If you haven’t already been introduced to the playful, 80s-inspired music of French duo VIDEOCLUB, let this be your guide. Adèle Castillon and Matthieu Reynaud are undeniably one of the coolest power couples out there, and after officially releasing music since 2018, their highly-anticipated debut album Euphories was gifted to the world on 29 January.
Featuring pre-released tracks from over the past few years along with plenty of brand new additions, Euphories serves as the perfect introduction to the young musicians. Throughout the album, you’ll discover wondrous, lively energy that invites you to set your responsibilities aside, just for a moment, and let yourself have some well-deserved fun.
There’s something incredibly enchanting about this record. I have been a fan of VIDEOCLUB for quite some time now, so hearing the singles I’ve been playing on repeat be finally compiled into a full-length album is something truly special. It was well worth the wait, too, because it’s undeniable that Adèle and Matthieu put their heart and soul into Euphories. Each song seamlessly leads into the next, creating an excitingly hypnotic record that once you start, you’ll want to stick around until the end.
The first song I had ever heard from VIDEOCLUB was “Amour Plastique,” which now has an impressive 58M views on YouTube. So, seeing that they kicked off their album with this track made me feel an immense amount of pride. It’s what thwarted them onto people’s radars, and because of everyone’s massive love and support for “Amour Plastique,” Adèle and Matthieu have been given a fantastic opportunity to continue sharing their talents with the world. They certainly have not dropped the ball as every release since then has been widely well-received. With these new songs hitting airwaves, I have no doubt in my mind that their fanbase will consistently grow more each and every day.
One of my absolute favourite new tracks is “Polaroïds.” I adore how they utilize the distinct sounds of a Polaroid camera within the beat; it adds a unique and clever touch that makes the song all the more charming. The lyrics, which reminisce on cherished memories, are really refreshing as well, and they can definitely be relatable in times like these. All of these elements combined create something that feels like pure bliss manifested within a single song (as well as a phenomenal addition to any sort of “Late Night Drives” playlist).
“SMS” is another song I am completely obsessed with. The beginning of the song sounds like an explosion of real, genuine happiness, and I can’t help but smile whenever it comes on. I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic, so when I read the translated lyrics (I’m still learning French, leave me be!), I was smiling like such an idiot. It represents love in a fun, wholesome light and emphasizes the excitement behind new love unfolding. Towards the end of the track, you can even hear the synth riffs from “En Nuit,” “Amour Plastique,” “Mai,” “Enfance 80,” “Roi,” and “What Are You So Afraid Of,” which wraps up their debut record flawlessly.
As a whole, I have fallen completely in love with Euphories. There’s a song that can match whatever mood you may be in—hear me out. In the mood to relax and shut out the world for a bit? “Trois Jours.” Need something to listen to while you’re out-and-about that’ll help you feel like the main character? “Suricate.” Don’t speak a word of French but you still want to sing along? Don’t worry, “What Are You So Afraid Of” and “Petit Monde” have got you covered with some English lyrics.
There’s truly something for everybody throughout this tracklist, and my joy goes far beyond anything words could express. Adèle and Matthieu have absolutely smashed it with Euphories, and I cannot wait to see what else they’ve got up their sleeves.
To keep up with VIDEOCLUB, follow them on Instagram and Twitter.
Delta 5 were just one of the many post-punk bands to arise in the north of England during the late 70s and early 80s. Like one of their many new wave counterparts Joy Division, the group only released one album in their short-lived time together, but hell did they write some kick-ass tunes.
After the early success of their singles Mind your own business and You, the band signed to Rough Trade before eventually releasing their debut album See the Whirl with Charisma Records. Despite their initial success, the album received poor reviews, and as a result, the band split shortly afterwards. Despite once being at the forefront of the feminist post-punk movement, Delta 5 is often overlooked in new wave music history.
For years their early singles remained underground classics to those who could find a printed copy until a compilation of their earlier material was released under the title Singles and Sessions. They were thrust into the limelight once again when various Netflix and BBC dramas including Sex Education featured their songs. Delta 5 may not have had the success they needed at the time of their first album, but they certainly have it now. One thing’s for sure, this group’s music doesn’t go quietly into the night.
