GIG REVIEW: Beach Baby - Sebright Arms, 16th April

for fans of: The Maccabees, Alvvays, Oscar, Cherry Glazerr, Dog Is Dead

photo creds: The Guardian

The Sebright Arms is an awkward venue. Deep in a pub basement, it attracts clusters of shouty people who are either transfixed or completely unengaged with the music.

What was even more awkward was the joke made by Honey Moon about how they've come all the way from London. No one in the basement of Shoreditch pub laughs, but I thought it was kind of funny. Clad in Mac Demarco flat hats and baggy shirts along with a member who resembles Reid from Criminal Minds, the opening set from this foetal (i.e. they formed in 2015) band is finished in a flash. In all fairness, they probably performed the only four songs they've written: songs about girls and the weather. Yet what they showcase is truly excellent: crafted hippy licks and dips and psychedelic melodies performed not entirely like amateurs but with a whimsical sort of air. Unfortunately, Honey Moon performed for about 20-30 people in the 150+ capacity venue but they are seriously ones to keep on your radar.

Between sets, the crowd grew steadily as a seemingly seamless string of people fed into the crowd. Soon the Sebright Arms was even more awkward - packed and stuffy, drawing in an odd mix of people, and not a bar of phone service in sight.

When Goldsmith University's Beach Baby took to the stage, they were met with a surprising amount of adoration - an unforeseen reaction because they've only released two songs... out of the five or six they already have. Nonetheless, either they have exceedingly impassioned fans, intensely proud family members or, the more likely scenario seeing as this is Britain, everyone was a jolly drunk - everything Beach Baby did was met with rapturous applause.

Fresh off Jungle's European tour and splashing into their first ever London headline show, Beach Baby are a bit of a mix-match - nothing quite fits yet. Blissful percussion beats were met with shredding guitars, and complimentary vocals from two lead singers with questionable fashion choices (like, board shorts????). The traditionally subtle debut single Ladybird was excitingly brash and fierce - totally different to the studio recording. Long gone were acoustic rumblings and vocal mumblings; in it's place were frantic guitars and exasperated vocals. If the crowd was young enough, there might have even been a mosh pit.

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ONLY REAL: the jerk who keeps ska real

Take the sunny, slidy guitar licks of Mac Demarco, the dulcet rumblings (and carrot top) of King Krule, and the cheeky geezer rap of Jamie T - sugar, spice, and everything nice - and you have Only Real.  West Londoner Niall Galvin - not like the river, but like the Irish one in 1D - has conjured up a debut with as much fizz as a shaken up champagne bottle.

photo creds: NME

Free-spirited baggy pop is indented in every groove of Jerk At The End Of The Line, giving a ballsy twist to slacker rock. Opening with Twist It Up, a looping 90s-flared ditty that draws similarities to the dainty daydreaming of later track Backseat Kissers, a peculiar level of intrigue is set. Then the record plunges into the classic theme of 'fuck-I'm-in-my-late-teens-to-early-20s', accentuated by teasing vocals and commonplace tales of messing about, i.e. in the almost-titular track Jerk. If that Caribbean Twist alco-pop you used to drink when you were sixteen could sing, it'd probably sound something like this festival-ready soundtrack. Feeding the tongue-in-cheek lyrics that gave the album its name (baby when did you get so fine? / if you missed me, I'm the jerk at the end of the line), Jerk is Only Real at his indie-ska finest.

He brings the lo-fi hip-hop side out of him most prominently on the reworked version of Blood Carpet, heavy with saliva spits and floppy jingles. Yet he easily flips back to cutesy ska on the hyperactive sugar rush Pass The Pain, Daisychained - it's okay baby, we're crooks too - and Yesterdays, with its layers upon layers of easy breezy riffs. These vintage-tinged riffs are also favoured in closing track When This Begins, which starts with harmonies and minimalist production that could have come straight off of a Jungle demo.

The 22-year-old's biggest hitter, Cadillac Girl, gets stuck in your head for days on end. There's a certain psychedelic seriousness that's championed by essentially odd lyrics - e.g. the quick succession of too late / few days / shirt off / Kool-Aid (and whatever else he says... something about screw face, or some equal sort of slang...). The rythmic rap gathers the distance of lost love - "oh she's so over me / she's so cold" - as the summery synths take a step back into an undercover kind of sadness.

The instrumental of Petals seems to be haunted by more of a Casper the Friendly Ghost-esque ghoul but steps away from UK-centric grime to a spit with more of an American hip-hop flair, whereas Break It Off may have lackadaisical verses but the chorus is a heavy, resentful chant. Seemingly written from a place of nebulous disturbance, Can't Get Happy covers these dirt tracks of raw emotion with addictive beats and massive percussion. Though with a first listen the melancholy could be overlooked, it's actually all over Only Real's debut making it more complex than meets the eye... Or in this case, the ear. Nevertheless, Jerk At The End Of The Line marks the impending breakthrough of an underrated British talent.

JERK AT THE END OF THE LINE IS AVAILABLE NOW ON VIRGIN EMI RECORDS

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GIG REVIEW: welcome to the weird world of Happyness - Birthdays, 4th February //

for fans of: Mac Demarco, Wilco, Diiv, The Fat White Family, Honeyblood

(photo creds: Michael Jamison @ inthejunkyard)

Down the depths of Stoke Newington Road (well, about a ten minute walk from Dalston Kingsland station) is a disgustingly cute little bar called Birthdays. Being in the general Dalston / Stoke Newington / Islington / Shoreditch area, it's like a watering hole for hipsters. Standing outside drawing smoke out of their roll-ups were a sea of half-fringes, top knots, and Stan Smiths in the shadows of the awning lights.

