Chloe Robbins

Weekly Roundup: New Releases from 16-22 November

It’s a hefty one this week. I’ve attempted to organise the many new releases by three vague genres, but what are music genres, really?

Featuring new rock from Bad Nerves and Abbie Ozard, indie from Mamalarky and Deco, and pop from the likes of MARINA and GIRLI, these are the new releases of 16-22 November that have thrilled me throughout the week!

New in Rock

Bad Nerves – Bad Nerves (Album)

Short, sharp, and overflowing with punk attitude, Bad Nerves’ debut album is a non-stop rollercoaster of electrifying power-pop from start to finish. Coming in at twelve tracks and just twenty-seven minutes, the album is a glorious ride of fast and hard garage rock with a pop flare.

Dream Wife – Dream Wife IRL (Live in London 2020) (Album)

Following an explosive sophomore album, So When You Gonna…, earlier this year, punk-rock trio Dream Wife released their first live album this week, featuring previously unreleased track ‘Cheap Thrills’. Recorded in January, the album offers the high energy and excitement of a band looking forward to a year of touring, but stands as the first and last Dream Wife gig of 2020. Hearing the screams and chants of the crowd in a time of livestream gigs is simultaneously refreshing and nostalgic – oh to be at a Dream Wife gig moshing with the London trio.

Mystic Peach – Wanna Be My Daddy?

Southampton’s Mystic Peach released their latest single ‘Wanna Be My Daddy?’ this week, teeming with psychedelic grunge. The trio ask the uncomfortable questions to prod at toxic masculinity. Theatrical vocals, sarcastic lyrics, and a contrast of psych and rock combine to form Mystic Peach’s new grungy tune.

Total Rubbish – Triple Negative (EP)

Philadelphia’s all-female three-piece Total Rubbish released their debut EP this week. The five-track EP offers 90’s-influenced indie-rock tracks with a young slacker attitude.

Attawalpa – Killer

Silky smooth new single ‘Killer’ is the latest release from Attawalpa, a self-described “independent British-Peruvian singer-songwriter, performer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer”. The track offers a slow, sensual rock beat, and is the second single from upcoming sophomore EP Patterns.

Abbie Ozard – true romance

It seems like Abbie Ozard is everywhere I look at the moment – and for good reason. Latest rock-meets-bedroom-pop single ‘true romance’ is nostalgic and foot-tapping levels of catchy. Ozard dreams of escape and adventure, and don’t we all in 2020?

New in Indie

Mamalarky – Mamalarky (Album)

Atlanta-based quartet Mamarlarky released their cerebral debut album this week, featuring an array of sparkling shoegaze-infused indie-rock gems. Stand-out tracks for me include ‘You Make Me Smile’, ‘Schism Trek’, and ‘Big Trouble’. Check out the record for a gorgeous psych-pop escapist journey – chill out and drift off to the bold, colourful world that is Mamalarky.

HANYA – Monochrome

Brighton’s HANYA released new indie-pop single ‘Monochrome’ on Tuesday. The track is a hazy shoegaze pop treasure, complete with dreamy vocals and bittersweet lyrics. You can catch the quartet touring the UK in 2021 at these dates.

Bleachers – 45 / chinatown (feat. Bruce Springsteen)

An unexpected return from Bleachers (Jack Antonoff of fun. and Taylor Swift/Lorde/Carly Rae Jepsen/general-pop-hits-producer fame) sees the release of two new singles, stripped-back ‘45’ and indie rock ‘chinatown (feat. Bruce Springsteen)’. Following 2017’s sophomore album ‘Gone Now’, and 2018 single ‘Alfie’s Song (Not So Typical Love Song)’, these two new tracks welcome the new era of Bleachers and see a welcome return of Antonoff’s chill indie-pop melodies and earnest lyricism.

Deco – Brakes On

Indie-pop outfit Deco released new single ‘Brakes On’ – an 80’s-infused upbeat track that is sure to uplift you in these trying times, especially if you’re looking for a modern-day Wham! This groovy, synth-powered track will have you dancing and is sure to get stuck in your head – not that that’s a bad thing.

