100 gecs have shared a new video for latest single ‘Doritos & Fritos’, lifted from their forthcoming second album 10000 gecs. Directed by Chris Maggio, the accompanying clip sees the duo – Laura Les and Dylan Brady – flying through the skies in wizard robes, much to the confusion of bystanders. A local news channel tracks their movements, as they attempt to escape potential captors. [via NME]
Bringing back more of that raw and pulsing alt-rock-inspired aesthetic she is cultivating for herself, ‘Scared’ sees Gali Gavon deliver a fresh and alluring new delight. Accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek horror movie-inspired official video, she is once again breaking down the preconceptions about her sound, and delivering something bold and compelling from start to finish. Speaking about ‘Scared’, she said, “‘Scared’ was written at a time when I felt like I had two very contradicting sides within me. The one being soft and empathic, and the other- borderline dangerous. It helped me accept what I’ve been feeling for a long time.”
Back in March, Sudan Archives returned with a great new song called ‘Home Maker’. Now, she’s back with another new song, and this one’s a banger too. Sudan Archives’ latest is called ‘Selfish Soul,’ a song she describes as being “about women and the celebration of hair. It’s about representation of different hair textures and embracing all colors and textures of it.” She offered more detail in a statement: “I feel like there’s an American standard of what beautiful hair is, and I wanted to show in this video that’s not what all beauty is; to showcase different hairstyles and different types of women and their hair. I was inspired by India Arie’s ‘I Am Not My Hair,’ one of the first songs I heard about this subject. She talks about extensions and weaves and natural hair and nappy hair, and that she’s not her hair; she won’t conform to the comparisons that would come up if you had a weave or sew-in or natural hair or Afro — that doesn’t represent her.” ‘Selfish Soul’ comes with a video directed by Trey Lyons. [via Stereogum]
Having recently announced her new album Arkhon is now due to be released on June 24 via Sacred Bones Records, Zola Jesus has shared the third single and video from the album, entitled ‘The Fall’. Following previous singles ‘Lost’ and ‘Desire’, Nika Roza Danilova comments on latest cut ‘The Fall’ saying: “I wrote ‘The Fall’ for myself. It was an exercise in using music as a tool for the sake of my own inner catharsis. I had a lot of turmoil and complicated emotions that I couldn’t process in any other way. I suppose some feelings require you to write a pop song in order to fully understand them. For that reason, this song is very precious to me.” Speaking on the track’s accompanying video, she adds: “Working with Jenni Hensler as a director was such a soul-feeding experience. She’s someone I’ve been collaborating with for ten years, and a dear friend to me. I value her own artistic perspective so much that at some point I realized there was no one else I could trust with my vision. We connected on an emotional and spiritual level regarding the intent of the song, and then I handed it over and let her make her magic. I’ve never felt so freed by a collaboration. And working with choreographer Sigrid Lauren was such an empowering experience. She was able to interpret and support my idiosyncratic movements in a way that allowed me to feel free in the moment.” Director Jenni Hensler comments: “When we fall, we have the inner strength to pick ourselves up again. We sometimes have to struggle to find that strength, but it is there within all of us. The journey Nika goes through within the video, including confronting her reflection, removing her mask and the symbolic choreographed dance that follows are my way of expressing that. I’ve debated whether to write a heartfelt statement speaking of the long-standing collaboration and friendship I’ve had over the years with Nika, about how she has touched my life and how we have both grown. Or to only speak about the meaning of this current collaboration. The two are connected, intertwined. This video is about the feeling of being stuck in a position or way of thinking about yourself and of the world around you, including the pressures to conform to a certain way of expression. It’s about the mask we wear, and the ways artists are forced to comply in order to succeed. This oftentimes makes us forget that creating art is one of the most transcendent forms of expression and that fully feeling, being in the present and enjoying the process while creating is at the core of who we are and the art we create. It is about change and coming into the power of our creativity. We need to wholly feel and release the magic within. When we make ourselves vulnerable and find the strength to do that, the art has a deeper meaning. The unspoken feeling when we truly feel connected and in the present moment of ecstatic joy or pain as we create is palpable. When Nika and I spoke about the vision for the song, we discussed a yearning for something better, a breakthrough of creative potential, and learning along the way. And then a sort of enlightenment when you realize that you are in control and do not need to conform to external standards. There is power and magic in knowing that. There is power in the desire for something better, the feeling within that desire including the drive and excitement it brings. There is strength in the feeling of expressing the sensuality simultaneously brewing and fully releasing that inner fire. This is an expression of all of that and reflects the journey of our collaboration and metamorphosis over many years.”
Montreal duo Mayfly have shared their stunning indie ballad ‘Black Water’ along with its accompanying music video. The track will be featured on the group’s debut album, due out later in 2022 via Duprince. The surreal video follows the pair as they each navigate the repercussions of deteriorating mental health. Although it continues to evoke the melancholy and emotional vulnerability that we are used to hearing from the duo, ‘Black Water’ marks the evolution toward a more mature and darker sound. The song expresses a moment of deep suffering and fear of never being seen or heard by those around in a moment of pain. It features raw sounding, heart wrenching vocal performances from Charlie and Emma, and a string arrangement that achieves this feeling of distress while giving the song a cinematic finish. ‘“‘Black Water’ is one of our most honest and vulnerable works to date,” says Mayfly. “We are opening up on some of the darkest moments that both of us have gone through mentally. Through the video that we shot for this track, we tried to illustrate in the most visually striking and realest way possible, how someone can be feeling so unwell without anyone noticing or reaching out. We are so happy and proud to have this single open the door to a new chapter for us as artists, especially since it encapsulates the essence of the album that we will be releasing.”
