Following their supporting slots for Fangclub and The LaFontaines, Sunderland band Hivemind have returned, to release their new single Medicine. Combining ominous bass lines and anticipative vocals, Hivemind has delivered an indelible and punky new track.
Medicine takes a change in pace from their previous release, Crying All The Time, in order to develop a more expressive and vocal-centric track. Vocalist Georgia McRae delivers empathetic and raw emotion, with a familiar and unmistakable Northern accent dabbled throughout.
Despite the cliche, this new track is reminiscent of Paramore’s 2007 album Riot!, meaning that there is a warm sense of familiarity and nostalgia. Clean guitar melodies being paired with consistent and contorted vocal effects allows Medicine to resemble a kind of rock anthem of the 2010s. The lyrics share the perspective of someone who is willing to do anything for you, despite the positive or negative implications that could come with their actions. The gloomy and progressive melodies of the pre-chorus allow for an emphatic chorus: ‘’Cause I’d do anything, stop the clocks for you, ‘cause I’d do anything, that you asked me to…’
The whole track comes together in an explosion of emotion, detailing the narrative of being addicted to someone, and doing as much as possible for them. The desperation and heartbreak have been clearly expressed, through the lyrics: ‘I know we can make it work, I still feel you around…’
Hivemind’s ever-growing list of performances has ranged from sold out slots at Newcastle’s Head of Steam, to playing This Is Tomorrow in 2019. Their live sets are an expression of organised chaos and energy, led by McRae and her insatiable animation on stage. Their sets would not appear out of place supporting artists like Courtney Barnett or Marmozets, ventures that hopefully will be possible for these rising noisemakers.