Dutch Criminal Record – Little Saint Nick

It’s that time of the year. The Christmas releases have begun. First holiday song on this week’s list is from Portsmouth’s indie-pop trio Dutch Criminal Record, shortly after the release of their recent reminiscent bop ‘00’s Nostalgia’. Complete with jingle bells and all, this festive track is sure to get you into the Christmas mood (if that’s what you’re looking for), filling you with that same upbeat, jolly seasonal cheer that you expect from classic Christmas songs.

JW Francis – JW Christmas (EP)

On Friday, New York’s resident lo-fi indie softboy JW Francis released a surprise four-track Christmas EP, featuring covers of classic seasonal songs and one original track, ‘Christmas Heartache’. Following his debut album, We Share A Similar Joy, which was released earlier this month, JW Francis shows no signs of slowing down as he spreads joy with his chill indie tunes – this time, with a sprinkling of Christmas magic.

New in Pop

MARINA – Man’s World

Pop sensation MARINA (FNA Marina & The Diamonds) released her first single following up from 2019’s rebirth album Love + Fear this week. MARINA returns with another feminist anthem, with its critical lyrics firing at the patriarchy in a similar vein to earlier songs like ‘Can’t Pin Me Down’ and ‘Savages’ from third album Froot (2015). Check out my full review of the track here.

Poppy – I Won’t Be Home For Christmas

Pop-metal superstar Poppy has announced a Christmas EP, due for a December release, with ‘I Won’t Be Home For Christmas’ serving as our first taste – and no, it isn’t a cover of the Blink-182 track of the same title, much to my dismay. Nevertheless, the track is a chill and airy pop pearl, and I look forward to what experimental and ever-evolving Poppy brings to the rest of the EP.

GIRLI – Letter to My Ex

Following up from October’s single ‘Has Been’, GIRLI’s latest release ‘Letter to My Ex’ is a break-up anthem. The alt-pop star captures the juxtaposition of emotions during heartbreak in a danceable banger. Get ready to scream, cry, rage, and dance about your ex, ‘cause GIRLI has your back.

Miley Cyrus – Plastic Heart (feat. Dua Lipa)

Miley continues her trend of glistening 80’s power pop anthems, the latest of which being an iconic collab with Dua Lipa – another pop star whose decade-inspired album wowed this year. Title track from her upcoming album, ‘Plastic Heart’ samples Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Physical’ on the chorus and remodels it.

Patawawa – Disco Video

Flaring with funk and groove, Derbyshire’s three-piece disco-pop Patawawa released mesmerising new tune ‘Disco Video’ this week, accompanied by the announcement of their debut album Power-Up, due to be released in March 2021, and news of a UK summer tour for next year.

Check out these new releases and more on my November playlist below:

Single Review: Alt-pop icon MARINA returns with empowering ‘Man’s World’

Pop sensation MARINA (formerly known as Marina & The Diamonds) released her first single from her forthcoming album this week, following up from 2019’s rebirth album Love + Fear. The Welsh-Greek singer previously released a one-off track, ‘About Love’, for Netflix’s To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You back in February of this year, but ‘Man’s World’ is the first taste of MARINA’s highly anticipated fifth album. On her new track, MARINA declares she ‘doesn’t want to live in a man’s world anymore’ and I couldn’t agree more – I want to live in MARINA’s world instead.

MARINA returns in full swing with another feminist anthem, with its critical lyrics firing at the patriarchy in the same vein as earlier songs like ‘Can’t Pin Me Down’ and ‘Savages’ from third album Froot (2015). Lyrically, ‘Man’s World’ critiques the historical mistreatment of women and minority groups, with lines like ‘Burnt me at the stake, you thought I was a witch / Centuries ago, now you just call me a bitch’, and a post-chorus which calls out to men that ‘If you have a mother, daughter or a friend’ it’s time to understand that ‘The world that you live in ain’t the same one as them’.

Marina Diamandis in the ‘Man’s World’ music video, photographed by @coughs / Atlantic Records.

Imagery of nature flows throughout the track, with lines like ‘Mother Nature’s dying’ and ‘Spring appears when the time is right / Women are violets coming to light’ reminding me of Hayley Williams’ empowering debut solo album from May, Petals for Armour, which also connects themes of womanhood and nature to demonstrate the resilient strength of women. The words are powerful, and so is the music itself.

Piano-driven ‘Man’s World’ is a dreamy mid-tempo alt-pop pearl, with MARINA’s signature harmonies and powerful voice shining, especially in the post-chorus. Additionally, the track captures the instrumental elements that MARINA incorporated into Froot, creating the atmosphere of a live track by bringing drums and piano to the forefront, which makes me yearn to hear a live performance of the song.

