny kid.” It opens ‘Black Ice’, the delicate folk number that encapsulates much of ‘Chaos Angel’’s ethos. While the start draws directly from her past, it winds up firmly in her present, where, inspired by the ‘Wise Up’ scene in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia, her various close friends repeat “Give up, be loved” to close it. Its central lyric pulls from an old Hawke family expression – “Why do it right when you can do it yourself?” – bringing in her mission statement for the album, that of learning to break out of your usual patterns. “I wanted to make a record really intentionally, and rather than it being one random, full throttle gush of a particular emotion, to zero in on a lot of different kinds of relationships and point out the weak spots in them, or the mistakes that I felt that I’ve made. In order to carry myself through that with a little bit of a narrative structure, I created this myth of the Chaos Angel, which was kind of reverse-engineered from the song, which is the final track on the record, of this Amelia Bedeliaesque guardian angel, who was always coming around trying to do the right
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COVER STORY
thing, trying to be the angel of love and ends up screwing everything up.” That theme of recognising your own mistakes and patterns is cleverly represented sonically, with literal repetition throughout the record. From “Give up, be loved” in the opener, through the selfsoothing “If you’re okay, then I’m okay” that forms most of the middle track ‘Okay’, to the title-track at the end, which picks up on her most prominently destructive pattern, breaking it as the song goes on and switching around the order of “I want you, I love you, I promise, I’m sorry” as it swirls out. “I play a lot with mantra in the record, like repeating phrases over and over again. I had this realisation where I was like, I think all of my relationships go in this order. They go: I want you, I love you, I promise, I’m sorry, as these individual chapters. You lust after somebody, fall in love with them, make them all these promises, and then you have to apologise to them because it doesn’t work out. And I was like, how do I break that pattern? How do I be more responsible with the first two steps of that cycle so that I don’t end up in the last two, over and over again? I think it’s by understanding our own personal patterns that we can learn to break them, at least the ones we want to break. So I think my record might be more about change than acceptance.” Maya’s Zooming in today from Atlanta, where she’s currently filming the final season of Stranger Things (ICYMI, she’s been a mainstay on the supernatural Netflix smash since 2016), and seems to have no problem juggling her multiple acting and musical projects (“I’m better doing things when I’m doing other things,” she shrugs). If anything, one project informs the other. Noticing the differences between making a film or series – where the actors end up knowing their characters better than the director by the end of shooting – and making an album – where each person involved in its creation plays their small part and little else – she wanted to experiment with a different approach, combining the two processes. “Almost every person who played on the record wrote a little piece of it and had a piece of themselves inside of it - a piece of their creativity, their spark. I wanted everyone to hang out together. For actors, it seems like they’re always going off to summer camp and diving in as deeply as possible into the assignment at hand. I wanted to experiment with that, to bring everyone together and separate them from their lives a little bit and give them a space that was just purely creative, and where they only had one thing to focus on.” Additionally, each person who worked on ‘Chaos Angel’ had worked on a Maya Hawke record, either ‘Moss’ or debut album ‘Blush’, in some capacity before. Jesse Harris produced ‘Blush’, with Will Graefe and Benjamin Lazar Davis lending a hand to play on it. Then Benjamin took the production reigns on ‘Blush’, Will playing on it and being joined by Christian Lee Hutson, who’d go on to produce ‘Chaos Angel’, the others joining to play on it too. Christian’s involvement, in particular, can be heard across the album, which, although Maya cites James Blake, Arctic Monkeys and Liz Phair as influences here, ends up evoking a similar feeling to Phoebe Bridgers’ last solo effort ‘Punisher’; and yep, Christian was credited on that. While finishing up writing ‘Chaos Angel’, Maya
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“All of my relationships go in this order: I want you, I love you, I promise, I’m sorry” MAYA
HAWKE
MAYA HAWKE IDLES
was working on the upcoming film Wildcat, where she portrays American author Flannery O’Connor, whose work often reflected her Catholic beliefs. Flannery’s immersion in religion may have been a far cry from Maya’s evidently more holistic approach, but the project left a unique impression on her. “When I was working on Wildcat, I was kind of marinating myself in Catholicism and religious imagery,” says Maya. “There’s this one Flannery O’Connor quote; it’s something along the lines of, ‘I used to wrestle with my guardian angel, and I would sock at him from my dorm room and try to drive him away’, and that image really stuck with me. This idea that we have all these good instincts in ourselves, whatever you want to call them, if it’s like an angel or instincts or soul, but we have these instincts, and they drive us toward our best self, but sometimes we want to fight against our best instincts, so we sock at our guardian angel. I think that ended up really being what I wanted the record to be about.” Perhaps a place where Maya and Flannery didn’t align was in their views on suffering. Where the author penned many essays, letters and a collection of prayers that often referenced how necessary suffering was to achieving religious enlightenment, Maya simply couldn’t relate. Instead, her approach as an artist is to better herself, in turn bettering her work. “What I want to believe in is that suffering is not required for the making of art, that it’s often an unfortunate byproduct because so many of the people who make art are vibrating in the wind and are so sensitive to the world around them, that they end up suffering a lot. A lot of the time, it’s something that can be overcome rather than leaned into, you know? Nothing drives me crazier than artists being like, ‘Yeah, I had to do that horrible thing because I had to get to that dark place in myself and hit rock bottom, so I could write the book I was always meant to write’. I think that if you were always meant to write something, you were probably always meant to write it at your best.” ‘Chaos Angel’ finds Maya lingering on small moments in her life, analysing old feelings and figuring out how to express them properly. That was evident from the record’s first offering, ‘Missing Out’, which actually came long before the album’s announcement as it was previewed on her last tour. It’s a reflective track that unpacks her decision not to go into higher education, growing up too quickly, and learning to live without
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COVER STORY
“I realised that I was out of touch with my generation; that was sort of heartbreaking” MAYA
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HAWKE
regret. “There was this thing that everyone said to me when I was deciding whether or not to go to college, and it was, ‘You don’t want to fall out of touch with your generation’, and I didn’t really know what that meant. I seemed much more interested in people who were older than me and much more interested in being an adult myself. And then I made all these decisions that led to that, and I realised that I was out of touch with my generation; that was sort of heartbreaking. What the song was more about to me is touching back in with your generation and starting to really have love for your choices and for the life you’ve built for yourself.” The track features the particularly tongue-incheek lyric, “I was born with my foot in the door”, for anyone who might’ve missed that her parents are A-listers Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. With a certain discourse reaching fever pitch in the last year, does Maya want to challenge any preconceived notions about her art anyone may hold? “I’ve heard everything. I’ve heard people think that I had a dream life; I’ve heard people think that I was destined to grow up and become a crackhead,” she says bluntly. “It’s a bummer that the internet has created this environment where all the people who people have opinions about can read what they write about them. That’s not mentally healthy for anyone to do. It used to be that when you’d go to see a movie, and you’d go out to dinner afterwards, and you talk to your friends and be like, I hated that! I thought so-and-so was so bad! But now, all of those dinner table conversations are accessible. And if you have one too many beers and a self-hating night and decide to type your name into Google, you can pretty much read a transcript of your worst possible nightmare of what people think about you. But I’m not interested in really challenging anything; I just want to keep trying to do what I see as good work.” Funnily enough, she is challenging herself on ‘Chaos Angel’. The striking track ‘Big Idea’ in the album’s second half takes on a Bob Dylanesque philosophical approach to songwriting, a new foray for Maya as she notes she usually tries to make small moments seem huge. On ‘Big Idea’, she’s making a single song about a long unanswered question: Is the world ending? “We’re in this moment in time where everyone thinks the world is ending,” she explains, jumping off from our last chat about the impact of the internet (an equally applicable topic for this song), “and it very well might be. There are a lot of scientific, statistical points that are showing that the world is ending, and that democracy is collapsing. “But it’s also true that if you date back into any point in history, it’s the classic line, every generation thinks it’s the last. So, trying to differentiate in your mind, what of my doomsday thinking is the same doomsday thinking that every single human being has ever had on Earth? Because are we actually so egomaniacal to think that our moment in time is that important? Or what of my doomsday thinking is backed up by science and supported and real? I’m trying to separate that out from, how do I go on living my life in a world that appears to be ending? How am I supposed to decide and figure out what matters? That’s what I’m trying to have that song be about, but it can be about whatever you want it to be.”
MAYA HAWKE
For all of the expansive thinking, Maya does clarify she’s no golden age thinker. “Even though the world is probably ending, it’s also pretty definitively the best time possible to be a human being ever. I mean, maybe the 90s was a little better, but not by much” – but who is the Chaos Angel to her, personally? Drawing again from Balthus’ painting Therese Dreaming, a piece of artwork so controversial it was once petitioned to be removed from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but it’s been a constant source of inspiration for Maya. She played its subject in her video for ‘Blue Hippo’, penned a track about Therese on ‘Moss’, and now she’s dressed up as her on the album cover for ‘Chaos Angel’, prompting questions of selfperception and wondering, is Therese Maya’s Chaos Angel? “I was trying to look through my past work and music for themes, [asking] how I make this record where it honours the work I’ve done in the past and pushes me forward. And what I found was a lot of themes of magic, girlhood, and breaking out of confinement. I also found two experimentations of the Therese painting and the feeling that I got from her, which was this feeling of confidence and liberation, versus the feeling that other people seem to get from the painting, which was that she had been taken advantage of. I started to see those themes of your self-perception and your exterior perception, and I started to imagine Therese as this Amelia Bedelia angel. In many ways, she is an alter ego in that I’ve continually dressed up like her, and in many ways, she’s just a character that I’ve been impersonating and experimenting with.” With ‘Chaos Angel’ being the thread that stitches together patches of Maya’s previous projects – sonically, topically, visually – there’s no doubting her journey as an artist has been an unusual one. Her approach to making
“Even though the world is probably ending, it’s also pretty definitively the best time possible to be a human being ever” MAYA
HAWKE
music is always evolving, perhaps thanks to her insistence on questioning everything (intentionally or not) and her ability to accept change. It’s sort of ironic how, in trying to break her usual patterns on this record, she ends up repeating others, but it leaves us with the clearest picture of Maya Hawke we’ve seen so far. She’s confronting her own mistakes, is honest about the ways in which she’s imperfect (something drilled into her as a child, she says the biggest rule in her house was that you can do whatever you want, as long as you don’t lie about it), but she’s also giving us a better insight into how she thinks, what led her to that thinking, and her unique perception of the world. “When I was leaving drama school, I had a conversation with my acting teacher, and he said, ‘You can totally leave, you probably should, but just know that what we’re offering you here is the opportunity to learn in private, and what exists out in the world is the opportunity to learn in public, and it’s your decision whether or not you want to learn in front of everyone, or whether or not you want to learn in private’. And I decided to learn in front of everyone. That’s how I feel about my records; I’ve been learning in front of people.”
■ Maya Hawke’s album ‘Chaos Angel’ is out 31st May. READDORK.COM 45.
Start Makin Nonsens FEATURE
With a bunch of buzzy contributors from Paramore to girl in red to Blondshell, brand new compilation ‘EVERYONE’S GETTING
INVOLVED: A TRIBUTE TO TALKING HEADS’ STOP MAKING SENSE’ is a celebration of one of the best and most influential albums of all time. by JAKE HAWKES.
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ew bands are as influential as Talking Heads. Emerging from the New York punk scene and iconic venue CBGB, the group quickly cemented themselves as one of the best and most inventive in a field crowded by the likes of Blondie, The Ramones, and Television. This reputation only increased once they started working with everyone’s favourite pioneer of ambient music, Brian Eno. The resulting run, ‘More Songs About Buildings and Food’, ‘Fear of Music’, and ‘Remain in Light’ still stand up as some of the best, most genre-defying albums around. Mainstream success, ‘Burning Down the House’, a song which gave Radiohead their name (yes, really), and ‘Stop Making Sense’, one of the greatest concert films of all time, followed before they went on hiatus then officially split in 1991. Aside from an onstage reunion at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the band have never reformed. Cut to the present, and you can barely swing a cat without hitting a band who proudly proclaim Talking Heads as one of their biggest influences. London’s MOTH Club even hosts a semi-regular ‘David Byrne’s Night’, where everyone from Shame to Sports Team has taken a turn at a Talking Heads cover or two. Judging by the night’s addition to this year’s Wide Awake Festival, it’s been quite a popular idea. “So what?” we hear you cry. Well, Dear Reader, this isn’t just a history lesson to fill a few pages. If you’d only stick with us for a little bit longer, we’ll reveal what it’s all been leading towards. A 2023 IMAX remaster of Stop Making Sense by everyone’s favourite indie film company, A24, sent the rumour mill about what could come next into overdrive, especially when the band all took part in a Q+A to celebrate the re-release. Even more exciting for us here at Dork HQ was the announcement of ‘Everyone’s Invited’, a cover album featuring the songs from ‘Stop Making Sense’ as reimagined by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Teezo Touchdown, Lorde, The Linda Lindas, Blondshell and more. If any more evidence was needed that everyone on the planet loves Talking Heads, this was it. Well, maybe not quite everyone. Teezo Touchdown’s take on ‘Making Flippy Floppy’ may be an album highlight, but the Texan rapper hadn’t even heard of the band before A24 reached out to him. “They had to send
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FEATURE
WHAT A DAY THAT WAS We’ve all been there: it’s a Saturday, you’ve got nothing to do, you’re relaxing on the sofa, when suddenly the doorbell goes. Oh no, it’s David Byrne, and you promised you’d spend the day with him! Don’t worry; we’ve crowdsourced some options for you (you can thank us later).