New Orleans no wave/disco group Special Interest signed to Rough Trade last year, and have finally released their first single for the label. ‘(Herman’s) House’ is indeed a house jam, very early-’90s style by way of industrial party starters My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult. The title, however, has another meaning. Rough Trade notes that the song “is centered around the story of Herman Wallace, one of the Angola Three – three Black revolutionaries who were held for decades in solitary confinement while imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary. Two of them, Wallace and Albert Woodfox, were held in solitary confinement for over 40 years. During Wallace’s imprisonment, he became close with an artist, Jackie Sumell, and the two collaborated to create Wallace’s dream house, taking four years and hundreds of letters to design it.” Special Interest vocalist Alli Logout and guitarist Maria Elena say, “Despite the sadistic torture they endured, they continued their fight towards Black liberation behind the prison walls. This song bears witness to our wonder and desire to dismantle the oppressive systems that hinder our possibilities towards true liberation, to annihilate, to destroy and to rebuild with one another. It’s a battle cry for dreamers who persist in spite of and because. This song moves us and it grooves us towards this end, may we go forward but not by ourselves.” You can watch the video for ‘(Herman’s) House,’ which was co-directed by Special Interest and Juicebox Burton, above. [via Brooklyn Vegan]
Last month, Laura Veirs announced a new album, Found Light, and shared its lead single ‘Winter Windows.’ Now, she’s sharing another new track, ‘Seaside Haiku,’ a simmering one which is made up of some haikus that Veirs wrote while on a not so seasonally appropriate beach trip. “This song captures the feeling I had of my emerging independence as a solo woman in the world during that wintry time,” Veirs said in a statement. “It’s been a learning curve for me to figure out how not to give too much of myself in relationships at the expense of my own needs. This is a song to remind myself of that, and also to remind all women who are socialized to give so much to others. It’s a call to hold onto our strength and power and to share it reciprocally instead of blithely giving it away.” [via Stereogum]
Subversive pop trailblazer UPSAHL unveils her latest single ‘Monica Lewinsky’ via Arista. The brazen bop arrives with a provocative accompanying music video. Of her newest single, UPSAHL shared, “On first listen, ‘Monica Lewinsky’ feels like a playful song about people who have made a massive impact on pop culture, and it is that type of song, but writing this song was much more than that for me. In the 90’s and the early 2000’s, women like Monica, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Miley Cyrus were all dragged down by the media under a microscopic spotlight and the court of public opinion simply for living their lives. One of the main reasons I get to feel free existing in a creative industry is because of the bullsh*t that they had to deal with early on in their careers. ‘Monica Lewinsky’ is my ode to them. Thank you for making history.” Directed by George Gallardo Kattah, the ‘Monica Lewinsky’ music video sees UPSAHL dodging frenzied paparazzi and navigating the caveats that come with rising stardom. Instead of shying from the limelight, the singer embraces it flaunting her billboard advertisements and bold red carpet look. With a storied history of female artists being maligned in media, this video sends the powerful message that UPSAHL isn’t afraid to stay true to who she is in spite of it all.
If you’ve been dazzled by the entire world of Supertropicali, you’re not alone. Nashville singer-songwriter, Fleurie, has unveiled the purple era of her bedazzled new world and first offering, ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ is one we cannot refuse. Though there’s not much lavender in the track’s accompanying video, it sure is a head-turner. By far the singer’s best video yet, viewers are taken back to the early 2000’s when Avril Lavigne sk8er grrl style was all the rage while a classic Marie Antoinette theme runs rampant in honor of the song’s title and overall theme. ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ is the follow up to Chapter 1 of the Supertropicali story. Needless to say, this next chapter going to be an exciting ride. [via the Daily Listening]
Los Angeles riot grrrl-adjacent trio Lost Cat is back with the final single off their forthcoming debut EP, out next week via Lolipop Records. The single, ‘Losers Beware,’ is yet another brazen and head-strong track establishing the group’s confidently spunky energy in the vein of girl groups of decades past. If one thing’s for sure, it’s that this group know their way around edgy, psychedelic chords, and aren’t afraid to use them. Speaking on their brand new track, the band wrote: “‘Losers Beware’ was recorded at Lolipop’s Savannah Studios. Produced by Ignacio Gonzalez, the single was penned as a warning to the losers of the world that the strong always prevail. Accompanying this song is the final installment of the mini video series, bringing the dramatic timeline to an end.” [via Spill Mag]
Following last month’s ‘Double Standard’, Foushee is back in action with ‘I’m Fine.’ The record finds the singer in a reassuring space as she convinces both listeners and the person she speaks to on the song that all is well in her world. It’s another message-focused song from Foushee, just like ‘Double Standard,’ which she spoke about in a press release for the song. In it, she said the song addresses “outdated gender roles that I have experienced in past relationships and rebelling against them.” Foushee adds, “The imbalance frustrates me. Don’t expect anything from me that you wouldn’t give me, including respect and loyalty. I match energy.” [via UPROXX]