Underneath the main bar, the bass throbbed with the rumblings of bold, self-confessed DIY rock outfit Nai Harvest. Hailing from Sheffield, it's unusual that they'd pocketed the support slot when a large chunk of the audience appeared to have been there for them rather than the main act. Statistically Nai Harvest are more popular: on average their angsty sounds attract slightly more Spotify traffic, they have four times the amount of Facebook likes, and are much easier to find on YouTube. Yet it is Happyness who had the honour of headlining this particular NME Award show. Other headliners of NME Award shows throughout the first quarter of 2015 include La Roux, Drenge, and the live return of The Cribs, however Happyness are the freshest, sprightliest young band of this crop.

The South London trio are Brooklyn-ready, having only just recently signed to cult label Moshi Moshi - previously nurturing big names such as Eagulls, Kate Nash, and Disclosure. As a welcome gift, the band explained in a slow, mumbled drawl how the label bought them drinks and a keyboard, which they exercised for the first time during the live debut of Regan's Lost Weekend (Porno Queen) - a dreamy piano ballad that manages to burn in one slow, steady swoop while paced by acoustic undertones.

Though none of the audience past the second row could see much else but 66.6% of the band - and even so, only their bobbing heads were visible over the crowd - they still managed to exude a very endearing stage presence. Their clumsy transitions and stuttering crowd talk was masked by their Dr Jekyll effect: Happyness manage to spout two very different sounds. There's no in between in their extremes: they produce either flossy garage turmoil or provocative dark-pop. The latter seemed to conjure the most rhapsodic reaction, particularly concerning brooding ballad Montreal Rock Band Somewhere / (one of my top 22 tracks of 2014).

photo creds: Michael Jamison

Among the crowd, I'd never seen so many long-haired men congregated in one place. Their curls bounced on their shoulders as they bopped around to beefed up versions of tracks from Happyness' aptly-named debut Weird Little Birthday - set to get its third reissue in March. Though their live sound is yet to be properly fulfilled - it still feels a tad empty and amateur - they still managed to amplify the sonically enjoyable but simultaneously super strange It's On You and tongue-in-cheek Great Minds Think Alike, All Brains Taste The Same into powerful little ditties. Bright grunge cheekiness may not be so evident in the greasy purr-a-long Baby, Jesus (Jelly Boy), until you clock lyrical gems such as "I see people come in twos / just like breasts do". It may be the third time I'd seen them live, and the umpteenth time I'd listened to that lyric, but their oddities always make me smile. Whether they were born that way, baby, or perpetually on some kind of mushroom remains to be seen. By the end of the set, Happyness had almost made a comfort zone alongside the excellent sound system and neon-lighted rainbow of Dalston's underground universe.

With a band of this much pizazz and novelty, it's no wonder that NME (notorious for being up Alex Turner's arse, but are always to be trusted to seek out zippy new talent) has got their back. Listen to their boisterous new 90s-esque single, A Whole New Shape, below.

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GIG REVIEW: Amber Run - Dingwalls, 3rd February //

for fans of: Saint Raymond, Coasts, Young Kato, We The Wild, Bad Suns

(photo creds The Mahogany Sessions)

The Communion Music Group have a refined taste for supporting the freshest new talent. Acts they've previously backed include rock newbies Twin Peaks as well as bona-fide folk stars Ben Howard and Matt Corby. Feel-good pop quintet Amber Run were hand-picked by Communion to headline their second annual sold-out New Faces tour this Autumn. With songs that already sound like hits so early in their career, the world's a stage for the Notts boys. But just who are Amber Run?

No, not Wiz Khalifa's bald ex-wife. They're on all my Spotify playlists, they're frequently played on XFM, their logo was spray painted all over Bristol when I visited this summer, and they have opened for acoustic balladeer Lewis Watson, but I knew little about them. I discovered quickly that they have quite a substantial following, especially in their hometown of Nottingham, but after some digging around the blogs I happened upon some thought-provoking comments. A particular YouTube comment summarises the general feeling as they described the band as "middle-class indie drab". The other night in the cloakroom queue I heard snippets of the following conversation:

Man #1 (early-20s): Did you enjoy it?

Man #2 (mid-20s): I did actually - they're pretty good for posh pop

This kind of thing gets thrown around a lot, and you wonder what it really means. How tightly has capitalism grasped the bottom of the music pile? Are the underground nobodies of bandom actually just another classic example of the rich getting richer? Is there actually anything that bad about "posh pop"? All the rhetorical questions, but no answers.

(Disclaimer: I do not know Amber Run or their background, and so the entirety of the argument below is based upon speculation alone. But I do believe one of the members is called Felix, so.)