The Linda Lindas → Eloise: First we take him for boba and see what his order is. Then we probably just take him to loads of places to go and eat. Maybe we’d go bowling, but we aren’t very good at it. Over the course of the day, we’d come up with a nickname for him to use when we play bowling, so that’s why we need to do it last. → Bela: We’d also be riding bikes all day between these activities, just to set the scene.
Blondshell → I’m kinda lazy. I don’t really do much stuff; I just hang out. I wanna see what he does with his time; I’m not interested in showing him the places I go; he doesn’t need to go to them. What’s his spot? Where does he go for food?
Teezo Touchdown → I’d probably take him to the rehearsal space and just see what I could soak in from him. I’d just want to pick his brain on everything.
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“I’ve been a fan my whole life, so this is incredible” BLONDSHELL
me over some music so I could do my research,” he says with a laugh. “But it turns out they have so many funky jams and great writing. For me, it’s the ultimate aim – for someone to discover your music years later and for it to still be as fresh as Talking Heads sound. It’s timeless music.” For others, no introduction was necessary. “I’ve been a fan my whole life, so this is incredible,” enthuses Blondshell. “I remember hearing ‘This Must Be the Place’ in eighth grade and having never heard anything like it in my life – because there isn’t anything like it. I was this adolescent searching for music that could speak to me, and I was really moved by it from the second I heard it.” “I have no idea when I first heard them,” says Lucia de la Garza, guitarist of The Linda Lindas. “Somehow, you just know all the songs; they’re always around. It’s crazy; we got this offer and were scrolling through their discography, and they have so many hits – it’s phenomenal!” Enduring popularity is one thing, but for a band to have impacted artists from so many genres may be even more impressive. This is in part down to a seemingly endless supply of absolute bangers, but also because Talking Heads were never shy of innovating, evolving from the scrappy, preppy punk band of ‘Talking Heads: 77’ to the sprawling nine-piece live band you see in Stop Making Sense, all without sacrificing their identity in the process. “I don’t think they thought about music in terms of genre,” says Blondshell. “Just watching them on stage when I went to the remastered screening, I was struck by how full the band is and how many different pieces there are. All the genres you associate them with – new wave, rock, avant-garde, none of those had these insanely full bands where the whole stage was filled with people. They were just doing something so different, so much greater than just one genre. That’s why it makes sense for the covers album to pick people from so many different lanes.” Along with assembling an Ocean’s Eleven style crack team spanning the range of Kevin Abstract to The National, ‘Everybody’s Invited’ also sees each artist doing some impressive tightrope walking of making the songs their own, without ruining what makes the original so fun. There’s Miley Cyrus’ absolutely bonkers disco-laced take on ‘Psycho Killer’, Girl in Red’s funky handclap spin on ‘Girlfriend is Better’, and, of course, Paramore’s incredible reimagining of ‘Burning Down The House’, which served as the album’s lead single. Not that a straightforward covers album was ever really on the table. “We couldn’t even attempt to sound like Talking Heads!” says Lucia, to laughs from the rest of the band. “A bunch of the timing is weird; there are all these extra beats added in,” agrees Linda Lindas bassist Eloise Wong. “We just sort of cut bits out and straightened it out to make it easier for us to play, but it was so enjoyable to do. It’s a great thing to do, but for us, the real fun is being connected to the whole CBGB scene.” “Sitting down and taking everything apart to analyse it is so cool,” adds guitarist and singer Bela Salazar. “You realise how much goes into the song, but also how when all these
TALKING HEADS
PULL UP THE ROOTS Eight studio albums, bits are put back together, it forms something really beautiful.” “I actually learned how David Byrne sings, and I came in and sang for hours like he does, until the producer said, ‘This is not going to work’,” says Blondshell. “Although I never wanted to do David Byrne’s version of the song because he already sang it, and I would never do it justice. The songwriting is so good that I realised I could do it my way with my band and the producer I always use, and it’d still sound like Talking Heads, so that’s what we did.” To have a room full of musicians leaping at the chance to cover their songs is a mark of influence that most bands never reach. There are other albums in a similar vein, although not many – 2010’s ‘We Were So Turned On’ Bowie album and the 1991 ‘Two Rooms’ Elton John tribute stand out as high profile (and in parts high quality) examples, but what sets ‘Everybody’s Invited’ apart is that it’s a tribute to a film, not a studio album. “The theatrics of what David Byrne does on stage are what grabbed me,” says Teezo. “When I was in marching band, we were taught that you have to make big movements so that the people at the back of the stadium can see you, and that’s what David Byrne does. That style, that performance, they’re what people bring up to me about Talking Heads when I’m preparing for tours. They’ve been in the zeitgeist for me because of the
eleven years – there’s a lot of Talking Heads to listen to. But what should you listen to first? We asked our interviewees what their favourite Talking Heads song was, so you don’t have to.
Blondshell → It has to be ‘This Must Be The Place’ because it was the first one I heard, and it wasn’t overshadowed by who they were or how famous it was. It was just an unbelievable song that spoke to my heart when I was an adolescent kid who was angsty and moody and needed music that spoke to me.
The Linda Lindas → Bela: My favourite is ‘Road to Nowhere’ because David Byrne did a musical a couple of years ago, and seeing him play that song live was awesome. → Eloise: I just love their vibe. I love their energy and how they’re not afraid to explore and be different in their sound and be super creative and wild with it. Everything is so easy to dance to; you can have a different dance move to everything as well.
Teezo Touchdown → ‘Once in a Lifetime’, because I love the repeated line “you may ask yourself…”. It gives form to the idea of constantly questioning yourself every day as an artist, so it really grabbed me.
visual side of things, so it’s cool to tie the threads together with a musical counterpart.” “You can see how proud they are of the film,” says Lucia. “And they’re proud of it for good reason! They’ve got their reasons for reuniting around the film, but it’s great for us to be able to have fun going along with it.” Talk of theatrical logistics and complex songwriting risk making it sound like Talking Heads have become the thinking person’s favourite band, more suited for chinstroking and high-fidelity sound systems than sweaty clubs. It’s a reputation that’s always clung to them, especially when their preppy style was thrown into sharp relief on tours with leather-clad punks like The Ramones. “There’s those intellectual parts, the technical stuff they do, for sure,” says Blondshell. “But for but the music speaks to me in this instinctual, guttural way. When I first fell in love with them, I didn’t know anything about music - when I saw ‘Stop Making Sense’, I didn’t know anything about stagecraft - but the words David Byrne says and the way he sings feels so genuine and true that it just spoke to me.” It’s not just childhood nostalgia or musical legacy that makes ‘Everybody’s Invited’ such a joyful celebration of Talking Heads, though. “This album is going to be someone’s first time discovering Talking Heads,” says Teezo. “I’m excited for that, for a lot of people to discover this great music by a group of great musicians. Discovery never gets old.” ■
(NOTHING BUT)
BANGERS Obviously, the people involved in the Talking Heads tribute album are going to have favourite songs, but what about Dork’s favourite musicians? What about us?! Here are the top Talking Heads tracks, as picked by our favourite artists (Who could get back to us on a very tight turnaround because we left this part until last – Ed).
‘AND SHE WAS’
→ ‘And She Was’ It’s about a kind of tacky transcendence, but it’s got this willingness to lean into it that feels very honest to me. ALEX RICE, SPORTS TEAM
‘CROSSEYED AND PAINLESS’
→ So much percussion, a high charting dance single, and extra points for the fake-out on ‘Stop Making Sense’. SEAN MURPHYO’NEILL, COURTING
‘PULL UP THE ROOTS’
→ If you have the aux cord at a house party, drop this tune, and you can’t not want to dance. It goes down a treat. PANIC SHACK
‘TAKE ME TO THE RIVER’
→ Our favourite Talking Heads song has got to be ‘Take Me To The River’. This may be a cop-out, considering it’s a cover, but they completely made it their own whilst respecting where the song came from. It’s Tina Weymouth at her very best and we can’t help
but get real stinky bass faces going on whenever we hear it. There are some beautiful slight tempo changes that happen in the song that make it such a magical recording in the sense that it just feels like they were jamming and the engineer hit the record button. HUMAN INTEREST
‘HEAVEN - LIVE’ FROM ‘STOP MAKING SENSE (LIVE)’
→ Tina Weymouth totally carries this whole tune; she’s so underrated. It’s such a simple, cool performance and they’ve both got seamless chemistry. ABBIE OZARD
‘THIS MUST BE THE PLACE (NAIVE MELODY)’ → To be honest, I think ‘This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)’ is one of the greatest songs ever written and one of the most romantic, too. I love that they swapped instruments to write it as well! WALT DISCO
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PORTER ROBINSON
URPorter Robinson’s ‘SMILE :D’ is a testament to the power of creative liberation, as the artist fearlessly explores new sonic territories and confronts uncomfortable truths with unbridled enthusiasm. by ALI SHUTLER. photography by GEORGE MUNCEY.
