Issue Forty-Nine Also inside: Martial Arts Slow Fiction The Orchestra (For Now) Chanel Beads Annie-Dog Goat Girl Cardinals BODEGA DIIV pencil
Been Stellar
Issue Forty-Nine is our second of 2024 and it’s an exciting time. Some of our favourites are releasing new music, new names are emerging and festival line ups are completing. One of those favourites releasing new music is NYC’s Been Stellar and they’re on the cover. Since their debut EP in 2022, the five-piece have toured relentlessly, joining the likes of The 1975, Fontaines D.C. and Shame on extensive runs of the UK, Europe and the US. In between, they’ve teamed up with Dan Carey to record ‘Scream From New York, NY’, their debut album which is released in June via Dirty Hit. On the final night of their EU tour with The 1975, we gave the band a call to discuss their collectively adopted home of New York and their favourites places in the UK. From a much anticipated debut to a much anticipated return. DIIV are very much back and their new record ‘Frog in Boiling Water’ is out in May and we joined them at a Hackney hotel to chat the balance between happy and sad, band democracy and searching for Nessie. London’s Goat Girl are one of our most featured over the years, and it’s with this third record that, with confidence, they’ve grown out of ‘the box’ they’d been placed within and it shows in the way they speak. With a brief political message for good measure, we chat with current line up of Lottie, Rosy and Holly about their new album ‘Below The Waste’. Dublin’s Annie-Dog released one of our favourite singles of 2024 so far in ‘The Pressures of the Heart’. Intrigued to know more, we called to chat Billy Corgan, TikTok and starting the ‘inaccessible era’. Another first time chat inside the magazine is with Manchester’s Martial Arts. Since impressing at our London club night, and releasing debut single ‘Warsaw’, we thought it was important to know more. Enjoyment and playing loud are at the heart of things for this band.
Heading back across the pond, and back to NYC, BODEGA have remade their secret album ‘Our Brand Could Be Yr Life’ - released as 33 tracks in 2015 under then name, Bodega Bay. The new record revisits those early tracks and breathes new life into the best bits. We give the band a call to chat through that decision, the process, and why we should keep an eye out for hardcore band, Nodega. Staying in New York, Chanel Beads is the project from Shane Lavers and the debut album is due via Jagjaguwar in April. The project is described by Shane as “snare drums, hoodies, and jeans” - a statement which makes more and more sense the more you look and listen. Our interview attempts to dig even deeper. Concluding our time in the big apple, Slow Fiction have announced their new EP ‘Crush’ which is out in May. After taking their time to work on new songs and progress their sound, shows with Thus Love, English Teacher and Sprints have motored things along. We called to hear more. Speaking to us for the second time, Cork’s Cardinals have a debut EP on its way. The debut self-titled EP comes in June and we meet the band after a video shoot, and before a trip to Texas, to chat Windmill lock-ins, the music on the EP and their debut headline tour. Finishing off our music features, we chat with two new London bands. One, a group of seasoned musicians who’ve teamed up to form pencil, and the other, a brand new sevenpiece called The Orchestra (For Now) who’ve been cutting their teeth in small venues, predominantly the Windmill, Brixton. We also catch up with Kalisha Quinlan the photographer behind the creative campaign of Lime Garden’s debut album and we dig in to the blossoming music/fashion crossover started by some of the designers forging the aesthetic path for The Last Dinner Party and others.
3 Cardinals If I Could Make You Care
35 Goat Girl Breaking Out of the Box
10 pencil Haunted Euphoria
39 The Days of Yore Ancient Fashion in Music
13 Been Stellar Trust The Process
46 Martial Arts Too Much Fun
20 BODEGA Bands vs Brands
50 Chanel Beads Snare Drums, Hoodies and Jeans
23 Slow Fiction Dream Big
53 Annie Dog The Pressures of the Heart
28 DIIV Looking for Nessie
57 The Orchestra (For Now) Windmill Residents
31 Kalisha Quinlan One More Thing
63 The Great Escape Preview The Festival for New Music
B: We tend to think of songs as like a statement from the
B: One thing we’re doing right now is this alter-ego band
author sending this beacon out there in the world. I like to
called Nodega, which is the hardcore punk version of
think of them more in terms of maybe how Shakespeare
Bodega. We’re doing an EP which I don’t know when it
plays are written. It’s way easier in literature because
will come out, but we’re working on it. It continues the
you have these characters that can say something and the
themes of ‘Our Brand Could Be Yr Life’, but it’s hardcore
writer might not necessarily believe it, but he’s teasing it
music.
out. When people give valedictorian speeches and they’re quoting Shakespeare, a lot of times they’re obviously
Speaking of live shows - since the album is quite
quoting the characters, so in some of the songs, I’m
conceptual, I was wondering if you had any plans to
embodying characters.
