L.A.-based Helen Ballentine burst on to the music scene seemingly out of nowhere as
Skullcrusher, with one of the more impressive debut releases with her self-titled debut in July 2020, a collection of deep, emotional, sparse indie folk.
Less than a year later she s back with her new E.P.,
Storm in Summer, that sees her expanding on her sound, bringing a denser, more layered approach to production, to great effect.
RTRFM s Will Backler caught up with Ballentine to hear all about her first two releases and the evolution of her sound, her background in visual art and design, dealing with found fame and attention, and started off by asking about her artist name.
New Music Reviews (4/19) KEXP
Each week, Music Director Don Yates (joined this week by DJs Alex, Abbie, and Gabriel Teodros) shares brief insights on new and upcoming releases for KEXP s rotation. These reviews help our DJs decide on what they want to play. See what we added this week below (and on our Charts page), including new releases from
Jupiter & Okwess,
Na Kozonga (Everloving)
The latest release from this Congolese band led by Jupiter Bokondji is an impressive, energetic set of various Congolese styles inflected with funk, rock and more, combining fiery electric guitars, percolating rhythms, call-and-response vocals and hypnotic song hooks. The album’s special guests include Ana Tijoux and Preservation Hall Jazz Band. DY
Skullcrusher - Storm In Summer | Reviews diymag.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from diymag.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Arlo Parks, Skullcrusher and More Female Indie Artists for Next Year’s Grammys Variety 3/12/2021
It’s no secret that for the past several years, the most adventurous and innovative music in the rock and alternative spaces has largely been made by female artists something that is reflected in the Grammy nominees for those categories this year, particularly the all-female Best Rock Performance category, which comprises Fiona Apple, Big Thief, Haim, Brittany Howard, Grace Potter and this week’s
girl in red (Oslo, Norway)
A bedroom-pop mainstay for queer teens since the release of her first single “i wanna be your girlfriend” in 2018, Norweigan songwriter Marie Ulven, AKA girl in red, is ready to become a worldwide force in pop with her debut album, “if i could make it go quiet,” out April 30th. “I feel like people should expect the unexpected [with the album],” she notes. Releasing her work via AWAL, which she says is the “best decision [she’s] made,” g
Rolling Stone Menu Skullcrusher Preps New ‘Storm in Summer’ EP, Shares Title Track
Five-song set also includes recently issued “Song for Nick Drake”
By
Singer-songwriter Helen Ballentine announced a new Skullcrusher EP,
Storm in Summer, out April 9th via Secretly Canadian. She previewed the five-track set with its title song, a delicate swirl of ringing guitars and banjo plucks.
“And I wonder if I go back home, can I hide away?” Ballentine sings. “Or if I step into this storm, is it warm? Will I find my place?” She paired the song with a fittingly rainy video in which she stares solemnly out a window.