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very project I’ve done has been a total reinvention,” says Porter Robinson. After helping lay the foundations for EDM with a string of early tracks and co-writing Zedd’s massive dance-pop crossover hit ‘Clarity’, Porter’s 2014 debut album ‘Worlds’ was a glitching, melodic bid for fantastical escapism that wanted more than big drops or sugary hooks. 2021’s ‘Nurture’ took things even further. More stripped back and lush, the album saw Porter gently reckoning with relationships, mental health and belonging over intricate soundscapes. “I guess the most surprising thing I could do now would be make something that retreads similar ground,” he says before smirking. “But I just can’t do that.” True to his word, new album ‘SMILE :D’ is another bold leap into the unknown, thanks to a giddy collision of scrappy 00s guitar and the bratty confidence of hyperpop. “I wanted to make music that felt huge.” That feeling first came about while Porter was touring in support of ‘Nurture’, backed by a live band. At Firefly Festival, sharing the stage with the likes of Green Day, Bleachers, Wolf Alice, Yungblud and Haim, he playfully encouraged the audience to pelt him with glowsticks as he stood, arms outstretched, on top of an amplifier. “That’s the spirit of ‘SMILE :D’,” he says. “It’s maximum fun and has a real spirit of play.” Every track hits just as hard, each one a self-contained burst of vibrant colour. “I’d become so focused on writing music that felt so heartfelt and serious that I’d started denying the parts of me that were about wanting to have a good time. I wanted to bring that back,” he explains, with ‘SMILE :D’ his attempt at making a “fun, exciting costume party of bravado.” “However, a lot of what came out of me was confessional, vulnerable and honest,” Porter admits. But that combination of day-glo musical aggression and twisting, revealing lyrics excited him. “It wasn’t what I was going for, but it’s what ended up getting made,” he shrugs. Across ‘SMILE :D’, Porter confronts uncomfortable truths. “I just tried to say yes to everything that felt provocative to me,” he says. Anything that felt too taboo, scary, self-aggrandising, or just plain stupid made the cut. “There are songs where I admit I sometimes want more attention than I’m currently getting. There’s a part of me that’s definitely addicted to fame. It feels shameful, but it’s also true,” Porter offers. He figured if it provoked a reaction in him, it would spark something within his audience. Take the line “Bitch, I’m Taylor Swift” from the sneering ‘Knock Yourself Out XD’. “When I wrote that, I knew it was so unforgivably stupid, but there was nothing I could replace it with that conjured a stronger reaction from me.” Before, he would have never shared that lyric with the world, not wanting to be misunderstood or wage war with Swift’s fiercely protective fanbase. “Now, though... It’s just funny, isn’t it?” he offers. “The more you self-censor, the more boring your art becomes.” The first piece of music written for ‘SMILE :D’ was a dance-pop song that felt similar to ‘Nurture’’s ‘Look At The Sky’. Porter figured it would be perfect for a companion EP, but then came ‘Knock Yourself Out XD’. “That was the moment,” he says. “That song
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“I JUST TRI E D TO SAY YES TO E V E RY T H I N G THAT FE LT P R OVO CAT IVE TO M E” PORTER
has this bravado that’s so different to everything that’s come before. It was almost scary because I knew I was going to have to do so much work to realise this world,” he grins. But the entire record was finished in 20 months, the same amount of time it took Porter to create the 2017 six-track ‘VirtualSelf’ EP. On ‘Knock Yourself Out XD’, Porter becomes a shameless version of himself. Partly a reaction to self-curated social media feeds, the confirmation bias they come with and how contextless everything online has become. “It’s an anthem of acceptance about how you can’t control how you’re seen,” he offers. “I’m a good boy. I spent so much of my career worrying about being misunderstood, but with enough experience, you realise that can’t be helped. If you’re going to exist in the public eye, you’re going to get dragged,” he says. And with social media, pretty much everyone lives their life in the public eye. “That song is about, what if I just stopped caring about how other people view me? I want that to be
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aspirational for my audience,” he continues. “Our world is shaped to be oppressive and is designed to keep individualism down. The desire to not stick out or be embarrassed changes people’s personalities, but being immune to cringe is such a superpower,” Porter offers. “It’s okay to be big, to be loud and to be yourself,” he continues. “The more colourful and more themselves one person becomes, the more it gives permission for other people to do the same. You can be meek if that’s your vibe, but I have found so much value in jumping up on the table. Life is short, so what am I so scared of? The time to exist is now.” That’s not to say he’s fearless about such a hard pivot. Before lead single ‘Cheerleader’ had been released, Porter had a conversation with a friend who had quit a decent job to come out on the road with him. “I told him, if everyone hates this album, I might fuck off entirely.” “I’m really not bluffing either,” Porter continues. “I love that I can make the music the way I want to, and if it isn’t received well, so be it. Maybe I can go live on an island. That feeling of creative liberation
PORTER ROBINSON
“I F YOU'RE GOI NG TO EXIST I N TH E PUBLIC EYE YOU'RE GOI NG TO GET DRAGGE D” PORTER
is hard to come by, especially when you reach a point in your career when people rely on you, but that freedom is insanely valuable.” However, any niggling plans to live out the rest of his days on a tropical paradise while fans slate ‘SMILE :D’ were scuppered after the release of ‘Cheerleader’, with listeners quickly embracing the new era. “I fuckin love My Chemical Robinson,” reads the top-rated comment on YouTube. “I love how each Porter Robinson project is so distinct from one another, yet still so distinctly Porter Robinson,” says another. “I did think ‘Cheerleader’ was going to get more of a negative reaction, especially because it basically says sometimes the attention that I get from the fans feels borderline stalkerish and is weird in bad ways,” says Porter. “There are moments of vulnerability, but it’s mostly a banger. I thought it would be more controversial, but maybe if the music’s good enough, people don’t give a fuck.” Porter’s relationship with fame is especially pointed because he didn’t set out to be a star. In fact, he started making music as a kid to add other people’s music to a Dance Dance Revolution emulator. In order to do that, though, he accidentally taught himself production basics and was soon making tracks on his mum’s computer using whatever software he could torrent. “My initial ambition was never superstardom. It was never arenas or playing Coachella; I was just seeking the smallest nuggets of recognition. There was never a plan to become a pop star, I just constantly found the next step so insanely exciting,” he says, which quickly led to Porter Robinson performing on massive festival stages and DJing at his own Las Vegas residency as EDM took over the world. That rapid rise didn’t sit right with him, though. While performing at a festival in Australia, he started dissociating and decided he’d had enough of EDM. He began berating audiences and slating the scene in interviews as he tried to grow beyond the bro-heavy scene. In one infamous encounter with NME, he claimed EDM wasn’t art, just entertainment. “That was so wrongheaded,” he admits today. “I haven’t felt like an EDM artist for a decade now, but I still get categorised that way,” he adds with a sigh, still unable to shake off the label. “The thing I’ll say is, I’m not going to turn my nose up to anyone that wants to listen to my music, if they find value or meaning in it. If the rest of what they’re listening to is mainstage dance music, but
ROBINSON
then they can hear a song like ‘Blossom’ and cry, there’s beauty in that.” Porter also understands the fans begging him for a return to older eras because he’s felt the same way about plenty of his own faves. “I’ve made art for long enough now that I know that you can’t go back, though. I’ve seen enough artists try to appease their audience by making the music they think their fans want to hear, and it always sucks. It’s this hollow, thin, nostalgia thing. You can always feel that lack of sincerity,” he offers. “Anyway, most of the time, it’s not the music you miss; it’s who you were when you heard that music for the first time.” “It’s never been about shock value, though. That’s just so boring,” he says of a decade of hard pivots. Instead, Porter has always just chased what felt the most exciting. A lot of ‘SMILE :D’ came about after he picked up a guitar, fell in love with the “greatest songwriting tool ever discovered”, and figured he should probably do his homework. There are nods to noughties rock, the Warped Tour scene and MySpaceera bands like Hellogoodbye, Lights and Never Shout Never across the record. It was never about nostalgia, though. “In 2010, I was only listening to Daft Punk and electronic music. The closest I got to guitar music was Justice,” he says, once deleting an illegally downloaded version of LCD Soundsystem’s ‘Daft Punk Are Playing At My House’ before the track had even finished, just because of how raw it sounded. There’s also a touch of hyperpop to the record, thanks to 100gecs. “I saw them at a festival, and it just clicked for me. It wasn’t this inside joke like I thought it was; it was something everyone could enjoy,” he says, describing ‘Knock Yourself Out XD’ as a mix between the brash subgenre and Weezer. “I was trying to make something that was anthemic and electronic. I don’t get the ‘Cheerleader’ hyperpop accusations, though,” he continues. “To me, that song sounds like
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COVER STORY
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PORTER ROBINSON
The Killers, but whatever, you can’t prevent misunderstandings.” Porter goes on to describe ‘SMILE :D’ as a love letter to cliché. “For something to become a cliché, it has to resonate so widely with all of humanity,” he offers. It’s one of the reasons he declares “Bitch, I’m Taylor Swift” on ‘Knock Yourself Out XD.’ “’All Too Well (10 Minute Version)’ is ten minutes of the most widely used chord progression of all time, but it’s so beautiful. Her songwriting and the stories she tells are what makes her music so powerful.” Across ‘SMILE :D’, Porter uses the most “basic, non-jazzy” chords, synth patterns, and drum fills. “I’m certainly not trying to prove that I’m like a great singer or guitarist with this album,” he adds. ‘SMILE :D’, as the smirking name suggests, is a record of joy. Yes, the lyrics pick apart the dark sides of fame, but it’s never cynical. “’Nurture’ was me trying to fight the nihilism. I was attempting to inject meaning and hope into people’s lives at a time that felt really hopeless and meaningless,” says Porter. “With ‘SMILE :D’, there’s more acceptance of the state of things and having fun with that. But I don’t accept meaninglessness; I don’t accept nihilism. I think the shit that we do on this planet matters.” There’s a jaggedness across ‘SMILE :D’ that hasn’t been present in any of his other, more pristine projects. “K-pop is so aspirational and speaks to a desire for greatness and perfection, but a lot of what speaks to me is music where the heart is bleeding. I think that’s probably true for a lot of people who come to Porter Robinson for their albums as well,” he says. It’s a few weeks before ‘Knock Yourself Out XD’ is due to be released, and Porter Robinson is “feeling the pressure” despite loving every track on ‘SMILE :D’. “Maybe I’m just the kind of person who’s prone to negative emotions,” he offers. It would explain why so much of his career has been about finding connection and understanding. “I’ve been fighting against that recently,” he explains. “This album is more about being seen because I think being understood is ultimately impossible. All I can really do as an artist is share my feelings and hope that they resonate with people in some way. There really is no grander design for this record.” Porter can’t stop thinking about playing these new songs live. “Some of it is so high energy and fun, but there’s also something about singing vulnerable words that would usually be hard to say in a room with 10,000 other people. All of it fills my heart with extreme joy and anticipation.” The 70-date ‘SMILE :D’ world tour kicks off in August and will keep Porter busy until at least early 2025. “I want it to be unbelievably playful and celebratory. I’m going to play every song of mine that I love,” he promises. “Can I sound selfabsorbed for a second? I love my discography. I love the music I’ve made.” ‘SMILE :D’ is the first Porter Robinson record that hasn’t really had anything to kick back against. “I don’t feel like I’ve got much to prove on this. I’m just doing my thing,” he says. Look at his career as a whole, and the uniting factor is exploration and play. “Maybe this is me embracing another cliche, but everything I do is a love letter of some kind,” he continues. “The thing that’s worked for me is leaning wholeheartedly into whatever is the most exciting thing and doing that without compromise.” ■ Porter Robinson’s album ‘SMILE :D’ is out 26th July.
“I F EVE RYON E HATES TH IS ALBUM, I M IGHT FUCK OFF E NTI RE LY” PORTER
ROBINSON
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Big
stars.
With the help of producer Bill Ryder-Jones,
SWIM DEEP have created their most personal and transformative album yet, ‘There’s A Big Star Outside’, a record that celebrates growth, hope, and the enduring power of music. by NEIVE MCCARTHY. photography by STEVE GULLICK.
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ewborns and new album releases don’t typically get grouped together. In the world of Swim Deep, however, there have been new arrivals aplenty of late. As well as the birth of frontman Austin Williams and bassist Cavan McCarthy’s children, they’re ready to bring something else into the world. Their fourth album, ‘There’s A Big Star Outside’, lands after a lot of growth and change for the band - the kind that allows you to make some of your best work yet, it seems. “You get proud at different stages of your life,” says Austin. “I’m very proud of the first record now. At the time, I was just happy that we had made a record, and we were just rolling with it. Everything was easy then – we were getting festivals, press, fans. It was all just a fun ride. ‘Mothers’, we were proud because we stepped up and we made music for the life of it and the story of it. We experimented a lot. ‘Emerald Classics’, the pride was that we kept going and proved there was still a reason for us to be making music.” He pauses. “This one is the best music we’ve made, hands down. Whether the mainstream success agrees with it, I think that’ll come in time. We’re not wrong about this. This record sets us apart and proves that we’re one of the best bands in the country – I think, anyway.” It’s quite the claim, but as soon as the first track, ‘How Many Love Songs Have Died In Vegas?’ begins, it is clear that it’s a very legitimate assertion. It’s as though the band have ascended to a higher version of themselves; ethereal, thought-provoking and delicately arranged, the track re-introduces Swim Deep as masters at crafting a mystical atmosphere to get wrapped up in. In a new stage of life and with a new level of vulnerability to share, they began to weave together songs that captured the sound they had always strived towards. “I think at the time, it just felt like we were making good stuff,” Austin reflects. “It felt very personal, very real, and honest and raw. It felt like we were all playing and gelling together, and we all had this shared vision. Bill Ryder-Jones was a massive, massive part of that. He brought out the best in us, in every single member. I don’t think anyone has felt they’ve been as good as a musician as they were recording that album.” Working with the producer and musician was something Cav had been keen to do for a long time, but Austin was hesitant for various reasons. This time around, however, the timing felt right. “I just couldn’t say no to Cav again,” Austin laughs. “You probably made the right call, looking back,” says Cav. “It’s the first time we’ve actually decided to make a guitar record. I think Ozzy, as a songwriter, wanted to focus on that a bit more. In the past, if we’d used Bill, it wouldn’t have turned out like this.” Heralding Bill the “king of melancholy”, it’s clear how his Midas touch brought out a gleaming new side to the band on ‘There’s A Big Star Outside’. There’s a haze of blue, bittersweet nostalgia across the album, but beams of light cut through it. The opening track repeats the mantra “it gets better” as it reflects on what has come before, and the album clings to that idea throughout. It’s been a tumultuous few years for the band since the release of ‘Emerald Classics’, but on the other side of that, there have been some arresting revelations that find their way into the lush guitar tones of the album. It’s in conversation with the Swim Deep that
SWIM DEEP
““This This record proves that we're one of the best bands in the country” country
death of a family member, all coinciding with the birth. There was a lot of death. My grandad died three months before that as well. So many circle of life themes seeped into the record and stained it in various ways.” It was undoubtedly a period that left the band with much to think about and dwell on, particularly around how far the band have come. Their debut was released eleven years ago, and it’s been an unpredictable decade since – change has been rife, and the band soon realised that the key to getting through that was appreciating each moment as it comes. “Me and Cav had a massive DMC in the toilet AU ST IN WIL L IA M S during my stag do,” Austin remembers. “One of the topics we were talking about was how much we’ve came before, just elevated. Making the album saw been through together, and how much we’ve seen the band return to ICP Studios in Brussels, where the world, and how many dreams we’ve realised and their first two albums, ‘Where The Heaven Are We?’ how many are yet to realise. It just all goes by so past, and ‘Mothers’ came to life. After a period of being and we have to appreciate it. On this record, we were DIY, it was a rejuvenating opportunity for the band. being very present and not worrying about the past “It was completely mental,” Cav laughs. “I didn’t or the future.” really know what to expect again. We’d been there In the sometimes hazy, sometimes cinematic before, but you don’t take that much in. Coming riffs that linger throughout the album, there is back as what should be an adult was different.” a real sense of those precious moments being Austin agrees: “We were definitely children when immortalised. “Already, I’m quite nostalgic about it,” we first went.” Austin notes. “The nostalgia was crazy,” Cav continues. “Even The everyday minutiae of the album’s creation little details. It’s honestly my favourite place on are tightly wound into each track – partly because Earth.” the band were performing the songs in the studio as “It holds a lot of really solid core memories,” says they would live. It’s something they feel was missing Austin. “We were all a bit scared. Robbie [Wood, on earlier releases, but a quality that makes the guitarist] and Tom [Fiquet, drums], and James album’s vivid emotions even more keenly felt. [Balmont, keys] had been for ‘Mothers’, but we “For the first time ever, we recorded an album and hadn’t been since 2015. I was scared that I have such actually played them together,” Cav explains. “It high memories of the place that we’d get there and hasn’t been a nightmare trying to learn the songs it’d be different. It’d be a bit rundown or just not the this time. As soon as we finished the record, we same. It was literally exactly the same. The smell as were thinking about when we can get back in with soon as we walked in. The guys that work there are Bill. This form and sound that we’re on now, we’re incredible and made us feel so at home – it had been feeling quite good about it all.” eight years since we’d been there, and it felt like they That excitement and confidence is knew us all. It was important that we went there transformative. The last few years have not been because it’s part of the history of the band and the easy for the band, but with ‘There’s A Big Star story, and it’s a home away from home for us now. Outside’, there’s a sense that they’ve found their feet There was some kind of vibration about that place.” and are ready to march on with the knowledge that A space that truly captures the ethos and sound they have the potential to continue on this winning of Swim Deep proved crucial in the record, and it streak. The dark times were, of course, vital learning is seeped in that comfortability. Though it was a curves, but it’s the positives that leave their mark return to a place they love dearly, it also marked a here. Yes, they grapple sensitively with anxieties new era as they re-entered the studio, with a new and the toll they take, but coming away from the outlook and lease of life. album, you are not struck with a lingering sense of “It afforded us to be able to back and record an those. It’s the hope that prevails. album properly,” Austin notes. “We’ve done it DIY “I definitely want that hope to be there,” Austin for four years, and it just got really tiring. I was confirms. “A big part of this band is that we come wanting to make a proper record with proper gear from places where it’s not really normal to just and play to our best abilities. You can only play do what you want. It’s normal to do what you football in Dr Martens for so long. Sometimes, you should do. From the start, there has always been just need some COPA90s.” that ‘come on, you can do it’, but not everyone With the best boots in the game now laced up can. We’re very grateful that we can. As much as tight, Swim Deep were able to create tracks like ‘It’s we think we’re shouting into the echo chamber at Just Sun In Your Eyes’ – arguably one of the best in times, we have got a really good fanbase that give us their repertoire. A first instance of a song the band encouragement.” had jammed together in the studio making it onto ‘There’s A Big Star Outside’ is a testament to an album, it was an example of Bill’s ability to strip surviving, growing, and changing – mainstays in the band back and create something that cut to the the world of Swim Deep of late. By the final track, core of what they were trying to say. The track revels ‘Fire Surrounds’, so much has come to light, and in dejection for some time, but its build is nothing those six minutes of mystical acoustics and earnest short of euphoric – it’s a long period of dark clouds vocals leaves you ready to face the world from a new, and rain and their long-awaited shift to make way golden perspective. for some bluer skies. “I can’t wait to get back to it,” Austin concludes. “I “The fears and anxiety or themes of love around don’t think I’ll want as much of a break this time. It those are very present on the album,” says Austin. “A feels ready, we’ve got pace and we are so ready to lot of it, in hindsight, makes sense. There are a few play it live.” ■ Swim Deep’s album ‘There’s A Big obvious things going on – the birth of my child, the Star Outside’ is out 7th June.
