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Up Next | Rhirhi | Issue 1
JackO talks to rhirhi, a bedroom-based self-produced artist, who admits she’s learnt through a process of trial and error and ‘pressing a lot of wrong buttons’
‘I want my music to help heal and speak to the people who have gone through heartache and sadness, just bringing more love into the world, you know?’ (rhirhi, 2023)
Heartache is certainly a recurring theme in rhirhi’s music. From an opening set at the Troubadour to a cosy pub gig in Twickenham on every stage I’ve seen her, there’s always at least one crowd member brought to tears. That isn’t to say her tracks are a wallow-fest or indulgent self-pity, there is a comfort that never fails to shine through.’
A bedroom-based self produced artist, who admits she learnt through a process of trial and error and ‘pressing a lot of wrong buttons’, acknowledges she’s still growing and has a lot to learn. Tackling the interpersonal struggles a growing number of us all tend to face at one point, this is music with a lot to say.
The cadence is almost conversational. That chattiness coupled with the raw authenticity of the lyrics strike almost like a familiar friend opening up to you. The track Listen When You’re Better, off the EP, The Rush Isn’t Real, promotes that retrospective identity, that begins almost fearfully yet crescendos into a courageous outburst blasting dodgy partners, societies’ attitude towards mental health issues and the damage caused by low self esteem.
Writing through her early teenage years, progressing to open mics and busking in and around Saint James Square, rhirhi is fond of her hometown. She is now reaching for new heights after her relocation to South London. As we spoke she chimed in that she feels she’s come a long way since getting noise complaints from a nearby Poundland as she ‘sang Riptide for the fifth time that morning.’
‘I feel lucky having grown up on the Isle of Wight: the music scene, The Festival and the people I’ve met who have nurtured my passion.’
Having played the iconic Isle of Wight Festival three years in a row, and counting, rhirhi is already standing on the shoulders of giants. It’s a music festival steeped in history, platforming hundreds of music’s greats ranging from Jimi Hendrix to John Lennon, The Rolling Stones and Blondie.
Demonstrating the autonomy of her craft, a BTS feature uploaded to her youtube channel – The creation of Teddy’s Song humanises an immensely compassionate song. Perhaps her most reactive song, a desperate cry to those on the edge to save their lives one more time dedicated to a friend who’s said outright that it saved their life. It recorded minimalistically but that’s no reflection of its powerful sound.
‘Similar to Fiona Apple and Dodie yet equally inspired by the Velvet Underground and The Cranberries,’ she reckons.
There is a valid sense of genre ambiguity to rhirhi, a possibility for her to go in a great many directions. The Indie hallmarks are there in the low budget and alternative appeal, although there is a sense of the abstract in the dreamy vocals and reverbed instrumental. Across her three EPs there is already a trend of increasing experimentation that should definitely excite us for what’s to come.
With her debut full length, Getting Older, Getting Older releasing on December 15th and an upcoming shows at the Cavern Freehouse and the Mascara Bar, rhirhi is one to watch.
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/rhirhi/getting-older-getting-older
https://www.realsounds.uk/event-details/44
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rhirhi.co.uk/
Website – https://www.rhirhi.co.uk
Javina Greene | Two-year fast track Production degree alumni | Issue 1
The Buzz catches up with innovator, music maker, lyricist, activist and lived experience speaker Javina Greene. Words Ngaire Ruth
“You’ve just got to get it out there,” she says, with sincerity.
She’s just finished pitching an idea to our Chairman to provide studio time at Metropolis Blue Room to record a three-track EP in February 2024 for a collective Javina started in her first year at ACM, Females About Music.
“I kinda pushed it,” she adds with a cheeky grin.
This woman kinda always pushes it – once sending a letter to every MP in her district to request funding for a safe space for a community of women to meet and help each other.
“You need smart clothes for an interview? Here you are. You wanna get out of the house because you’re isolated. Come!”
“And it was cost-effective, much to the council’s surprise,” she adds.
This is all going “back time” and just one example of how collaboration and safe spaces for women in music as a tool for change is everything that drives Javina Greene.
The collective Females About Music is a creative space and support network for women in music; “any kind of music” but at this stage, it’s been soul, rap, R&B, trap, drill, and indie. This community bonds through differences and the skills of its support network are multiple: singers and musicians, engineers and producers, fashion, music videos, and DJs. The common ground is the struggle. The struggle to finance a recording, and the need for a safe space.
