Horror Movie, an indie-rock and dreampop record that evokes Julee Cruise, Lana Del Rey and Marianne Faithfull, has been an intensive deep-dive into the history and philosophy of the horror genre, and an act of emotional alchemy distilling bipolar disorder and psychosis into something that feels appropriately wide-ranging yet cohesive.

“I confess I wasn’t a big horror nerd before I wrote this album, but after I’d written the title track, I realised I had the beginnings of an album. I spent the next several years educating myself on horror—I did mega-binges of 25 movies in a weekend sometimes, watching giallo, Hammer Horror, 90s slashers, 50s B-movies, and trippy, queer vampire movies from the 70s.”

“The track listing is designed to take you from the edges of the story right into the centre. People with psychosis can seem really normal at first. It starts with a crush, then it descends into something much darker going on. I’m very conscious that I’ve portrayed myself as the villain of my own story, and making this album has been a reckoning with the ways in which I contribute to my own disorder.”

We asked Molly to do an in depth track by track breakdown of Horror Movie for us. Read it below.

Groovy

The album opens with ‘Groovy’—a “psychedelic doo-wop ballad” about wanting someone you know you can’t have, but deciding to enjoy the fantasy of them anyway. ‘Groovy’ is romance with self-awareness. Crushes often come layered with shame, or with a feeling that you don’t have a right to feel the way you do, but here, the desire and fantasy is laid out un-selfconsciously, with several nods to the unreality of it all.

You’ve Been On My Mind

‘You’ve Been On My Mind’—produced almost entirely by Willis herself—arrives as a confession. The stripped-back production, consisting only of synths, some jazzy inversions on electric guitar and layered harmonies as the main vocal is deeply evocative of Lynchian soundtracks and Julee Cruise’s seminal Floating Into The Night. It carries the dreaminess of the opener, with a quieter vulnerability.

In theory, the story could’ve ended here. The truth has been spoken. But, as the album unfolds, it becomes clear that the romance and the fantasy are a red herring. The person who’s been on the narrator’s mind is just a distraction.

Hypocentre

‘Hypocentre’ represents a sharp left turn in the album. The listener has been lured into a false sense of security with soft, dreamy production and here, the alternative, desert rock sound leaps into the world of Horror Movie. Here, the lyrical content shifts to darker, more self-destructive material.

“I’m getting bored now, entertain me” is snarled at the listener, before the chorus talks of “never feeling better” than when isolated and “dying young or living dead”—the first of several obvious nods to famous horror films peppered throughout the album’s lyrics (this time to George A. Romero’s 1968 masterpiece Night of the Living Dead).

The production feels like a mash-up between Khruangbin and a Josh Homme side-project, with a riff that could get indie rock festival crowds chanting under any weather.

Horror Movie

The title track is the transition point between the album’s narrator directing her mania at others and towards her beginning to look inward. In the chorus, she declares that “you scare me more than a horror movie”, but it’s not clear if she’s talking, at this point, towards the lover of the first few songs, or about the face in the mirror.

The song is a mid-tempo indie rock ballad whose production ticks along between organic guitars and drums and tracks that are intentionally designed to sound programmed, before it swells into a guitar solo that feels like you’re being swept up in the fear and fantasy the song discusses. The whole thing feels like teetering on the edge between lucidity and madness, romance and obsession, reality and unreality.

Like A Lady

Every album needs that one song to act as an anthem. On Horror Movie, ‘Like a Lady’ is that song. A searing, satirical, and sad take on experiencing class difference while suffering with mental ill health during the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘Like a Lady’’s verses paint a picture of insecurity and envy. “Why d’you set me up like I’m a joke?” and “I want to be easy to love”. The song speaks of building dreams on fragile foundations, but reaching for the stars anyways, knowing the Earth beneath her could crack.

The chorus erupts into the fantasy itself: if I were privileged, would I have no worries at all? Of course, the thing about envy is that it flattens the subject of that envy to its most simplistic version. There would probably still be worries. But this track is something of a companion piece to ‘Groovy’ in that, for a second, it asks: “Who cares? Let me dream.”.

Older Eyes

‘Older Eyes’ is an abrupt but necessary comedown from the heights of ‘Like a Lady’. The latter’s glittering synths and pounding 80s drums are stripped back to just an acoustic guitar, a vocal, and the occasional glint of piano keys or hum of some strings. ‘Older Eyes’ is a lullaby-of-sorts. It unpacks a relationship that was both formative and toxic, where someone who was supposed to take care of you neglected or betrayed you, and you didn’t even realise until much later. What do you do with that pain then? Is it even worth talking about? The song seems to think not. But its existence seems to disagree.

What Kind Of Woman

With ‘What Kind of Woman’, we get another moment of the pain and darkness fuelling this whole project being directed outward. This time, it’s about gender.