Define posh pop: a fairly modern revolution where the music industry has become the latest to fail the working class by ways of capitalism championing the middle and upper-middle classes. Again. Previously, the ones who succeeded in British music were the likes of the McCartneys and the Morrisseys but, in more recent years as the war against the working class wages on, the ones at the top are more likely than not privately educated. Chris Martin, Mumford & Sons, and Florence Welch are the most classic examples, and if I ever have to hear about Lily Allen sing about 'the streets' or 'the ghetto' one more time, I'm going to scream. Noel Gallagher has recently hit out at musicians of socio-economic privilege making it a hot topic of discussion (though in the past month, he's hit out at everyone from Ed Sheeran to Alex Turner, probably all in promotion of his newest album, and to be honest, no one really gives a shit what he says anyway). With funding into arts education slowly being shoved out the window by the Conservative government, the only people that can be educated in music and other arts subjects are the ones who can afford it. Even indie heroes like Peace and Bombay Bicycle Club have come from more privileged upbringings, which begs the question - is success even in this lucrative market still down to genuine talent, or the ability to financially support your way into the big time? Personally, I'm not sure where I stand on the issue: on one hand we don't need to contribute to any more demonization of the working classes - in what fields are we supposed to succeed in then? - but similarly, why should noses be turned up at talented young people because of the way of life they've been born into? It's a complicated matter that I don't feel able to weigh in on just yet.

So what does this mean? In short: nothing. In something as vast, exciting, and innovative as music, backgrounds shouldn't matter. To judge a band shouldn't it really all come down to the most obvious thing? In terms of Amber Run, they're passionate enough about making genuinely good music to drop out of Nottingham Uni and pursue the band dream, hence silencing the classist warriors. With the February leg of their UK tour selling out venues - including Camden's Dingwalls - across the country and an upcoming April tour consisting of some of their biggest headline shows to date, what can distinguish Amber Run from the rest of posh pop?

First it's the range of their appeal. Scattered among the audience was practically everyone within the realms of ages 14-54. Generally, this is a good sign: a nice even mix of people means that you're attracting enough young people to hit the mainstream, enough industry-types to create a buzz and a name for yourself, and enough older people to, err, well, have sing-along drunks in the audience.

The other, fundamental, recipe to their charm is the ability to utilise their talents in all the right places. For example, lead singer Joe Keogh's voice is the definition of divine - with pipes like that it's no way that he couldn't have had a choir boy past. Though strong, composed, and on-key throughout the set, it stood out on chilling opener I Found. Chosen as one of my top 22 tracks of 2014, the five-piece harmonies are just as delicious live as they are on the recorded version and captivated the audience in a split second. With little lights transfixed into the backdrop of the stage, the palatial vocal-synth blend made for a transportation to somewhere glorious.

They continued to churn out stellar tracks throughout the set - a perfectly timed length that made you think "is that it?" before you realise just how much time had flown by while you were enveloped by their joviality. Amber Run craft songs that focus so heavily on impact and so their lyrical weakness becomes a bit more prevalent. But don't sweat it, as a new band, their skill will eventually evolve so that their strengths in punchy instrumentals work in cohesion with a lyrical ability that's not quite there yet.

Nonetheless, crowd interaction is what the band nourish their vigour with. Take Pilot, for example; the commoving first track off the eponymous EP is the definition of a crowd-pleaser. Anthemic, and almost power ballad-esque, without the 80s hair to match. Throbbing drums wizzed around Dingwalls' notoriously questionable sound system before the thunderous impact of the guitars kicked in. This is matched in Spark - a favourite for those who enjoy vigorous hand-clapping and zesty chanting - and the very Mumford and Sons-y Noah. While Kites' rustic acoustic guitars and the charm of Heaven are peachy enough, they don't pack as much punch as some of the other corkers in the Amber Run catalogue.

In response to the two men I overheard in the cloakroom queue: before us are a very important band in terms of putting the fun and games back into music, and shouldn't be overshadowed by whatever label they've been defined as. Posh pop or otherwise.

CATCH AMBER RUN ON THEIR UPCOMING UK TOUR IN NOTTINGHAM, LONDON, MANCHESTER + NEWCASTLE
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GIG GROPING: the philosophy of "ask the cutie before you touch the booty"

As our wayward journeys on this erratic earth progress I think a time comes when we learn to accept that certain events are inescapable. We are going to be swathed into situations that are awkward and uncomfortable, and there's nothing much we can do about it other than just let it slide. I believe that we have adopted a certain tendency - whether this is culturally specific or not I don't know, but it does seem like a very 'British' habit - to sweep things under the rug to avoid said sticky predicaments. Sometimes it's just not worth making a mess over because scenarios are awkward and beef is seldom necessary, but there are rare occasions where I won't let shitty people get away with being shitty for my own peace of mind.

I went to see Circa Waves at Heaven on Wednesday night (19th November) to: a) see a band who play great music, b) spend time with a good friend, c) boogie a bit on a night out, and d) maybe write something nice on here after. I did not go to see Circa Waves at Heaven on Wednesday night to deal with infuriating circumstances.

(photo creds: Circa Waves Facebook)

The audience were riled up by Public Access TV - a NYC jangly rock outfit (think Drowners or a softer, boppier Skaters). They couldn't have been older than 19 yet they proved to be more than capable to deliver an overwhelmingly impressive catalogue of steamers. Bleeding charisma and a light dusting of cocky charm, songs like In The Mirror demonstrated a future so bright that it became understandable why the guitarist wore shades.

