Hockeysmith’s bewitching, venturing electronic explorations stand apart connecting her inspired immersion in rave subcultures with clearer pop intentions, weaving glimpses of R&B and synth-pop into shuffling rhythms and gauzy textures – honing in on the urgency gleaned from the linear structures of club music. “‘Holy War’, the first track from the forthcoming Hockeysmith album (untitled and currently without a release date), marks a brave step on from the sound of her previous incarnation and ramps up the excitement for a body of work that could give a much needed shot in the arm to the homogenised sound of current electronic R&B” says Dummy on the track premiere.
“Two years in the making and Hockeysmith’s (now just Annie – sister and original guitarist Georgie went back to uni) latest project takes root in the idyllic Cornwall, the isolated peninsula renowned for a long-thriving lineage of esoteric art and occult folklore inspired by its arcane landscapes and industrial decay. After putting Hockeysmith on hiatus, Annie retreated out to the wilderness taking up residence in a converted bus distilling the eerie surroundings into her sound. Inspired by the intrepid spirit and historical significance of Cornwall’s rave scene (the sometimes local Aphex Twin is a fan and friend), Annie set about a period of discovery diving deep into 90s IDM and trip-hop, incorporating these structures with her first love – the visceral shoegaze textures of MBV, Ride, Cocteau Twins, and Sonic Youth.
In this period, Annie travelled frequently between Cornwall and Copenhagen writing with the aim of connecting the influences of two very different, yet exciting underground music communities. In contrast to the isolation and freedom of writing and recording in Cornwall, Copenhagen became more of a collaborative environment working with friends and family of the Escho label (Iceage, Smerz). Escho founder Nis Bysted helped write and produce several tracks on the album and in turn, introduced Hockeysmith’s music to the producer LXURY (Andy Smith) who has also worked on a number of the tracks. The result is an adventurous collection of electronic pop that masks it’s deeper intention of finding strength through vulnerability with a sheen of inviting bubblegum innocence and lyrical naiveté (nodding to the techno-pop recently brought back into public consciousness by PC Music and like-minded acts) while still preserving its DIY roots and inspirations.” – Dummy
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