When I say ‘virtual band’ you’ll probably first think of Gorillaz, but move over Damon for this group of equally crazed animals. Studio Killers are back and bigger than ever before, thanks to one classic tune’s unexpected viral success.
The animated group, formed of singer ‘Chubby Cherry’ keyboardist ‘Goldie Foxx’ and DJ ‘Dyna Mink’ (as well as their manager ‘Bipolar Bear’) first gained attention in 2011 when their single ‘Ode to the Bouncer’ reached number 9 in the UK Club charts. Doing live gigs as a virtual band is just as tricky as you’d imagine. Still, after crowdfunding the money to kickstart their venture into the physical world, the band first brought their animated personas to life in 2014.
After enjoying their first album’s major success, the group suddenly went quiet as the characters’ anonymous talent went back to doing their own thing. That was until 2018 when a video appeared on their YouTube channel announcing big things. The same year, they brought us two brand new singles and announced that they would be crowdfunding an animated web series based around their characters.
Some lucky bands see an unexpected surge in their popularity when one of their songs is featured in a movie or a tv show. There are many examples of groups being propelled into the spotlight, thanks to Hollywood, but something this group didn’t expect was to become a TikTok phenomenon. Their track ‘Jenny’ became a viral sound used by thousands of creators on the platform and has since relaunched the band into the spotlight and gained calls for new music ASAP.
Jenny is all about lead singer Cherry’s infatuation with her best friend, with one particular lyric being put to short videos of peoples friends, dogs, vegetables, you name it.
I wanna ruin our friendship. We should be lovers instead.
Cherry
Since the band’s formation, the musicians’ identities have remained a mystery, with all online interactions done via animated videos or stand-in look-alikes. The voice behind the ever-lovable singer Cherry is rumoured to be male singer Teemu Brunila of the band The Crash. Studio Killers have neither confirmed nor denied this, but if it is true, his female persona certainly adds a whole new spin to these already brilliant songs.
In celebration of their second wave of success, the band released an official lyric video to Jenny on YouTube. Their fanbase’s soaring growth will surely help in the group’s pursuit of making an animated series of Cherry and the boys, with the Kickstarter already having gained over double the support of their original crowdfunded gigs back in 2014.
For those who maybe aren’t usually keen on electronic or club music, fear not. Studio Killers offer something more entirely. The band’s fun, comical and fearless personas are full of all the bits we love about virtual bands, they most definitely offer something refreshing. Every Studio Killers song is a treat, so go ahead and treat yourself – take it away, Cherry.
HÆLOS, from South-London, are an extraordinary electronic and ambient band with a trance-inducing super-power.
I first saw the group supporting Interpol at Alexandra Palace way back in 2017. It was the perfect time to see them live; people could still come together in their hundreds, stand together and experience the hypnotic power of this band. Around that time, the band had just released their debut album ‘Full Circle’. Listening to an album as atmospheric as this performed in a venue the size of Ally Pally was about as close as I’ll probably ever get to a genuine religious experience.
For a moment, a room full of people forgot where they were, or even who they were. Yep. That was me – completely anesthetised by the scale of their sound – a genuinely incredible and utterly surreal experience – one of the very best supporting bands I’ve ever seen live.
Before seeing HÆLOS, I’d never heard the term ‘Trip Hop’ used to describe a band. As the definition goes; “a fusion of hip hop and electronica until neither genre is recognisable“, which by the way sounds like even Wikipedia are shrugging their shoulders at that one, somehow sums up this band sound pretty well.
Since that gig, I’ve kept a close eye on HÆLOS, and last year, the band released their second album ‘Any Random Kindness’. Once again, they were back with those classic layered synths and trademark sinister and unearthly vocals which made their first album so addictive.
Having a look through their YouTube comments, it seems that the band has built a large portion of their following through nothing more than fan curiosity. Early tracks released into the world were often accompanied by little to no explanation about who the band were. But, still, their music’s ability to send chills instantly down your spine has been enough to draw thousands of avid music fans looking for their next hit of discovery.
