French pop experimentalist Zilla is back! With a name change to Zilla With Her Eyes Shut and new single 'Cut Me Boy'. The Parisian producer, singer-songwriter explains: “I decided to add the epithet ‘with her eyes shut’ because the music that I create revolves around the unconscious mind. It started with a fascination for discovering my inner self, who lives in my dreams, who lives when I close my eyes and lose control. I want to explore the possibility of the inner world questioning my conscious reality. My music is my way of translating my dreams, how they feel and how they sound. By letting go of fear of the dark - whether it is in the night or whether it is mental or physical pain - I learn how to embrace it. My new material is mainly about overcoming obstacles in an empowered, determined, fun way”.

Zilla With Her Eyes Shut makes idiosyncratic compositions that are rooted in deeply personal experiences and constructed of samples from objects symbolic to her unique stories and events. ‘Cut Me Boy’ is a lilting slow jam of warped vocals atop a structure of cryptic beats and sound design that is fast becoming the exclusive domain of this singular artist.

“The track is inspired by a dysfunctional love where you lose yourself into complete denial after rejection. Coming to terms with betrayal and diving deep into the pain. Nearly in a sadistic way but mostly in an explorative way. Entering this whole new dimension, owning the despair, loneliness and depression. It is thanks to this act of courage that you can become who you must be in order to survive. There is beauty in learning to embrace heartache. And when it is over, you become a better person”

For ‘Cut Me Boy’ she used a Stanley knife, liquid iron, rocks, elastic bands and an eye mask. “The Stanley knife represents self-harm but also cutting whoever I used to be. Rocks are the assault, the heaviness of my heart and weight in my stomach. The eye mask is denial but also diving into the world of pain. The structure of the song is also influenced by this the theme of cutting and drowning (the lower voice sounds like I’m singing under water).”

Junior Bill release four new self-released tracks tomorrow to coincide with a run of dates, including supporting Danny Goffey (Supergrass), before returning for a homecoming show in Cardiff. After the success of their award-winning concert film, Above Your Station, with brand new music, their new self-titled release features four fresh, exciting recordings steeped in narratives rooted in the history, myths and culture of Cardiff.

The record further expands upon Junior Bill’s distinctive, infectious genre-blurring marriage of ska, reggae, dub, latin, punk and pop songwriting that has won them fans both on stage and on record. It was produced with Andrew Sanders (Jemma Roper, Big Thing) at Kings Road Studio In January 2017 and mastered by Matthew Evans (Keys, El Goodo).

Formed in 2013, Junior Bill have been through a few incarnations, but the writing talents of Rob Nichols have combined with keyboard & synth player Joel Beswick and bassist Rory Saunders since the bands inception. The five-piece is currently completed by drummer Jim Strickland and newest member Luke Owen on vocals, samples and guitar. Junior Bill’s live show has been highly praised for its enthralling energy and has earned them the reputation of being one of the best new acts in Wales. This November they will seek to prove it with a run of support shows across the UK with Danny Goffey (Supergrass) before returning for a homecoming show in Cardiff, their first in a year.

Live dates (*supporting Danny Goffey):

16th November – Old Market Assembly, Bristol

17th November – Yellow Arch Studios, Sheffield*

18th November – The Hug & Pint, Glasgow*

19th November – Cluny 2, Newcastle*

20th November – Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham*

21st November – Soup Kitchen, Manchester*

22nd November – Bullingdon, Oxford*

23rd November – Thousand Island, London*

24th November – Gwdihw, Cardiff