Category Archives: Influential Women In Music.

WARPAINT: Albert Hall, Manchester 12/05/2022

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If you’ve ever seen Warpaint live, then what I’m about to write will probably be old news to you. If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written about Warpaint, that too will also be old news. But it doesn’t matter. My point with this is to just tell anyone who reads this how amazing the band are. On record it is obvious they are brilliant, but live? Well, that’s a different level altogether.

My love for Warpaint started when I first heard the Exquisite Corpse many many moons ago. I felt like I had found the band that I needed my whole life. Warpaint just make eveyrything better. They fill you with joy, love and hope. Their laid-back sound is utterly transformed in a live setting and it’s pretty much life-changing.

They open with Stars; which is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. The song soothes the soul. It calms you and makes you feel like all is okay. I can’t describe how euphoric this song is live, but to be honest with you- the whole set is sheer euphoria. The way Stars goes gently into Champion is too much! It should be a crime to be this good. There are so many moments during the set that just leave you in awe. I had to stop myself from crying many times. I felt complete happiness at this show, and I’ve not felt that way in a hell of a long time. But let’s not get too personal now. I think part of the joy I felt was down to how long I’ve waited to see them live again. The set was divine. I mean of course I’d be happy if they sang the alphabet for 5 hours straight but this set was just all I wanted and more. There was a strong mix of old and new songs.

My absolute favourite moment of the show was New Song going into Disco//Very. Those two songs makes me SO stupidly happy and to get them back to back in this way was like winning the lottery but way better. I was sat at the top (it was the VIP section and I felt so awkward sitting there but being able to watch the crowd move and sing their hearts out was so beautiful. The most beautiful crowd I’d ever seen!) Those two songs are wat heaven must sound like. You cannot help but watch the stage with such love and admiration. I adore how much they love each other, and this comes across every single time. The moment that really shows this is when all four of them stand at the front of the stage and sing Melting together. I’m pretty sure that’s how angels sing you know. As much as I love rowdy Punk shows, the balance I get from bands like Warpaint ease the mind. They are such a gentle band and without sounding like a cliched fool- they have never sounded better! The confidence is stunning. Emily’s vocals sound stronger than ever- this is evident on Hard To Tell You. She hits the high notes (I’m getting goose bumps writing about it!) and my god it’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before. Pretty apt that they played an old church, right? This band have serious healing powers. Hard To Tell You is probably my favourite off the new record, and seeing it live was something else. I thought this would have been the one that made me proper bawl, but all I could do was soak up the moment and be in awe of Emily’s vocals.

At various parts of the show, you find yourself focusing on certain band members. Love Is To Die- you find yourself being in awe of Theresa’s vocals and presence. Like I mentioned already, Hard To Tell You leaves you fully engrossed with Emily’s voice. Jenny during Elephants and Beetles just blows your mind. Stella’s drumming on Disco//Very is just mind-blowing. These are just a couple of examples, but to be honest- the whole show just blew my mind. If I could live in a moment where I am constantly at a Warpaint show- I’d take it. I’m not sure how I’ve focused at work today because in my mind, body and soul- I’m at the show.

Something I’ve always admired about the band is how close they are. There’s this unity they have that makes you wish you were part of the band. I can’t really put into words what it’s like, but if you’ve seen them live- you’ll know exactly what I mean. Melting really summed this up. The way they stood round Emily as she played her iconic guitar, and they all created a different side to this song. I loved watching Jenny sway during every song. Her eyes closed as she sways to the music. There’s something about the sound like her bass makes that makes you instantly move just like her. Close your eyes and sway. The unbreakable bond they have is so beautiful to watch and you cannot help but smile like a total idiot whilst watching them.

Until next time, I’ll be keeping this show very close to my heart.

WARPAINT: Radiate Like This.

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The day before Warpaint released their debut record The Fool around 11 years ago, I interviewed them at The Deaf Institute here in Manchester. I was petrified! I was about to interview a band I had loved for some time, and I was finally able to sit next to them and interview them. That feeling, that moment will never leave me. Since then, I’ve pretty much obsessed over any and everything they’ve released. I wear my Warpaint tattoo with utter pride. I adore this band. I love everything about them but the main thing is the bond they all have with each other. You can tell they love the bones of each other and love making music together and this shines through in all they do.

