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Gabi Garbutt Soars with the release of her Debut EP The Creation Of The Birds.

28th Apr 2023 — Leave a comment

See the world from the other side fo the wing.

Gabi Garbutt

The influence of art in understanding our surroundings is hard to quantify. Despite the rise of social media, the immediate gratification so easily accessed from a ten second video spiel, it is still common to see satirical comic strips reflecting the structure of our current climate. We digest the world in many ways, from word on the street to billboards in times square. Everything has an influence, for example Gabi Garbutt’s new EP The Creation of the birds was influenced by Mexican surrealist painter Remedios Varo. who has a painting with the same title.

Panic Gabu Garbutt Dy Blonde

Varo has explained that she ‘repeatedly turned to music as a symbol of the wholeness [she]sought whilst believing that surrealism “contributed to art in the same way psychoanalysis has contributed to the exploration of the subconscious.” Garbutt’s latest release does just this.

Her feature track Panic encapsulates the dismal state of current affairs in a wittily wrapped opener that hits you like the cold stepping out of the shower.  This track brings with it a barnstorming collab from Du Blonde for an anthemic feel.  Whilst the second track, Stun like a flower truly explores the boundaries of surrealism, the dreamscape of a shaken mind, the art revolution of the human experience, if we do not strip back the layers of ourselves how we expect to understand our surface? Entrenched in gothic pessimism, shrouded in a foreboding atmosphere this track tis imbued in the macabre wrapped in a harrowing , power ballad style.

Swim in the unconscious sea of your mind, watch the waves roll over you as your skin stays dry, your hands become those on a clock face by the time we reach All The Magic’ which burns us deeper into the surrealistic wells of Gabi’s imagination, with arcane references to occult spells and alchemy, concluding with a spacey chromatic outro that rolls meticulously into Unquiet Mind. 

Just like the experimental elements of surrealism, everything means nothing and nothing means silence, this latest EP introduces a new direction, for Gabi. Goodbye to her distinctive jangly guitars hello to a more plaintive piano riff, a sip of sweet sax and what could either be a flute or a whistle or a soundbite of Garbutt’s mind. As the great Salvador Dali once said “Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision.” The exploration into the unknown is a frightening but liberating journey.

The EP rounds off with Satellite Gazing, a pensive ballad about searching for solace in the night sky and finding only blinking satellites, the rattling space junk of some ‘raging tycoon’, presumably Elon Musk. One day we will find a can of pop on the moon, half empty and warmed by the sun. Bored of poisoning our own planet we must pullet space next, none of these missions will extend our time on Earth or on any planet in the solar system for that matter.

Fly from the monotonous horrors of your 9-5 with The Creation Of Birds’ which embraces us on a spellbound odyssey through the hinterlands of alchemy, dark magic, melancholy and finally to the stars. Remedios Varo would probably hum along to it as she paints.

Manchester Powerhouse The Redroom release The Woman From Nowhere.

28th Apr 2023 — 1 Comment

We all have a person like her in our lives, travelling through towns, wandering the streets. Time to listen to her story.

The Redroom by Daniel Murphy

In this world we are all strangers in each others stories. Merely faces on streets to people we will never see again, their lives an uninteresting enigma, their existence barley rendered in our minds. We are all no one to nobody, as eye-catching as cracks in the pavement, a discarded cigarette on the street floor. perhaps that a little harsh, perhaps these nameless faces have an inspiring story underneath their blank expressions. After all, aren’t we all nameless?

The Redroom’s latest addition to their Neo-Soul ensemble explores some of the stories we may never hear from the perspective of a nameless woman.’ The Woman From Nowhere’ weaves an intriguing tale of mystery and woe that moves you like the swish of a skirt in the breeze, captures your ears and gets you wondering about all of the people you see but never really meet.

It is through music that we meet each other, we meet more of ourselves, who we could be and we get inspired, with songs we invite people into our world. Through music we explore ourselves, encourage change and weather internal conflict. Strangers are our friends, our lovers, ourselves, we are all those that we see and that is why the streets are an inspiring architect to pop culture, it is the people that make the art. The have stories to tell, perhaps if we just lend them an ear, and you can lend us your ears by listening to the podcast episode I did with The Redroom.

Podcast Episode

Keen people watcher, lyricist and lead singer Jess Lewis-Ward became inspired to write The Woman From Nowhere explaining how it “is a story based on a short real-life encounter. It’s a complex take on a simple interaction. A passing conversation with an interesting woman at a music festival, led to a burst of inspiration that I had to see through. The song itself encapsulates the way in which my mind works, where I’ll often create whole worlds and stories for strangers that I meet or observe along the way. I think TWFN accurately captures the variety of musical influences (from Louise Verneuil to America) that guide our
songwriting”.

Formed in late 2019, the band consists of the 20-year-old Jessica Lewis-Ward on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Jake Elliot on lead guitar, Dominic Aldridge playing bass guitar, Matthew Dodds on keys and Charlie McDonald behind the kit.

The Redroom captured by Daniel Murphy

Causing an Indie storm in the north The Redroom combine their distinctive blues, jazz and psychedelic rock elements in ‘TWFN’ with contemporary elements to usher in anew era of songwriting. Songwriting that has seen them hit over 85,00 streams, Air Play on BBC 6 Music and sell out their headline gig in the Night and day cafe in Manchester, now their home base, success that ultimately lead them to open for Stereophonics at Hardwick live in 2022 and then playing the same festival as music giants, Madness at Lindisfarne Festival. This year they’re heading to Leeds Fest! Listen to the tracks that got them there, here.

Love Letter by The Redroom

Last year the band moved from their homebase Newcastle to Manchester,Jess describes how the move has influenced their music career “Life in Manchester is great! We’ve met some amazing people and gained some great opportunities from the move. The music scene here is a lot bigger and more diverse in comparison to Newcastle. It definitely feels like a natural progression for us. We all absolutely love the city and can’t wait to see what’s in store for us over the next year.”

We are all people from nowhere searching for our somewhere and it looks as though The Redroom has found that somewhere; from sharing the stage with industry icons, to sell-out headline shows in both their hometown of Newcastle and their new home of Manchester, it is clear that 2023 is shaping up to be a stellar year for the quintet.

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.