Wyldest

Monthly Friend

Image of Wyldest - Monthly Friend
Record Label
Hand In Hive

About this item

Written, mixed and produced by Zoe Mead (Wyldest), her new album documents Mead’s empowerment not only as an entirely self-sufficient artist but also as a woman overcoming gender stereotypes and societal constraints. Indeed, the title itself, ‘Monthly Friend’, is a reference to something society taught her to be ashamed of which she now regards as a blessing. Musically speaking, ‘Monthly Friend’ sees Wyldest continue on that evolutionary journey. Taking inspiration from the tender songwriting of Elliot Smith and the precise guitar patchworks of Soccer Mommy and Hovvdy, she has fused together these two elements plus her knowledge of ambient, soundtrack-style textures to produce an intimate indie rock opus. As well as her biggest musical statement to date, ‘Monthly Friend’ is also Wyldest’s biggest political statement to state. An album about womanhood, it explores the physicality of it, the different ideas around it, its limitations and its advantages. “Throughout the album, I visit these feelings through metaphors, largely related to nature. I always found it really ironic that women commonly get compared to fruit Peaches for example get over-ripe and people throw them away, discard them, when in fact they are probably at their most delicious and nutritious. “A lot of the time, women are unfortunately subject to a similar fate. When they are young, they are sexualised and therefore their actual intellectual and creative worth can be overlooked. As they age, they get disregarded almost completely, and for what? Because they aren’t as useful to men anymore? Perhaps. But why does our ability to reproduce have to dictate our worth? It doesn’t and it shouldn’t.” 

TRACK LISTING

1. Beggar
2. Almost Bliss
3. Hollow
4. Glue
5. Buddy
6. Arrows
7. Monthly Friend
8. Burn
9. The Void
10. Heal

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