Ain’t share highly anticipated debut single ‘Oar’
Ain’t | Credit: Marieke Macklon
London five-piece Ain’t arrive as that rarest of things: a band with feverish word-of-mouth reputation as a must-see band, despite having not released a single official track. The only way to find out anything about them has been to see them live, but that’s only if you can get into their shows. On the strength of these live performances alone and some scattered live recordings from South London’s beloved Windmill in Brixton, the band have already played alongside the likes of Human Interest, Spoort, and Real Farmer, as well as having just played to a packed-out crowd at The Great Escape.
Today, they finally deliver on all the promise that this reputation has created with the announcement of their highly anticipated debut single, ‘Oar’.
Bringing together the stranger side of ‘90s guitar, post-punk, and shoegaze from both sides of the Atlantic, Ain’t expertly toe the line between nostalgia and ingenuity. Comprised of George Ellerby (Guitar/Vox), Ed Randall (Guitar), Hanna Baker Darch (Vox), Chapman Ho (Bass Guitar), and Joe Lockstone (Drums), Ain’t’s compulsion to create seeps through with urgency and heft.
Debut single ‘Oar’, written in the midst of the pandemic, meditates on the swarming frustrations that stem from losing faith in those in charge. Recorded with Oli Barton Wood (Porridge Radio, Shame, The Big Moon), Darch's vocals elastic-snap between a darkened, sardonic reverie and a spitting swell, capturing both the self-protection of apathy and an ever-bubbling, eruptive anger. The band’s line-up produces a sonic scowl, piecing together an incandescent hum that borders industrial noise and a lush, slow-pop dreamscape. “When the promises come unstuck, I’m left to steady the oar,” Darch laments, leaving Ain’t to pick up the pieces.
Speaking on the single, the band says, “‘Oar’ was originally drafted by George in the pandemic and was driven by the lack faith of those in charge. After joining the band, Hanna reinterpreted the lyrics to be loosely inspired by the legend of Llys Helig, she incorporates imagery from medieval Wales to the themes of irreparable disaster.
Watch / share the lyric video for ‘Oar’ here
Ain’t build their songs like seasons. Honouring both the calm and the storm, their lustral offerings bend toward introspective abundance and communal clarity. There’s a direct catharsis here, like a sonic sigh, that marks Ain’t as a vivid and boundless force. That force is set to continue growing as the band gear up for further live dates across spring and summer, and plan further impending releases.
Live dates:
25 May – The Victoria, London
28 May - So Young at The Social, London
08 Aug – Rough Trade Recommends at Rough Trade East, London
Oar’ will be released on 7" vinyl on 9th August 2024 via Fear of Missing Out Records. Rough Trade have an exclusive version of the 7" that includes a signed and numbered print – pre-order here
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