READDORK.COM 57.
COVER STORY
“MY
NUMBER ONE GOAL NOW IS TO BE HAPPY” After 11 years with Little Mix, LEIGH-ANNE is
embarking on a solo journey of raw honesty and selfdiscovery, stripping away layers to reveal her most authentic self. by ALI SHUTLER. photography by ADAMA JALLOH.
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LEIGH-ANNE
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COVER STORY
o be at the beginning of something new is just so exciting,” beams Leigh-Anne. After spending 11 years in one of the best girl bands to ever do it, the past 12 months have seen her start over as a solo artist. “It’s such a different world to being in Little Mix,” she admits. At first, she found it overwhelming not being part of a group and having to trust her own gut, but the more she’s done it, the more confident she’s become. “I’ve really just settled into myself and my tastes,” she continues. “I have so much creative control now. I can express exactly what I want to express, and talk about what I need to talk about. Yes, everything is different, but it feels freeing,” Leigh-Anne says. “Now I get to carve out who I am as an artist and show what I can offer people.”
“I’M STILL GROWING, I’M STILL FINDING MY FEET, AND I’M STILL EXPERIMENTING” LEIGH
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ANNE
As soon as Leigh-Anne announced herself as a solo artist last June with the absolutely massive, open-hearted ‘Don’t Say Love’, she started teasing a debut album. “I thought I’d release three singles and go straight into dropping it,” she admits. “As the process went on, though, I just felt like I wasn’t ready for the album.” Instead, she’s gearing up to release a smaller collection of songs. Thanks to the success of Little Mix and the devotion they inspired from fans worldwide, Leigh-Anne knows she’s not exactly starting her solo career from scratch, “but I am essentially a new artist who is at the start of building something,” she offers. “I’m still growing, I’m still finding my feet, and I’m still experimenting, all of which is normal for a new project.” She goes on to say she’s still working on her debut album. “I definitely feel like it’s there, and I’m excited for it to finally come out. The pressure has been taken off a little bit now, though, and I feel a lot more comfortable about it.” Part of that comfort has come from blocking out social media noise. “It’s easy to get sucked into worrying about what other people think I should be doing or achieving, especially because Little Mix were so huge. There are obviously going to be expectations, but I’m just really focused on doing my own thing, which is putting out music that I think is brilliant,” “I absolutely loved what we did in the group, but what I’m doing right now is completely different,” she says. If it wasn’t different, what would be the point of leaving the safety of the group in the first place? After big, pop-infused songs like ‘Don’t Say Love’ and ‘My Love’, that upcoming body of work sees Leigh-Anne shimmy away from polished spectacle and lean into creating something more intimate. “It’s definitely the most raw I’ve been,” she explains. “Those early singles and the massive videos were such amazing moments, but this record is me stripping some of those layers away and just being open about my story. It’s scary, but I hope it allows people to come into my world more.” When she first started writing music for her solo career, Leigh-Anne wanted to explore all the different things she was experiencing - being a new mother, leaving the band, stepping into her power - but she kept coming back to her relationship with her husband, Andre Gray. “I really do lead with love,” she says. “If I’m hurt in love, or if I’m happy in love, that really does affect me. And at the beginning of my relationship with Andre, he put me through some crap where I was left hurt and didn’t know if we were going to make it. At the same time, I had to pretend everything was ok,” she continues. She didn’t feel like she could talk about it with the rest of Little Mix despite their tight bond, and those feelings were left unexplored. “I just never really healed from it,” says Leigh-Anne. “When I went into the studio, I felt like I needed to get it off my chest, and it’s been a healing process.” The entirety of Leigh-Anne’s upcoming record is about her relationship with her husband. “There have been sad times, sexy times and happy times, so it’s definitely a journey of emotions,” she explains. The first chapter of the currently-unannounced #NHF story is ‘Stealing Love’, a beautiful, tightlywound track about not receiving the love you deserve in a relationship, while the second is ‘Forbidden Fruit’. “I never really wanted to talk
LEIGH-ANNE
“I HAVE SO MUCH CREATIVE CONTROL NOW” LEIGH
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ANNE
about how I met my husband because it was forbidden fruit,” says Leigh-Anne. “We were both in situations, but we genuinely couldn’t deny the love that we had for each other.” As she sings in the song, “Broke a couple hearts just to be forever”. “I don’t really want to get too into it because it still feels wrong. When I talk about it, I still feel icky,” she continues. “But at the same time, love had to come first.” “The way that I’m attacking this solo era is by wanting to be as honest as I can,” says Leigh-Anne. But that’s also a daunting prospect, considering how many people are listening. “Obviously, people don’t know this stuff,” she explains. “People assume things are always great, especially because you only post the good bits on social media. But let’s face it, nothing is ever perfect. It’s been really freeing to embrace that.” She hopes people can find hope in her raw, vulnerable storytelling. “There are so many songs about heartbreak and breakups, but this story is about finding a way through. It’s about making things work. It would have been really easy for me to walk away from that relationship, but now we’re married, and we have our twins. All of that came from fighting for each other.” It’s a far cry from the colourful, bright and happy world of Little Mix, but it’s not a complete departure. “We always wanted to inspire people, and I’ve definitely taken that with me into my solo music,” Leigh-Anne adds. “It’s so important to spread a joyful message.” Musically, both ‘Forbidden Fruit’ and ‘Stealing Love’ are inspired by LeighAnne’s Jamaican roots and a lifetime of listening to reggae and R&B, cut with her natural affinity for pop music. “It’s all about fusing the sounds that I love,” she says. Both tracks should give fans a taste of the honesty they can expect across the upcoming record, but musically, LeighAnne promises the unexpected. “I’m inspired by so much music, I don’t think I could ever have a collection of songs that all sound the same.” Growing up, Leigh-Anne could always see herself as a “massive pop artist”. She was obsessed with Rihanna and started singing in her bedroom because of Mariah Carey. “I never quite hit the high notes, but I tried,” she grins. In the months leading up to her X-Factor audition, the 19-year-old, with a part-time job in Pizza Hut and plans to go to Uni, fell in love with the music of Alexis Jordan. What happened next is the stuff of pop legend. After sharing her dream to be “the female Justin Bieber” and singing a cover of ‘Only Girl In The World’, Leigh-Anne was eventually put in a group alongside Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and Jesy Nelson. From there, Little Mix went on to defy expectations by winning The X Factor. While most contestants fizzled out, the band only went from strength to strength. “We always had to prove something, though,” says Leigh-Anne. “Because we were with a girl band, because we were
READDORK.COM 61.
COVER STORY
“IF I CAN INSPIRE THE NEXT BLACK GIRL IN POP, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING” LEIGH
-
ANNE
with [Simon Cowell’s record label] Syco Music, because we were on The X Factor, people just saw us as these puppets, but we really weren’t. We were four strong women who had opinions and knew what they wanted. Everything did come from us.” “We just didn’t stop,” Leigh-Anne continues. The band released six albums in eight years, each one bigger than the last, and toured extensively with sprawling arena runs regularly featuring matinee and evening performances to keep up with demand. Eventually, the narrative shifted from Little Mix’s success as fairy tale good luck to being the result of their own hard work. In 2021, they became the first female group to win Best British Group at the BRIT Awards, shouting out the likes of The Spice Girls, Sugababes, All Saints and Girls Aloud during a celebratory acceptance speech. “It always felt so relatable,” says LeighAnne of Little Mix’s success. “People could see we were just four normal girls from working-class backgrounds. People felt like they could be our friend.” Months after their history-making win at the BRITs, Jade, Perrie, and Leigh-Anne confirmed the band would be going on hiatus following a farewell tour. “We feel the time is right to take a break so we can recharge and work on some other projects,” they said in a statement. “I had grown up wanting to be a solo artist, but when I was in Little Mix, I never considered it for a moment,” admits Leigh-Anne. “It always just felt so right, and we had this ‘in it together’ mentality.” Eventually, talk turned to exploring life outside of the band, though. “It just felt like we’d have to try it eventually, and it seemed like the right time,” she explains. Especially with her and Perrie becoming new mums. “Before we had that conversation about going on hiatus, though, no one was working on their own music.” As soon
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as the 28-date arena tour was finished, Leigh-Anne flew to Jamaica for her first solo writing session. “I’ve had some songs finished for such a long time now; I’m dying to get them out,” she grins. In the following months, people kept digging for some sort of drama between the three, but Jade, Perrie and LeighAnne have constantly celebrated one another. “The three of us have this genuine sisterhood, and no one else will ever get it,” she explains. “In fact, that last tour was so beautiful that there were times when we asked if we should just carry on as Little Mix because it felt so good. I don’t think it would have worked at that point in our lives, though,” she adds. Since Little Mix went on hiatus, LeighAnne has never been tempted to pick up the phone and ask about a reunion, either. “I miss them so much. When you’ve worked so hard for something, and you finally get it, the idea of starting again is daunting, but I’ve been having so much fun. We’ve all said it, but it’s actually quite nice to have something of your own. We are 100% going to do a reunion; how can we not?” asks Leigh-Anne. “But for this moment in time, we all need our own individual moments.” “In the beginning, I was petrified to take this on, but I’ve really enjoyed the past year. I’ve proven to myself that I can do this and really say things with my chest,” says LeighAnne. Despite that fear, she threw herself into a solo career because, “I believe in my talent. I believe in myself and also, I just love to sing,” she continues. “There’s plenty of things I could do,” she explains, having already starred in British comedy Boxing Day and still wanting to try her hand at action and drama films. “But I know music is where I’m supposed to be. I’m excited to see where it’s going to take me next.” Towards the end of Little Mix and the months that followed, Leigh-Anne also reckoned with the isolation she felt as the only Black member of the band. In 2021, she released the BBC Three documentary Race, Power and Pop and spoke openly about her own experiences with racism on social media and in interviews. “As much as it’s a reality and it needs speaking about, I also need to protect my own mental health,” says Leigh-Anne. “Trying to navigate the world of pop as a mixed Black woman is wild. There are plenty of things about it that I talk about in therapy. I don’t want to feel like I need to talk about it all the time, either.” “It’s about using my voice where I can,” Leigh-Anne continues. In 2021, she set up The Black Fund alongside her husband, Andre, and her sister, Sairah. The organisation’s vision is “a world with real equality would look past what we are, and focus on who we are,” and has provided funding for a number of charities that deal with mental health. The Black Fund is also currently working with Grounded Sounds, an organisation that provides workshops and opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn about
LEIGH-ANNE
“WE ARE 100% GOING TO DO A REUNION; HOW CAN WE NOT?” LEIGH
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ANNE
music. “They’re all about nurturing new talent, which is really cool,” says LeighAnne. “You can get so much scrutiny for using your voice, but The Black Fund is one of the most important things I’ve ever done. I was sick of just talking about race and all the challenges I’ve faced. I wanted to actually do something to make a difference.” Despite the battles she’s faced in music over the years, Leigh-Anne’s solo career has quickly become a place of joy. “It feels like such a celebration of who I am and my culture,” says Leigh-Anne, who has both Bajan and Jamaican roots. “I want to make sure I’m not boxed in either,” she continues, already aware that people will try and categorise her music as R&B regardless of what it actually sounds like. “I also feel like if I can inspire the next Black girl in pop, that would be amazing.” A few days before the one-year anniversary of releasing her debut solo track, Leigh-Anne will be taking to London’s Lafayette for her first headline show as a solo artist. With space for just 600 fans, it’s potentially the smallest show she’s ever played. “I wanted to do something really intimate for this era. It’s going to feel like people are in my bedroom with me, going through the same emotions.” Rather than a toe into the water of playing live, Leigh-Anne knows she wants to do more gigs. “It feels like the start of something,” she explains. She’s looking forward to being able to reach out and hold hands with the audience and also show them something a bit different. “I don’t think people are going to expect the type of show I’ve got planned,” she teases. “I’m not saying I want to go in the same direction as her, but I look at artists like Doja Cat, and she’s just so fucking sick. Her recent performance at Coachella was unbelievable. I was really inspired by that because she’s just so innovative and is constantly thinking outside the box in an attempt to create something different. That’s where I’m trying to head,” says Leigh-Anne. Can she see herself headlining festivals and arenas, too? “I mean, I’m always going to aim for the top,” she grins. “I do want to be an international star. That has always been the goal, after all, but I’m not putting any pressure on myself. I don’t need to,” she continues. “I keep asking myself what success means to me, and it’s changed from what it was when I was in Little Mix,” says LeighAnne, with the group constantly aiming to be as big as possible. “We achieved a lot, but for me, my number one goal now is to be happy. I’ve already had a phenomenal first year. I’m just going to keep working hard and putting good shit out,” she says, confident in her music, her vision and the road ahead. “I honestly spent too long trying to prove my talent and prove myself to other people. I’m tired of it. Now, I just want to do me because that’s enough.” ■
READDORK.COM 63.