Continuously alternating between two vocalists throughout most of their tracks, they maintain a trance-inducing flow whilst still shaking things up. Similarly to the excellent blend of male and female voices from bands like Chvrches, In the case of HÆLOS, however, the combination seems closer, much more intimate, personal and imperative to their sound.
In true resurgence style of early techno, hip-hop and house music, with influences such as The XX shining through and the core elements from the days of Kraftwork still audible, HÆLOS have set out to not only honour their idols but to continue where those great bands have left off. A continued pursuit of new and exciting sounds, not attempting to sound like anyone else, but continually looking for new possibilities.
Listening to any HÆLOS track feels like placing yourself in a filmic world, one with a playful and inspirational flare. Following their second album, the band have now begun the next chapter of their exploration in music. After a series of single releases, the band published their combined EP ‘I’m There’ in October, teasing even more excellent and eerie sounds to come in their third album due for release next year.
As always, their sound is continually shifting. The EP serves as their first-ever release independent from Matador Records. Having now built their own South-London based studio and self-run record label from the ground up, the band describe the freedom they have gained as having ‘complete control over their vision.’
It seems fitting that nothing should stand in the way of this band who are always wanting to explore uncharted territory. Their recent EP is in many ways, their most experimental endeavour to date. HÆLOS are a band with a clear goal in their sights, who act with confidence and conviction in all they do and strive to discover just what’s possible with the tools and technology they have around them.
‘I’m There’ is available to listen to on Spotify now, with the bands new album coming next year.
Evoking space-age dreams with their bright bops, The Orielles are a funky fresh band that you absolutely need to be listening to. In fact, scrap that. I’d say the word ‘experiencing’ is far more apt than simply ‘listening’ as their tracks are so engrossing, they’re a vessel for escaping reality…
Taking you on an adventure through the decades they stop off in the bright psychedelic 60s, have a boogie in the 70s and even a cheeky trip to explore 90s acid house, as well as blasting forward into another time and dimension with their futuristic synth sounds.
It’s no wonder that Heavenly Recordings; the same label boasting talent we love from Saint Etienne to Working Men’s Club, have these guys added to their fantastic roster. The Orielles boast the sweetest sounding melodies since Sarah Cracknell and a perfect balance of modern and classic just like WMC, whilst keeping everything uniquely their own; ticking all of the boxes for another Heavenly band destined for greatness.
The group consists of sisters Esmé Dee Hand-Halford on lead vocals/ bass and Sidonie B Hand-Halford on drums alongside friends Alex Stephens on Keys and Henry Carlyle Wade on guitar and backing vocals (providing a deeper undertone to Esmé’s gentle singing approach). Hailing from Yorkshire, they’ve been putting out singles since 2015 which really helped them to gauge direction before releasing debut album ‘Silver Dollar Moment’ in 2018.
Vibrant and charming, their first LP stands out in the sea of standard indie. Their key to doing so appears to be teasing you with that familiar formula we’re so accustomed to hearing but giving it a twist; thus subverting your expectations. Take Sunflower Seeds, for example, kicking off with a strong and cheery riff followed by thumping drum beats, it instantly captures your attention (in a way that almost seems too good to be true). However, it doesn’t stay linear and instead fades into a slow psychedelic squish that bands like Post Animal would be proud of, flipping the happy-go-lucky intro on its head.
They further prove their capability of making their mark on things by not only giving you brit-pop dreams like Mango but also more mellow notes in the laid back Liminal Spaces. As well as this, they also display great lyricism inspired by life, literature and philosophy on their tracks, with an abundance of stand-out lines on Henry’s Pocket. A song about trying to start afresh but being trapped by the past, it features vivid lines like “Trying to eat a moment and regurgitate it back up like you used to. We just hang in a web connecting us to past, present and future”.
Silver Dollar isn’t all that The Orielles have to offer either; displaying a real growth in confidence upon the release of their second album ‘Disco Volador’ put out earlier this year. Although I’d never bore of hearing Esmé’s melodies complimenting their funky sound the bands first record doesn’t quite boast the greatest exploration in tone. However, their follow up puts this point to bed with more variance in the delivery of lyrics and exploding instrumentals. Each track truly comes to life, all effortlessly cool with an airy quality. Further deviating from the mainstream sound produced by many current bands there’s a real retro essence at its core, layered with a forward-thinking distortion to create their own vibrant universe.
