Back in March, indie-punk trio VIAL unveiled their second album, burnout, which contained a catchy set of songs that skidded between dark anthems and raucous heft. To end the year on a high note, they’ve rerecorded their 2019 debut EP, Grow Up. Titled Grow The Fuck Up, the project arrives November 29 via Get Better Records and will be available on vinyl for the first time. The LP also includes the ripping new song ‘DIY or Die,’ a rewrite of a deleted Grow Up B-side, and comes with a music video where guitarist/vocalist KT Branscom gets doused in blood while dressed like a beauty pageant winner. “We rerecorded our debut EP Grow Up to look back on our progress as musicians and revisit some very nostalgic songs after five years of VIAL,” the band say. “It’s like a little love letter to our younger selves. When we first recorded Grow Up, we had very limited resources during the recording process and didn’t even use our own cables. We feel very lucky we’re able to revisit this EP now that we have access to the funds, skills, and equipment we’d always wanted to allocate toward these eight songs.” [via Alt Press]

Last month, Romy and Sari Lightman announced their debut EP under the Lightman & Lightman name, a release called Sister Smile that will be out December 6, and features contributions from several notable musicians, including Hand Habit’s Meg Duffy, and members of Cola, TOPS and Jessica Pratt’s band. The LP was announced with the single ‘Bethlehem XL,’ and now the sisters are sharing a second preview of the EP, a track called ‘Weave Your Name In Mine.’ Lightman & Lightman say of the track: “I wanted to capture the passion, desperation, even the romantic infatuation to converse with and be seen by the divine. A love song to God through the eyes of Etty & Jeanine with the devotional sincerity of a 60s girl group. I wrote this one much later than the rest of the album. I was walking through a public garden, staring at the roses, thinking of Dantes’ Paradise, and thought what would a pop song about divine love plucked from the secular sphere sound like? In the music video animated and directed by Zak Tatham, we asked our friend, a contemporary dancer to play the role of “the divine source on the ceiling” holding and reflecting back our shared and interconnected humanity. We recorded most of the track in our garage in Tujunga, with Riley Fleck (Tops, Jessica Pratt) playing drums and Meg Duffy (Hand Habits) on guitar.”

Following her recent East Coast tour – which experienced such high demand that a second Naarm/Melbourne show was added – singer-songwriter Odette shares her serendipitous new single and video ‘Seahorses’. Harnessing a songwriting craft that’s nothing short of exceptional, Odette’s approach to lyrical expression is strengthened by her unique sense of curiosity and openness, allowing for moments of vulnerability and catharsis to coexist with her unapologetic self-assurance. With subtle allusions to authority figures and power dynamics, Odette finds a happy medium between scathing cynicism and blissful idealism on ‘Seahorses’, as she playfully flips between vocal registers. Her soaring melodies find their match in the vibrant, playful instrumentation, with the energetic piano-led groove melding with delicate woodwinds and resonant percussion. Speaking on the song, Odette reveals, “’Seahorses’ is buoyant and fun and scathing. I wrote this when I was angry and joyous at the same time in the studio with Kiah. It’s how I was looking at the world in that moment and everything felt beautiful and nightmarish at the same time. I think it still does.” In the self-directed music video, Odette, along with a team of her friends and collaborators, captures the ephemeral moments of joy that lie at the heart of ‘Seahorses’, safeguarding each snapshot for her future self. She shares, ”This is my favourite video I’ve ever done and I directed it!! Monte (@monteemadeit) is one of my favourite producers I’ve worked with. He’s the kind of guy who will get on the ground when you do, it just makes the space feel very collaborative and exciting! This video is just me and my friends having fun together. I wanted to document everyone digitally so I can look back at the funny things we did when I’m older. I love them with my entire heart. I wouldn’t be here without them, seriously.” [via TwentyThree]