“When I started one of the tutors said ‘Not to worry if I missed the induction, they knew loads of people that didn’t go and he would introduce me to one of the Level 6’s who really knew his stuff; maybe go in and record with him?’”
“I got to the session booked a quarter of an hour early, we went in and pretty much straight away these lads started coming in, chatting, asking questions. Can you listen to this, listen to this and I’m sitting there and the time was ticking.
In the end, I got twenty minutes to make a rushed recording.”
After that, she did the Induction and booked studio time for herself. She told tutors and technicians to tell other women students they could join me there. And that’s how Females About Music started.
Some ACM first-year undergraduates have already joined the Females About Music Workshop which happens on Mondays @ ACM Birmingham for two or up to four hours.
“The first thing we’ll ask is ‘What do you want to do?’. Some women aren’t ready to be an artist so just come and get involved, be in the music video, and use my traction.”
Dhonna Musicality is a member who is now making her own fine music, with a new single released this November, Better Without You, a powerhouse vocal, keys and inspiring lyrics (“Cause I break the chain”). You should also hear H.A.T.E: “This song is about who I am, where I’m from and where I’m going to.” They’ve just all been to a listening party for artist Sanity, a Birmingham rapper – the collective that helped her do that is 93:00 (link below). “It’s about sharing,” Javina reminds me, “Sharing knowledge and resources.”
Javina’s own single, The Crime, is out now, released this month to tie in with November’s White Ribbon campaign against violence towards women and girls. It’s an essential but difficult listen, with intense beats giving way to sweet harmonies (she has a great voice) and a smooth slow groove that soothes the dark realities of its spoken word that recalls her lived experiences of violence and abuse.
“I believe there’s so much opportunity in music, you can unpick that song and use it as a guideline for making things better. It’s always what you can turn back to.”
She produced and mixed it to a certain level herself.
“Shout out to ACM tutor Joel Harris,” she cheers, “He was the first person that pushed me. I was so happy with my Apple loop arrangement tracks, I was killing it, and he said ‘Yeah this is really good but go back and work on the drum patterns’. I thought cheeky! I got home and I really didn’t want to do it, but I persevered and took it back to Joel and he loved it.”
The charity, The Leadership Foundation was there for her at the start of her journey, “I’m, like a vintage chair there,” she says, half-jokingly. Now another project she started three years into her recovery, the R.U.N (Recovery United Network) project, has joined the charity in partnership. The women who participated in R.U.N. found connections to essential services, discovered new opportunities, and, in some cases, embarked on new career paths. What began as a simple idea has evolved into a supportive community ecosystem that continues to thrive.
“Finance is a big thing, you’re doing so many things that are costly which means you’re taking away the chances for a single mother struggling and talented. This opens things a little bit to what’s possible.”
Females About Music has a live event at Iron House, Brum – music, talks and sharing – in February so follow her on Instagram and watch this space.
In the meantime, she also has a place for people to come called Lounges TV.
“This will have videos of me and also talks I will do about my personal experience, advice and possibly interviews with women in music and women who are advocating against racial discrimination and violence against women and girls.”
Stay tuned and get involved. It’s never over.
Javina has also given The Buzz a list of organisations that helped her:
Eve Horne – I am one of the unheard
Inspiring Leadership Foundation
Javina Green’s single The Crime
Dhonna Musicality
Live | No Cash Refunds @ Pews Bar | Issue 1
Anton Booker is lost for words but not in the moment
Just off Guildford’s cobbled-stoned High Street, known for its buskers and vibrant energy, you’ll find the popular gigging venue, Pew’s Bar. At its most recent event, Pews boasted a set list of our talented ACM students, including No Cash Refunds.
Asking for crowd engagement is a bold move, which seemed appropriate considering the confidence and positivity No Cash Refunds exerts. During his performance, he was on the tables, walking around the audience and dancing with friends. Is this the main stage of a Grammy performance?
Not bad for a Monday night at your local. You just can’t take your eyes off him. The crowd energy levels were at their height during his upbeat dance track Patrick Bateman, a fan favourite that was released back in 2022.
After such a flashy performance with conceited lyrics and comical remarks, he wrapped up his set with a mellow love track Lily. The song was grounding and endearing. No Cash Refunds had us all wrapped around his finger and wanting him to play more.