The album starts with Come Down On Jupiter, a song starting with a hint of Pulp’s darker records à la ‘This Is Hardcore’ that’s then perfectly juxtaposed by the soft melodies introduced into the mix. Sneakily, they then go on to build the track until you find yourself listening to a pop song that still maintains an edge with strutting guitars and more assertive vocals. Continuing to defy your initial anticipations, Memoirs of Miso’s simple lyrics of ’Falling in love’ float around as you drift away into a technicolour vortex. You’re then caressed by a gentle rhythm and drifting saxophone before it bursts back, bringing you into the room, ready to dance again.
Speaking of dancing, Memoirs certainly isn’t alone as single Bobbi’s Second World is bound to have you on your feet; delivering a groovy strut with its bopping bassline, throwing in some fun backing vocals and a sprinkle of sound effects. It’s a tale of turning a blind eye to reality and getting lost in your own head; something I often find myself doing in general but even more so to The Orielles tracks which are pure fuel for the imagination. Summarising Disco Volador is its own ‘theme’ Space Samba which captures the essence of the whole album; beaming and euphoric with a bit of sass to ensure that you don’t fall too far into the dreams induced.
Not only are the band ahead of their time with their indie evolution, but they also look like they truly have a gift for seeing into the future with the line ‘Isolation, room for creation’ being repeated on Sugar Tastes Like Salt; their single released back in 2017. The song that originally caught my attention, ‘Sugar’ not only predicted our 2020 life but also hits with attitude. Featuring upbeat punches, trippy guitar and sinister beats it’s an 8-minute exploration that showcases their capabilities in producing cosmic soundscapes and is a great introduction to the group.
With every one of The Orielles tunes encapsulating a little bit of celestial magic, I’m more than keen to see what else they have coming our way. Sadly, I don’t appear to have their seeming power to do so but based on merit have great faith that it will be something special, so watch this space.
Stars are a pop/rock band from Montreal most notable from their truly unique storytelling ability in their songs.
Masters of creating diverse and imaginative narratives through the use of their lyrics, each of their songs offers a door into a fairytale-like world, one full of wonder, heartbreak and other-worldly characters all soaked in deep-felt nostalgia.
The band’s fifth studio album, released in 2010 and appropriately named ‘The Five Ghosts,’ is just one such example of this group’s powerful ability to conjure up melancholic and mysterious images in the mind.
The first track from the album ‘Dead Hearts’ is perhaps the reason I and many others first fell in love with Stars – a powerful story and a definite tear-jerker of a track. The lyrics in this song describe an abstract or even poetic yearning for things once lost or forgotten.
“They were kids that I once knew… Now they’re all dead hearts to you.”
Followed up immediately by the striking track ‘Wasted Daylight’ the album then twists and turns through emotions quite unlike any other LP. Through optimism, grief, longing and relief, each track pulls more heartstrings than the last.
Putting on this record often feels like running away – moving through life out of your comfort zone and off on some mystic adventure – who knows what characters inhabit this new place.
The thing you remember while listening to this album in full is that old things end and new things begin – It’s always been my go-to album for those difficult transitional periods of life. Nothing else quite like this set of songs describes exactly what those situations feel like – a feeling familiar to everyone but one that no manner of words could ever describe – a feeling of mourning for the past while striving for the future – an album I will keep in my heart forever, cropping up at the most difficult times.
Alongside the album’s release, Stars premiered a six-part documentary about the making of The Five Ghosts, in which we get a peek into the production of each track. The most curious thing for me was their unusual use of synths, a tricky instrument to utilize on anything but upbeat pop songs, but something which really makes this album.
As lifelong childhood friends, all members of the band grew up in Toronto. I think something must be said for how this sort of friendship has shaped so many bands. A bond formed over a lifetime, people who have laughed together, cried together and shared the same sense of belonging. It all sounds very poetic, but you can easily see that this connection often produces some of the greatest and most personal music – take Joy Division, The Smiths, Saint Etienne, you see my point. Bands with shared experiences often write the music which speaks to us most.
