New music review with Conscious Pilot and Shooting Daggers

Our weekly fix of the best new music as Julia Mason brings us her review of new singles from Conscious Pilot Modern Religion and Shooting Daggers Smug

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Artist: Conscious Pilot

Track: Modern Religion

Credit Conscious Pilot

Following on from their debut single Halfway To Hockney, Conscious Pilot have released new track Modern Religion.  The band was created by former Cheap Teeth members Joe Laycock and Jack Sharp as they joined forces with musicians from Catholic Action and Pressure Retreat.

Modern Religion acknowledges and appreciates the various means by which individuals validate their existence, whether through organised religion, music, exercise or even seemingly unconventional activities like fishing.

The driving basslines dictate the pace here and combined with the clear vocal and twangy guitar it’s a self-assured second single as Conscious Pilot evolve their soundscape in advance of their debut EP. The outro is a wonderful kaleidoscope of sound as the beats slowly bob out at the end.

Of the single, Joe Laycock shares: “Modern Religion was the first song we wrote. It formed the conceptual foundation for this EP and indeed the project as a whole. Written about a lost individual in a perpetual struggle to find meaning, (pushed towards a sense of collective faith in an atypical religious ideology), the song is a symbolic reflection of our formative period. After choosing to move on from our former band, Cheap Teeth, which had been our predominant focus for the past seven years, we were ourselves experiencing such a struggle.” 

Conscious Pilot Live Dates

2nd February - Dundee, Clark’s

4th February - Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s

7th February - Newport, Le Pub

9th February - Halifax, The Greyston

10th February - Leeds, Mabgate Beach  

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Artist: Shooting Daggers

Track: Smug

Credit Martyna Bannister

Sal, Bea and Raquel, aka Shooting Daggers, are already making a noise with their full-on live shows. Whether it’s Desertfest, supporting Amyl & The Sniffers, performing at a whole bundle of underground gigs and festivals across the UK and Europe including Fluff and Burn It Down, or even sharing the stage with the cream of up and coming American hardcore including Scowl, Gel, Zulu, and Spaced, their reputation is growing.

Ahead of the release of their debut album Love and Rage via New Heavy Sounds on 16 February, the band have released new single Smug.  Just listen to that guitar intro. The hardcore vibes are ferocious and the electricity seeping through the riffs are tingling.  The slight stop start in the chorus is so cool, completely captivating.  This is one heck of a track to blast away the stormy conditions. Accompanied by full throttle vocals Smug is a fierce pre-cursor to the debut album.

Shooting Daggers share the following behind the inspiration for the song: "It’s about the hierarchy of the music scene and how important it is to go back to your roots and never forget where you came from/started. For this reason in the video we wanted to highlight our little community and our favourite spots in SE London.”

The debut album Love and Rage promises depth and melody as well as blinding energy and angst. The band explains: “We want to spread a positive message, we are channeling rage into a good force, seeking for justice and unity. Anger serves us as a bodyguard for our personal pain and suffering. But when you recognise rage within you, if you handle it with attention, love, and compassion, it can be a powerful mobilising factor to take action in solidarity and commitment to enacting social change.

This is a time to focus on ourselves and our community. Protect our rights to be in this world and stop caring about men's validations. It's time for women and queer people to channel all our power together.  In this album we touch subjects such as unity, sorority, self love, taking the power back, queer love and skateboarding.”

Shooting Daggers are set to launch their album at Rough Trade East in London on 22nd February with support from The Menstrual Cramps and Out Of Love. The band will also support U.S hardcore outfit Spaced as part of their ‘Trippin Thru the UK Tour 2024’

Shooting Daggers Live Dates

29.3 Manchester Manchester Punk Fest  

30.3 Bristol The Exchange  

31.3 Southampton The Hobbit  

01.4 Brighton The Hope and Ruin  

02.4 London New Cross Inn

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