(photo creds: tmrw magazine)

Circa Waves, propelled to attention by Zane Lowe, are one of Britain's fastest rising bands who've toured with The 1975 and The Libertines so it was only natural that we wanted to move into the crux of the crowd. Though the set opened with stellar power tracks like Young Chasers and Good For Me, it took a while for the crowd's spirits to go from mildly pathetic to "that's a bit more like it" considering the vigour of the band's garage rock. Still, it was kind of nothing compared to most of the crowds I'd been in lately - meaning I'm more than used to having zero personal space, being pushed around like a rag doll, and sweaty bodies at every turn. Although I'm highly familiar with this kind of atmosphere, it doesn't mean I'm used to or in any way should expect to get my butt grabbed by a massive, excessively perspiring man.

Besides this week I have been groped once at a gig: I had just turned sixteen and was waiting to see Two Door Cinema Club. Admittedly this was one of the first proper gigs I'd been to (in terms of general admission madness), but it's not like I was unaware of the basic mechanics of how these things work. Long before Two Door Cinema Club had even started their set I could feel this boy behind me rubbing his hands up and down my legs and bum with the occasional soft pinch. To say I was incredibly uncomfortable and extremely embarrassed would be a severe understatement. Being only sixteen and unlikely to be able to defend myself against a nineteen year old boy, I kept quiet and pretended it wasn't happening while my sister continued to talk my ear off, oblivious to the problem at hand (I later revealed to her the grotesque nature of the groping once we were back home). Luckily during the show itself I was able to """accidentally""" elbow him in his cratered face, but that was the extent of my self-defence.

Times have changed. It is 2014 and I am not afraid of anyone. Especially not gross perverted men.

Why should I be subjected to sexual assault because I am a young girl at an angsty rock concert? I may be categorised as a fangirl because I'm a female consumer, but does my gender automatically mean that I do not belong at this event? That I must only be there because I find the members of the band aesthetically pleasing and not have any interest whatsoever in the music they create? Therefore I deserve to be touched inappropriately because it's 'all part of the experience'? Trust me, I have been to many a gig in my time and I can assure anyone with a shadow of a doubt that this is not a price that typically comes with the territory.

At first I thought it was an accidental encounter that followed the tides of the crowd. I gave the guy a dirty look, but realised it could have been unintentional so brought my focus back to the music and my own personal enjoyment. It often bothers me how stupidly naive and optimistic I can be; always hoping for the best in others when I'm consistently proven wrong.

The second time around confirmed that his actions were entirely purposeful. This time I experienced a full throttle grope in the area of my bum. I yanked his beefy hand away from me as his shiny face grinned at me. "You're a fucking disgusting arsehole!!!" I attempted to shout at him over the lo-fi rock. He chuckled in reply and reached for my waist again before I balled my hands into fists and hit him somewhere on his face as hard as I could. My hand couldn't have made a very large impact as I have as much upper body strength of a small child, but it was probably more of a shock to him that a female in a vulnerable position actually had the ability within her to defend herself. He called me a "little fucking bitch" but need I respond? I mean, I'd already replied physically to his threats - I didn't need to prove anything else to him because he now knew I was unafraid. (This is not the first time I've gotten into beef at a gig, but maybe those stories are for another instalment.) Arguably this action lacked common sense because who knows how he could've reacted, but thankfully I was able to relish the rest of the short but sweet showcase of Circa Waves' upcoming debut album assault-free, including the boppy delights of one of the year's strongest singles Stuck In My Teeth.

The fact of the matter is that I did something that I was proud of - besides the act of physically assaulting a stranger, I stood up for and protected myself. I've always been the kind of person that a few of my friends have said that they "wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of", but what does that say about me? For some it means I probably have too much attitude, but maybe it also means that I have the courage to not be pushed around and treated like a second-class citizen. Regardless of the fact that my bum is more inclined to the Taylor Swift rather than the Kim Kardashian end of the juicy booty spectrum, consent is always required before you so intimately touch a person (not that me or anyone else is going to say "yes" if you ask anyway). Especially with cases such as the Sam Pepper scandal coming to light recently, shouldn't men realise by now that women do not want your meaty hands on our bodies without our explicit permission? Would you want some strange chunky hand grappling at your groin area? It's ridiculous that I'm having to explain this. Accept the fact that gig groping, or groping of any kind, is not and will never be okay.

@acciogeorgia not cool! We'll have none of that at our shows.

— Circa Waves (@CircaWaves) November 20, 2014 

(what definitely IS cool is that bands care)

What vexed me most about the incident was not even the fact that I was groped, but the possibility of other young girls in the crowds being preyed on by this giant gross loser. As music fans collectively unifying to celebrate something we all enjoy, shouldn't we treat each other with comradery and respect? Thankfully I taught that wasteman a lesson and he was put in his place, but unfortunately girls in the future will continue to be taken advantage of when they're meant to be having the time of their lives, and that's a crying shame. Concerts are supposed to be experiences that grow to become a part of us, not something tainted with venomous memories. We need to protect girlies, not endanger them.

GIG REVIEW: NME NEW BREED TOUR PRESENTS SUPERFOOD + HONEYBLOOD - Dingwalls, 11th November //

In September this year, notorious music weekly NME announced their first ever New Breed Tour. Following in the footsteps of record label Communion's inaugral New Faces tour (which has most recently featured the likes of Fyfe and the insanely talented Amber Run), the NME New Breed Tour seeks to unveil to the world some of the industry's hottest tipped acts to make an impact over the next year. NME, very wisely, selected the deliciously named Superfood and Honeyblood to co-headline the tour.