The artwork for the record sums up the feel of it. It is calming, you’ll feel like you’re floating and for that moment you listen to the record- you’ll feel alright. When the record came out on Friday- I just couldn’t wait to play it. I played it whilst getting ready for work and whilst on my way to work- I had it blasting in my headphones. The best way to listen to Warpaint is through headphones so you can really soak up everything that is going on. There’ll be times where Emily’s voice will make you cry because of the sheer gentleness. Jenny’s bass will make you move without a care in the world. Theresa will hypnotise you with the way she annihilates the guitar. The we have Stella who is just the best drummer around. The record opens with Champion, and this song perfectly guides us gently into the new record. Champion has everything you could possibly want from Warpaint. They’ll make you feel like you are gazing out to the ocean with the sun providing comfort on your back.

Radiate Like This is their first record in 6 years, and it honestly feels like you are listening to a brand new band. It is such an ethereal record and for me, this is so evident on Hard To Tell You which I think just may be one of my favourite Warpaint songs ever. The lyrics are heartbreaking, and everything else surrounding it is so light. Vocally, Emily will break you. There’s this beautiful fragility to her voice here, and the way Stella, T and Jenny accompany the dreamy vocals is just out of this world. I just want to spend the day doing nothing and listen to this song on repeat. I feel like I could write an essay on how perfect it is. It’s one of those songs that when you listen to it just once, it immediately takes over. Everything about this song is just divine. Maybe it’s Emily’s gentle voice, maybe it’s the lyrics. Maybe it’s everything I love about Warpaint in 5 minutes. I think that’s it.

What I adore about Warpaint and this record is how fearless they are. I love how they absolutely blow your mind with every single song. The way songs like Trouble, Proof and Stevie (Jenny’s bass on this sounds so heavenly. If angels played bass, this is what it would sound like!) sound like they are from another planet. It just blows my mind. Proof is definitely up there with one of the most exciting songs on the record, and the energy it has just makes you wish you could start a band like this! There will only ever be one Warpaint. I love how Proof gets quite heavy musically, and together vocally it feels like they are putting a spell on you. I think Warpaint put a spell on us all those years ago when they first started.

When you listen to Warpaint, you immediately forget everything that’s going on in your head. You’re quickly taken to their world; and their world is so tranquil and soothing. Warpaint have this heavenly sound that only they can create. I’m pretty sure they could make a Death Metal record and it would still sound gentle and soothing. Warpaint are that security blanket you need when everything seems pretty tough, and what they’ve done on Radiate Like This is just like they have done on their previous records. They make you fall back in love with music all over again. I don’t mean to fixate on it, but Champion has something about it that just makes you feel like you can take on anything. It makes you feel hella tough- even when you are the complete opposite. I cannot wait to see them do this live; there’s something about this that is just meant to be witnessed live.

If you’re looking for a song to really get you moving- you need to play Like Sweetness. This one has that slick Warpaint sound. That groove that makes you pull an ugly face and you just feel every beat, every note, every word. It just moves you. For me, Warpaint have always been that band I listen to when I can’t sleep or when I need my mind to quiet down a bit. Radiate Like This is made up of songs that will calm your mind, and Like Sweetness may just be the most gentle song on the record lyrically. When I paid attention to the lyrics the other day, I just cried. Not just because it’s beautiful, but because of how open the band are with their words. If you want to feel a sense of freedom or just sheer happiness, then go the nearest lake or body of water, put your headphones in and play Trouble on repeat for a little while. Honestly, that song is something else.

I could spend hours, days even giving you reasons as to why this is the most gorgeous record you’ll hear all year. But if you’re a Warpaint fan already, then you know this. I know I love music that is loud and such, but Warpaint are the band that are just good for the soul. This record is made up of songs that could calm any soul, that could tame any mind. This is their 4th full length record, and they are a band that keep on getting better and better. They have a distinctive sound/style, but they always change it up. They play around with all genres, and make their own. There’s no band quite like them. There never will be again. It’s obvious how much I love this band, and I’m SO excited to see them on Thursday.

