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Alien Chicks release new single ‘Woodlouse’

Experimental post-punk power trio Alien Chicks released their addictively catchy third single “Woodlouse” on Friday. The Brixton-based band sold out their Windmill Brixton launch party and played to a packed venue on Friday night, causing a big scramble for spare tickets. 

The launch was full of energy emanating from both the band and crowd, with a mosh pit throughout their set and more crowd surfers than we have ever witnessed at the Windmill. In matching three-piece costumes, Alien Chicks played a thrilling set, twisting and turning through elements of rap, ska, and jazz and touching on countless different time signatures, breaks and climaxes while maintaining a raw post-punk edge to their sound. 

Supported by the mysterious ‘The Kings’ Arms’ (The Queens’ Head), Gag Salon, and Neuroplacid, they topped off the night with a session of Windmill karaoke – an after-gig ritual they have become known for. Fans went home (or to the afterparty) filled with excitement, energy, and beer, armed with homemade Alien Chicks CDs scrawled with rude messages in the band’s handwriting.

As for their single, “Woodlouse” has an addictive hook packed full of energy and oomph with a menacing and sophisticated edge to the sound and lyrics. The taunting melodies of the backing vocals are juxtaposed beautifully to the darker reflections of lead vocalist Joe: “Sitting nodding like they’re bobble heads,” “Actions governed by a few,” “Acclimatising to the prejudice…” 

The band are teasing an exciting-looking music video to be released this week (which appears to feature the three of them wearing the matching costumes they wore at their single launch…). What’s next for Alien Chicks? October brings a series of buzzy support slots, with Peeping Drexels at the Lexington (7th), Headshrinkers at The Grace (13th), and The Rainbow Birmingham (22nd), and Pyjaen (28th). The band also signed with a booking agent and a publishing deal with Wipeout Publishing.

Photo: Lou Smith

Categories
Punk/Rock Videos

Deadletter Unleashes ‘Binge’

Taken from ‘Binge’ music video, directed by Tegen Williams

After building a reputation as paragons of the live performance, Deadletter soars even higher with ‘Binge,’ a biting incantation on intoxication. In a world of nicotine patches, ‘don’t talk to me before my morning coffee,’ and Klarna payment plans for your new shoes – frontman Zac Lawrence preaches at a world which demands everything immediately all the time. Instant porn, instant music, instant dating, and instant celebrity content have made us all shallow and impatient, and it’s hard to tell if ‘Binge’ is a call to arms against our current evolution or a sardonic ‘so what?’

‘Binge’ brings us a collage of post-punk, funk, and new wave. Written in 25 minutes back in January, Lawrence credits a formula of “drumline, bassline, lyrics, seasoning” to Deadletter’s creative process. It’s an organic recipe, all bare bones and knuckles and knees, building the skeleton of what a song needs before adding sinew and tissue. The drumline is of Alfie Husband’s doing, and along with George Ullyot on bass, the beat shoots straight to your muscles and gets you moving, all whilst scratching an impossible itch in the back of your skull. The guitar riffs from King and Bates combined have an almost Bowie sense of movement, bringing the glam that ‘Binge’ tells us we aspire to. Poppy Richler fleshes out the instrumentals on the saxophone, further demonstrating how the current post-punk scene’s revival of a horn section is a truly wonderful thing.

If there’s one thing that you can rely on from Deadletter, it’s that they bring an extraordinary energy to every song, every performance, and every music video. Lawrence is adrenaline incarnate, on screen and stage. He doesn’t just move his mouth, he entertains with his entire physicality; his movements are percussive, and his body is an instrument in and of itself. He is a frontman that steps down into the audience and growls in their faces while moshing along with them. Whilst premiering ‘Binge’ on BBC Radio 6 yesterday afternoon, Steve Lamacq said of the band that they “have an uncanny chemistry on stage” before describing their performance at this year’s Great Escape Festival as having a significant impact on the audience.

Photographed by @spela_is

With their EP Heat due for launch in November, ‘Binge’ provides us with enough Deadletter to keep us satiated for the time being – but we want more, because we are greedy little wretches and life’s a binge. The band are currently touring the UK, with dates featured below, so catch them while you can.

Tour Dates:

18th August – The Blue Moon, Cambridge (Music Venue Trust Tour)

19th August – Chameleon Arts Café, Nottingham (Music Venue Trust Tour)

20th August – The Star Inn, Guilford (Music Venue Trust Tour)

21st August – Beautiful Days Festival, Devon

23rd August – Duffy’s, Leicester (Music Venue Trust Tour)

24th August – Elsewhere, Margate (Music Venue Trust Tour)

25th August – The Grain, Frome (Music Venue Trust Tour)

27th August – Reading Festival

28th August – Leeds Festival

16th September – Head Of Stream, Newcastle

17th September – The Flying Duck, Glasgow

18th September – Bootleg Social, Blackpool

20th September – Sidney and Matilda, Sheffield

21st September – Oporto, Leeds

22nd September – The Castle Hotel, Manchester

23rd September – Polar Bear, Hull (Supporting Yard Act) SOLD OUT

24th September – Dead Wax, Birmingham

26th September – Hope & Ruin, Brighton

27th September – Crofters Rights, Bristol

28th September – 100 Club, London


Tickets available HERE

Categories
Punk/Rock

Alien Chicks Release New Single ’27 Stitches’

Alien Chicks’ explosive new single ’27 Stitches’ was released last week to a truly epic reception at the Brixton Windmill. Joined by other hot bands on the scene, Cowboyy and A Void, the most likewise stylish of London’s music lovers gathered to watch Alien Chicks’ captivating lineup tear up the stage.

Video by Lou Smith

Fired-up fans left with a healthy fill of sweat-fueled mayhem and some carrying a small vial of the band’s shared bathwater around their neck. The band’s upcoming music video may give us some much-needed answers around that… 

Listen to the new single here.