The support for the London date came from the vastly unknown but strangely endearing Bad Sounds. Outfitted with we-have-never-even-walked-past-the-barber's hairstyles, the five piece took 80s pop rock to gleaming new heights. Their Egyptian Hip Hop-esque beats are clean and nothing short of completely funky. Unfortunately this is the only evidence I can find of them on the Internet, but I pray they release some more material over the coming months because I have an incredible thirst for more.

(photo creds: NME)

Honeyblood are Scotland's answer to Best Coast. Lead singer Stina Tweeddale's gutsy, reckless vocals scream out poisonous lyrics "I will hate you forever / Scum bag, sleaze / Slime ball, grease" in a fury of feminine angst. Their rebellious and rootsy girl power was devoured by the entire spectrum of gender in the crowd - a refreshing attitude from an audience who all too often claim that women have 'no place' in indie rock; a stereotype the industry has endeavoured to abolish in recent years with acts like Sky Ferreira, Haim, and female-fronted Wolf Alice. 90s grrrrl rock is back with a sting in its tail.

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where's wally did u mean where's georgia (photo creds NME)

Superfood, signed to Infectious Music, are an example of the young indie rock talent hailing from Birmingham. They join the ranks of 'B-town' alumni - notably Peace, Swim Deep, and Jaws - to set the music scene alight with their kinky garage sound. Having previously opened for Peace - and, in fact, at this very show - many fans of the band will discover a certain satisfaction in Superfood. Their addictive hooks are slick and candied by sweet riffs, yet the sheer noise of their Britpop infused sound was enough to rile the crowd into turmoil.

(photo creds DIY)

Rippling basslines were so effortlessly provided by resident cool girl Emily Baker while the true heartbeat of Superfood's catalogue of oddities and adolescent heartaches lay with drummer Carl Griffin. His thundering percussion created an atmosphere ripe for rebellion while lo-fi guitars were shredded to a pulp by Dom Ganderton and Ryan Malcolm to the delight of Dingwalls' lawless fans. No seriously, they were insane - no gig is complete without a full-on fandom stage invasion in which the onsite security melted into a proper mare. Such a devotion clearly filled the band with ecstasy as they looked out with a smile onto an unbridled moshpit while the leaking ceiling precipitated onto their heads. NME have well and truly sought out the next indie rock hype.

// JOIN ME IN SEEING ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BANDS TEMPLES ON THEIR UK TOUR WITH SUPPORT FROM SUPERFOOD #LASH // OFFICIAL WEBSITE // FACEBOOK // TWITTER //

where's wally part 2 (creds superfood)

To add the icing on the cake, as my friend Aimee and I exited the venue's bathroom who do we end up walking behind but the flash of red hair and iconic fur coat of Harrison flippin Koisser - lead singer and superbabe from Peace :o:o:o We talked about sparkly tops, Superfood, and friendship, and he was as wonderfully lovely and eccentric as you would expect. I luv luv luv him.

Harrison and I xxx

♡ listen and love: Mindspeak - Holychild ♡

for fans of: Marina & the Diamonds, Smallpools, Charli XCX, Is Tropical, Tweens

Extra, extra read all about it! Music is fun again!

(photo creds Liz Nistico's SXSW diary for BlackBook)

Hey, The Smiths can be great, don't get me wrong, and we all love to rock out sadly to a bit of Drenge contemplating our feelings of destructiveness but sometimes it seems like everyone is just so sad all the time. What happened to happiness? Even New Order's 'Ceremony' is deemed to be wonderfully uplifting by some people (which I don't quite understand... seeing as it was written by Ian Curtis... and released after his death... maybe it's a you-have-to-be-a-die-hard-fan-to-get-it kind of thing...), yet it's so sad. Never when I walk with a spring in my step have I thought to myself, yo, how about some Nick Drake to mark this occasion! That's like saying "oh man, I'm feeling really down today... Might read some Sylvia Plath to cheer me up..." Enough! What bright ray of sunshine can come and cure our sorrow before we're doomed into eternal darkness?

Cue Holychild: serious Barbie-fied bubblegum pop on steroids. Their sound is simultaneously ferocious and sugary sweet, much like a kitten tiger: lovable on the outside but don't underestimate their bite. Don't let their tropical synth-pop beats fool you, as underneath the very 'Contra'-esque hooks lies... what's this? A message? In pop music? Never...

In relation to my previous blog post and its an overwhelming response - thank you so much for all your lovely comments, they made my heart smile

 -

Holychild not only capture the pure sunniness of happiness better than any current chart topping platinum selling single did, but also embody an issue very near and dear to me: (you guessed it) FEMINISM! *rainbows suddenly fill the sky* *angels sing* *baby animals do the cha cha* *etc*

And, no! Before you ask, they're not a girlband so any "well, they're female, what can you expect" excuses just don't count. Liz Nistico (vocals) and Louie Diller (instrumentalist and producer) are the brains behind the LA "brat pop" project and signed to Glassnote Records in January, home to their polar opposites Mumford & Sons and Childish Gambino.