Radiate Like This is a masterpiece. It is a glowing work of art that you just won’t be able to live without.

GHUM: Deceiver.

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In a matter of weeks, the debut record by GHUM will finally be here. I cannot wait. Part of me wanted to hold off listening to anything they’d release (single wise) until the record was here, but I couldn’t stop myself. I’m glad I didn’t.

My love for this band is huge, and I adore any and everything they do. They’re one of those bands that once you listen to them, you’re just hooked for life. That’s how they got me. There’s a number of bands I can think of that I hold in this regard and to put GHUM in that list makes me happy.

Deceiver is everything us GHUM fans have come to expect from the band and more. It’s such a great song, and one to really get lost in. Am I obsessed with the song? Ever so slightly. I’m so excited for their record to come out, and going by the music they have blessed us with so far- I think we can call it as one of the best records of the year. Definitely the best debut record for sure! There’s an infectious fury in this song, and it’s that fury that makes you sing the words back with everything you have. There’s truly no better band around right now. It’s always been GHUM. It’ll always be GHUM.

This song along with Bitter are two perfect dark and eerie songs to set the tone for their debut record. Deceiver is about “a relationship where one of the parties is starting to discover a selfish side to their lover, disappointment after disappointment the trust starts running low and the love starts to fade away.” Something painful, but the band make it easier with this song. There’s this intense passion in all that they do and it comes across exceptionally strong on this song. I have a feeling their record will be full of moments like this- where the songs are dominated by intense and raw emotion- you can’t help but relate to it. The chorus is lethal, and is delivered with this snarl that leaves you in awe.

In a few weeks time, the debut record comes out. I’m fully ready to play the record religiously.

You can pre-order the record here: https://ghum.bandcamp.com/

BEAT IN MY BONES: Episode 3

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This week there is music from: CROWS, METZ, GHUM, Hoorsees, The Battery Farm and the new one from Sextile!

I think I spend most of the show talking about CROWS and their show in Manchester from last Friday. Bloody incredible it was!

Right, I’m off to play FIFA x

GHUM: Some People.

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I feel like I have waited FOREVER to write this, but I am SO excited to write that GHUM’s debut record, Bitter will be out THIS YEAR. I am so so excited about this. I can’t put into words. I’m just stupidly excited to hear this record from a band I’ve loved for so long. There’s really no better feeling is there? When a band you adore get to finally put their debut full length record out

Bitter is made up of 9 phenomenal songs; I am confident in saying this because I love this band and going by what they’ve already released so far- it’s a pretty fair statement to make. Today they have also released their new song, Some People which is also accompanied with a pretty great video too. The new song is heavy, but the video is the polar opposite of it and it works so well. The video is directed by the wonderful Lydia Garnett who has blessed the world some wonderfully Queer art. When you take that and mix it with a song from a band you just love- it creates something that just makes your heart burst with utter joy!

There are some bands that when you listen to them, the impact just stays with you. Just this morning I was listening to the band on my way to work, and I felt like I was listening to them for the first time all over again. I’ve got a handful of bands that make me feel like that, and GHUM are easily one of them. I know that their debut record is going to blow our minds and from 17th June onwards- I probably won’t listen to anything but that record. I cannot wait!

The band got together about 6 years ago, so this full length record has been a long time coming. Their two EPs (self-titled and The Coldest Fire) are works of art and you know, it’s a fair call to make to say that Bitter will too be a masterpiece. I’m just so excited to listen to the record.

Check out the artwork here for Bitter:

For me it kind of gives you a hint to how the record will sound; a bit spooky, a bit dark but with tender moments. The band are made up of the best musicians around, and with this strong and distinctive sound they have- they will probably take over the world. Let’s dream big! They deserve it.

