‘Healthy Mind’ released by Emily Howard

An outstretched hand on the journey through grief.

Emily Howard, a talented musician, recently released , “Healthy Mind,” featured on her album titled “Good Grief.” This emotionally charged track delves deep into the complexities of navigating grief, offering listeners a raw glimpse into tragedy. With a delicate balance of humor, hope, and moments of profound despair, Howard’s hauntingly beautiful composition strikes a chord with our innermost emotions.

Emily Howard Healthy Mind.

Simplistic and stripped back this song is all the more effective with it’s acoustic sound and complex lyrics. By embracing vulnerability and finding resilience Howard has created an intricate insight into loss and hope. Her honestly and humour demonstrate her humanity in the face of adversity. This song also serves as a reminder that sometimes, putting yourself first does not equate to selfishness in actuality it equates to survival. Despite such a strong emotion, Howard demonstrates there is sometimes peace in a storm with her effortlessly empowering Jazz influenced vocals.

After losing her boyfriend in a motorbike accident when she was 17 , her album Good Grief offers an honest and insightful, outstretched hand on others who have also been pushed onto this unfortunate journey. Grief encompasses the sorrow and pain that follows a major unexpected change in our lives whether it be divorce, losing a job or the sudden loss of a loved one. It is an experience that transcends language and affects each individual uniquely. Numbness settles in, a spectre of who you once were this should of silence and eruption of inner turmoil, our once known world now an alien planet. As time passes, emotions surge, fluctuating between anger, sadness, and profound longing for what once was. Grief is an uninvited companion that walks beside us, reminding us of the depth of our love and the irreplaceable void left behind. It is a process of learning to navigate life without the physical presence of the one we mourn, while still cherishing the memories and the impact they had on our lives. It is an uninvited teacher, demonstrating the fragility of existence and the resilience of the human spirit. Through grief, we learn to honour and remember, to find solace in the bittersweet beauty of the past, and to forge a renewed sense of purpose in the wake of loss.

Good Grief Album by Emily Howard

It is not just the incident that impacts us, it is not just them who we mourn but also the loss of the It is in the future we had envisioned too. Full of promises, shared moments, cherished memories, and hope, seemingly fade away like a distant mirage. However, within the depths of grief, we can also discover a profound sense of resilience and the capacity to find solace in treasured memories. It is through embracing these memories and honoring the legacy of those we have lost that we can ultimately begin to heal and find a renewed sense of purpose.

Time may not heal all wounds, but it has the power to bring comfort and grant us the strength to carry on. The experiences we hold close to our hearts continue to shape us, leaving an indelible mark on our souls. Memories intertwine with our thoughts, etching their presence in our minds. We carry them with us, forever tethered to the stories that unfolded. Healing is an ongoing journey, with its ebbs and flows. Even as wounds fade, the occasional ache serves as a gentle reminder of what once was. Yet, amidst the darkness, there is always a glimmer of hope, much like the moon shining through the night sky. Grief can also bring gratitude, enriching each experience we did share with who is gone, allowing us to appreciate each moment more and experiencing it for the both of you, choosing to honour their memory by embracing life, cherishing the lessons learned, and forging ahead with resilience, we go on knowing that by doing so they continue to live within us.

Manchester band cruush release debut EP Wishful Thinker

Fall in love with this latest release.

cruush captured by Aneela Siddiqui

The quickest way to regain your youth is to have a crush on someone. The rush of blood to your cheeks you catch a glimpse of your cute co-worker’s eye as they peer through the glass of that Monday morning meeting room, lose the ability to structure the sentence to your usual coffee order as your favourite barista. The thrill of the chase, the hope of planting a smile on their face, having a crush is like sitting in a large walled flower garden that’s slowly beginning to burn, it is enjoying the scenery with the threat of impending doom, or growth and fruition, a crush is there perseverance of possibility.

Wishful Thinker

True to their name, cruush’s debut EP Wishful Thinker explores the themes of having a crush from the thrill, the jealousy, the desperation, and heartbreak. Vocalist and front person Amber Warren explains our music has the sweet elements of having a crush on someone but the screeching of an industrial car crusher”.

Formed from the feral depths of freshers week when Warren met, current guitarist, Arthur Boyd met at some ‘shitty event’ and formed a connection. Fully fleshed out when they were joined by drummer Fotis Kalantizis and bassist Ru Cowl, cruush was set on reimagining the shoe gaze genre for the modern age, by introducing a blend of verbs in crisis to reflect current day sensibilities, resulting in shoegaze by digital natives, a generation whom pluralism is commonplace, defining themselves as half memory and have anticipation. If you are a fan of My Bloody Valentine, Wolf Alice and The Cranberries you will call ‘Wishful Thinker’ your home.

The same titled lead track Wishful Thinker has a whimsical charm, that evokes ethereal, the magical moments you share with your crush as you hope you’re becoming closer, you feel like you’ve mastered a skill with no effort. In reality you’re crawling through sand, burns on your body believing your crawling closer to a cascading waterfall, when really, you’re plummeting to your downfall. The stemming watercolour flow state of guitar is met by mournful utterances on toxicity, physiological decline, Narcissistic behaviours, and pessimistic tendencies. The truth is having a crush is soul crushing, you sip your mind with what ifs, you waste time triple checking your teeth in the mirror and analysing their snap score to see if they’re ignoring you. Logical and intellect are the victim of this haze, this little crush is no longer a phase. Warren’s melodic splendour is antidote-like, a siren stealing attention from the tidal waves of noise with queasy timbres of disillusion, doubt, and confusion.  Wishful thinker is no doubt an appropriate figurehead of this musical ship, preparing you for both smooth sailing and Tsunamis, on the ocean of love.

Meeting each other in Manchester and sharing our time here has shaped our sound more than anything else” explains Boyd.So, no matter if cruush lean into 80s indie, alternative 90s or the Seattle sound, they’re able to plug their rock into the aquatic textures of the city in which they reside.  


The EP was released with the help of fellow Mancunians and tastemaker label, Heist or Hit – responsible for launching the careers of Her’spizzagirlEades and more – offers cruush the chance to spread this message far and wide. And how widely it already has been received, with standing ovations and radio play in tow crush have received accolades from the likes of  Jack Saunders (BBC Radio 1), Steve Lamacq, Tom Robinson & Chris Hawkins (BBC Radio 6), John Kennedy (Radio X), Simone Butler (Soho Radio), Consequence of Sound, Bandcamp Daily, NME, CLASH, So Young and GIGWISE.On the live side, cruush have bagged supports with BDRMMNewDadThe Lounge SocietyFar CaspianPale Blue EyesPriest gate and Ian Sweet, while selling out hometown headline dates at Gullivers & YES.  

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Head to their website for more information surrounding their next live event on the 2nd September at Manchester Psych Fest.