In an interview with Stereogum, Nistico reveals how she and Diller intertwined the politics and sheer importance of feminism into their happy-go-lucky sound:

"The three videos that make up MINDSPEAK portray the contradictions I see existing around the objectification of women. Essentially I felt like a hypocrite, saying, ’down with objectification!’ But at the same, I feel ashamed if I am not objectified nor desired.

The more I thought about it, the more I saw certain layers around this concept that I wanted to reveal. The first video, “Happy With Me,” shows the power females can have by being objectified. In the second video, “Every Time I Fall,” the girls allow the men to judge them and they lose the power. In the final video, “Pretend Believe,” the men have the power, and the girls are broken and angry at themselves for perpetuating the situation.

No matter how one views it, I wanted to leave the film open to interpretation. Specifically I wanted to strike a feeling of nostalgia on one hand, but challenge the audience and make them uncomfortable on the other. Ultimately it’s all an autobiographical account of extreme contemplation on our culture."

ACCIOMIXTAPE DECONSTRUCTS 'MINDSPEAK': EP TRACK-BY-TRACK

Though maybe put off at first by the rather in-your-face hooks and 90's girrrrrrrl power vocals, after a few listens Holychild become unrestricted to all listeners regardless of their preferable genre as their toes begin to tap and they surrender to their sudden urge to have a pillow fight.

• Lead track 'Happy With Me' reminds me very much of what a 'Fancy'/'Diplomat's Son' smoothie would sound like yet Nistico's pleading vocals are reminiscent of a desperate yearning despite the song's sparkly, cheerful vibe. And it demonstrates perfectly why Holychild are so clever.
• Though not part of the all-important feminist message video trilogy, 'Playboy Girl' still has a weighty message of its own: don't let the strive for perfection define you! Channeling early Lady Gaga with elements of teeny-bop 1D pop it, quite frankly, makes me feel like a princess.
• Bigger and grander synths are tied in with infectious vocals for 'Every Time I Fall' still manages to continue their patented relentless joy.
• 'Pretend Believe' is more of an example of the pair's experimental pop label, and perhaps it is that which gives this song a more glamorous and glittering edge.

(photo creds Shervin Lainez)

♡ The Mindspeak EP is hot off the press and has gained a release just in time for Summer. It can be found on iTunes US ♡

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THE 2013 MIXTAPE

2013's music reign has consisted of the outstanding, the ordinary, the songs we hate that we love (and we danced all night to the best song evER!!!), and some true diamonds rough. As December has returned, I'll look back on some of my favourites from the past 12 months and some emerging new talent to get excited about. Listen to my top 22 songs of the year in THE 2013 MIXTAPE.

favourite albums

7. English Rain // Gabrielle Aplin

• best track: Keep On Walking
• for fans of: Lucy Rose, The Paper Kites, Daughter
• From YouTube sensation, to gold-selling artist; the singer-songwriter sure has come a long way in the past few years, even so in the last 12 months. The legion of sleepy folk ballads from her debut LP, such as 'Panic Cord' and 'Start Of Time', are heartfelt and raw.
• Read the live review //HERE//

6. In Love // Peace

• best track: California Daze
• for fans of: Tribes (RIP), Dog Is Dead, Foals
• I was lucky enough to nab last minute tickets to the newest Brit-rock band on the block on Friday night last week (6th December) and it was such a mad fun time. Peace released their EP 'Delicious' late last year and haven't stopped since. A quirky, truly delicious, for name's sake, debut cited clear influences from all over the place, but the Brummy quartet still managed something powerful and impressive.
• Read the live review //HERE//

5. Night Time, My Time // Sky Ferreira

• best track: You're Not The One
• for fans of: Charli XCX, Joan Jett, Is Tropical
• Could the wait have been any longer for California cool kid Sky Ferreira to release her debut album? After five years of false starts it's here and it's just so good. Her fresh electro-pop-rock effort is unbelievable and proves that right now really is her time. See her supporting a little unknown artist called Miley Cyrus (I know, right? Who even is that?) in the US on the Bangerz tour.

4. Pure Heroine // Lorde

• best track: A World Alone
• for fans of: Ellie Goulding, The xx, Lana Del Rey
• All hail the it-girl of 2013: Lorde's dreamy debut, fueled with familiar teenage themes like boredom and isolation, stormed charts all over the world and proved her to be an unquestionable pop powerhouse. And with a legion of Grammy nominations to her name, it'll be fascinating to see where the next 12 months take her. Long live Lorde!

3. Shangri La // Jake Bugg

• best track: Pine Trees
• for fans of: Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, Miles Kane
• Though it may not be as effortlessly brilliant as his first album, it's tough to follow up your platinum selling debut in a rush release, right? Being the newest release on this list, I guess that proves it isn't for the guy hailed as a "mini Bob Dylan". The new Bugg is a shining example of the new wave of folk-n-roll, and he works it so well.
• read the 'What Doesn't Kill You' review //HERE//

2. The 1975 // The 1975

• best track: Girls
• for fans of: The Neighborhood, Everything Everything, alt-j
• The year's best debut exploded into the music stratosphere in September after a entire year of electric anticipation. They tweaked the expectations of indie pop to produce something thrilling with, surprisingly, unwritten amounts of depth. Delectably laced with 80's influence, alt-rock guitars, and thumping percussion, their debut LP has rocketed to worldwide acclaim. I can't wait to see them at Brixton in January.
• Read the original album review //HERE//

