Music

Thanks For Nothing See You Never

22nd Mar 2023 — 2 Comments

Caity Baser’s empowering new EP packs a whipsmart punch we all need to hear…

As an advocate for authenticity Caity Baser quickly became Gen Z pioneer, a lighthouse
guiding us away from the bullshit that poisons you in your twenties, the bad
breakups, the dead-end jobs, student debt and always wondering what’s next.
Baser cuts through the blur with her hard-hitting lyrics and punchy beats reminding us all that we are not alone, we have an audible army

X & Y Caity Baser

To be authentic is to be vulnerable and to be vulnerable is to be brave. And that is exactly what Baser achieves with her witty lyrics, charming charisma, and vivacious pop pieces. Arguably most known for her single X and Y, Baser navigates heartache, unrequited love and falling for the wrong sort of people with a whip smart brutality that cuts to the core, all whilst to the tune of punchy Britpop melodies.

Her song Friendly Sex is pretty much self-explanatory. Being friend with benefits can be quite fun until you don’t want to be friends anymore, you want, well, more but it’s unrequited and you’re made to feel like a side chick even though you’re not in a relationship. My favourite thing about this punchy track is that it has an angrier version simply titled Friendly Sex (Angrier) which, although I have never had the pleasure of meeting her, I would assume encapsulates Baser’s outgoing, bubbly but fiery personality. Her inspiring abilty to stand strong, to laugh, to cry and to hold accotunable is why she is one of this year’s breathrough talents.

Kiss You Caity Baser

Friendly sex follows similar themes shared in her track Kiss You. With witty lyrics like:

“You don’t need to buy me flowers
Pucker up and then maybe save the planet and share a shower
What’s your favourite superpower?
Do you prefer sweet or sour?
Actually, don’t even answer
Kiss me now, take off your trousers (ah)” (Kiss You Lyrics)

It is clear why Baser has so quickly become a fan favourite. This verse encapsulates the ebullient awkwardness between you and your crush, wanting to make the first move but fearing rejection, Baser becomes the soundtrack for all our moods, cooler than an agony aunt, she’s more like an older sister who paints your nails whilst you bat tears from your eye, or a best friend that helps youn feel good and get revenge, or even the girl in the toliet on a drunken night out reminding you who you are.

The world’s discovery of Baser came when she was feeling most lost and isolated. Working at her local co-op to save money for studio sessions she felt the beginning of existential dread wash over her. Feelings of worry and wonder lead her to write Average Student a song about lacking direction and destinations in life. This received a million views on TikTok overnight Baser’s life path became mapped out for her. Demonstrating both Baser’s talent and TikTok’s role and an event engine.

Pretty Boys Caity Baser

Baser aims to empower with her music, encouraging people to verbally defend themselves and hold people accountable. Sick of sorry its sometimes okay to say “No, fuck you. Give me a minute, I am angry at you, leave me alone” Caity Baser.

After signing to EMI records Baser has seen London shows sell out, performed at the BBC Introducing stage and reading and Leeds and she’s recently been on a song with Sigala, Stefflon Don and this year’s UK entrant to Eurovision, Mae Muller. With the recent release of her debut EP Thanks for Nothing See You Never 2023 looks bigger and bolder for Baser.

OK by Black Honey

8th Mar 2023 — 1 Comment

Sometimes being OK doesn’t mean being happy and that is actually OK

Black Honey by Harriet Brown

Are you happy? A question you may have been asked by a concerned friend or parent or by that odd drunken character who’s seen you down 10 tequila shots in a sitting. They want you to be happy, you want to be happy but sometimes to stretch yourself into a smile seems too much.

OK by Black Honey

Ok by Black Honey is a musical remedy to this pressure. Wanting someone to be happy of course, for the most part, comes from a place of genuine love and concern or a person’s well-being but when it is not wrapped in the context of the person’s situation it becomes dismissive. A depressive episode can fluctuate, happening for years or just days at a time, it is a reoccurring spiral that often has no trigger or tunnel light. Of course, happiness is the optimal feeling, even when it is fleeting, but when it feels like a mountain climb then smoky being okay is enough.

Black Honey Captured by Eva Pentel

The devotion to friendship comes through with a battle cry as the thudding drums drive the distorted guitar riffs. This raw, empowered intro is met with Phillip/s cascading vocals that pour over the pulsating bass before booming in the chorus. OK is a shield against the happiness myth, the belief that if you are not happy you are not normal, reminding us that sometimes when life gets too much or the rain is just too heavy that to be unsettled, to b dissatisfied is okay.

