SINGLE REVIEW: 'Ellie O' | TAMSYN

Manchester-based 5-piece TAMSYN, comprising of Alex Anton, Michael Penfold, Phil Hammill, Andrian Sharples, and Luke Finch, have already begun carving out their own path in the UK's pop/rock scene. They blend both old and new influences to create a sound similar to artists like The Smiths and The Cure, and the more modern sounds of Arctic Monkeys and Foals - they're truly unique and I love it. Throughout their career the band have played infamous venues such as Manchester's O2 Ritz and in 2019 they made their European debut, headlining shows in Athens and Amsterdam - they really started reaching new heights with their music.

TAMSYN have been making music since 2016 and have a handful of singles behind them, as well as two EP's. Their new single Ellie O is set to be released on February 16th. The track follows a young woman discovering both the thrills and dangers of her sexuality as she battles her inner demons and societal pressures. Lyrically the topics of the track cover themes such as a life experiences, poetry, and art - TAMSYN's ultimate aim is to discuss attitudes towards female sexuality, breaking gender stereotypes and providing female liberation. The title of the song takes inspiration from Breuer and Freud's The Aetiology of Hysteria; their first patient being 'Anna O.'

Following the Reading and Leeds Festival 2020 lineups, released earlier this week, there has been a lot of outrage at the lack of female and LGBTQ+ representation shown as only 20 acts out of the multitude of acts announced are female, and only 3 of the artists are part of the LGBTQ+ community, music writer Lucy McCourt found. TAMSYN posted on Instagram the day of the lineup announcement, giving us a little insight to the track and making us aware of their upset at the lack of female representation. They explained that the cover art - a woman being taped over - as well as the track itself allows them to break the barriers around negative female stereotypes, in terms of poetry, music, sexuality, anything. They think Ellie O is a way for them to help break the stigma, and they're doing a mighty fine job.

The track begins slowly, the soft instrumentals and vocals are soothing. This then builds up and there is a slight volta in the rhythm - Anton's unique vocals take hold and we're forced to stop and listen to him sing. Live, I imagine this to be mesmerising - more so than it is digitally - and a complete crowd pleaser. The release of Ellie O is going to put TAMSYN in good stead for whatever 2020 has to hold for them. Don't miss out on Manchester's best kept secret.