With an impressive catalogue of music spanning ten years and four albums, ‘Man’s World’ opens the fifth album era of MARINA in an exciting way. The untitled fifth studio album has yet to be announced, but the teaser of ‘Man’s World’ is enough to spark hype from MARINA’s dedicated fans.

Label: Atlantic Records
Released: 18th November 2020

Single Review: Ellie Bleach dazzles with retro heartbreak bop ‘I Thought I Saw You Last Night’

Quickly becoming one of my favourite up-and-coming singer-songwriters, London-based Ellie Bleach’s latest single, ‘I Thought I Saw You Last Night’, is the perfect heartbreak track for yearning over an ex that has already moved on, packaged in a sparkling 70s-inspired power-pop banger.

Following her earlier 2020 release, ‘He Bought Me Nikes’, another whimsical break-up song that compares a fuck-boy ex to a cult leader, Bleach continues to proves that she is at her best when she pairs her honest, witty lyricism with her tried and true keys and guitar.

‘I Thought I Saw You Last Night’ is flowing with Bleach’s characteristic lyrical charm, with sharp lines such as ‘never thought a major chord would make me wanna die’ over a Billy Joel song that reminds her of her ex, and ‘maybe all this time you were just the muse, and I the genius’. And genius she is, combining this with her powerful vocals, and upbeat piano-pop ballads, aligning herself with the hits of ABBA and Elton John.

Ellie Bleach has certainly caught my eye with her dazzling pop gems and smart lyrical storytelling, so I look forward to her future releases.

FFO: Laurel, The Orielles, Goat Girl, T Truman

Released: November 3rd 2020

Photos by Nico Smith

Weekly Roundup: New Releases from 9-15th November

Fresh new music releases from this week, featuring 11 exciting up-and-coming artists in pop, rock, and indie!

Baby Queen – Medicine EP

Rising pop icon Baby Queen released her debut EP, cementing her brand of alt-pop gems, sarcastic lyricism, and cynical themes on mental health, crushes, and the internet. Read my full review of the EP here.

Public Body – Table Manners

Brighton-based quartet Public Body serve wry post-punk single ‘Table Manners’ on a plate, with a delicious side of witty lyricism used to critique capitalism and an incompetent British government, which feels oh-so-fitting as we sit in another lockdown.

Only Sun – Extraordinary

Hailing from High Wycombe, Only Sun continue to release upbeat indie-rock bops, and latest single ‘Extraordinary’ is no exception, with a shimmering synth-pop chorus to dance to. ‘Extraordinary’ comes with the announcement of a summer 2021 UK tour (fingers crossed!) and the news of debut album, ‘Tangled Mind’, seeing an April 2021 release.

Riscas – Next Love

Summer personified, ‘Next Love’ is the latest chill indie-pop single from Birmingham-based four-piece Riscas, offering a sunny chorus reminiscent of late-90s/early-00s pop.

Sølv – Synthetic Feelings EP

London singer/songwriter/producer Sølv released her first solely self-produced EP this week, following the release of singles ‘Colour/Somehow’, ‘Heavy Weather’, and ‘Gentle Riot’ that have excited me throughout this year. The six-track ‘Synthetic Feelings’ sees Sølv’s effortlessly cool electronic alt-pop shine, with R’n’B influences and an ethereal darkness.

The Pale White – Glue

Newcastle’s The Pale White released massive indie-rock anthem ‘Glue’ this week. Distortion-heavy and teeming with attitude, the new track is sure to please fans of Twin Atlantic, Sam Fender, and The Amazons.

Dream Wife – Cheap Thrills

London-based punk rock trio Dream Wife released a live recording of their unreleased song ‘Cheap Thrills’ this week. Following this summer’s electrifying sophomore studio record ‘So When You Gonna…’, the band have announced their first live album, ‘Dream Wife IRL (Live in London 2020)’, recorded at an intimate London gig from January of this year. While anticipating a year of touring their new record, Dream Wife had no idea at the time that this recorded live show would be the first and last show they would play this year. The full album arrives next week on November 20th.