It’s an honour to write about a band like GHUM and to see how their sound has strengthened, and also how fearless they are with what they do. This morning I finished reading the book In The Miso Soup, and there’s part of the song that reminds me a little bit of the book: “We’re just ‘some people.’ But I want you to know; there’s some evil in me.” Really makes me think about the book and the ending of it. The book will mess with your head, and so will GHUM’s music to be honest- but all the best art does, right?! The magic in this song is all the way through. You’ve got the sheer intensity of Laura’s vocals that go right into Vicki’s drumming. Then you’ve got MJ and Jojo on bass and guitar creating this eerie atmosphere that pulls you in. You just can’t get enough of this song, of this band.

You can pre-order Bitter here: https://ghum.bandcamp.com/ and the record is out 17th June via Everything Sucks.

GHUM will also be playing a headline show in London at the Sebright Arms on the 22nd April.

ZOLA JESUS: Lost

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That feeling when one of the singers you adore so much comes back with new music; there’s truly nothing quite like it. The first time I heard Zola Jesus, was actually the song she did as Nika + Rory. The song was I’m Not Going Anywhere. I played it almost religiously. I then heard Nika’s work as Zola Jesus when brought out The Spoils, and that was it. My obsession was blooming and I didn’t want it any other way.

There are a few bands/singers that just stick with you, and the any announcement of new music from them just immediately hits you right in the heart and you feel alive again. Since 2009 I’ve had this admiration and love for Nika and all she creates. I cannot think of anyone else who does what she does, who makes the sounds she does, who has a mind like hers. She’s the only one, and let’s be honest- there won’t ever be anyone else like her ever again. Her voice is so haunting and so comforting. I’m not ashamed to say I’ve bawled my eyes out to some of her songs, but my god there are songs that just give you this euphoric feeling and nothing can come close to it.

Lost is the new single, and is taken from Nika’s new record Arkhon which is out 20th May via one of the best labels ever- Sacred Bones. If you’re a fan of Nika/Zola Jesus, you know exactly what to expect but at the same time you are ready to be thrown into the deep unknown. Lost is such a beautiful and open song, and so easy to connect with. We all feel lost. Some of us feel it more than others, some of us are just constantly lost. For some, it may be all we know. But it’s a feeling that so many can connect with; and the way Nika writes about it here is just divine and right to the core.

The percussion, the sound of breathing (at the start- I think) it’s got this reassuring feel to it. The start sounds like a panic attack coming on (something I know far too well) but then everything calms down, and you are centred. Everything is okay, and you feel reassured again. There’s something about that chaotic feeling of being lost that allows you to just go at your own pace and eventually find what you need. I think that’s something we probably need to cling on to more than we care to admit.

The video for Lost is stunning. It will leave you breathless and just in awe of this magnificent creation. It sums up the feel of the song so well, and it is shot in the most gorgeous way imaginable. I don’t want to write too much about the video; I want you to take some time out of your day to watch the video. Maybe a couple of times in a row, and just take it all in. The song is a masterpiece and if the whole record has this feel to it, then I think we may have found the most beautifully put together record of the year.

WARPAINT: Champion

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Warpaint announce details of their fourth album 'Radiant Like This'

Over the past couple of days I’ve probably listened to the new Warpaint song more than anything else. That distinctive Warpaint sound is right there. That sound that makes you feel like you are floating in the crystal clear sea with nothing going on around you, and your mind is as clear as the sea.

For me, Warpaint are that band that just allow you to breathe. They have something so calming and comforting about them; I remember when I interviewed them in 2010 just before The Fool came out- I was anything but calm! It’s obvious how much I adore this band, and every single time they release something new, I feel like my metaphorical prayers have been answered.

Champion has the same energy as songs like Burgundy, Warpaint and Undertow. I think it could well be Jenny’s bass that does this. There is something about her specific sound that makes you just float on into somewhere only Warpaint could ever create. You feel as if you’re gently floating towards a sunset, and nothing nor no one can get to you. The band define inner peace and clarity.