Live Video Link – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QOeqyhi-W7K05dIBoNhytPx6w3yr0L9t/view?usp=drivesdk
Single | Spirit Oli – Veins | Issue 1
Sprit Oil have a new fan in Harry Hammond
SpiritOil’s debut single release Veins is the song that I didn’t know that I needed on my playlist this Autumn. Released on 1st September, this single truly showed that ACM Guildford’s very own SpiritOil are here to rock your socks off, so be there or be square!
Veins is a slick yet emotive alternative rock banger which simultaneously conveys the promiscuous attitude of The Darkness alongside all of the unapologetic swagger of the White Stripes and Royal Blood with its bawdy, riffy choruses and driving, drum and vocal-led verses.
Singer Cameron Day’s voice harks back to British indie hit factories such as Alex Turner and his ferocious bass playing is underpinned tremendously by drummer (bless him) James Starkey.
All of this dark deliciousness is topped off by jagged and awkward guitar lines which really juxtapose the smooth and controlled bassline and drum beat but could not be any more effective in filling the higher frequencies in this song.
I implore you to go and see this hard-hitting alt-rock duo at your next possible opportunity, which just so happens to be at the Boiler Rooms in Guildford on 30th October 2023.
If opportunity is a revolving door, SpiritOil has blown the door off its proverbial hinges with Veins. They really do make quite a lot of noise for half of a band.
Single | No Cash Refunds – I Need You
When the time comes that the face of popular punk, Johnny Lydon once Johnny Rotten the face of the Sex Pistols, is advertising British butter then you know it’s time for the music press to stop comparing the value of a new musical genre and scene to the impact that punk has on culture. It’s OK to be accomplished and want to make it big. Although Blur and Oasis will never be forgiven, Nirvana never forgotten.
Universities like ACM have been around for thirty years now. Our dropout student, Ed Sheeran is one of the biggest selling artists worldwide.
But don’t panic, No Cash Refunds is more spine-chilling than nice, fuelled by a trip-hop backbone and a groove; I Need You is bare truth and studio harmonies that croon “You’re So Needy” the voice of London singer and songwriter billie-angela. In the case of the latest track All Your Dreams, with lyrics and a rap that are ironic and observational, we hope, there will be no comment until we can ask them ourselves. Go listen and have your say. Send your thoughts to buzzmagazine@acm.ac.uk
No Cash Refunds will be releasing his new single Bubblegum GF on Wednesday, 15 November.
Winter Live: A Multimedia Showcase of Student Innovation
ACM Studio Lounge | Issue 1
James Starkey catches up with the first ACM studio lounge.
Four acts performed a series of talented sets which ranged from calmer stripped-back sounds of Luke White and Amber Saqladi as well the electric Danny Marriott.
It being the first event of the series, it was a bit hectic in nature getting everything ready for the stream, with a great team onboard but not yet a defined way of doing things. However, once the stream went live and Alfie Galpin welcomed the audience opening with Know Me, it was clear The Lounge was going to be something special.
Not only does the event allow for the access and consumption of such performances both live from the studio and online for those fans further away, its live recording through the SSL Desk partnered with high-quality cameras provides artists with studio-level audio and visual recordings they could never get from a standard gig.
Stay Tuned for the next instalment, which will go live on the 9th of November featuring No Cash Refunds, James Barlow and Dan Davolia.
Link to the next stream
https://www.instagram.com/acmstudiolounge/
Link to Performer Sign Up Form
ACM Inspire | Issue 1
ACM Inspire, an initiative led by tutor Ben Scott, has been a cross-campus success and a demonstration of talent and teamwork.
Guildford
As part of the Guildford session, tutors Ben Scott, Paul Ressell, and Shea Stedford worked with three London students to produce a new original EP. The students fully ran the session, engineering the studio, mic-ing up the drums, and ensuring the tutors could conduct a live performance and recording that will ultimately manifest as a brand new EP for a library music pitch we have upcoming.
Birmingham
Nikki Sadler also conducted an ACM Inspire session in Birmingham. Nikki recorded an original EP of her own artistic material with help from Birmingham tutor Justin Lyndley. Students ran the session and contributed tremendously – see a taster of what went on here
Nikki (EP Recording) – ACM Inspire ’23
Josh Wunderlich ran a J-Pop writing camp over Reading Week as part of ACM Inspire, where students could write alongside Josh for a real-world pitch for a J-Pop artist.
To take part in future sessions go here.