Frantic and explosive, the new music video for lead single and album opener ‘La Di Da’ erupts into a snake-infested frenzy in seconds. “I wanted the video for ‘La Di Da’ to be a representation of my subconscious”, frontwoman Janie Shilstone says. “Almost like watching what a satanic, schizophrenic nightmare would look like.”
“At first I was terrified and when David, the owner, turned up with this see-through box. I totally froze when I saw her, though David assured me that she’d never bit or tried to strangle anyone before!
Her name was Honey, a 6ft Boa Constrictor, and after 20 mins of stroking her I finally plucked up the courage to hold her. I completely fell in love. She slithered down my left arm and rested her head on my hand, it was so therapeutic. There was one shot where I lay down and got her to slither along my body and she beautifully went behind my ear and then up towards the camera.”
Partly inspired by the Joker and Harley Quinn (from Batman) relationship Janine was obsessed with as a comic book loving teen, “the song portrays an abusive relationship unbeknown to the victim,” says the singer. “There are a lot of emotions throughout the song. There’s vulnerability, and there’s resistance. It took time to come together, and it had to live on the back burner for a while. But one night I gave in to the niggling that kept demanding I go back to it. I remember the moment it came together; me and Hamish (Reilly, guitars) in my flat drinking pretentious cocktails, laptop, tiny amp, guitar…” Incessantly giddy, intoxicatingly catchy; the end result more than rewards the toil.
Vukovi’s self-titled debut album is the definitive snapshot of their Technicolor wonder to date. They demand your attention. Produced by longtime collaborator Bruce Rintoul – “nobody pushes me quite like Bruce” says Janine – its twelve songs take in themes of individuality, drug abuse, depression and suicide. “The record might sound quirky,” says Janine. “But there are many darker notes in there…”
Tracks like ‘Prey’ see Shilstone digging deep into personal experience (“it’s about a time in my life where I thought I’d met my knight in shining armor – but he fucked me up even more) and the sublime ‘I’m Wired’, Janine’s favourite song on the record (“I wrote it trying to describe being in a relationship with severe depression and trying to express that you need that person even though you don’t show it most of the time”).
There’s introspection here, yes. There’s beauty, sure. But there are songs like ‘And He Lost His Mind’ too, which is as fun as rock music has ever allowed itself to be. A big, bouncy, neon daubed earworm that bores itself into your brain and gobbles up on your serotonin. Then there’s ‘Boy George’, a former single with a guitar sliced through it like a chainsaw through a piñata. And, if you’re going to call a song ‘Bouncy Castle’, chances are that it’s not going to be an acoustic weepy. Vukovi truly excel here, coming on like Paramore span around and around and around until they’re very dizzy and just about ready to hurl up something… wonderful.
Pre-order VUKOVI’s self-titled debut album via LAB Records here – https://vukovi.tmstor.es/.
Championed by the likes of Kerrang! Q Magazine, NME, Rock Sound, Clash, The Skinny and BBC Radio 1, Vukovi’s reputation as a colossal live band saw them opening for America’s hot new things Highly Suspect late last year, as well as festival appearances at Download, T In The Park, Hard Rock Calling, Live at Leeds, British Summer Time Festival at Hyde Park and many more. Catch their UK headline tour this March 2017 on the dates below.
March tour
Tickets are available here – http://www.vukovi.co.uk/live/.
10 Glasgow, King Tut’s
11 Leeds, Key Club
13 Manchester, Sound Control
14 Bristol, The Louisiana
16 London, Boston Music Room
18 Nottingham, Rock City Basement
19 Aberdeen, Tunnels