FEATURE
From guttural screams to nut-mix-fuelled cow moos, GOAT GIRL’s ‘Below The Waste’ is a testament to the band’s growth, resilience, and unwavering trust in each other. by REBECCA KESTEVEN. photography by HOLLY WHITTAKER
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GOAT GIRL
B
We wanted to come back with a slap-in-theface kind of thing
collaborative they’ve ever been as a band, too. elow The Waste’ has Songs like ‘play it down’ went through a series of been a long time in different iterations - from prog rock, to psychedelic the making. Pieced solos, to a sombre ballad - and it was by trying it together like a out with the band that it developed into its final collage, the album form. “We’re not afraid to completely revert back is a snapshot of life to the beginning of a song again, take everything experiences, world out, and just start from scratch. I think that’s events, relationships, a part of the writing process,” says Lottie. “We and hardships. It’s all had a thought and say over basically every full of metaphors part of it,” Holly explains. “There’s a lot of trust about the ugliness of the oppressive structures between us, and there was a lot of consulting each of modern life, of stripping away barriers and other to make sure everyone was happy.. We all taking trips down the uncanny valley. For the just know each other more now. We know each South London trio consisting of Rosy Jones, other’s strengths. We’re lucky to have that.” Lottie Lottie Pendlebury and Holly Mullineaux, it’s also agrees, “I think it’s evident when musicians aren’t representative of them entering their boldest and ROSY J O N E S playing what they feel is natural to them, there’s an most powerful era so far. uncomfortability there.” Hopping on a Zoom call early on a Thursday Trust was important in lots of ways in the afternoon, there’s a wholesome vibe from the well,” Holly says. “There’s a lot of trying-tomaking of the album, they explain. Lyrical subject offset as Lottie and Rosy introduce their dog, who do-orchestral or hi-fi things in a lo-fi way on matter on ‘Below The Waste’ has its obscure and remains to be stroked just offscreen for the entire the album. I think it’s cool to have the sound of witty moments, but struggles with addiction, call. The band have just returned from a small something being ‘done’ correctly, but we didn’t identity, and mental health were also major UK underplay tour. “It was fun to get out and touchstones inspired by the band’s personal remember that we have people that support us and want it to sound polished and perfect all the time.” Lottie agrees, adding: “Sometimes we really had to experiences. “It’s still scary,” says Rosy, “even our music,” Lottie explains. “We’ve just been doing strip back in order for the point of the song to shine when you’re as good friends as we are… I feel like quite a lot of supports, which is also really fun, but this record was hard to write. We’ve been writing it there’s something quite different and special about through.” From opener ‘reprise’’s recordings of rain and since, like, 2020; it’s taken us a really long time. A performing to your fans. We met such nice people crackling tube sounds (courtesy of co-producer lot happened to us personally - it definitely wasn’t along the way, and played in some really beautiful Spud (Lankum and black midi)’s “archive of weird easy.” venues” - a chapel in Hebden Bridge being one of noises”), to the chirping birds of Cornwall in Holly pinpoints a part of the album’s creation the highlights. ‘prelude’ - the band certainly made sure to make that was particularly emotional in this respect, the Goat Girl made their official return in February use of their pastoral recording locations, even recording of ‘take it away’ - a song she says pretty with the release of the dissonant, tension-filled getting the animals involved. “We were recording much wrote itself. Encapsulating the desperation lead single ‘ride around’. In the (comical albeit on a farm,” says Lottie, “so it felt it was pretty she felt about Rosy’s struggles against addiction, quite unsettling) music video, Rosy is a priest, important to include the environment we were in Holly explains that “it was so emotional to do it Holly a ‘karaoke hun’, and Lottie turns into a giant on the record because I think it made a big impact together. I put down the keys and sang, and the (“She’s shrunk back down finally!” jokes Rosy). “I on how we played together, and so it was a big others just did whatever - which is what I wanted to feel like, because of the song’s immediacy, we thing to reference it. We wanted to record outside happen. I wanted everyone to just do what they felt. wanted to come back with a slap-in-the-face for the purpose of getting all the animals in the It was just done in that moment, and it felt really kind of thing,” Rosy explains. “For me, it felt like background, and I’d never heard the animals so emotional watching us all being there together it encapsulated quite a lot of the elements of the quiet! None of them were making any noise, so having overcome such a difficult time. Then, on album - the vulnerability, the heaviness, the Spud decided to shake some nut mix at them, and top of that, when we did the choir, Rosy’s family uncanniness, the joy.” Collaborating with close they moo-d in the end.” came down and sang. That was really special.” friends Luke Kulukundis and Matro Villanueva “He was literally running with this nut mix,” Although it was scary, the band also make a Brandt of Foreign Body Productions, who directed Rosy laughs - and Holly laughs too. “It was so point to say how cathartic writing the album was in and produced it, the band brainstormed their funny how it all started, because Spud didn’t response to the hardships they’ve all been through pretty extreme ideas and left the duo to create actually communicate to us that he was going on the past few years. “Finding our voices through their own interpretation. “The lyrics talk about this mission to make the cows moo. We were all guttural screams was very cathartic,” Rosy says. stripping away social expectations and trying just shuffling about on the grass, and next thing “There’s a lot more guttural sounds coming from to be yourself, meet new people, embrace those our vocals on this record (like ‘tcnc’ and closing connections, and form your true self - so they came you know, Spud’s running halfway down the field shaking these nuts! It’s quite funny because he’s odyssey track ‘wasting’), which was really fun to up with this idea to have this building gang of quite quiet, so when he does something mad you’re explore. We were just left to our own devices for freaks,” Holly laughs. “It was so fun to do.” like, ‘What are you doing?!’” the vocals and then, doing the backing vocals, we A mishmash of sounds, including voice With Spud as co-producer, ‘Below The Waste’ all just started screaming. We couldn’t stop. And notes, samples, dense orchestral arrangements, marks the first time Goat Girl have taken the reins now we’re shouting and screaming live, and it’s miscellaneous objects used in unconventional on the production side. “I feel like Spud was the quite healing.” “It’s not something that came ways, animal noises, and blood-curdling screams perfect person to work with. He’s so humble, and naturally,” explains Holly, “but it feels really good. are heard in ‘Below The Waste’, and the band really just nurtured what we wanted and gave us It’s empowering.” also experimented with a tonne of different loads of space to do what we wanted to do,” Rosy On the album’s name, ‘Below The Waste’, instruments. Some of which they’d never even says. “He’d just be listening a lot of the time… like the band explain it initially came into fruition played before. “Some songs had, like, hundreds a safe pair of hands whilst we figured out whatever from joking around (“We just chat a lot of shit, of tracks on them! We added so many things,” mad thing we wanted to achieve.” basically”) - but it’s also a bit of a double entendre. Rosy explains. “We added quite a lot in Ireland “I remember I said I wanted a sound that was like “We linked it to a lot of the themes of pulling back [Most instrumentation was tracked over a 10-day a metallic spinning sound,” recalls Lottie, “and and delving underneath the surface. The different stint at Hellfire Studios]. We had a banjo, really he’s really good at just knowing exactly what you meanings that ‘waste’ has, and how it’s applicable fat synths, the taishigoto - which was a really fun mean and just going and finding that material to lots of things,” says Holly. And beneath the one to play, but also quite tedious. We got Reuben, finding a way to set up a mic so that it sounds weeds, what’s uncovered in ‘Below The Waste’ who plays synth with us, to learn the cello. Lottie right, and basically just bringing those ideas to life.” is the beauty of genuine connection. Despite played violin on pretty much every song, Lottie’s There’s a song on the album dedicated to him - a 30 the all-consuming power of nature relentlessly dad played viola, and then we got our friend Alex second moment called ‘s.m.o.g.’ - Spud’s.Moment. sinking, swallowing, growing, pervading, the to play flute and clarinet. We really wanted a bass Of.Glory. album reminds us to cherish the only constant we clarinet, so we got that as well. It was just sort of In addition to their collaboration with Spud, have: each other. ” ■ Outro text like getting everyone involved.” Goat Girl pen ‘Below The Waste’ as the most “Me and Rosy also decided to play strings, as
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COVER STORY
LAUFEY’s unconventional blend of jazz, classical, and pop has taken the world by storm, encouraging fans to embrace what they love and chase their dreams, no matter how niche. by ALI SHUTLER. photography by GEMMA WARREN, FRANCES BEACH.
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LAUFEY
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COVER STORY
“It does currently feel like cyclists are trying to take me out of this life, though, but I’m standing strong,” Laufey smirks, taking a 20-minute break from an otherwise strict period of vocal rest. Since she released her debut single ‘Street By Street’ in 2020 and started uploading snippets of jazz covers to TikTok, Laufey has quickly built a loyal following of fans who have dived headfirst into the magical, glittering universe of Laufey Land. While those on the outside have urgently tried to figure out why music that harks back to the 1940s is resonating with a passionate Gen-Z audience, it’s clear those actually at the shows are connecting with Laufey’s vulnerable, relatable songs about coming of age, figuring yourself out and falling in and out of love. Debut album ‘Everything I Know About Love’ was released in 2022, an intense, wideeyed, broken-hearted exploration of firsts, while follow-up ‘Bewitched’ came last year. A woozy, theatrical record about love and independence, it saw Laufey dig deeper into her influences but kept the conversational storytelling flowing. Breakout track ‘From The Start’ is a frustrated, swaying song of unrequited love, while the haunting ‘Promise’ plays in the ashes of a burnt-out relationship. Elsewhere, ‘Letter To My 13 Year Old Self’ tries to find peace in childhood pain while the title track finds itself head over heels in new beginnings, embracing love at every turn. “I always felt like the music I wanted to make was niche. I had no idea that this many people would be willing to be involved in that niche,” Laufey admits. “But, it’s not like my songs are super avant-garde. They’re just the stories of my life and other people’s lives. They’re stories about love, which I think will always resonate with people, regardless of genre.” Jazz and classical were the pop music of their time anyway, argues Laufey. “I find that so interesting.” It helps that Gen-Z are drawn to great songs, regardless of when they were initially released. “Audiences nowadays care more about relatability and world-building than the musical components,” she says. “They listen to anything that’s cool or different. Unique voices are truly being celebrated right now, which is so exciting,” she adds. Part of Laufey’s goal with her music is to introduce the magic of jazz and classical music to new audiences. Onstage, she’s backed by a string quartet, and increasingly, her shows are just want to encourage people to embrace what they love,” says Laufey, who’s living proof of that attitude coming up gold. Over the past four years, the musician has taken the world by storm with an unconventional blend of jazz, classical and pop that’s racked up millions of streams on Spotify, earned her a Grammy for Traditional Pop Vocal and seen every single show sell-out instantly including a dreamcome-true gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall. “If you chase what you love, you never know what could happen,” she grins. “There are moments where
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it’s felt really big and a little scary, just because of how fast it’s grown, but it’s never felt out of control,” Laufey continues. Touring has helped “dampen the blow” of her continuously rapid ascent, she says. Constantly finding herself in new environments, surrounded by new people, there isn’t much time to think about what’s happening outside of that. “And it’s always so special seeing the fans at the gigs. That makes it all worth it,” she adds. Later tonight, Laufey will play the first of two very sold-out shows at New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall as part of a tour supporting the expanded ‘Goddess’ edition of her second album ‘Bewitched’. But first, she’s starting her day with a coffee and a morning walk through Central Park. “I like seeing the sights before the world completely comes to life. It helps touring feel memorable, rather than just a series of slightly different rooms,” she offers.