It is such a gentle song, and this gentleness is what makes you keep playing this over and over. Stella’s drumming on this is a reminder of why you love this band so much. Then you’ve got Emily and Theresa’s vocals combining together. The drum is the heartbeat of this song (check from 2 minutes onwards) the bass is the part that moves you. The guitar is what keeps you steady. The whole song is just a gorgeous piece of art- it should be prescribed as medication.

The last 40 seconds or so of the song is just instrumental bliss. When you listen to this song, it’s so important that you just close your eyes whilst listening to Champion. Switch the world off and play this song on repeat for a little while; it’ll make you feel better.

The new record by Warpaint, Radiate Like This will be released on 6th May. You know already that it is going to be perfect. Just look at the artwork!

SLOKS: A Knife In Your Hand.

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Many great things are from Torino; my football club (Juve of course!), my stepdad and the incredible SLOKS.

I wrote about SLOKS in 2018, and I was just blown away by what I was hearing. Could that feeling be replicated? Of course it could, and I’m sure it will happen with any and everything they release. Their latest record, A Knife In Your Hand came out a few weeks ago so, better late than never!

The record is INSANE! There have been so many great records to have come out this year, and SLOKS are another band you can add to the list. This record is full of ferocious Punk songs to make you lose your mind to. This is the kind of record you stick on at 1am when all is a bit quiet. Too quiet in fact, and you just need some noise to make you feel better. It’s a shock to the body, to liven it up and make it feel something. You’ll feel like someone is tormenting your brain on songs like No Makeup- which feels like you are listening to someone who is losing their mind a little. That’s what makes it all so easy to love and connect with. This band are just so great, and their sound is so raw it will leave you feeling beautifully uncomfortable.

I love this band so much, and there’s no point in me being anything other than biased about this record. The drums feel like punches to the head. The guitar is like someone giving you an electric shock and the vocals make you feel like you’ve stepped into an asylum with no chance of getting out. It feels like American Horror Story gone Punk. With the best time of year approaching (Halloween!) SLOKS have made the perfect record to get spooky and creepy to. Every song deserves to to be played as loud as possible. Take in the screams of despair on Bad To The Bone. Let those screams haunt you and plague your dreams like nothing else. Soak up that fear, and bite into it.

The songs are just mind-blowing, and make you feel like you’ve stepped into a creepy world full of all things strange, beautiful and just fucking creepy. It’s the kind of record I wish I could make (that’s if I had any musical talent or was in a band.) It’s just really loud, really powerful and when you listen to it, you feel this huge weight being taken off your shoulders. There’s this relief you get from playing this record; I can’t fully describe it but all I know is that it feels like a release. Maybe it’s because of whatever I carry in my head, and it’s released through music I love. Maybe that’s what I mean. Well, regardless of whatever I’m getting at- this record is INCREDIBLE. I want more. I need more. The way Killer vs Killer builds up is unreal. This live would be thrilling, and you’d be hard pressed finding anything else that compares to it.

You know when you hear a record, and you think to yourself, “I wish I could live in this record” well, that’s what I get from this one. The title track is a steady mind-fuck, and I wish it went on for longer. These eleven songs are out of this world, and the world they throw you in is one you never want to leave. I feel like I’ve joined a cult- but one that, even though it may make someone feel on edge, it makes me feel quite safe. Imagine this record live! Holy shit! It would be something else. Ruin It All played live would be so good. That intense drumming throughout would just make you feel like you are possessed. Who or what has a grip on you? SLOKS of course! As if you’d want anyone else.

These songs will stay fixed in your brain. It’ll make you feel like you’ve got something crawling over you. You’ll feel uncomfortable but you’ll never leave it alone. This is a proper sleazy Rock ‘n’ Roll record, and it just leaves you wanting more and more from the band. But for now we wait. This record was worth the wait, and it’s a record I am going to carry on being obsessed with.

A Knife In Your Hand is out now, and you can get a copy here:

NEWS: Sloks – A knife in your hand (VRCD122/VR12122)

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS: Comfort To Me.