Written in the shadow of a million social and physical media trends asking girls and women which pre-defined archetype of femininity they belong to and many, many years of experiencing and witnessing violence only to be told to cover it up with prettiness, ‘What Kind of Woman’ rages against the entire concept that womanhood can be defined.

The distorted guitars evoke contemporary indie rockers like Blondshell and Mitski, and their forebears Hole, Liz Phair, and the riot grrrl movement, and the vocal is designed to cut right through like a punch, before exploding into a wail: “What kind of woman am I?”. It’s a question no one has an answer to, and this song won’t let you forget it.

I’m A Liar

‘I’m a Liar’ is an interesting follow-up to a song whose central question is: “What kind of woman am I?”. Is ‘I’m a Liar’ the answer?

Maybe. Mostly, it’s a Grouper-inspired ambient indie track about self-reflection and accountability. The lyrics list all the ways a person might contribute to their own downfall, from indulging too many racing thoughts, to doing too many drugs, to believing that new age philosophy alone can rescue you. Like ‘You’ve Been On My Mind’, it feels like a confession, and like the album coming full circle on itself on a much deeper level.

Escape Routes

And, suddenly, after all that… it’s time to party. Horror Movie does its listener the service of not offering any concluding wisdom to the journey they’ve just been on. There are none, and to provide some would be trite. Instead, ‘Escape Routes’ mines italo disco and Prince to ironically celebrate the same escapism that started this whole mess in the first place. Positioned as the final song, it could feel like either self-forgiveness or the cycle starting all over again. Could it possibly be both?

The post TRACK BY TRACK: Horror Movie by Molly Willis appeared first on She Makes Music.

Sleepy Genes
PNW-based musician Jes le Bon (Jess Bonin), can make an orchestra from a garage sale, a symphony from a swap meet. It is, of course, the imagination that weaves the world together. The multi-disciplinary artist has made a successful career of turning their world into a mosaic of the miscellaneous. Jes’s songs have been described as a “mid 90’s alt-rock explosion with bold and energized vocals”. They’ve participated in a number of bands along their journey – and seen enough dive bars to be an aficionado. They’ve also played famed festivals like the Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle and released music on the prestigious K Records label. A guitar player, a keys tickler, a tattooer, an artist, an educator and a songwriter the type you hope to meet when the universe looks like cigarette smoke above you, Jes will rattle out the idea from your mind like a penny from a piggybank. Sleepy Genes was founded in 2015 in a basement in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, when Kelly Sorbel’s rough and tumble punk drumming pushed Jes to shred harder with her songs. The Moving Murals EP represents a collaboration between Jes, Kelly, and longtime friend, producer Brandon Eggleston (Modest Mouse, Mountain Goats, Swans). The EP was recorded in Portland, Oregon, in the legendary Dandy Warhols’ studio the Odditorium, over a long weekend. Sorbel anchored the recording with his versatile musicianship, contributing bass, drums, lead and second guitar, and an experimental edge in songwriting and composition. These six songs reflect a personal breaking point. Ranging in topics from PTSD, depression, technological dystopia, addiction, cheating, gun violence, and OCD, the work is a catharsis, a public outcry, a protest. Made on the heels of a traumatic abortion, these songs are deeply intimate and autobiographical, representing a different kind of procreation and a movement through grief. Recorded during Covid lockdown, ‘Habit’ is about the digital devices that tie us together and the subsequent screen addictions we have in common. Listen below.

Kange
Kange grew up in France and England with African parents, and from a young age was surrounded by music and laughter. It was at the age of 8 that she first started playing an instrument, she began with the violin then moved onto guitar. It was only when she attended university that she explored the world of production and rapping. Kange is currently a Paris-based rapper and producer, and her music draws inspiration from artists such as Twenty-One Pilots, Paramore, and Drake. It is a cool infusion of Pop Rap, Hip Hop and Cloud Rap. She officially began releasing music in 2018, her most notable tracks are ‘Come in My Direction’ which featured on BBC Music Introducing Devon & Cornwall and‘ Missin’ U Like Stupid’ with over 300 views on YouTube. The latest addition to her catalogue is ‘A.M Call’. “This indie pop rap track is incredibly personal, and it’s all about finding inspiration when I needed it most,” she explains. “It’s like a call from inspiration itself, urging me to keep going and move forward. The song explores those moments when we all crave that spark to push us forward.” Listen below.