1. Modern Vampires of the City // Vampire Weekend

• best track: Unbelievers
• for fans of: OK Go, fun., The Maccabees
• I don't think I'll ever be able to accurately describe the adoration I have for this album, but I will try: Vampire Weekend are the gift that keep on giving. After two unmistakably individual records, their third was a cliff dive in a different, and completely right, direction. It was almost as if their previous efforts were just there to lead up to something as magnificent as record number three. They bring us an oddly organic sadness through the harmony of 'Hannah Hunt' and 'Step', hand-in-hand with the wildness of 'Diane Young' and 'Unbelievers' as well as the swelling sweetness of 'Everlasting Arms'. Instantly a classic, and something I'll be listening to for the next twenty, thirty, forty years.
• Read the live review //HERE//

favourite songs

6. Dreaming // Smallpools

• from the EP: Smallpools (suspiciously removed from iTunes UK, but luckily you can listen to it here)
• for fans of: The Wombats, Grouplove, Passion Pit
• The soundtrack to my summer were undoubtedly US newbies Smallpools. This sunshine inflamed track from their debut EP is screaming with euphoria. The synths and drums are on a mad one, and are giving pop music a good name. Also, the piano-jacking version is well worth a listen.
• Read the original EP review //HERE//

5. All I Want // Kodaline

• from the album: In A Perfect World
• for fans of: Bastille, Coldplay, Hudson Taylor
• This track alone makes me want to go to a Kodaline gig. Imagine the crowd in their transformation into a choir singing this back to them. Chills, right? Haunting vocals over delicate acoustic chords escalate into a crashing climax, resembling Yellow-era Coldplay. The video is a right tearjerker too, just the sort of thing that makes me cry buckets.
• DOWNLOAD

4. Honeymoon Avenue // Ariana Grande

• from the album: Yours Truly
• for fans of: Demi Lovato, Jessie J, Selena Gomez
• That song that you don't know why you love so much but it's all you can ever listen to? And listening to it leads you to falling even more in love with it? Yep, this one. Ariana Grande may just be another Disney Channel darling but that doesn't change the fact that this song makes me feel all kinds of feelz.
• DOWNLOAD

3. She Changes The Weather // Swim Deep

• from the album: Where the Heaven Are We
• for fans of: Splashh, Wolf Alice, Temples
• Confession: I'm not a massive Swim Deep fan. I won't dive deep into it (pun!pun!pun!) but let's just say I'm generally not impressed. However, there's something about this song and I don't know just what it is; but it's something sensational. Maybe it's, as my friend Laura said, that if someone listened to this and thought of you that'd be a pretty cool thing.
• DOWNLOAD

2. Changing of the Seasons // Two Door Cinema Club

• from the EP: Changing Of The Seasons
• for fans of: Foster The People, San Cisco, Imagine Dragons
• Happy melodies over heartbreaking lyrics will get a song in my good books, and the TDCC lads have perfected that very precise art. When I want to feel weirdly happy, I listen to this song. When I'm in that mood when you're sad and you feel like being sadder so you make a sad playlist, I put this on it. Even my sister said to me the other week, "do you listen to anything other than that?". Evidently I do not. And why blame me? It's probably their best song to date.
• DOWNLOAD

1. Into The Wild // Lewis Watson

• from the EP: The Wild
• for fans of: Ben Howard, Josh Record, Benjamin Francis Leftwich
• One of my favourite artists released one of his best tracks this year: 'Into The Wild' is a bewitching, introspective record which teases the boundaries of acoustic music. His silk-like vocals gently croon the sublime lyrics (we're perfectly intertwined / and if it's quite alright / you could be my way of life), and the choral backing vocals fit magically with the twanging folk guitar. This song is a journey, and reminds his growing audience why he's killing it and is only going to get better ahead of the release of his debut LP in 2014. Cannot. Wait.
• DOWNLOAD

bonus track: unofficial favourite song

Little Black Dress // One Direction

• from the album: Midnight Memories
• for fans of: Oh come on, everyone is really secretly a fan... Right? No? Just me, okay...
• Think everything you know about One Direction. Now think of something on the opposite end of the spectrum. That is, somehow, what this song encompasses. Big arena charged electric guitars go crazy over shouty vocals. Slightly, and weirdly, reminiscent of The Rolling Stones... Well don't knock it 'till you try it.
• DOWNLOAD

favourite new acts for 2014

7. Luke Sital-Singh

• for fans of: Kodaline, Mumford & Sons, Keaton Heston
• listen to: How To Lose Your Life
• The London based singer-songwriter has just released his third EP 'Tornados' packed full with powerful folk inspired tracks. It's just the kind of music you'd love to listen to while in front of a bonfire. He's even recently teamed up with Gabrielle Aplin for a special rendition of 'Nearly Morning' as well as being nominated for the prestigious BBC Sound of 2014 poll.
• twitter link: @lukesitalsingh

6. Nick Wilson

• for fans of: Passenger, Gabrielle Aplin, The Head and the Heart
• listen to: Obsolete
• After seeing him in a support slot for Gabrielle Aplin (live review //here//), I instantly warmed to his honest acoustic style despite some girl's abnormally large hairdo obstructing my view the entire time (hate u hate u fuck u fuck u). If the candid singer/songwriter style is your cup of tea, his debut EP 'Darkest Hour' is calling your name. Also check out his YouTube channel for a brigade of impressive covers.
• twitter link: @uknickwilson