turn the live show into something more conceptual as well. You’re both filmmakers outside of the band, so I
Going back to the themes of the record and bands vs
can imagine you’d have a lot of ideas for visual aspects.
brands, it touches a lot on the subject of the Michael Azerrad book that it sort of takes its name from. I’m
N: We really wanted to upgrade this year, but in an ideal
not sure if he’s aware of your work, but what aspects
world, I really want a moving backdrop with an animated
of the record do you think he would be most on board
ATM machine, based on this giant one [Nikki rotates the
with in an ideological sense?
camera to show two models of ATM machines]. I had my friend animate it, and it spins around, and then money
B: I think he believes in the transformative power of what
comes out of the slot that I had painted. I also would love
starting a band can be. It’s not necessarily just the creation
to have some other visuals and stuff, I really wanted to do
of the music, but finding fulfilment in creating your own
some feedback art.
scene, your own culture and driving 3000 miles to play to 10 people. That’s the Black Flag story - they created this
B: We’ve also been incorporating theatre aspects into the
whole new scene that didn’t exist before. If people aren’t
show.
putting on punk shows in Reno, they’d figure out how to do it.
N: We would love to have a cultural consumer MC, like a branding guru. There’s this guy called William Arruda,
N: We just got back from SXSW where we were official
who gave the personal brand speech that Ben found in
and then joined the boycott. We ended up just playing
2014, and we sample a lot of his vocals.
all the independent shows, and we had a blast. All those people are aware of the SXSW apparatus and they built
B: We would love to hire that guy to open for us or to be
something really special underneath it. That’s something I
part of the show or something, but maybe for like one
found to be incredibly inspiring for us, and going forward
night in London.
as a band that could be more of what the future holds. In a very hopeful sense, I would hope that going forward this
If you could remake one album from history, not a
could be the start of a new underground because you can
Bodega record, what would it be and why?
see that a lot of bands don’t need the apparatus. B: One album that is so conceptually brilliant that I often Quite often, and I don’t know if this is the case for you,
think about is The Residents’ ‘Commercial Album’. It’s
but when I’m interviewing bands about album three,
basically 40 one minute songs that are meant to be their
for example, they’ve already finished the fourth. I
own alternate universe top 40. That’s such a fun world to
don’t know whether you’ve already started working on
play in. I would love to try and write 40 one minute songs.
future projects…
I actually pitched that to somebody on our team recently as a collage of shit for TikTok or whatever. Nobody seemed to like the idea.
21
BODEGA
I’ve been listening to ‘Brown Paper Bag’ a lot, and
C: For us [the album] is a totally new feeling, and all
when that riff comes in, I do feel like I’m God or
the songs are different to what we’ve done in the past. To
something!
continue the boat metaphor, you have to fish a lot to get that stuff…
C: I feel like it’ll be more difficult for people to just put this on and not think about the music or the words. But at
Cole:.. Until you get Nessie…we’re all looking for Nessie.
the same time this album does have these musical passages that are just blissfully transportative. The ‘happy and
What does conflict resolution look like? How do
sad’ thing, or the ambiguity, is part of what makes DIIV
you make any decisions in what seems like quite a
sound the way it does. It’s always there. And even though
democratic band.
the older stuff is brighter and faster, to me, some of that sounds way darker.
Cole: You’ve pinpointed the essential problem with democracy or group decision-making. What process do
I was reading about you going to the Mojave desert
you use? There’s no perfect way. There’s an even number
for two weeks and failing to make an album. Then you
of us, so voting doesn’t work! We talked a lot about
spend nine months trying to record it again. From a
the consensus based model for decision making. It’s
well-being point of view, I was concerned about how
either consent or dissent. If you dissent, then there’s a
you’re exclusively working in really intense ways for
discussion. After enough time of conflict resolution, you
long periods of time. Why do you do this to yourself!?
become avoidant, and we become avoidant of conflict for a while because it’s exhausting.
Ben: We all have really particular and strong opinions. Each of us has our own thing that we want, and then you
C: We did something very male and didn’t talk to each
multiply that by four… there’s always this tugging from
other. Towards the end when it was getting really, really
different directions going on. We’re always trying to get to
difficult, before we mixed and finished the album, we
equilibrium between the four of us. And I think that takes
got together and talked. And it was so nice. It’s easy to
a long time.
focus on the things you disagree about, but almost always there’s more that you agree on. After we talked like that,
Cole: It’s like group problem solving but there’s no correct
the finishing of the album was comparatively much easier.
answer. You’re just kind of fishing. Some of my favourite
It’s hard to have those open conversations especially when
music is very meticulous. We all like meticulous music.