Released as part of their upcoming album A Fistful Of Peaches, set to come out on the 17th of March, it is clear that this new honey era will expose a more personal side. A kaleidoscope of emotional corridors, ranging from the monstrous to the manic, the hopeful to the panic, the love and the loss, a trip round the colourful house of life. This new album promises to continue the roadmap that has seen them find homes from Brighton to national stages. There is an obvious introspective take in this new sound with limited external influence this is a journey into the psyche, the unseen bits.

“You think that you’ve got this, don’t ya?
I sound like a hypocrite right now
Maybe you don’t need a hero
Maybe this was all just one big mistake” Black Honey OK lyrics

Ok is self-reflective, lead singer Izzy Baxter Phillips critiquing herself for “trying to be a Romeo-style hero when I’m so utterly ill-equipped to help anyone. “Whilst moth of us don’t have a degree in phycology or a qualification for therapy, having basic empathy is a human trait, wanting another to be okay and trying to get them there is heroic in its own way. Of course, most ailments cannot simply be solved with a cup of tea, a conversation and possibly a hug it is a starting point. Remember not to project or over-protect, listen to them.

If a friend is in therapy, buttress their progress, be patient with them you wouldn’t ask someone with a broken leg to go on a run so follow a similar principle when it comes to mental health. On describing the story behind the song Phillips explained “it’s a love story I wrote for my friend who was getting high all the time to dull anxiety. I didn’t want them to be struggling anymore and this song is like ‘I will stand by you and if you need a weird 10 mins where you smoke weed after drinking 8 pints till you whitey. If that’s what you need to do then it’s okay’.

The music video for OK is also out. Directed by the incredible James Noise this video exudes art-deco and looks like a dream. The transiting neon and pastel blend represent the focus on chaos when we should be enjoying the colour.

Happiness is a heavy weight that sometimes we must rest upon, this song is not only a love story to friendship it is an ode to forgiveness. Forgive yourself, fight for yourself and most importantly love all versions of yourself. Love you when you can’t get out of bed, the version who was recognised by your boss at work, the version that singly loudly and badly in the shower and the one who cry on their weekend away. You have an unknown number of days with yourself in that time allow yourself to fall, to burn bread and then bake more, when you are being kind you are doing enough.

If you or a friend has been affected by mental health below are some useful resources.

https://www.manhealth.org.uk

https://www.samaritans.org

https://www.talktofrank.com/

Wakey Wines is in its Prime.

26th Feb 2023 — 1 Comment

What’s the best shop in Wakey?

Whether you’re one of the 700k TikTok followers or a Wakefield local by now you must have heard the iconic Abdul, come closer, Abdul, go back,” and the catchy “Bingo bingo, Gala bingo”. Well now there is even a Wakey Wines song, Come Closer, with its own music video.

Frustratingly the song is quite catchy, one that we’ll no doubt see trend on TikTok for a while.With is simplistic but effective wordplay the song cleverly markets Wakey Wines as the place to be, it is where things happen. Local communities, small towns and villages seemingly have the stigma that not much goes on but Wakey Wines raises a glass against this stereotype, a beacon to everyday people trying to make it.

Prime energy, WFD branded sweets, to it’s own merchandise Wakey Wines has transformed from being a tedious Tuesday lunch time trip to a Friday night hangout spot. You’re not going there for a bag of crips and a pint of milk, you’re going there to experience a slice of fame and full throttle vibrancy. Perhaps this theatrical display, evocative of a victorian market seller, will trend again changing retail once more.

The track has the potential to become this summer’s club banger, a grenade on the dance floor. This truly defines doing it differently, name another shop that has it’s own song. Binley Mega Chippy? That short lived jingle is no competition for this wobbler, right? Or will Wakey fall victim to these TikTok trends, you may burn bright but you burn out quicker.

Although owner Mohammad Azar Nazir may have gone viral for his phrases landing him guest star appearances at various nightclubs across the UK he has been met with criticism after selling the highly coveted prime energy drinks at an extortionate rate, in some cases charging £100, although this has been deemed as a marketing stunt by some.

Partial owner and promoter of the Prime Brand KSI actually responded to Mohammad’s antics yelling that ‘he can’t keep getting away with this’. It is clear that KSI is very passionate about keeping Prime at the agreed price of £2, when supermarket Asda was found to be selling it for £2.50, he called them out on twitter, writing “No, no, no. This is out of order. This isn’t Prime doing this. This is Asda.” subsequently Asda did then drop the price back down.

Mohammed has defended his decision to charge such a rate by arguing that he is just ‘making the best of a business opportunity’.

But the prices don’t seem to be deterring people who have, for the most part, accepted that this is all part of the experience such as Darren Grieves who travelled 130 miles with his three children to spend £66 on four drinks Wakey.

Whether you feel like travelling to Wakey or you’re not even up to walking to your local it is clear that TikTok is changing the face of retail, helping local businesses and giving creators the space to demonstrate their talents.