Bella Deer
With a voice that carries a mesmerising quality that effortlessly matches the magnetic charisma she exudes in every performance, regional Victoria’s Bella Deer (the creative moniker of Isabella Losi) offers her followup with the heartfelt single ‘Care Too Much’. The track solidifies her position as a fearless and creative artist, showcasing her strength as a vocalist, musician and a songwriter. Bella Deer fearlessly delves in to uncharted emotional territories, drawing inspiration from her surroundings and personal relationships. Bella Deer navigates feelings of loss but – inevitably finding solace in acceptance and moving forward. “This song is about having to make a choice between two things you care very strongly about,” she says. “Knowing deep down that neither of them can co-exist anymore, and ultimately needing to make a sacrifice for the greater good.” Listen below.

Risata K
Risata K is a 26 year old medical doctor and rapper based in the West Midlands. She spent her formative years in Ghana before migrating to North London in primary school. The variety in upbringing would shape her music taste and eventually her style. She was quickly exposed to, and captivated by, fast paced and upbeat nature of the underground sounds of Grime music which was hugely popular at the time. Her early inspirations included a variety of artists from across the globe including UK and US rappers e.g. Chipmunk and 50 Cent and Ghanaian Hiplife artists such as Sarkodie and Kwaw Kesse. Her musical aspirations can be traced back to 11 years of age where she had already started writing and freestyling to beats. Being from an African household, there was always an emphasis on focussing on education. Education was largely viewed as the only ticket to a better future. Risata has always been very academically gifted and so focussing on the beaten path felt like the natural thing to do for her. She completed GCSEs and A-levels with A*s and As and secured a place at Imperial College school of Medicine where she studied to become a medical doctor. It was during her summer holidays in her early years where she decided to pursue music with more intention alongside her studies and went on to release her first track in 2018. She graduated from medical school in 2022 and currently works in the NHS whilst working on music in her free time. She introduces her next release ‘Light’ which speaks of being a light (positive example, a beacon of hope, a good friend, a support network) in difficult/dark times. Listen below.

Ffion Wren
Upcoming Welsh acoustic pop singer-songwriter Ffion Wren releases first single ‘Life In My 20s’. A folky acoustic pop song that captures the honest, relatable truths of a young person discovering life’s highs and lows whilst navigating their way through young adulthood. The song depicts the real struggles of a young adult; from getting a 9-5 job just to pay the bills, wanting to explore and knowing there’s more to life than the same small town you grew up in, the people close to you that you lose along the way but also those people you meet that you never want to live without. The twenty-two year-old Welsh songbird has drawn from her life experiences to create a universal story that young people can connect to. Ffion Wren, a 22 year-old acoustic pop singer songwriter from Caerphilly, South Wales, gains her inspiration from artists including Birdy and Florence and The Machine. Ffion has been songwriting since she was 12 to help heal family trauma. She draws upon issues that aren’t commonly addressed in society, including the loss of loved ones, family issues, problems within society and mental health. For almost 2 years, Ffion Wren has been busking and performing around Wales and the South West of England in venues such as Wales Millenium Centre, Bristol City Football Stadium and Bristol Cathedral. When discussing inspiration for ‘Life In My 20s’, Ffion Wren said “Everyone goes through this stage in their life where they’re trying to figure things out and stand on their own two feet. It’s important that we talk about these topics so young adults know that they are not alone.” Listen below.

Magen Tracy and the Missed Connections
Magen Tracy & the Missed Connections are three-time Boston Music Award nominees known for earworm melodies, sharp lyrical play, and commanding live shows. Tracy has also played in other notable acts, including Band of Their Own, Kay Hanley, Juliana Hatfield, and Lifestyle. Her new single, ‘At My Age,’ shares a deeply personal—but universal—story about having the right to make choices about our bodies and our future. She says, “I was 42 when I had my abortion. Already the mother of a 15-month-old who took years of planning, effort, and finally IVF to conceive, I was just starting to get myself back physically, emotionally, and musically. The choice wasn’t an easy one, and my reasons were varied, personal, and, frankly, irrelevant. I made the best choice for myself and my family, and it was my absolute right to make it.When I terminated my pregnancy in February 2022, that choice was available to pregnant people across the United States. And then, four months later, it wasn’t anymore. ‘At My Age’ started out as a piano ballad about how much I wished I could hear my late mother’s advice—and her comfort and reassur-ance that prioritizing my own happiness and well-being isn’t a selfish act. But when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, I got angry. And so did the song. As I watched so many women I know grieve, rail, and share their stories publicly, I found myself, for the first time, a person with one of those stories to tell. And so I reached for my guitar this time, and the song fell together—quickly, easily, and urgent-ly. The sad ballad became an angry anthem…and a letter of love and hope to my own daughter about the kind of future I want for her. Does writing a song about my story and its intersection with politics actually have an impact? As an artist, I have to believe it does. It resembles so many others, yet it’s also unique. There is no one story. And there should be no laws that prevent a person from weighing their own set of circum-stances to find their own answer. Abortion is a valid choice for anyone—at any age. This song is my testament to that, and my hope for the future.” Listen below.