“Unique voices are truly being celebrated right now” LAUFEY
LAUFEY
“It’s not like my songs are super avant-garde. They’re just the stories of my life” LAUFEY
taking place at grand, seated venues that don’t typically host pop gigs. Looking beyond that, Laufey wants people to start embracing what they truly love, regardless of how cool or popular. “When I started out, I just did what I loved, and I didn’t think twice about it. Doing anything else would have felt inauthentic,” she says. “Now there’s this whole new audience that just didn’t exist before”. “If you’re doing something unique, you should always lean into that,” she continues. “Sure, you might piss some people off, but other people are going to love what you’re doing far more deeply. If you shy away from that, you’ll just end up pissing off both sides.” The lush, sweeping music and the gorgeous theatrical live show celebrate the larger-than-life drama that comes with love and loss. “For so long, women have been put down for having big emotions,” says Laufey, who never shies away from the extremes. “I remember when I went through heartbreak for the first time, and I felt it so deeply. I’d never experienced anything like that before, and my first thought was, ‘Oh my god, does everybody feel like this?’.” Given how passionately her audiences sing along, it seems like they do. “I’ve always been very unapologetically open with my emotions,” says Laufey. “It hasn’t pushed people away, so I guess I’ll keep on doing it.” There’s still a playfulness to it all, though. Laufey regularly shares snippets of her music on TikTok alongside captions like “therapists love me” and “tricking you kids into listening to jazz”, while onstage, she pokes fun at just how depressing some of her songs are. “Are you having a good time?” she asked the audience of London’s Roundhouse earlier this year. “Well, I’m about to ruin it.” “I mean, I’m very unserious,” she smirks. The show is very different every night, with Laufey feeding off of the energy and the mood of the crowd, as well as the many homemade signs they bring along. “A lot of my music has a hint of sarcasm as well,” she continues. “I just think it’s fun to play around with lyrics and see how far I can push things. It’s not a joke, but I do want it to be funny.” “It’s been such a huge honour touring with Laufey these last couple of weeks,” pop duo Wasia Project explain, fresh from joining Laufey on the road for dates in both the US and Canada. “Her kindness, wisdom and talent have been so inspiring, and we are excited for what’s next!”
L
aufey grew up surrounded by classical music. Her mother was a violinist for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, while her grandparents were professors at China’s Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She discovered the beauty of the “Queen of Jazz”, Ella Fitzgerald, while digging through her dad’s record collection. She’s been playing piano since she was four and cello since she was eight, while her twin sister Júnía studied violin. When she
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COVER STORY
“Backlash always happens when somebody is doing something new, but music is always changing” LAUFEY
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was 15, Laufey performed as a cello soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra before studying at the prestigious Berklee College Of Music in Boston, thanks to their presidential scholarship. There was this clear, established path for Laufey to become a career musician, perhaps as part of an orchestra, but she decided to take a risk and do her own thing instead. “The pop element in my music just came from me being a young person in this century,” she explains. “I’ve always unapologetically been very off this time. I’ve never thought I was born in the wrong century, and I do just love pop music.” She doesn’t know where the self-belief to combine all her interests came from, though. “It just happened naturally when I first started writing my own music,” she offers. “Maybe it was just delusion rather than confidence. When you love something, you hope the entire world will love it as much as you do.” “I have definitely grown more confident, though,” she continues. “I grew up listening to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, and there weren’t any modern artists really doing that style that I could look up to. I became the artist that I felt was missing. The reaction to that has been such a huge surprise, though.” The world of classical music has also embraced Laufey’s take on the genre and how she’s introducing the music to a new generation, with both the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the LA Philharmonic Orchestra performing with her. “I think they understand that it’s heavily inspired by classical music, but it isn’t trying to be classical music.” However, Laufey has also gotten backlash from certain corners of jazz and classical music that aren’t so keen. “I get it. They’re protecting a genre that is their world. I’m taking influence from these very academic fields of music that have existed for a long time and have really important histories as well, but I’ve spent years of my life studying that. Everything I do comes from a place of intention,” she adds. “Nothing is an accident.” “That backlash always happens when somebody is doing something new, but music is always changing,” she says. “Art
evolves. People try and burn me by pointing out that a song of mine isn’t jazz, but I already know that. I’ve never claimed my music to be one thing or another.” As the child of an Icelandic father and Chinese mother, Laufey often felt like an outsider growing up in Reykjavík. She had the same feelings of alienation whenever she spent time in Beijing and Washington, DC, as a teenager. As she sings in ‘Letters To My 13 Year Old Self’, “I’m so sorry that they pick you last / Try to say your foreign name and laugh. I know that you feel loud, so different from the crowd.” She’d turn to music as a place of safety, though, alongside fantastical young adult books like The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson. “That was my escape,” she says. Now, every time she steps onstage, she’s offered a sense of belonging. “I look out into the crowd and I just see 1000s of people that I would be friends with,” says Laufey. “I literally created the community that I wanted.” Wanting to nurture that further, she’s currently running a virtual book club that meets once a month. “I hope my shows can be an escape for people,” says Laufey. “A lot of the audience is stressed from school or stressed from life in some way. Hopefully, when they come to a gig, they can be transported somewhere else for a couple of hours. I hope they can really step into my universe,” she adds, describing her audience as dreamers. Despite her music dabbling in emotional devastation, there’s a resilient hope to Laufey Land. “I mean, I’m a very optimistic person,” she says. “I think the very notion of being a hopeless romantic actually means you’re very hopeful. You’re always looking for that perfect moment, that perfect person, and you know it’s waiting somewhere in your future. I write so many letters to a future soulmate or my past self because I can’t help but romanticise the world.” That optimism was there right from the start, with Laufey’s career really beginning during the pandemic. “That was a time when everyone needed to romanticise their life a little bit because everything felt so bleak and hopeless.” That feeling hasn’t faded either. “So much has happened in the world over the past few years,” says Laufey. “Having a form of escape and hope about something beautiful happening in the future, that’s something that can really keep you going through hard times.” Earlier this year, Laufey shared an expanded ‘Goddess’ edition of ‘Bewitched’, which sees her taking her songwriting to even more honest and vulnerable places. The title-track deals with fame and trying to live up to the expectations of others, while the pointed protest of ‘Bored’ finds Laufey stuck in a relationship with someone who’s more interested in the sound of their own voice. In both tracks, Laufey wrestles back control with lines like, “And now you know I’m not your fucking goddess.” “It’s a continuation of the story I was telling with ‘Bewitched’. It’s the love from
LAUFEY
“I already feel like I’ve made all my dreams come true” LAUFEY
that album wearing off,” says Laufey. She still uses songwriting to process what she’s going through. “I’m always writing,” she explains. “When I’m not touring, I write with real intention, but when I’m on the road, I write when I need to. I don’t put too much pressure on myself, but those songs often end up being the closest to me because they were written in a moment of genuine need.” She says those extra tracks are “absolutely” a hint of where she goes next. “I’m always a couple of steps ahead,” she smirks, not wanting to give anything else away. There are still so many different styles she wants to experiment with. “I want to keep on pushing myself but keep it in the world I’ve created so far. I definitely don’t think my work with using jazz and classical influences is done.” By introducing traditional genres steeped in history to new audiences, Laufey’s success is similar to what Taylor Swift did to country music at the start of her career or what Rosalia has done with flamenco in recent years. Could she see herself going down a similar route of arenaready pop? “I mean, I’m playing my first arena this summer in the Philippines, so I can definitely, hopefully, envision myself doing that in a way,” Laufey smirks before admitting that, just like every other artist who’s suddenly found themselves with an audience and a platform, she has ever-sobriefly thought about making music that seems “more palatable”. It’s just not her, though. “There’s a real art to pop music, but it wouldn’t be authentic if I strayed too far away from what I’m doing now,” she says. “Frankly, I wouldn’t know where to begin either. I just want to be happy and I always love what I’m making. I never wanted to feel like some sort of external force is pushing me in a certain direction.” Despite finding herself suddenly in the spotlight, Laufey feels absolutely no pressure about what comes next. Currently, she’s dreaming about “a holiday in my own bed” when this run of shows finally wraps up in September, but she’s eager to see what else she can achieve. “I remember sitting in meetings three years ago with people asking me what I wanted to do with my career. I basically quoted them what my life was a year ago,” she says, so her ambitions have had to expand. “I already feel like I’ve made all my dreams come true. I genuinely did not know the extent to which a career like this was possible with the kind of music I make,” she says. Ahead of the Grammys, she had refused to write an acceptance speech, not even considering the possibility of a win. “I used to think the sort of ambitions other artists have would never be realistic for me because I’m not a pop artist,” she admits. But after the success of the past two years, “Why not?” she asks. “If I want to do something, there’s no reason not to. I’ve already surprised myself in every single way possible.” ■
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INCOMING. THE NEW RELEASES YOU NEED TO KNOW
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DUA LIPA’s place in pop is still a crucial one. → Rarely do British pop girls go global. While the Jess Glynnes and Anne Maries of the mid-2010s have found sustainable success on the UK arena circuit and the Capital FM A-List, seeing Dua Lipa fly beyond the borders of the island with 2020’s ‘Future Nostalgia’ was quite the anomaly.