you’re trying to be efficient and finish something. It’s
We’re not a ‘write a song and record it in a day’ kind of
cheesy, but lot of times that is the solution, just talking
artist. We wanted to make a headphones record with detail. If it was possible to just do it quickly, we would all sign
Cole: It happens a lot. You have a resentment towards a
up!
person, but a part of that resentment can come from you assuming what their intentions are. But you can never
We’re all pushing and pulling like Ben’s been saying,
know what another person’s intentions are unless you talk
but we all have some sort of consensus about what DIIV
to them and they tell you! People are infinitely complex.
feels like too. So it feels like we’re all striving towards
For any motive, you could go back to the beginning of
a shared goal. We were spending our time chasing some
their life. if I tried to understand what Ben’s intention
ephemeral thing that doesn’t exist. Some kind of ideal,
behind anything is I’m going to be wrong. So then that
that’s not described. And we didn’t really have a road map
resentment is based on something that I’ve created. I’ve
to it either. It’s a ‘you know it when you hear it’ kind of
created a guy to be mad at. And that was an important
thing. And then we have different ideas about that. It’s like
realisation.
sending four people out to find the Loch Ness Monster… Andrew: …and everybody has a steering wheel
It’s good to see there’s some personal growth going on.
*laughter erupts*
B: [laughs] working on it.
29
DIIV
It has changed a lot in the last few years, but we’ve
I really love ‘Coffee Culture’, and it made me wonder if
gotten pretty set on how it’s working right now. Our live
you had ever had any interest in creating soundscapes
structure sort of looks like Maya sets up a lot of tracks
for any films. Is there a film that you would have loved
and effects and will play any accompanying guitar parts,
to have done the score for?
and then Zach plays the violin through some of it. They both make up everything they play. I like to set it up so
So I actually just did a score for this two-channel video
they can knock it down. We try to keep things as nimble
piece by Dana Greenleaf. I loved the music in May
as possible, really. Live; I don’t do anything else but sing,
December by Todd Haynes, but I don’t think I would
and I’m loving that part of it at the moment.
be good at stuff like that. I think it would be fun to do something really melodramatic. Maybe Titanic (1997),
I’m assuming that in an environment like that, there
I’ve only seen it once, but I would give it a good shot.
must be a lot of room for improv. Looking back at the past six years since your EP Yeah, initially there was, but things are starting to settle
release (Zut Alors), do you feel like everything has been
into place now. We don’t usually make the set list until
building up to this moment?
right before we walk on stage. Hmmm, I’m not sure, really. I try not to be too precious What is the best and worst gig you have ever played?
about this stuff, but it did take me a while to make something that I’d feel happy to stand behind.
There are honestly too many best ones. I like playing live a lot. We did a few in Europe—Amsterdam, Copenhagen,
I read somewhere that described your work as
Paris, and London—which I loved. But the worst one is
stemming from “an anger at the lack of virtue in the
still yet to come. I’m excited for it.
world.” There is a lot going on in the world to feel angry about, especially when you look at the genocide
You do a lot of work with field recordings; how do you
in Gaza. Do you agree with that statement, and would
know when something feels ready to use?
you be able to expand upon it if so?
At this point, a good field recording would be something I
Yeah, so ‘Police scanner’ definitely came out of that
don’t have to edit or layer at all. Just to be able to play it
feeling. There’s too much going on, too much music, and
as it is, and it’s perfect.
too much stuff periphery to it that numbs me to sounds. So I just try to make music that I think does something
Are there certain environments or moods that tend to
interesting musically. I would say that all my music comes
spark inspiration more than others?
from any strong enough feeling, not just anger. I really don’t understand how my music is made or why I make
In all honesty, deadlines and upcoming shows are the best
it, which is why I keep on making it. That abstraction and
at clenching things off. I also really like it when a friend
mystery is what I love about music and art. The genocide
shows me a new song, and that can make me want to up
is not abstract or unclear, and so when I feel frustrated by
my game and do better.
that, I wouldn’t say I go and make music.
How are you feeling about the release of your debut
Lastly, then, I wanted to ask if you had heard about
album?
how the US Congress is going to be defunding the UNRWA (the largest humanitarian organisation in
Yeah good! I’m feeling ready to put more stuff out.
Palestine).
Could you describe the album in one sentence?
I think that the members of the US Congress should face the wall.