Diandra
‘Money & Heart’ is the second song in a series called ‘Daddy Issues’: a musical observance of Diandra’s behaviors that stem from them, the people she chose to love without loving her, and the ultimate choice to heal. The song is literally based on the last time she spoke with her father. With influences from Sade, Hector Lavoe, and Mariah Carey, Diandra used their soundscapes as much as their stories, from being in a single-parent home, to inspire her own journey in truth and voice. Growing up a proud Boricua, salsa and Reggaeton were inevitable influences amidst divas like, Whitney Houston. Naturally, she tried to bring vocality to all her work, of which ‘Money & Heart’ has her belting on the ways someone we love can financially manipulate us to never see they do not love us back. After years as a music critic for Diandra Reviews It All, an astrologer for astrolove.blog, and a world traveller for herself, ‘Money & Heart’ starts her biggest adventure yet. Listen below.

heleenyum
Get ready for entering a Wonderland as the enigmatic singer and music producer, heleenyum, reveals her debut single, ‘SYMPHONY OF <3.’ This mesmerizing composition takes you on a sensory voyage, igniting the very essence of pleasure. “It offers a glimpse to the alternate universe, where people are floating around in contentment, and it brings a sense of slow, indefinite falling,” she explains. ‘SYMPHONY OF <3’ radiates as a luminous burst of brilliance in a world that sometimes lingers in shadows. Ethereal harmonies combined with deep bass and soothing synths open the door to the most profound of human delights. As heleenyum eloquently puts it, “Good times couldn’t be written in dark music. It’s a protest against adversity.” heleenyum, the visionary behind ‘SYMPHONY OF <3,’ designed this track to invite listeners to revisit and remember the good moments in life, providing a refreshing escape from the daily grind. heleenyum’s journey in music defies conventions and boundaries. Raised in Estonia, she discovered her passion for music at a tender age. Her talent for singing and performing led to remarkable early experiences, including sharing the stage with illustrious figures like Andrea Bocelli and performing for Queen Elizabeth II. Despite initially pursuing Economics at university due to family skepticism about a music career, she found solace in singing, playing the piano, and the guitar. Music became her refuge, leading her to study it professionally. Her eclectic musical style fuses R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Pop, Electronic, and more. Drawing inspiration from artists like Erykah Badu and Kendrick Lamar, she offers a unique, genre-blending experience. Listen to ‘SYMPHONY OF <3’ below.

PANIK FLOWER
Formed in the early months of 2022 through chance introductions and long-time friendships, Brooklyn-based PANIK FLOWER mixes dream pop with an understated heaviness. The result is a unique soundscape of soft harmonies, hard-hitting instrumentals and cutting lyricism that evokes the hazy nostalgia of distant memories – ones of love, loss and identity which have captivated packed venues across NYC. With three fourths of its members being native New Yorkers, PANIK FLOWER’s sound is inherently reflective of the ever-changing city, one that shifts and melds yet stays rooted in its identity. Led by born and bred Manhattaner Sage Leopold (vocals), PANIK FLOWER has grown to include co-collaborators Mila Stieglitz-Courtney (guitar/vocals), Jordan Buzzell (guitar) and Max Baird (bass). Each member’s musical voice uniquely defines PANIK FLOWER’s music – Mila’s droning rhythm guitar melding with Jordan’s blistering lead melodies, Max’s grounded bass lines driving alongside Sage and Mila’s harmonies. These distinct voices are held together by the close friendships within PANIK FLOWER, producing a sum greater than its parts. Their new song ‘Dark Blue’ explores the fear, while being in love, of losing that person and the vulnerability it takes to open yourself up in that way. Listen below.

Molly Willis
‘Horror Movie’ is the thrilling new single from Norwich-based singer-songwriter Molly Willis. The track, a haunting rock ballad written entirely by Willis and recorded at the now-defunct The Mill Studios in Norfolk, is the latest release in an ongoing audio-visual project in collaboration with Norwich-based photographer Kerry Curl, and comes accompanied with a Stepford Wives-themed music video. Horror Movie deals in romantic obsession, describing a fixation so intense that it feels removed from reality, strange and unsettling enough to be, well… a horror movie. And if ‘Horror Movie’ were a horror movie, Willis writes as though she is both the protagonist being tormented and the monster behind the mask. “There’s something so psychopathic about crushes,” says Willis. “You strip another person down to exist solely as an object for you to project your desires onto. It’s dehumanising, and it’s a little creepy. Don’t get me wrong – everyone does it. But what a weird thing it is, when you really think about it.” Listen below.

Check out more of our recent submissions via the playlist below.

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