CIEL – All My Life

A glistening dreampop gem, ‘All My Life’ marries shoegaze with a vibrant alt-pop chorus. CIEL sees Dutch vocalist/guitarist Michelle Hindriks and co. create mesmerising tracks, and ‘All My Life’ is no different from spring’s ‘Movement’ EP in that respect.

KIT – KIT EP

Including her three previously released singles, KIT’s debut EP offers catchy indie-rock bangers, soothing vocals, and smart lyrics. ‘You Act Like a Child’ is the stand-out track for me, leaning more on the heavier side with the chorus’ instrumentals. Piano ballad ‘Stranger’ brings KIT’s harmonies to the centre of the stage.

Rosehip Teahouse – Summer Sleep

Dreamy, nostalgic, and soft, ‘Summer Sleep’ is a heart-breaking lullaby and third single from upcoming EP ‘Fine’, due to be released in full on December 9th. Hailing from Cardiff, Rosehip Teahouse’s signature harmonious sadness and twinkling guitars are ever-present in their latest single.

Alfie Templeman – Shady

If you aren’t already paying attention to seventeen-year-old rising indie-pop sensation Alfie Templeman, you’re missing out. Following up from September’s groovy single ‘Forever Isn’t Long Enough’, shiny new funk-heavy jam ‘Shady’ is the uplifting sort of vibe we need in these dreary times.

You can find these tracks, and more, on my November playlist below:

PUP @ The Loft, Southampton (30/11/19)

Canadian punk-rock quartet PUP return to Southampton to end the UK leg of their ‘Falls Apart’ tour in celebration of huge third record Morbid Stuff. They play The Loft, selling out the 450-capacity venue months in advance, which is comparatively more intimate than the two nights sold-out at Camden’s Electric Ballroom (1500 cap.) that they played the week before. London-based folk-punk band Fresh and Norwegian pop-punk band Sløtface are the support bands for this show.

Fresh open the show with an electric energy as they blaze through their set of short punk bangers and fire the crowd up for what will be a loud, lively evening.

Lead singer Kathryn Woods makes a point to thank PUP for bringing them on tour and emphasizes the importance of themselves and Sløtface being picked as support acts in such a male-dominated music scene. She continues to call out the lack of gender balance and diversity in festival lineups – TRNSMT had just announced their 2020 lineup days before, and the lineup itself was appalling in terms of gender equality. The crowd cheers in support of Kathryn, as it is not just TRNSMT that have been guilty of a lack of diversity, but rather most UK festivals.

Determined to raise the crowd’s energy, Sløtface begin their set with pop-punk banger ‘S.U.C.C.E.S.S.’ from their new album Sorry For The Late Reply. And raise the energy they do, with members of the band crowd-surfing and mosh pits starting from the get-go.

By their second song, Sløtface’s vocalist Haley Shea is demanding a mosh pit – and encouraging it to be filled half with women. In a music scene, like Fresh’s Kathryn stated, so male-dominated, it is comforting to see a band bring women gig-goers safety and enjoyment to the forefront of a show.

When the main event – four soft-spoken Canadian white dudes – arrives, the crowd is already hyped from two incredible opening acts, but they still have so much energy to burn through.

Opening with the title-track from their latest album, ‘Morbid Stuff’, and going straight into ‘Kids’, also from the album, PUP are already sweaty, the crowd have already begun surfing and moshing, and everyone in the room knows it will be a night to remember.

Despite it being the last show of the tour, PUP’s energy is high and thrash their electrifying set featuring songs that span across their impressive three-record discography, such as older tracks like ‘Mabu’ and fan-favourite ‘Dark Days’, to ‘Sleep in the Heat’ and ‘Familiar Patterns’ (a personal favourite of mine) from their second record. From start to finish, the set is solid, the crowd are lively, and the band are just as enthusiastic.

When lead vocalist and guitarist Stefan Babcock crowd-surfs across the room of adoring punk fans, he clings on to the lighting rig and breaks the lights (part of the charm of these small, intimate venues is their low ceilings and easily reachable equipment, apparently). For a moment, finishing the gig in darkness feels like a real possibility as Stefan can’t figure out how to fix the lights and surfs back to the stage.

Thankfully, one heroic gig-goer is lifted up by the crowd and fixes the lights, and the crowd chants his name in thanks – after all, there’s nothing more punk than a sense of community.