Stars understand the brittleness of the human heart – I do believe their music would warm even the most unfeeling soul – but don’t just take my word for it, I encourage you to do something terrifying; lay back with their record on and simply allow yourself to feel. In this album, Stars have surely captured perhaps the most integral part of being human – that you are alive.
If you’re currently missing proper, atmosphere-filled nights out (and let’s be honest, who isn’t given the current state of the world?) then fear not as I’ve found the perfect antidote and their name is Working Men’s Club.
I recently read The Hacienda: How Not to Run a Club by Peter Hook and thanks to the part-owner/bassists amusing accounts and vivid imagery, craved nothing more than to experience the iconic venue back in the day. However, I reluctantly came to terms with the fact that that was never going to happen and so decided to seek out the next best thing- some top acid tunes.
I listened to everything that I could find from the time but having grown up in the home of the club it was all quite familiar so didn’t fully satisfy this newfound buzz; I needed something fresh and exciting that still contained the original heart. This was harder to come across than I’d first anticipated but finally had a Hallelujah moment at the beginning of this month when Working Men’s Club released their self-titled debut album and answered all of my prayers.
I was hooked (pardon the pun) from the second that opening track Valley’s first kicked off but at the 1.50 mark (0.30 in the video should check out below) something really special happened when the pounding bass cuts for a synth riff just before the lyrics kick in. In that moment I felt the closest that I believe I ever will to first experiencing the height of the movement back in the 90s and from then on I was in a trance for the rest of the record; treated to further squelching acid infusions as well as many more musical delights…
Falling Somewhere between the two bands that helped to fund the legendary ‘Hac’, Working Men’s Club clearly have a post-punk edge (just give Cook a Coffee a listen) but despite having a natural ability for creating this sound they didn’t play it easy and simply follow the classic Joy Division route; instead incorporating synth and electro to give things a New Order-esque spin.
It would be a crime to only liken these guys to other bands though (no matter how great) as they seem to be exploring everything on the spectrum in between and actually credit the Detroit house scene as major influences. The result is their own new sound that can leave you charged and ready to dance one minute then lost and daydreaming the next.
Encapsulating the sounds that I grew up with but bringing something from my generation into the mix, I felt a kindred spirit in the band. There was something in the name and listening to their first few tracks that gave me the feeling that they were fellow Northerners (and once I saw that their third was titled John Cooper Clarke I had absolutely no doubt about it). I figured that this might have also contributed to that close connection because despite being from Yorkshire rather the home of the punk-poet and FAC51, things growing up in Todmorden feel just as small and grey (but equally hopeful).
Like all great bands from the North, you can really hear this in their sound; the bleakness and claustrophobia in lead singer Sydney Minsky-Sargeant’s lyrics; being ‘trapped inside a town’ ‘running out of time’ but also the sense of working pride and excitement that there’s something beyond, in the sounds that they’re backed by.
Minsky-Sergeant is now the only original band member left standing but at the fresh age of just 19, commanding you to watch him in his SOCIALISM print t-shirt he’s definitely not backing down any time soon. Originally joined by guitarist Giulia Bonometti and drummer Jake Bogacki the first line-up released debut single Bad Blood in 2019 which gained comparisons to the Totally Wiredband The Fall and flows into B-Side Suburban Heights, a song filled with a jangly Smith’s-like sound. The tracks were greeted with great acclaim but success didn’t mean that Syd was ready to settle and he eagerly continued to explore and develop.
The fired-up front-man gravitated towards a new electronic noise however, this wasn’t for everyone and led to the departure of Bogacki, whilst Bonometti also moved on to focus on a solo career rather than the evolution of WMC. This, in turn, forced him to change things up even more than anticipated; sequentially swapping out the drum kit for a machine and expanding the club’s membership to three new musicians in the form of bassist Liam Ogburn, Mairead O’Connor on keys, guitar and vocals and Rob Graham joining Syd on guitar and synth.