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Amyl and the Sniffers - Comfort To Me | Reviews | DIY Magazine

If you’re looking for not only the best Punk record of the year, but THE record of the year, then I am here to help. It’s this one. 100% this record. Comfort To Me by Amyl And The Sniffers is everything you could want from a record. Are you wanting to feel tough even though you may be chickenshit? Are you wanting to feel like you can take on the world, but also wanting something that makes you feel safe? Buy this record.

My love for Amyl And The Sniffers has no limits. I fucking LOVE everything about this band. I love how they are just the most relatable and no bullshit band around. The songs are so easy to relate to. The songs are so easy to find yourself in. This band, and especially this record will influence so many kids to pick up a guitar and make their own noise. Amy Taylor is the best frontperson in decades. You will not find anyone with more charisma, intelligence and purity than Amy. I think she’s incredible. If I was 13 years old, and saw this band and saw Amy for the first time, I’d have sacked everything off and decided to be in a band and not stop until I made something like Comfort To Me. You know when you hear a record so good you just want to cry? This is where I’m at right now.

The record opens with Guided By Angels which we all know is INSANE. I love the positivity in this song. All too often we hear songs that are all “woe is me, the world sucks.” But the positivity on this song is gorgeous. I cannot wait for them to tour this record because this song will probably cause the most beautiful riot possible.

Next up we have the wonderfully titled, Freaks To The Front. I love this song. I love the title. I love how it just feels like home. That’s what I adore about this record. I feel like I am putting on my favourite shirt, and feel ready to face the day. I love the aggression on this one; I love how relatable this is. Then we are smacked with Choices, which is the best fuck you to people who put others down for the decisions they make; which is I think, mainly aimed at those who try to dictate to women what they should think, feel and what decisions they make. Fuck ’em. Your mind, your body, your life- your fucking choice. Always.

I love how the record feels like it was made with urgency, importance and a fuckload of passion. I just want everyone in the world to listen to this record at least five times. It’s got everything you could want from lust to rage. Your heart will break listening to Knifey. It’s awful that it’s a relatable song, and that a lot (probably most to be honest) women will relate to. I won’t spoil it for you, but make sure you dedicate some time to really soak this one up. It’s so important, even if it is awful that it’s relatable but the message is so important.

I feel like this is the record that so many of us are going to keep going back to, and when we do- we will be left in awe all over again. I’ve listened to it 3 times this morning, and each listen is just blowing my mind. Everything about Comfort To Me is astounding. The sheer joy you get from blasting this record out is unlike anything else. Comfort To Me is the kind of record that you need to play every single day. It’s got everything you need and more, and it’s just really one of the most flawless records I’ve ever heard. I know bands can sometimes put fillers on their records, but Amyl And The Sniffers have shat all over the second record curse and given us something to really adore and cherish. You know when you hear a record, and you just feel “Fuck, I really needed this right now.” Well, that’s how Comfort To Me feels.

Last year was a drag for us all, and it could have been easy for so many bands to throw in the towel and just sack it all off. Thank fuck Amyl And The Sniffers created this record. Every single song on this record deserves to be heard by everyone. Songs like Snakes, Don’t Need A Cunt (Like You To Love Me), Choices, Knifey- the whole record! They are just mind-blowing. I’m just in awe of how phenomenal this record is. This record makes you feel free; every song will make you want to move in ways that others may be confused about but fuck it- music is all about freedom and connection. Comfort To Me is a prime example of this, and I cannot wait for the band to come back to the UK and play this record to us.

By no means is this a review, it’s just a massive fan declaring their love for a band that they absolutely adore, and telling you to buy this record and play it loud.

L.A. WITCH: Play With Fire.

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Play With Fire | L.A. WITCH

One of the few things I’ve been super excited about is the brand new record by the finest band from L.A. A band who I have been obsessed with, in love with since the very start. A band who perfectly capture everything I love and want from music. A band that have been the soundtrack to my days- good and bad. A band that are just the coolest. A band that everyone should fall in love with.

This Friday, L.A. Witch’s second record, Play With Fire will finally be released. I’ve had a copy for a couple of months, and I’ve been dying to write about this record. Now I can finally do it, I’m not sure if my words will make sense but hopefully you will be able to make sense of my love for the record and get yourself a copy on Friday.