Guitarist Steven Sladkowski prompts a round of “Stefan sucks” chants from the crowd. Stefan agrees, he does suck.

With the lighting fixed, the gig crashes back into its full sweaty chaos. ‘Reservoir’ and ‘Full Blown Meltdown’ crank the energy levels up, if it were still possible at this point. A continuous sea of bodies crash over each other, land on stage with the band, and then dive back into the crowd, like some twisted, violent human ritual. I would even go as far as to say this is the most crowd-surfers I’ve ever seen at a gig, as it was just a constant stream of clambering bodies from start to finish. Therefore, it’s important to mention how comforting the band are throughout their set – always checking on the crowd and making sure everyone is safe. With a small venue like The Loft, where the stage is low and there is no barrier – meaning no security to crowd-control – things can quickly escalate and people can get hurt, so it is significant that the band themselves made the crowd’s comfort and safety such a priority.

After ‘Full Blown Meltdown’, the heaviest song from the latest record, which encapsulates the band’s cynical, comedic lyricism, PUP play a cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ karaoke-style – leaving the crowd to sing with no help from Stefan. The band ranks the singalong (a 7/10, which isn’t bad) and Stefan explains that over the past 9 months of touring, and 120-something shows, they’ve played the song everywhere to see how each city scores. But not in Birmingham, because “Birmingham sucks”.

Refusing to play into that “encore bullshit”, PUP hammer home their non-stop banger-fuelled set with favourites, as they play ‘If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will’ leading straight into ‘DVP’. Sweat-drenched fans leave the gig on a high and PUP close off their tour doing what they do best – providing fast, high energy punk tunes in intimate venues and proving themselves to be one of the most electrifying live rock bands around.

EP Review: infectious depression pop from Baby Queen’s debut EP ‘Medicine’

South Africa-born, London-based newcomer Baby Queen (Bella Latham) invites the world into her Baby Kingdom with her shiny pop gem of a debut EP, Medicine. The six-track release is the soundtrack to lockdown, pairing rock-influenced synth-pop bops with sharp, cynical lyrics that explore mental health and the toxicity of social media, as so many of us can all say we’ve spent a lot of this year glued to our phones and in unhealthy relationships with the internet.

Baby Queen’s debut single, ‘Internet Religion’, which was released back in May, opens the EP with a strong message of honest insecurity crafted by the overwhelming pressure of social media – ‘Let me show you all the best parts of my life / My clothes and my phone and the gap in my thighs’, she writes, ever so upfront and self-critical. Combined with a catchy guitar-heavy chorus (the type the crowd would clap along to in rhythm, back when live music was a thing), the song sets the tone for the rest of the EP and defines what to expect from Baby Queen – confidence, cynicism, and pop-rock bangers.

‘Pretty Girl Smile’ offers a lyrical critique of the editing and judging of women’s bodies online, commenting on body dysmorphia and the damage social media does to our mental health and self-image, wrapped in a glistening synth-pop bow. ‘You are what you eat, so I’ll become nothing / I alter my face and they call me stunning’, sings Latham, a sarcastic call-out to unrealistic beauty standards set to the sound of a shiny guitar-pop tune, reminiscent of The 1975 or Pale Waves.

Track three, ‘Want Me’, is Latham’s ode to her celebrity crush, Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer (and who can blame her?). The song is infectious, both in its catchy chorus and bridge, and in its lyrical commentary on the obsessive nature and infatuation of an unrequited crush that you can’t seem to get over.

Photo by David J East, from the ‘Want Me’ music video.

‘Buzzkill’ presents a grunge-influenced pop track that marries the harmonious self-deprecating vocals of Lorde with the pop-rock attitude of Yungblud. Lyrically, the track is ever so relatable in its detailing of Latham’s social anxiety and depression presenting her as an undesirable party guest who puts a downer on her friends’ moods. While the topic of mental health is much more openly discussed in music in recent years, Latham’s honesty and brutally candid openness about it still serves as refreshing and admirable.

Title-track ‘Medicine’ brings mental health to the forefront, in a refreshing, honest love letter to the importance of medicating depression – ‘If it wasn’t for my medicine, I’d wanna be dead again’, she sings on the chorus.