Together they took on this new angle drawing them in; each member boldly bringing their own flourish and when combined with production from Ross Orton- the same Yorkshireman behind tracks from the Arctic Monkeys (and rather ironically The Fall), bedroom-recorded demos were transformed into a well-polished LP.
Wise beyond their years, you can already hear that the band know what music they want to make and have a great skill for executing it. The tracks on their album come together to create a cohesive experience but each is individually fresh with a mix of elements.
There’s the Stand out Acid House infusion on the likes of Tomorrow and plenty of upbeat rhythm in White Rooms and People. In addition to this optimistic sound, you’ll also find balance in a darker side; where they channel the grit that’s sung about on Teeth in its grunge guitar and evoke doom in the striking beats of Be My Guest.
Also incorporated is a touch of afrobeat, funk and even indie on Outside where they sing about reminiscing in the sunshine, delivering lyrics about a ‘technicolour daydream’ whilst hardly needing any words at all on the pulsating A.A.A.A…That isn’t all either, as just when you think they’ve proven their capability they top things off with Angel, a 12-minute journey filled with swooping psychedelic sounds that creates a deservingly epic finale.
Speaking the honest truth and producing music that’s simultaneously nostalgic and now, they’re only one album in and hard not to love. Although they might have captured the sound of the North and named themselves after the places they originally strived to play in, Working Men’s Club look well and truly set to take on the wider world.
Kimberly Anne, also known as LANTA, is a singer/songwriter from South London and a truly extraordinary talent. You may recognise her voice from Sam Feldt’s hit cover of Show Me Love, but despite her chart-topping success as a vocalist, Kimberly isn’t going to let anyone tell her what music she should be making. Someone who doesn’t need a leg up from anyone, now publishing songs under the pseudonym LANTA, Kimberly continues to create the same remarkable songs she has always done – oh boy you’re in for a treat.
I could talk all day about any of Kimberly’s old tracks back from her days as simply ‘Kimberly Anne’, but let me share the very first song of hears I listened to, one which stopped me dead in my tracks; ‘Bury It There’, released in 2012.
This track is, and I say this with no hesitation, nothing short of genius – a pure blend of acoustic pop with soul, beats inspired by different cultures and powerful lyrics fit for an equally powerful voice… Oh, how I envy you hearing this tune for the very first time.
The release of Bury It There and subsequent 5-track EP deservedly earnt Kimberly Anne much attention from the UK music scene and festival slots alongside the likes of First Aid Kit, Haim and The Rolling Stones.
After discovering Kimberly’s music, it wasn’t long before I began asking people ‘have you heard of Kimberly Anne?’ ‘You must have?’ ‘She’s incredible!’
Brought up on the music of Van Morrison, The Cure and Bloc Party, Kimberly taught herself to play the guitar before studying percussion for a time in West Africa – an experience which has given her tunes some refreshingly unique characteristics.
After the release of her EP Ballads in 2017 and her feature in Sam Feldt’s hit dance track (although house was not really my thing), I eagerly awaited to hear more original work from the songwriter, whose talent can only be truly appreciated by listening to the songs she writes herself.
Years went by and nothing came. I wondered what had happened to Kimberly, as did most of her following at the time. An empty website, all social media channels gone and a youtube comment section begging for more incredible music, it wasn’t easy to track her down. Then in 2019, she relaunched as LANTA – a new name and a statement to the music industry that she wasn’t going to be snatched up by labels looking to ride on the back of her chart success. She wanted to make music that really mattered to her – and that we applaud!
Through her new ’80s soaked soul tracks, LANTA writes about the things that matter in her life, her sexuality, her mental health and her confidence – through this she is slowly becoming a role model for lots of young individuals and a much-needed voice for today’s openly gay black women, a role model she admits she never had growing up.
A new name for her music and newfound confidence, but the same brilliant songwriter. As a former student of The BRIT School who studied there around the same time as Adele, there’s nothing now standing in the way of Kimberly Anne/LANTA becoming just as triumphant. It’s still early days for her new musical persona, but with a voice and talent this big, she surely won’t go unnoticed in times to come.