Fresh off of touring with Wallows in North America and Olivia Rodrigo in Australia, New Zealand alt-pop player BENEE has a brand-new single for us. Titled ‘Animal,’ this new one follows September’s ‘Sad Boiii.’ Both will show up on her forthcoming album, which drops next year. Upbeat and anthemic, ‘Animal’ has a clear hip-hop influence, with a glitchy backing track. “And you can’t stay mad at me, I’m just an animal,” BENEE sings on the chorus. “A micro-celebrity, but I mean nothing at all.” Benee shared this statement on the song: “’Animal’ is a song I wrote when I felt extreme existential dread. When flying in a plane on tour, looking down onto what looks like an ant-like world really inspired the lyrics. How huge something feels when you’re in it, but zoomed out so SMALL. I love thinking about life like that. I thought about this concept long and hard, and I feel we can only be playful with the thought of how insignificant and small we are compared to the universe. There’s peace in not knowing what anything is here for. It makes me want to enjoy everything in life even more.” Watch the ‘Animal’ video, directed by Keith Herron, below. [via Stereogum]

New Zealand artist and producer Fazerdaze unveils her second album, Soft Power, a release that marks the realisation of her ambitious sonic vision. Steeped in deep meaning and fueled by fierce self-compassion and empowerment, Soft Power is out now via section1 and Buttrfly Records (AU/NZ). This expansive record provided Fazerdaze a space to fully embrace her inner strength and power, while staying connected to her softness, rawness, and vulnerability. Speaking about what it means to her, Fazerdaze (real name Amelia Murray) shares, “This is what I created during the darkest, loneliest, most tumultuous years of my life – entering womanhood, navigating the world, the music industry, and what I thought was love. In my scariest moments, this album was my anchor for hope, purpose, and light. I am so relieved and content to finally share with you; Soft Power.” With an atmospheric feel reminiscent of sunset festival sets, the album beautifully balances lightness and tenderness with a sense of determination and resilience. Listen and watch the first animated Fazerdaze video, for the focus track ‘So Easy’, below. The video was filmed in LA during a day off from tour, directed by Lanning Sally and animated by Rollinos (Gabriel Rolim) in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Desire share new single/video ‘Drama Queen’ from their upcoming album Games People Play, which is coming soon via Italians Do It Better. The track comes ahead of their upcoming European tour, which starts next week in Lisbon and sees shows in Porto, Vigo, Barcelona, Madrid, Lyon, Paris, London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Brussels, Utrecht, Hamburg, Berlin, Poznán, Prague, Vienna, Zagreb, Milan, Bologna, Rome, Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn & Helsinki. ‘Drama Queen’ is a high-energy disco anthem built for the dance floor, blending classic piano house with bold, modern production. With the lyric “On The Road… Torture Mode,” Desire delivers unapologetic attitude & sassy edge. Packed with catchy hooks & symphonic stabs, ‘Drama Queen’ combines ethereal ‘70s Disco with a fierce, contemporary twist. Its accompanying music video, inspired by the end scene of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001, adds a cinematic edge, amplifying the track’s bold attitude & setting the scene for ‘Drama Queen’s live debut across a 25-date European tour.

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.

Written and produced specifically to support young peoples’ mental wellbeing, ‘Bagels’ uses musical elements identified by Auckland University of Technology (AUT) neuroscientists to relax the nervous system, modify brain activity and ease feelings of anxiousness.

Neurological testing on teenagers and young adults found listening to ‘Bagels’ lowered levels of “state anxiety,” which is the type of short-term anxiety experienced in stressful situations. The track also calmed brain activity in the frontal and parietal lobes – the areas often associated with regulating emotions and the fight or flight stress response.

As a big believer in using music to cope with her mental health challenges, BENEE was excited to work with producer Josh Fountain and AUT scientists to learn about why music impacts anxiety.

BENEE says, “I’ve always seen music as a kind of therapy, but it was fascinating to learn why certain sounds move your mood. ‘Bagels’ was a totally different creative process for us: every aspect, from the beat, the natural soundscape and harmonies, to the subtle message in my lyrics, ‘you are not alone,’ is designed to take away feelings of anxiousness.”