Yes, your day will come. 51
Chanel Beads
N: Yeah I had a rabid dog impression C: Then my sister is on a course with their very close friend and… B: We saw a video of Charlie * laughing * the first thing we saw of Charlie was him doing this incredible drum solo and then finishing the solo and as the song fades out he holds his hand up and throws up everywhere, and kind of stumbles off stage and we were like J: That’s him B: We need him J: That’s the guy What was it like for you Erin and Izzy coming into the band? E: I showed up to a rehearsal and was like oh… these are lovely guys! Everyone’s got a dad name ‘Joe, Neil, Bill and Charlie’ B: And the kicker was ‘Joe, Neil, Bill and Charlie… and Lingling’ * laughing * Have you recorded any music? J: The honest answer is no B: Redact that J: The honest answer is no, but we do record everything that we do E: The honest answer is no and then a big redacted box that takes up half the page B: No, the answer is no and then in brackets our email address * laughs *, we’re easy to find E: We want to record
61
The Orchestra (For Now)
The weather may not be on our side just yet, but that’s
And finally, the Scouse meets Mancunian mega mix that is
not halting our excitement to return to the seaside for The
Picture Parlour return to the pebbles with snarling vocals
Great Escape 2024.
to sing along to.
There’s no time for skimming stones as across 30+
First picks for Friday include Ugly, a rallied-up six-piece
walkable venues, between 15th – 18th May, Brighton
from Cambridge who now reside in London, and the folk-
opens its arms to welcome some of the world’s most
meets-fairy-tale quartet, The New Eves. However, one I’m
exciting upcoming artists, alongside some local talent.
100% not planning on missing that day will be the Irish
With over 450 budding musicians set to play, The Great
trio Kneecap, as the minute I hear ‘Get Your Brits Out’
Escape reminds us why they’re the festival for new music
live, the memories of driving around my hometown as an
and the first place to discover your new favourite within
eager 18-year-old with all the windows down, frightening
any genre.
the public and blasting that tune, will resurface in all their glory.
Hopping on the main stage at the Brighton Dome Music Hall, for one of this year’s Spotlight Shows, is American
Rounding up our trip to the beach on Saturday’s closing
singer-songwriter Faye Webster, joined by Sid Sriram.
parade will be the newly labelled Soft Play, but not to fret,
Webster, 26, invites a unique sound to the shore as she
from recent show experiences, ‘The Hunter’ and ‘Cheer
styles out stoner-folk, carefree indie pop, and R&B
Up London’ will be smashed through a speaker near you
influence within her music. After a
at full volume. The duo remains in
surge in TikTok popularity,
their true form for sure.
her tough-to-pin soul
Also joining the
and heartfelt lyrics
party are female
have struck a
powerhouses,
chord with many
Lambrini Girls,
coming-of-age
with their electric
wannabes, making
crowd engagement
her the perfect 21st-
that is something
century navigator.
everyone should witness at
Sriram, 33, is ready to open the stage
least once. For the ultimate experience, go
for this big Friday night with his Carnatic twist on R&B.
and learn all the words to ‘Mr Lovebomb’ ASAP so you
Carnatic is a subgenre of classical Indian music that
can scream out every word with me.
evolved from Hindu text and tradition, which his music teacher mother raised him on after moving to California.
Dropping in and about over the weekend for a TGE debut
This is a new one for me so I’m excited to take a trip
are Manchester three-piece Nightbus and the shoegaze
down to catch him in action, making this performance one
washed, indie rock of Slow Fiction. Following their
not to miss across the weekend.
London debut (a show with us at So Young at the Blue Basement), NYC trio, Fcukers, bring back 90s dance
Other notable mentions that have already snagged
tracks packed to the brim with head bops.
our attention include a regular So Young favourite, Wunderhorse, who you can catch on Thursday evening.
All in all, if it’s a fresh range of new artists to fill up
NYC’s Been Stellar never stick around for too long so
your summer playlists, the opportunity to see one of your
make sure that you free up space to catch these lot before
current favourites in the flesh, or even to just sit and sink
they head back to the States. Cork’s Cardinals are set up
pints amongst the waves with all your pals, then a trip to
to serenade you with accordion laced indie rock.
The Great Escape 2024 is what you’re after.
63
Words by Alicia Tomkinson
Editors Sam Ford
Josh Whettingsteel
Writers Sam Ford
Natalia Quiros Edmunds Sachin Turakhia Poppy Richler Reuben Cross
Rhys Buchanan Elvis Thirlwell
Josh Whettingsteel Leo Lawton Issy Wetter
Will Macnab
Amber Lashley Eve Boothroyd
Alicia Tomkinson
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Artists
Josh Whettingsteel Harry Wyld
Zsófia Győrfi Julie Alex
Gyayu Wang
Silvia Reginato
Laura Garcia Sanchez Kalisha Quinlan Holly Thomas Emilia Chubb Fae Sharples
Twinkel Achterberg REN
Cover Photo Sophie Hur
Photos for Collage Sophie Hur
Holly Whitaker Pooneh Ghana
Emilyn Cardona Richard Kelly Miles Wilson
Omero Mumba