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Her self-titled 2017 debut album could’ve left her in that decade, if it wasn’t for the last-ditch attempt to get a hit out of it with the release of ‘New Rules’ that summer, turning Dua’s career right around. Doubling down in 2018, her Calvin Harris collaboration ‘One Kiss’ solidified her place as a summer playlist mainstay, but still, the neodisco bangers that ‘Future Nostalgia’ brought forth two years later felt completely unexpected. Maybe it’s because of that second album left-turn and its subsequent world domination when it was finally toured in 2022 that left people expecting more from Dua’s follow up, or maybe ‘Future Nostalgia‘’s hyper saturation made ‘Radical Optimism’’s blissedout euphoria feel – to some – like a step back, but either
Wallows
Model ★★★★
IT’S REFRESHING TO HEAR A BIG POP ALBUM THAT ISN’T SUFFOCATING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF ITS OWN LORE. way, the bottom line is that Dua is a master of doing the unexpected. This time around, working with a tight team of Danny L Harle, Kevin Parker, Caroline Ailin and Tobias Jesso Jr almost exclusively, Dua creates an album that’s brighter and breezier than its predecessor. There’s the flourishes of modern psychedelia promised without being overpoweringly obvious; lead tracks ‘Houdini’ and ‘Training Season’ hum with Tame Impala synth signatures and bass grooves, elevated by Dua’s airy head voice and smoky
tones in equal measure. That brief carries over into ‘These Walls’ and ‘Whatcha Doing’, before introducing some of those trip-hop beats on ‘French Exit’. Present, too, are the 90s dance influences, even if they pull more Moloko than Massive Attack, on the defiant opener ‘End Of An Era’, shutting up those who argue her discography all sounds the same. Undeniable summer electro-pop bangers ‘Illusion’ and the belting ‘Falling Forever’ shine in the record’s second half (she’d be daft not to add the latter to her upcoming Glastonbury headline
set). More importantly, ‘Radical Optimism’ achieves something ‘Future Nostalgia’ didn’t, and sticks the landing; no wishywashy ballads to round off here, rather plumping for the soaring, ‘Ray Of Light’ recalling ‘Happy For You’. It once felt like Dua Lipa’s music might’ve been relegated to soundtracking Love Island and A Level results day pre-drinks; ‘Future Nostalgia’ sent her well off that course, but to suggest ‘Radical Optimism’ lands her back there would be silly. Dua’s place in pop is still a crucial one, as big pop albums become increasingly bloated with tabloid fodder, it’s refreshing to hear one from a superstar that isn’t suffocating under the weight of its own lore. ABIGAIL FIRTH
→There’s something undeniable about Wallows. Across two studio albums and a whole raft of tracks, they’ve grown from beloved online darlings to a band who have quietly taken over the planet with their sun-kissed tales of modern life and love. ‘Model’ comes at a turning point where the trio could go absolutely anywhere, and the result is an album that’s everything that makes Wallows so immediate and a stunning natural evolution into their next chapter. It beats through the hooks of ‘Your Apartment’ and ‘Calling After Me’, but it’s in the twists and turns where ‘Model’ marks itself as essential. ‘She’s An Actress’ is wide-eyed panoramic living written out in Radiohead shuffles, and the hypnotic ‘A Warning’ finds Wallows in pure swagger-soaked confidence. Where ‘Tell Me When It’s Over’ stretched its legs in sun-kissed directions, ‘Model’ flourishes in a newfound level of maturity. ‘Only Ecstasy’ boldly shows their ambition, and it comes to define an album that smashes the mark with laser precision. Finding pure release in the indescribable moments, ‘Model’ is guaranteed to continue to reward on each and every listen. JAMIE MUIR
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An exploration of heartbreak, healing, and self-discovery. → Taylor Swift’s eleventh studio album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, arrives with the quiet weight of a literary anthology. A deliberate choice, echoing Swift’s own description of the album as a “fleeting and fatalistic moment in time”, sets the stage for a deeply personal and introspective work. ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ exists to be consumed as a whole, a tapestry woven from heartbreak, self-reflection, and the ever-present awareness of existing under a celebrity microscope. The album unfolds like a late-night therapy session illuminated by the soft glow of the white canvas of a word processor on a laptop screen. The familiar sonic palette of collaborators Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner returns, but
this time with a more introspective edge. Tracks shimmer with a hazy beauty and juxtapose melancholic synth-pop with darker moments, mirroring the fractured memories of a doomed relationship. With ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, Taylor throws open the vault of recent relationships, not with a nostalgic sigh, but with a resounding bang. Gone are the playful winks and fantastical escapes of her earlier work. This time, she adopts a stark, conversational approach, her words honed to a razor’s edge. Tracks like ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived’ sting like a public takedown, a saccharine melody layered with barbs so precise they leave no room for misinterpretation. But this isn’t about settling scores. Beneath the surface, a newfound vulnerability emerges. Swift grapples with her own demons, dissecting love’s complexities, the sting of loss, and grief for what could have been. These aren’t mere confessions; they’re primal roars, raw pronouncements of hurt and disillusionment laid bare. The album also delves into the complexities of navigating fame in the digital age. ‘But Daddy I Love Him’ is a particularly
striking moment, using a fictional contentious nuptial to address the media frenzy and parasocial obsession that often surrounds her romantic entanglements. Using her music to both confront and disarm the public’s often invasive interest, the song cleverly flips the script on her listeners, challenging them to see beyond the persona to the person, a theme that hits hard in an era where celebrity is incessantly documented and dissected on social media, often with such a thin grasp on reality it’s effectively a work of unkind fiction. Swift’s lyrics paint a picture of a life lived under constant scrutiny, where every move is debated by an online court of public opinion. As ever, the meticulously crafted lyrics are a cornerstone of ‘The Tortured Poets Department”s frantic public appeal. Each song is packed with the kind of Easter eggs and intricate wordplays that have become a hallmark of Swift’s songwriting, but this time around, they feel less guarded than ever before. It’s this that fuels the album’s longevity, encouraging fans to dissect every line, searching for hidden meanings and personal references. ‘The Tortured Poets
Department’ is an exploration of heartbreak, healing, and self-discovery. An album likely to spark countless think-pieces and dissections by fans eager to decipher every lyric and hidden meaning, it’s a deeply personal work that rewards multiple listens, offering a glimpse into the emotional landscape of one of pop music’s most captivating artists. In an era of manufactured narratives and fleeting trends, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ offers up raw emotion in return. With its flaws as a feature, not a bug, it’s nothing if not honest in its own point of view. In a surprising twist, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ morphed into a double album just hours after its initial release, unveiling an additional 15 tracks that delve deeper into her labyrinthine psyche. This second volume, while sprawling and less thematically and chronologically unified than its predecessor, continues to explore the raw edges of past relationships. The album’s second act as a whole adopts a more subdued tone. However, there’s nothing subtle about the serve not-so-hidden in the title of ‘thanK you aIMee’, a move that’s sure to ignite conversations across social
media. On the surface, a cathartic thank-you note to an antagonist whose cruelty inadvertently set Swift on her path to stardom, the lyrics, sharp and reflective, acknowledge the complex interplay of pain and inspiration derived from such encounters. “I built a legacy which you can’t undo,” Swift sings, tracing the silver linings in her formative trials. While the additional songs enrich the narrative tapestry of ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, they might feel ‘a bit much’ to those who crave a more concise listen. Nevertheless, what remains indisputable is the closure this volume brings to a tumultuous chapter in Swift’s life. In her own words, “This period of the author’s life is now over, the chapter closed & boarded up.” In essence, the second volume of ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is less about adding to Swift’s musical legacy and more about offering a final purgation of the past few years’ emotional upheavals. It’s an invitation to move forward, not just for Swift but for her listeners, encouraging a collective letting go of old narratives to make space for something new. DAN HARRISON READDORK.COM 73.
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Les Savy Fav
OUI, LSF ★★★★
→ An unexpectedly triumphant return from semidormancy is almost par for the course for a band that has lived by its own rules, but if there’s one act that enjoys confounding expectations, it’s New York punks Les Savy Fav. In many ways, ‘OUI, LSF’ is a further twist in the band’s story. Not many acts drop an album that rivals their most fabled output nearly three decades deep, but Les Savy Fav have used the extended hiatus well, coming back with 14 songs chock-full of purpose, attitude, and humour. However, one thing that is certain is that they’ve made the most consistent album of their career. ROB MAIR
Becky Hill
Believe Me Now? ★★★
→ Becky Hill has long been one of our foremost banger merchants: she hits the mark pretty much every time. On her expansive second album, ‘Believe Me Now’, Becky is looking to travel beyond bangers to a different dance floor plane. The 15 tracks here emphasise everything she’s good at: huge festival-slaying anthems like ‘Multiply’ or the Balearic trance bliss of ‘Swim’; but what’s most exciting is when she ratchets up the drama and ramps up the emotion to deliver some truly goosebump-inducing moments. This album is maybe slightly too long, but you can’t begrudge her that when she’s clearly having so much fun. MARTYN YOUNG
Goat Girl
Below the Waste ★★★★
→ ‘Below The Waste’ is another delicious release from South London trio Goat Girl. It’s a wonderful and weird album; the group’s angst-driven sound has acquired a softer, fuzzier edge, and the offkilter and angelic dance with each other harmoniously throughout. Moving into more experiential territory, ‘where’s ur <3’ features what sounds like dirt being shovelled, while ‘jump sludge’ is unsettling yet ear-wormish and the tender, groggy ‘tonight’ will incur a giggle or two as a quiet cow moo is heard in the distance. Odd, beautiful, delicate and rough, this album is many things, and above all, it feels undeniably original. EMMA QUIN
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COMING
SOON WHAT’S OUT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR RADAR.
Walt Disco
The Warping
→ New music from Walty Ds is always an exciting time - find out what they’re up to next when their second album arrives this spring. Released 14th June 2024
BIG SPECIAL
Lava La Rue
POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES ★★★★★
STARFACE
→ Former Dork cover star Lava La Rue has been a firm favourite for a long time now, and their debut album is - spoiler alert well worth the wait. Released 12th July 2024
Remi Wolf
Big Ideas
→ Following her UK tour with Olivia Rodrigo (!), Remi Wolf is going to unleash her very-highly-anticipated second album, ‘Big Ideas’. Remi! Remi! Remi! Released 12th July 2024
WILLOW empathogen
★★★★
Glass Animals
I Love You So F***ing Much
→ Dork’s second-ever cover stars, Glass Animals are back with a record that celebrates human connection; their first since the explosion of ‘Dreamland’ breakout ‘Heat Waves’ took them stratospheric. Released 19th July 2024
Paris Paloma
Cacophony
→ 30th August? That’s practically Christmas! Paris Paloma is about to make her opening statement with a 15-track debut. Released 30th August 2024
WILLOW yet again proves the ultimate pop polymath.
→ WILLOW is having a moment. ‘empathogen’ marks a thrilling new chapter for the ever-evolving artist, showcasing her boundless creativity and willingness to push the envelope. Across the album’s twelve tracks, WILLOW fearlessly explores a captivating fusion of jazz, funk, and alt-pop, crafting a sound that feels both fresh and timeless. Lead single ‘symptom of life’ sets the tone, with its lush instrumentation and introspective lyrics about finding beauty amidst pain. It’s a theme that resonates throughout the record, as WILLOW grapples with the complexities of the human experience. Collaborations with the likes of St. Vincent and Jon Batiste add depth and texture to the sonic landscape, but it’s WILLOW’s own musicianship and production skills that truly shine. From the infectious grooves of ‘no words 1 & 2’ to the ethereal beauty of ‘big feelings’, each track is a testament to her growth as an artist. Lyrically, ‘empathogen’ finds WILLOW at her most vulnerable and self-assured. She fearlessly confronts her own demons, embracing the power of acceptance and encouraging listeners to do
AN ALBUM THAT WILL CHALLENGE, INSPIRE, AND UPLIFT the same. Songs like ‘run!’ and ‘false self’ are raw and unfiltered, tackling themes of mental health and selfdiscovery with a refreshing honesty. While some may miss the punk rock edge of her previous work, ‘empathogen’ proves that WILLOW’s true strength lies in her ability to evolve and experiment. This is an album that rewards multiple listens, revealing new layers of meaning and emotion with each spin. In a world that often romanticizes darkness, WILLOW’s message of hope and resilience feels more vital than ever. With ‘empathogen’, she has crafted a powerful love letter to the human spirit, reminding us that even in our darkest moments, there is always a path towards healing and growth. As WILLOW herself puts it, “If I don’t stay vulnerable with my music, I’d be wasting my time.” It’s this unflinching commitment to authenticity that makes ‘empathogen’ such a triumph. This is an album that will challenge, inspire, and uplift – a testament to the transformative power of music and the indomitable spirit of one of our generation’s most exciting artists. DAN HARRISON
→ Sometimes, a band just catches the zeitgeist. They’re able to speak in the voice of the masses, combine it with music that steals your attention, and subsequently rocket into the realm of ‘next big thing’ territory. Black Country punk poets BIG SPECIAL have done just that on debut album ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’. Taking the pain and perpetuity of workingclass life, adding flowing lyricism and contrasting them with hardcore drums, the duo have crafted a real piece of art; sheer brilliance from start to finish. “I’m gonna be a star mum, you’ll see one day,” Joe sings on ‘BROADCAST: TIME AWAY’. He’s right, and this album shows why. The word genius is thrown around too often in music, but this album shows there are still some left to discover. CIARAN PICKER
INCOMING
SOMETIMES A BAND JUST C AT C H E S T H E Z E I TG E I S T.