5. Jaymes Young

• for fans of: London Grammar, Lorde, Jessie Ware
• listen to: Fragments
• Jaymes Young produces the perfect cocktail of indie beats, electronic chill, piano pop, and anthemic hip-hop. His music is ripe with syrupy mystery, oozing a nebulous enigma that's difficult to pinpoint who exactly he sounds like. You'd think his cover of Haddaway's 'What Is Love' would be tired by now, seeing as it's been covered by just about everyone from Bastille to Eminem, yet the guitar is slick enough to rival the likes of magnetic duo Pale. (This one's for you Millie) Even his cover of Justin Bieber's (yes, really) 'As Long As You Love Me' cover is pure heaven.
• twitter link: @jaymesyng

4. Southern

• for fans of: Jake Bugg, Palma Violets, The Black Keys
• listen to: World Don't Shine
• This genetically gifted (just look at their faces) brother and sister duo are exactly what I'd imagine alt-j to sound like if they went rock. Thom and Lucy Southern's male/female vocal combination gives their edgy noise a polished and contemporary tone as it blends into a bluegrass influence. The Irish siblings are loud, totally in your face, and have the coolest and chillest attitude. After living broke in London, but always clad head-to-toe in Burberry after this session, they released their fiery EP 'Southern' in October and I got completely lost in their sound.
• twitter link: @thisissouthern

3. Saint Raymond

• for fans of: The 1975, Haim, Young Kato
• listen to: Young Blood
• 2013 has seen Saint Raymond sky rocket: he's already supported the likes of small time singer-songwriters like Lewis Watson and Lauren Aquilina after appearing on Reading/Leeds BBC Introducing stage. However he hit the big time with a European support slot for girl power poster girls Haim. He's already had 'Fall At Your Feet' and 'Young Blood', from his January bound EP of the same name, become Zane Lowe's Hottest Record in the World and he hasn't even released his debut album yet. Expect big things.
• Read the live review //HERE// (which Callum tweeted) (ahhhhhh) (so kl)
• twitter link: @Callum_SR

2. Drowners

• for fans of: Peace, The Vaccines, Skaters
• listen to: Luv, Hold Me Down
• Way back in late 2012/early 2013 (I can't remember exactly), I downloaded a free EP called 'HOME RECORDINGS' from Drowners. I loved it so much; it was a fresh throwback to 80s indie rock that was effortlessly short, sweet, and cool. Plus it was free, which is always a bonus. However they fell off my radar until recently they reemerged to me, as if in a beautiful indie pop dream, with a new single 'Luv, Hold Me Down'. The charming and retro-esque single has already become one of my favourites of the entire year. The NYC based rockers (though lead by small town Welsh frontman Matt Hitt) have opened for none other but Arctic Monkeys in the US and are bringing back Brit-pop with a bang.
• twitter link: @DROWNERSBAND

1. George Ezra

• for fans of: Tom Odell, Marika Hackman, James Vincent McMorrow
• listen to: Benjamin Twine
• Heyyyyyyy seeing as I complied this list about two/three weeks ago and he's been nominated for MTV Brand New for 2014 and earned a coveted place on the BBC Sound of 2014 poll since then means I'm pretty clued up, right? (I will give credit for that to my coolest friend Grace who introduced me to him a couple of months ago. Mwah!) Bristol kid George Ezra's success has only just begun: this year has consisted of an opportunity to perform at legendary Glastonbury as well as being on the road with Tom Odell as part of his Long Way Down tour. His sound is almost indescribable: to call his voice "powerful" would be an understatement - it commands respect and adoration. It's like a 70 year old blues god is trapped in his little white boy body. I can't wait to see him live in March, nor can I wait for him to release more music this year.
• twitter link: @george_ezra

the definitive album of 2013

BEYONCÉ // Beyoncé

• best track: Blow (it's pure filth and I'm obsessed)
• for fans of: EVERYONE NEEDS TO EXPERIENCE THIS - WHETHER THAT BE AUDITORY OR VISUALLY! FEAST YOUR EARS OR EYES (BUT PREFERABLY BOTH) IN ANY WAY YOU CAN!
• Beyoncé's visual album is here. But no one saw it coming... 14 songs and 17 videos have already manifested more attention than any other artist could dream to imagine. Released only today with no promotion, no build-up, no warning; Beyoncé's fifth studio album is a firework finale to 2013. There's only 18 days left of the year yet no other album this year, if ever, has generated this amount of talk so quickly. Who else could suddenly release a record with this kind of delivery but still bowl over the entire world? Exactly: no one. Only Queen B has the superstar caliber to pull off a stunt like this, and it's a masterpiece. It's a visual banquet of, what can only be described as, art. (That is, if you ignore the really strange and sorta creepy (plus totally unfair because she's like two or whatever and already more successful than I will ever dream to be) Blue Ivy "collaboration".) Regardless, the indisputable goddess of showbiz is giving girl power a good n proper reboot with pro-feminism messages in all their glittering glory. All hail the queen!

LISTEN TO THE 2013 MIXTAPE RIGHT //HERE// OR BELOW

the 2013 mixtape from sweetlamplight on 8tracks Radio.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE XOX