She continues, “I’ve huge respect for Youthline’s work, so it’s been awesome to partner on this track, to show young people that it’s ok to talk about mental health, and to provide them with another tool to try when stressed. We all need to find what helps us, and one way I find calm is swimming at the beach and having a bagel – I’ve made a nod to this in the song, and obviously its title ‘Bagels.’”

As well as advising on the musical principles behind ‘Bagels,’ AUT Associate Professors Daniel Shepherd and Mangor Pedersen designed tests to measure the song’s impact on anxious feelings. Using electroencephalogram (EEG) imaging of brain activity, their research found ‘Bagels’ was the most effective in easing anxious feelings and relaxing the brain of all music tested.

Associate Professor Shepherd says, “Our testing of ‘Bagels’ shows its effectiveness for managing anxious thoughts and shifting young peoples’ bodies and brains into a significantly calmer state, shown through their lower heart rate, patterns of brain activity, and reduced perspiration.”

“I’ve studied the psychological effects of music for 15 years and jumped at the chance to be part of this ground-breaking project. Powered by more than 10 billion data points mapping a detailed representation of brain activity, our research into ‘Bagels’ is an unprecedented study of how music can regulate anxiety, and I’m excited to see it help our youth.”

‘Bagels’’ soothing melodies and natural soundscapes come to life in the animated music video which floats viewers through a series of playful, organic worlds. Anxiety-reducing principles woven into the video include smooth color transitions and hypnotic swaying of organic forms, a technique to move our eyes repetitively from left to right. This strategy is a feature of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprogramming (EMDR), a therapeutic tool used to help with anxiety.

Says Youthline’s Clinical and Services Manager, registered counselor Joanna Madsen, “There’s been a rapid rise in mental distress post Covid, and anxiety is one of the top concerns raised with our therapists and helpline counselors. Helping young people manage their mental wellbeing and anxiousness can prevent an increase in distress, but we know around half of young people don’t feel confident asking for support with their mental health.”

“There’s a clear need for clinically sound, creative, and accessible resources young people can add to their wellness kit for when they’re feeling anxious. It’s our hope this track will be a practical tool teenagers and young adults can use in stressful situations – around exams, a tough conversation, or on a crowded bus.”

“It’s been so exciting to have someone as talented and relevant as BENEE onboard. She’s a vocal mental health advocate and her determination to use her voice to support young people shines through this track.”

All income generated from streaming of ‘Bagels’ will be donated to Youthline.

The post BENEE and Youthline New Zealand launch new song ‘Bagels’ to help young people calm anxious thoughts appeared first on She Makes Music.

BENEE spoke on creating ‘Green Honda’ and the real life Green Honda that she still owns: “It was such a refreshing experience to be in the studio writing with two other young women. There is so much that you just don’t need to explain when you’re working with your true peers. It’s intuitive. They just get it, and that’s amazing. ‘Green Honda’ was quite a light-hearted song at first, and some parts just flowed immediately. I headed straight to Europe on tour after the writing session, so I had to go back and forth with Elvira and Luka to get the production just right. I wanted the energy of the song to capture the idea I had of writing a song about knowing where you’re at and what you need to say and not being afraid.

“There is a personal history to the Green Honda story… my green Honda was my first car, passed on to me by my grandmother when she gave up driving. I call him ‘Steve’, and he’s on the cover of my STELLA & STEVE EP. We’ve had lots of adventures together. The song is the “I’m f***ing over you” song you didn’t know you needed and says everything you wish you had said to your ex. From the top, she declares, “You were a waste of fucking time,” before doubling down with, “I pull up in my green Honda to tell ya that I don’t want ya!”

The accompanying video, shot in Lancaster, CA and directed by Eliot Charof & AA, sees BENEE and her pals cavorting through a bubblegum electro junkyard world with cars, dogs, wild fashion, and full-on attitude.

The post Track of the Week: ‘Green Honda’ by BENEE appeared first on She Makes Music.