Frenetic, frantic, fun-loving and finessed, Sunderland’s post-punk outfit Roxy GIrls aren’t the type to hang about when it comes to their supersonic approach to songwriting. Their rapid riffs are of such a raucous character that if it weren’t for the graciously grounded grooves they are contained in, the final result would be astoundingly incomprehensible. Thankfully for the frenetic four piece, their discography comes off less fumbled, more fantastic.
This is all very wordy so far, so let’s simplify things: there’s a fat new single out now via Moshi Moshi Records, and it’s absolutely worth your time.
‘Sister Fatima’ holds its own from the second the awkward, nimble guitar lines start jauntily start dancing around one another, harmonising in a way that only just holds the track’s introduction together. It’s difficult to even know where the hell things are going, but it doesn’t really matter when they’re already coming at you with energy like this. Just when you expect things to stagnate, an explosive crowd of fuzzy bass and thrashing drums knock the sound into supernova, excitable bursts from all corners solidifying a lip-bitingly fun attitude throughout the single’s opening. The peppy ring of a vibraphone clears the way for a thudding groove and syncopated, warming vocal line, and with that the song hits its mark, making way for two and a half minutes of raunchy gyrating mayhem.
This sort of approach isn’t new for the outfit. Their previous release ‘Like A Buoy‘ reflects the very same breathless intensity found here. The same goes for the critically acclaimed mini albums ‘A Poverty Of Attention’ and ‘A Wealth Of Information’, gaining them a wealth of praise all the way from BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 1 to NME, DIY, Clash, the list goes on.
Here, though, something hits different. Perhaps it’s the time all four members spent apart throughout the past year, or it could be the slightly downtrodden subject matter of the track – the loss of a loving hamster that no-doubt kept solid company throughout the isolation COVID provided. The upcoming EP ‘Roxy Girls Are In The Drink‘ comes from a similar strain – a four-track collection of songs born from an impromptu meet up during the third UK lockdown.
Speaking on the EP and new single, frontman Tom Hawick says: “After being sat in front of the tv for much of the last year, the lines between reality and entertainment started to blur, influencing portions of the EP’s lyrical content. ‘In the drink’ came from countless episodes of Takeshi’s castle and ‘My new home’ after too many grand designs.“
With “Roxy Girls Are In The Drink” due to hurdle its way onto shelves and playlists on August 27th, the shores of Sunderland better boot up and buckle in for one hell of a ride.
Listen to ‘Sister Fatima’ here:
Like what you hear? The band recently announced news of an upcoming October tour with Leeds band Mush. Dates are as follows:
14th Oct – Yes, Manchester
15th Oct – Central Library, Blackpool
22nd Oct – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
23rd Oct – Jericho, Oxford
24th Oct – Rough Trade, Bristol
25th Oct – Moth Club, London
26th Oct – Record Junkie, Sheffield
27th Oct – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh
28th Oct – Broadcast, Glasgow
29th Oct – Cumberland Arms, Newcastle
30th Oct – Trade Club, Hebden Bridge
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