Dreampop final track ‘Online Dating’ closes the EP with a sweet recounting of a “boy crush”, but rather than focussing on the romance, it looks inwards at Latham’s apathetic indifference in him because of her insecurities and depression. The song carries the same confident pop musicality and cynical lyricism that are seen across the whole EP, as well as the ongoing theme of mental health and the worsening state of it on today’s youths because of social media.

While Baby Queen is critical, she is never judgemental – she knows that the majority of her audience is also young, insecure, and struggling, and instead of reprimanding them, she shares her own relatable experiences to analyse the toxicity of internet culture. Pairing this with her bold synth-pop bangers and sharp wit, Baby Queen has cemented her brand with a solid debut EP that presents her as a shining British pop newcomer with a bright music career ahead of her, and I certainly can’t wait to be invited further into her Baby Kingdom.

FFO: Yungblud, Pale Waves, Lorde, Girli

Label: Polydor
Released: 11th November 2020

October 2020 Playlist

My playlist for October is my longest yet, and maybe its egotistical of me to say it’s also my best yet!

This past month has been filled with so many incredible new tunes that I couldn’t restrain myself in adding all of my favourites to the new monthly playlist, so while it may seem overwhelming, it’s only because so many artists have released exciting music this month.

Featuring pop hits from artists like Dorian Electra and Bea Miller, indie tunes from Bull and The Manatees, and rock anthems from the likes of Black Honey and Bad Nerves.

Check out my October playlist on Spotify below:

https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2qMHDnySMK79lwTAXbbPEF

Yungblud @ PRYZM, Kingston (23/10/19)

Doncaster-born Yungblud (Dominic Harrison) embarks on his ‘Intimate as Fuck’ tour across the UK in support of his new chart-topping EP, Hope for the Underrated Youth, including two sold-out shows at PRYZM, Kingston, hosted by local record store Banquet Records. The intimate acoustic show illustrates the powerful, energetic spirit of the genre-blurring alternative-pop star that is Yungblud, and perfectly demonstrates why his loyal fans are so faithful to this rising misfit icon.

As the stage time approaches, the sea of bright pink (Yungblud’s signature colour) speckled fans eagerly await his arrival in anticipation for a special evening of music. The lights dim, and 22-year-old Yungblud arrives on stage with a red-and-white striped cardigan, black lipstick, and an even brighter wide grin. He picks up his acoustic guitar and starts the show with an exhilarating stripped rendition of ‘Loner’, a single from earlier in the year, followed by ‘Parents’, a track which features on the new EP. These alternative-rap inspired tracks transcend genre labels as they seamlessly are reimagined as acoustic versions, proving that Yungblud’s anti-conformity punk attitude even works with just his voice, guitar, and the harmonies of a couple-hundred diehard fans.

With a playful smile on his black lips, Yungblud rejoices in the loud, electric energy of the crowd, exclaiming, “Just because it’s intimate, doesn’t mean we have to be fucking quiet!”

We are transported back to the beginning of Yungblud’s blossoming career with his debut single, ‘King Charles’. Abruptly, he pauses the song midway to check on a young fan in the crowd, genuine concern for the young gig-goer as he waits for confirmation that she’s comfortable before continuing.

Another new emotional track from the EP, ‘Casual Sabotage’, fills the room. Despite only being released a few days prior, the crowd sings the lyrics back loudly.

Slow ballad ‘Waiting for the Weekend’ gives the trendsetter an opportunity for personal backstory as he invites his former manager from the guitar shop he worked at when he was a teen on stage. Yungblud explains that his ex-boss helped him write the track when he was just 15, so to play it on stage to him, at a sold-out show, is a beautiful moment to witness. Yungblud has truly made his young wannabe-rockstar teenage self proud.

‘Original Me’, a song which, true to Yungblud fashion, celebrates originality and everyone’s inner weirdo with lyrics like ‘I’m the original loser’ and ‘don’t let them change your mind’. Towards the end of the song, Yungblud spots a girl near the front struggling and asks if she’s alright, for a name, and for her to join him on stage. She sits next to him at the piano as he ends his set with the title track from his new EP.

Despite it being a stripped back set, the crowd opens up mosh pits and erupts into a sea of chaos. Bouncing with energy and love, Yungblud stands above the crowd as fans swarm around him. He promises to meet those who wait around after the show for ‘cuddles’ and a sing-along on the streets of Kingston.

At 22, Yungblud has a Top 5 charting EP and the wide grin on his face shows it.

