Thriving amongst chaos
I remember telling on my sister once. It was one of those turbulent moments in your young ignorance, where your sibling turns into no other than a walking bag of trickery. The disappointment was strong. No doubt it would be, in such an unscathed heart. Having only had the chance to hold the simplest of emotions, disappointment sits heavily on a young understanding. I recall telling my mother how much I hated her. So she sat me down and told me; “You don’t see it now - but she will be your greatest ally in the future, do not forget that”.
It took me a while to understand the heavy meaning carried by that statement, however long it stayed with me. And I now realise; she didn’t want me to underestimate the power of a sister’s bond. You know, there is a sense of mystery when you come to think of what fuels this robustness. It is the unspoken loyalty to support the other. The knot that ties a sisterhood together could undoubtedly moor a ship to a dock, through thick and thin.
And, as I start to grasp this realisation, I’ve become aware that this powerful alliance not only sits between bloodlines but also between those who’ve been through the rain to build this tree together. A sisterhood I see present in the band GENN.
A band, initially rooted in Malta, who moved to replant their seeds in Brighton where they’ve grown into their wild storm of psychedelic feistiness. Take an initial understanding by their name, meaning “frenzy” in Maltese, in order to expect the burning power of their music to be almost stronger than the bond which holds the four-piece together.
They showcase a beautiful destruction of post-punk and alternative rock insanity. Writing from a genuine interpretation of the scenery their life currently incurs, they gently push us into their circle of affectionate chaos. “I think the most unifying factor to our songs is that they always serve as a landmark of where our lives are at the moment that we write them, both instrumentally and lyrically - it’s all a sort of catharsis in that way” Lea (bassist) tells me. Their musical barriers have no limits as they are driven by the interpretative outcomes of the current genres they find themselves attached to. Visually-driven lyrics and an enthusiastic means to connect with the rest of the world who find that they also “thrive amongst chaos”.
A new batch of their tempting energy has recently arrived, packaged as the track “A Reprise (That Girl)”. You know it’s going to be a banger when the song has been moulded by a jamming session, unaware of the sorcery it was about to cook up. Considered a happy accident. And music to our ears - I can’t tell whether there was a pun intended here. They explain; “the instrumentation for this song was a bit of a happy accident during an especially silly jamming session but it was catchy enough to us that it really stuck instantly!” The track stays loyal to the band’s distinctive grunge, it’s inducing power, and is weighed into a lyrical gravity by Leona’s (vocalist) captivating vocals.
Their live performances are a mesmerising experience. When performing, each of their individuality surfaces through their music. There's something about their combined energy that makes you want to howl all your sorrows out and join in the fun. They will be featuring their fire live in Brighton and will be making an appearance at the O2 Leicester to support Psychedelic Porn Crumpets this May. Amongst a series of other gigs in June.