The record opens with the tougher than leather anthem, Fire Starter. It perfectly sets the mood for this record. It’s a record that you can imagine listening to whilst on the open road, the wind blowing in your face and slowly, every worry you carry is falling away from you. This follows right into the anthemic Motorcycle Boy- which is beautiful ode to a loved one in a way that only L.A. Witch can do. There is no room for comparisons here- whether it be to other bands or to their debut record. Play With Fire is the record of the year; that’s all you need to know.

Sade, Irita and Ellie have hugely excelled themselves on this record and have given us that holy water we desperately need to cleanse our mind, body and soul right now. The record is a masterpiece, and everything about it just oozes something so raw, so cool- it’s such an exciting record and they have truly gone above what we thought we were going to get on this record. Forget what you’d previously heard- Play With Fire is where it is at.

Dark Horse is a song I really need to praise. I know I said NO comparisons, but this song gives me serious Jim Morrison vibes. The poetry in the words, the way Sade’s vocals on this are just unreal. On some songs her vocals are distorted, but here we can really hear how strong her voice is. It also shows us how Ellie and Irita have tightened their sound, and along with Sade’s guitar- it’s just the perfect song. If you want a song that shows you how far the band have come and how they have perfected their art once more, then this is the song. Easily.

You know when you hear a record, and you just imagine how it will sound live? That’s what L.A. Witch give you here, and more. I’m not talking dingy and sweaty basement bars here- I’m talking big stadiums where the front row is made up of kids who will cite it as their first show, then go on to form their own bands and change the world. That’s how great this record is. The riff on I Wanna Lose blows my mind every single time, and with Ellie’s drumming and how Irita brings this urgency with the bass, and you’ve got Sade unleashing hell with her guitar- come on! What more could you ever need?

Play With Fire is the record we all need right now, and for eternity. It’s got this seedy road trip feel to it, it makes you feel like you’ve tripped up into an underworld that no one else has discovered yet. You also feel like you’ve joined a cult and L.A. Witch are now your guides. Do what they say, and you’ll be fine. The attitude on this record is on point, songs like Sexorexia (please god make this a single!) is empowering. It’s tough and my god Sade’s vocals will give you goose bumps and make you feel like you’ve found your own nirvana. It is INCREDIBLE. There’s something about this record that feels nostalgic but also unheard of. It is a proper magical record, and every single song on this record will take you over completely. Every single song deserves its place here, and the way the songs are placed is perfect. Listen to it in order first, then do whatever you want with it. Play each song 5 times before the next if that’s what you want to do. Blast it as loudly as you can. Knock on your neighbour’s door to tell them how great it is! Tell anyone who will listen that THIS is the record of the year. Play With Fire is one of those records that we will be talking about in years to come- it’s got a timeless feel to it, and it’s unlike anything you will have heard before. It is a truly mind-blowing listen from start to finish. If you want songs to waste away the day to, to escape to or to even heal parts of you- LA. Witch have got you covered, always.

The record feels like the best acid trip imaginable (I’ve never done drugs, but I’d imagine this record is how it feels.) You are taken into a different world, and what I adore about Play With Fire is that is stands for something. It’s a courageous record, and it gives you something to believe in; and it makes you feel like an outlaw on the run whilst listening to it. This record could easily be the soundtrack to a film, and I hope one day L.A. Witch create the soundtrack for a film because it would just be insane! For me this record fully justifies why I adore the band so much. Ellie is the best drummer around. Irita is the best bassist you’ll hear and Sade is ferocious on guitar, and her vocals are just as powerful. L.A. Witch are a band that are going to get better and better with everything they do- that’s obvious.

I’ll wrap this up with a quote from Sade about the record: “Play With Fire is a suggestion to make things happen. Don’t fear mistakes or the future. Take a chance. Say and do what you really feel, even if nobody agrees with your ideas. These are feelings that have stopped me in the past. I want to inspire others to be freethinkers even if it causes a little burn.”

Play With Fire is out this Friday via Suicide Squeeze Records.