As the crowd sings acapella to him, he promises he will never forget the moment for the rest of his life. With such an intimate night of music, love, and celebrating the loser inside of us all, it’s hard to imagine that he will as his career continues to skyrocket and he plays these small venues less and less.

Violent Sounds

For my last blog on violence, I’ve decided to carry on with my music related theme. I’ve prepared some songs that I think in some way can be related to violence.

The playlist I’ve curated follows some songs that have similar themes. We start with racial violence (XXX, Black, This is America, etc.), then on to school shooters and gun violence (Teenagers, Pumped Up Kicks, 5^th Period Massacre), abusive relationships (Kiss With a Fist, Pulling Teeth, Breezeblocks), and to self-harm (What You Need, Small Cuts) – these two tracks in particular come off as rather sarcastic and I struggled to find songs related to this topic compared to others.

The two chosen PUP songs (See You At Your Funeral, If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You…) address violence with irony, similarly to the songs before it. The songs have their comedic moments, especially the increasing violence in Tour.

My next sectioning for the playlist gets less organised and I don’t have a group for them other than ‘songs about general political violence’. There’s the brutality of refugees, immigration laws, and drone strikes on innocents. Also, American Idiot which, for anyone who wasn’t alive or somehow lived under a rock in 2004, is about hating a dumbass president and a nation controlled by the conservative media (still very fitting in the current political climate).

Our House (The Mess We Made) is the newest release on the playlist and is about global warming and the violence of neglect as people, including political leaders, tend to ignore these problems and dismiss them as not serious, especially if they don’t seem to directly affect them.

I chose to end on Revenge, because I find it sort of beautiful: ‘I am valued, I am loved / I will get revenge on everyone who’s done me wrong’. I feel like it’s a wonderful clash of validating self-love and vengeful violence. My only regret for this playlist is that I couldn’t think of more female artists with songs I could relate to violence.

So there you have it, a playlist of violent sounds for your ears to enjoy.

Dave performs ‘Black’ at the BRITs

As the first single from his debut studio album Psychodrama, Black serves an unapologetic love letter to the rapper’s black inheritance. Black is angry. Black is celebratory. The song explores blackness in all its glory and its tragedy.

The song starts with ‘Look, black is beautiful, black is excellent / Black is pain, black is joy, black is evident’. Dave opens the track with holding nothing back: he is proud of his race, and he has suffered because of it. The bluntness of these lyrics against the dark piano instrumental sets the tone: it’s cold and factual. Black is excellent, black is pain, and these are facts.

Dave tells of the unhealthy representation of black people he experienced growing up, a lack of black history in the education system, and the fear stimulated by these ideas of blackness: ‘Tell us we used to be barbaric, we had actual queens / Black is watchin’ child soldiers gettin’ killed by other children / Feelin’ sick, like, “Oh shit, this could have happened to me”’.

Dave calls out the hypocrisy of the media’s portrayal of black people, especially black men, as villains compared to the white men who are excused for the same, if not worse, actions: ‘A kid dies, the blacker the killer, the sweeter the news / And if he’s white you give him a chance, he’s ill and confused / If he’s black he’s probably armed, you see him and shoot’. Police brutality and racist accusations are out in the open on national TV. His performance of the song at the 2020 BRIT Awards had Dave playing a square piano which was used as a screen, at this point of the song projecting news article clippings of black youth violence. Dave is not afraid of the facts, which are that the media uses black men as scapegoats: they are criminals, they are violent, they are villains. They are a minority that can be blamed and murdered while white men are forgiven for the same crimes.

For his BRITs performance, Dave wrote an additional verse to the song. As the music swells and intensifies, he stands to address the audience and the camera as he says ‘equality’s a right, it doesn’t deserve credit’ – this is a direct message to everyone watching. He calls out Boris Johnson and the racist treatment of Meghan Markle by the British public, and ends with, ‘But Grenfell victims still need accommodation / And we still need support for the Windrush generation / Reparations for the time our people spent on plantations,’ addressing the violence of neglect that generations of black people have suffered.

Dave chose to use his performance to promote the black experience and call out racism. He had a whole album of songs to choose from and he decided to be political about the violence that black people have and continue to suffer from. For a light entertainment TV event that might feel trivial, Dave’s performance is unforgettable for his choice to make a statement and stand up for his beliefs.