Lip Filler
witchescrew EP ★★★★
→ Lip Filler are all about excitement. Deeply rooted in their gen-z sound, they’re following up their widely acclaimed debut EP with new five-song offering ‘witchescrew’, twisting and turning in ways that prove you never quite know what’s coming next from the alt-rock quintet. This second EP is a real deep dive into Lip Filler’s psyche. The high tempo, massiveenergy sound of their previous material is there in spades but tuned up and amplified. If their debut was them giving a taste of what they could do, then ‘witchescrew’ is Lip Filler delivering a whole menu where everything is worth ordering. CIARAN PICKER
St Vincent
All Born Screaming ★★★★★
→ There has always been an underlying darkness to the guitarwielding eccentricity of St Vincent, but ‘All Born Screaming’ is an outright and glorious horror show. Like a meeting of minds between Bowie and Nine Inch Nails, but through the singular genius of Annie Clark, this album pits art-pop sheen against industrial noise in the Hadron Collider and revels in the black hole it creates. It’s an album that confidently states Annie Clark as one of the greatest songwriters around, while the scope of what already seemed to be boundless talent feels like it has even more potential; the sky is no longer the limit. ALEX BRADLEY
One Step Closer
All You Embrace ★★★★
→ ‘All You Embrace’ has a lot riding on it as One Step Closer forge their own identity, and a hell of a lot to live up to as it tries to stand on the shoulders of its predecessor. Mercifully, it retains all of what made ‘This Place You Know’ great; it’s urgent, driven and passionate, and even when swathes of melody wash through it, the songs remain rooted in the group’s heritage. The opening salvo – ‘Color You’ and ‘Dream Again’ – are prime examples, where the bones of the songs are unmistakably East Coast hardcore. With ‘All You Embrace’, One Step Closer have achieved the near impossible and now stand out as hardcore pioneers. ROB MAIR
Swim Deep
There’s A Big Star Outside ★★★★
→ Swim Deep have always been on the precipice of greatness, but with their fourth album, ‘There’s A Big Star Outside’, they’ve finally taken the leap. From the otherworldly opening strains of ‘How Many Love Songs Have Died In Vegas?’, it’s evident that they’ve reached new altitudes. The track is a fragile, enchanting affair that establishes the mood for an album drenched in wistful melancholy and hard-fought optimism. Collaborating with producer Bill Ryder-Jones appears to have been a stroke of genius, as his impact can be heard in the album’s opulent guitar textures and emotional intensity. In a world that often feels uncertain and chaotic, Swim Deep have crafted a record that feels like a guiding light – a reminder that even in our gloomiest moments, there’s always the possibility of growth and transformation. If this is indeed the best music they’ve ever made, then the future looks positively radiant. DAN HARRISON
A.G. COOK Britpop
★★★★★
A. G. COOK does a deepdive into Britpop with his new threedisc epic.
→ In a career full of dizzying innovation and a relentless desire to constantly move forward, A. G. Cook’s third solo record ‘Britpop’ might just be the visionary producer’s grandest and most ambitious statement yet. With a firmly established legacy of future pop experimentation with his PC Music label, A. G. is now taking the opportunity to dig ever deeper into his brilliant mind with a threedisc odyssey into the sonic wonderland of what Britpop is or can be within his own kaleidoscopic sonic prism. The three discs are separated into Past, Present and Future, and they feel like all-encompassing summations of what has made his music so vital. The past is full of that classic glitchy hyperpop sound with a focus on massive euphoric ravey climaxes like ‘Luddite Factory Operator’. The future is a rollercoaster of sounds and emotions that careens across a warped sonic landscape with an ornate elegiac
beauty lifting a track like closer ‘Out Of Time’ to a very special transcendent plane. It also features longtime collaborator Charli XCX and the filtered voice of Addison Rae on the slinky pop of ‘Lucifer’. The most interesting part of the project, though, is the Present disc in which A. G. filters his love for people like Britpop OGs Blur into some weird idiosyncratic lo-fi alt-pop songs with a warm heart and a deep soul, like the warm fuzzy rock of ‘Bewitched’ or the sweet and tender tribute to much missed legendary producer Sophie as he interpolates the lyrics to her song ‘Bipp’. It’s a heart-stoppingly human moment amongst many on an album that is both conceptual and deeply resonant. Less sprawling and all-encompassing than his previous seven-disc opus ‘7G’ and its curious partner ‘Apple’ released in 2020, ‘Britpop’ feels like the perfect encapsulation of A. G. Cook, the artist. MARTYN YOUNG
Maya Hawke
Chaos Angel ★★★★★
→ Some albums just take you somewhere. On Maya Hawke’s third record, ‘Chaos Angel’, that sense of escapism blends with a grounded scrapbook of every touch of modern emotion that screams ‘classic’. It finds Maya truly complete and delivering a record that begs to be played over and over. Dipping across grassroots folks, experimental alternative and flourishing indiesongwriter classics, it’s a natural statement of glorious ambition. The Bon Iver flourishes of ‘Dark’ meet the wistful harmonies of ‘Missing Out’ with ease, while the fuzzing crunch of ‘Okay’ nestles perfectly alongside the soaring ‘Wrong Again’ and the twisting ‘Better’. Part campfire confession and part mesmerising tapestry of an artist pulling together different fibres of genre into one assured body of work, it welcomes in a songwriting masterclass that builds on everything that’s come before. All taken with a raw confidence that always surprises, at its core lies Maya exploring the deepest parts of universal experiences. It’s been clear from the start that music is more than just a detour for Maya Hawke, and now we have the proof: ‘Chaos Angel’ is an album we’ll be talking about at the end of the year as one of its finest. JAMIE MUIR
The Mysterines
Afraid of Tomorrows ★★★★
→ The Mysterines have already proved themselves to be an alternative rock band of powerhouse proportions, with their Top 10 debut album ‘Reeling’ reaching the heights of critical acclaim. It’s no surprise, then, that their follow-up ‘Afraid of Tomorrows’ has been so hugely anticipated - and for good reason. Overflowing with ominous, brooding guitars and melodies, and just general badassery, it’s a roaring success (at some points, literally). Their classic ferocity in combination with the slower, sadder moments make the album fresh, invigorating, and for the most part, great for a mosh pit. REBECCA KESTEVEN
Kings of Leon
Can We Please Have Fun ★★★
→ ‘Can We Please Have Fun’ is an acknowledgement of something Kings Of Leon lost on the way to becoming stadium stalwarts, and the record represents an attempt to claw some of that back. The Followills sound sharper than they have in years, foregrounding Caleb’s vocal and bypassing the wash of reverb that coloured previous releases in favour of punchy production. “Think it over; it’s as good as it’s gonna be,” Caleb wails on ‘Hesitation Generation’, and it’s an apt assessment of their post-‘Sex On Fire’ career. If they’re able to enjoy themselves, that’s as much as you can ask for. DILLON EASTOE
Bess Atwell
Light Sleeper ★★★
→ People say that you shouldn’t meet your heroes. For Brighton’s Bess Atwell, though, that’s not the case at all. Her new album, ‘Light Sleeper’, was produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner at his Long Pond Studio, made famous by a certain member of The Tortured Poets Department. Clearly, there’s something in the air up there that creates diamonds. Atwell combines her always-flawless vocal performance with a buttery folk-pop backdrop built to tell the most tragic of stories. It’s not necessarily exciting, and sometimes songs begin to blend into each other, but it is a raw, honest, introspective journey into the human condition. CIARAN PICKER
READDORK.COM 75.
GET OUT. CAITY LIVE MUSIC, FROM THE FRONT
BASER HAS ARRIVED EVENTIM APOLLO, LONDON, 19 APRIL 2024
76. DORK
Photos: Frances Beach.
Tonight’s show fully leans into the idea of doing things simply because they’re fun.
GET OUT
DO NOT MISS... Tours and shows you should be checking out.
→ “My problem is that I write songs that are very honest,” grins Caity Baser, onstage at London’s Eventim Apollo for the biggest headline show of her career. Over the course of a chaotic 80-minute set, she tackles everything from snotty revenge and swaggering self-empowerment to the difficulties of figuring out the world as a 20-something via playful, sugar-soaked pop. Based on the reaction from the sold-out crowd, it seems like a good problem to have. As opener Talia Mar puts it, it’s a wild ride. Her own set is just as thrilling, though, with sleek pop vocals dancing about 90s-inspired bubblegum garage. The pulsating ‘Sweet Lies’ couldn’t be more self-assured, while ‘Better’ is the glistening hunk of optimism. “If anyone here has recently broken up with someone, know that it gets better,” she promises beforehand. A soaring cover of TLC’s ‘No Scrubs’ goes down a treat, but recent singles ‘Self-Portrait’ and ‘Stay The Night’ turn warm nostalgia into something far more daring. Caity Baser is the sort of artist who always wants more. Two years ago, she played her very first gig at an open-mic night somewhere in Shoreditch; tonight, it’s the 5300-capacity Eventim Apollo. “This is batshit crazy. I know I’m meant to be cool, calm and collected, but how,” she asks, taking in the scale of the venue. The gig is bigger, though. Starting with a fake news bulletin about the “overdramatic, talentless pop star”, Caity responds with a baseball bat and doesn’t stop swinging for the duration of her set. The wonderfully bratty ‘I’m A Problem’ is a giddy burst of smirking defiance, a heartshaped pinata gets torn apart at the end of the bruised ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ while the feel-good, theatrical revenge of ‘Showgirl’ starts with a scene-setting phonecall to really amp up the drama of the jazz-infused track. At one point, she even does the splits. Why? Because she can. That freedom can be found throughout her music. ‘The Plot’ is a celebration of making mistakes, ‘Choose Me’ is all about self-love, while it’s pretty obvious what the rowdy ‘DILF’ is about. “Here’s the best song ever made,” she says before the sunny ‘Oh Well’, with a snippet of Queen’s ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ thrown in for good measure. A guitarist and a drummer give everything an extra helping of attitude. Caity Baser’s recently released ‘Still Learning’ mixtape champions coming-of-age and figuring things out as you go. Tonight’s show fully leans into that idea of doing things simply because they’re fun. It’s impossible not to get caught up in her boisterous, genre-baiting pop or her high-kicking stage presence. She’s at her very best when she’s got something to kick back against, though. ‘2020s’ is a smart, playful exploration of how claustrophobic the world can feel, while the closing ‘I’ll Be Here For You’ is a heartfelt promise of community. Yes, smirking, poptastic tracks like ‘Friendly Sex’, ‘X&Y’ and ‘Pretty Boys’ are absolute bops, but it’s the understanding that Caity offers that makes her such a star. ALI SHUTLER
GOAT London, The Troxy (October 24), Bristol, O2 Academy (25), Manchester, Academy 1 (26), Norwich, University of East Anglia (November 14), Oxford, O2 Academy (15), Nottingham, Rock City (16)
FONTAINES D.C. Wolverhampton, The Halls (Nov 20), London, Alexandra Palace (22), London, Alexandra Palace (23), Cardiff, Utilia Arena (24), Plymouth, Pavilions (26), Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena (27), Manchester, Aviva Studios (29), Manchester, Aviva Studios (30), Manchester, Aviva Studios (Dec 01), Leeds, First Direct Arena (03), Glasgow, OVO Hydro (04), Dublin, 3 Arena (06), Dublin, 3 Arena (07)
GLASS ANIMALS / THE BIG MOON Dublin, IE: 3Arena (October 30), Glasgow, UK: OVO Hydro (November 1) Manchester, UK: Co-Op Live (2), Nottingham, UK: Motorpoint Arena on (3), Cardiff, UK: Utilita Arena (5), London, UK: The O2 (7)
READDORK.COM 77.
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ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
HOTWAX Yes, Dear Reader. We enjoy those ‘in depth’ interviews as much as anyone else. But - BUT - we also enjoy the lighter side of music, too. We simply cannot go on any longer without knowing that TALLULAH SIM-SAVAGE from HOTWAX would like to be, er... a bus pole ? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? French toast soaked in cat food and washing up liquid. What did you last dream about? Alfie flooding an Airbnb with beer for his friend Sonny. What is the best present you’ve ever been given? My guitar. I got it for Christmas, and it’s the first time I ever cried with happiness. What was the last thing you broke? A HotWax record. If you had a pet goat, what would you call it? Sandy. If we gave you £10, what would you spend it on? A bottle of wine. If you could have any superpower, but it only worked while you were sneezing, what power would you choose? To ride a black and white
78. DORK
pony under a tree with pink flowers in it. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to try? Swan pedalo.
If you could transform into any object at will, what would it be and why? The pole on the bus where you press stop so that you could see all sorts of people. If you had to be on a TV gameshow, which would you choose? Come Dine With Me. What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever done to impress someone? Got a four-hour bus journey to see someone who didn’t turn up. Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Link from Zelda. What’s the silliest thing you own? A woollen, old man, greyhaired beard and hat costume. If you could be best friends with a celebrity you do not know, who would you choose? Barefoot Contessa. Tell us a boring fact about yourself. I don’t really like halloumi.
be of? A bird. Not sure what sort, I just love birds.
What’s the stupidest lie you’ve ever told? That I was a French ice skating dancer, so I could get free falafel and grapes.
Would you rather have to speak in rhyme all the time or only be able to communicate through interpretive dance? I would rhyme all the time, chicken and ice lime. What’s one thing you can
“I THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS WAVING AND DANCING AT ME, SO I DANCED BACK, AND IT WAS THEIR FRIEND BEHIND ME” TALLULAH
definitely beat the other members of HotWax at? Go-karting. Which supermarket do you shop at?
Morrisons, always. You’re picking a 5-item breakfast. What’s in it? Black coffee, kiwi, yoghurt, hash brown and a nice chat.
SIM
-
SAVAGE
What’s your favourite conspiracy theory, even if you don’t believe it? The moon landing wasn’t real. Have you ever seen a ghost? I’ve felt one. What strength Nandos sauce do you order? I’ve never been, but I would go for medium. How punk are you out of ten? Who knows? What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a mistake? I’ve learnt from being too negative that I should take every day and live it to the fullest I can. What’s the most memorable prank you’ve ever pulled? We gunged Steve. If you could only eat one type of cheese for the rest of your life, which one would it be? Parmesan.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you? I thought someone was waving and dancing at me, so I danced back, and it was their friend behind me.
What’s the weirdest thing you believed as a child? That America was on another planet.
If you had to get a tattoo today, what would it
Why are you like this? I wish I wasn’t. ■
eeee NME PITCHFORK CLASH eeee eeee UNCUT DORK eeee eeee DIY
LINE OF BEST FIT eeee eeeee OVERBLOWN “Like an audiobook during a car crash” LINE OF BEST FIT
SO MEDIEVAL DEBUT ALBUM OUT NOW
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POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES
PRE-ORDER THE DEBUT ALBUM NOW ALBUM OUT 10TH MAY
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