Some bands are difficult to understand. Not being able to speak much French, I understand just about as many lyrics from the exquisite french band ‘La Femme’ as I understand their mind-boggling, hypnotic and seemingly other-worldly style – but you don’t need to speak the language to find out what a truly amazing band they are, you just need to listen.
La Femme are a group totally unafraid of playing around and creating mesmerising sounds. Completely entrancing at the best of times, they are truly one of the best psych-rock bands out there at the moment. I’ve often found myself sitting on a train listening to one of their songs and totally losing all attachment to reality, like the world around me is melting away between my fingers – usually, I’m listening to this corker of a tune;
Their debut album Psycho Tropical Berlin is something I keep coming back to on a regular. My year doesn’t feel right without listening to it at least once. Putting on their songs feels like falling through deep space, or one of those heist movie scenes where they gear up and put their plan into motion… I thought this edit perfectly describes listening to this particular song, however, TWM does not endorse drug taking of any kind, unless that drug is La Femme.
Everyone loves a good psychedelic punk band, but La Femme are something else. Heavily influenced by bands such as Velvet Underground, guitarist Sacha Got and keyboard player Marlon Magnée formed La Femme in 2010 then released their first two EP’s to high national and international praise.
Since the band’s beginnings in Biarritz in the South of France, nine people from cities across the country now form the band’s lineup today.
Last month, the band released their brand new single ‘Paradigme’, along with a message for their fans; “Paradigms vanish, masks come off. From now on, nothing will be the same anymore.”
The band also released this truly captivating video quite unlike any we’ve seen from them before:
With a bold new image and brand new ideas, La Femme have set out to re-brand themselves for a new era. The announcement of their partnership with IDOL digital distribution and the promise of an upcoming album means we’ll be keeping a close eye on La Femme and are looking forward to our brains being melted once again by this truly remarkable group with a surprise around every corner.
Last Saturday I was invited to a gig at The Amersham Arms in New Cross by London band Tenacity, who were about to play their very first gig since the start of lockdown in the UK.
This was one of the very first gigs I had been to myself post-lockdown and sitting back in a venue was strange to say the least.
Tenacity met while studying together at The BRIT School in South London, formed of band members Ula Wodarz, Tim Burghaus, Daniel Lazenby and Simba Jindu, despite being locked inside for several months, they certainly haven’t lost their ability to put on a show. Though sat at tables spaced a meter apart, their sold-out audience gave phenomenal praise to these incredibly skilled young musicians and their very sophisticated style of music. The band love playing around with loop pedals and synthesizers which this band have used to truly develop their own original sound.
The distance between members of the audience most certainly did not diminish the atmosphere of the room once the band began playing, and although I love a good mosh pit, this time it was nice by the end of the night not to be covered in beer.
Distanced crowds at The Amersham Arms
At 10 pm, as the rules state, it was kicking out time for bars. Standing outside in the lashing-down rain, I spoke to two members of the band, singer and keyboard player Ula and guitarist Daniel, along with their manager, Alessia and a few of their close friends, all of who were back out at their very first gig in seven months!
We spoke a bit about how they found getting back on stage and their thoughts on how this year has changed the music industry.
How does it feel now to be back on stage?
Ula: It felt great, I mean we were a little scared because it was a new set up and we were playing loads of new songs, I thought ‘oh no what if I’ve completely forgotten what it’s like to perform in front of people? But it felt really good.
Dan: I wasn’t so worried about the technicalities, I thought ‘you know we’ve rehearsed this, this is fine.’ But going up there I suddenly felt like I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to do when people look at me, it was quite unusual having all that attention on you again. We’ve been doing so much online and so much in our room that it felt really weird… but weird in a good way.
What have you guys been up to over lockdown?
Ula: We’ve been working on the new album which we were meant to record and release over the summer, but because of Corona we weren’t able to go to the studio and record so we were just writing loads and loads of new songs. We’ve got twice as many songs as we need for the album so we’ve been polishing those demos. We made a website, we made merch, so we’ve just been trying to do as much as we can from home.
Was it weird playing a gig with the audience spaced out like that?
Dan: Honestly for me, it felt quite good really because that’s the best the promotors can do in this situation, there’s not much else you can do but they still managed to retain the real-ness and authenticity of live music without breaking the rules, the promoters did a very good job.
Can you see this being able to continue or do you think there may be another point in the near future where you won’t be able to gig?
Ula: I think that’s very possible, we can’t really tell, obviously we love to play live and play as much as we can and we hope there will be more events like that happening but no one knows for sure, so we’ll see.
Talking of strange gigs, what was the worst gig you’ve ever played?
Dan: Oh my – wow – there’s been a few…
Ula: There were quite a few where the lineups were very strange, where the artists were say for example an indie singer with a guitar, then a metal band, then us who are pop-rock then some guy with a banjo… we’ve had some gigs that nobody came to also, it’s been quite a journey, especially at first. There was a time in the beginning where we were just playing so many gigs that our friends said ‘sorry we don’t have money left to buy tickets.’
Whats the best way to prepare for one of these gigs?
Ula: Well, for this one we’ve been rehearsing for the past two weeks every day, even just sitting in our rooms practising our parts, dress rehearsals in our rooms at home so that I wouldn’t trip over my heels or trousers on stage.
At this point, the bouncer came out of the venue and pushed us away straight into the rain, where I continued the conversation with the band’s manager, Alessia.
This is the strangest interview I’ve ever done, hello you must be Alessia. So what’s it like managing a band at this time?
Alessia: It can be really challenging, I have to think about and create new ways to promote them and new ways to do all sorts of stuff, but at the same time it’s also exciting, I mean we have so much technology to make use of.
How did you feel as a manager seeing them go back on stage?
Alessia: I was really proud, really happy to see them back up there after all this time.
In six weeks time, where do you hope you’ll see the band?
Alessia: Hopefully back on a stage again, but if that’s not going to happen, on as many blogs and in as many press articles as possible.
So right now as a band, do you feel very home-made?
Dan: I think in the last seven months particularly yeah, I think that we do a lot for ourselves, I mean we’ve very lucky to have Alessia now who’s helping us out with managerial things, but prior to that we were just trying to push ourselves in every way that we could, we were sending out a lot of emails and sending out applications for festivals and things like that, so I think that we’re kind of making our own way, and as I say we’re lucky to have our manager too.
Do you think your generation has missed out because of lockdown when it comes to the opportunities available?
Dan: I think that in a sense we’re lucky because we have more of a chance now to been seen than in the past, but in the same sense there are so many people doing music right now and struggling, and the algorithms today don’t really work in the favor of small artists. We’re kind of in the thought process of a music video right now, we’ve written a lot of songs over lockdown so we’re just kind of figuring out what to do with those. We recorded our last music video over lockdown in my bedroom, luckily we had someone clever enough to make it look good.
Ula: I think it will affect every band but not in a bad way, yes you’re not able to perform at the moment but this is a really good time to write and be creative, stuff you wouldn’t have time for if all your energy was focused on playing gigs.
If 2021 ended up being the same as 2020 and lockdown went on into the new year, do you could survive as a band and would your audience still be able to support you?
Dan: I feel like life goes on, and honestly in a way it sucks but the thing is; if you don’t carry on what are we going to do with our lives? If things get bad and you just stop and mope about it, yes it’s ok to be sad, it’s ok to be upset, but you mustn’t let it stop you. That’s very hard sometimes, but in the end, we have to persevere because if we don’t and live music doesn’t then what are we gonna do?
Leah: I think we’re all creative as well, we’re all good at adjusting to weird situations, we improvise, and also because music is our lives so we don’t have a choice not to do it, as musicians, we’ll find a way around anything.
Left to right: Leah and Charlie (guests and friends of the band), manager Alessia and her boyfriend Federico, Ula and Dan from Tenacity – taken after their (very soggy) interview for TWM.
Thanks so much to the band being open about how lockdown has affected them and for inviting me along to their phenomenal gig. I look forward to going back to see them in future. You heard it here first folks, their new album is in the works, but if you can’t wait that long check out Tenacity on YouTube right now.
