Photographer: James Mitchell
From grit to grace, Gretel’s new era demands attention
Breaking through the noise of today’s crowded indie scene isn’t easy, but Gretel makes a compelling case with Squish. From gritty alt-rock bursts to softer moments, the record thrives on contrast and emotional range. Live, that same unpredictability transformed into a captivating experience that outgrew the room.
Gretel
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Oslo, London
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Gretel ✰ Oslo, London ✰
It’s an issue that almost all artists face sooner or later. You’ve got talent, determination and a collection of positive reviews for your early work, but how do you break out from the mass of other pop/indie/metal/insert genre acts competing for attention? How do you go from 50k monthly listeners to 500k+?
There’s no shortage of Instagram experts out there telling you how you can reach new fans, but fundamentally it comes down to hard work (relentless touring and social media engagement), luck and actually making music that is good enough to interest people who may not even know they are looking for new music.
“Witch Hunt” follows, a song which marries a light and swingy rock track lifted straight from the 80’s, with a darker lyric about a looming presence eyeing you from the shadows (“…the big black cat…watching you”…). “You think you’re starting over…” Gretel warns, “…but I’m coming back for you.” The sheer variety on the album makes for a brilliant live experience.
The atmospheric “Laurali” showcases the purity in Gretel’s vocals and her ability to express her deepest emotions in her lyrics. The double meaning in “Darkness,” “Be My Friend,” her self-confessed favourite song on the album, reveals a sophistication and depth to the band’s songcraft. The mesmeric, almost Celtic drumline of “The Perfect Body” provides a hypnotic end to the evening (and the album) despite a claim that “we haven’t practised this one very much!”
The UK alt-rock and indie scene is currently blessed with a bountiful crop of artists making interesting, yet accessible alternative music. Guitar-based music is possibly stronger than at any time since the ‘90’s. While this is great for fans, standing out enough to get them to listen to new artists is tough.
So how does an artist like Gretel stand out? The new album, Squish, released on 10 th April, will no doubt go a long way to answering that question. It’s a patchwork quilt of an album with a mix of confident “this is me” tracks and others which are less assured. It doesn’t so much stand out on its own as gather a collection of classic indie sounds from different generations and use them to pick apart elements of modern life.
The overriding feature which binds all of this together is singer Maddy Haenlein’s rich and expressive vocal tone which is capable of crystal clarity at one moment and grungy, off kilter quivering the next. The sheer variety this produces in the band’s music is what lifts this album above much of the material clamouring for your attention in your preferred streaming service’s algorithm.
How does it translate to a live setting? As on the album, the title track provides the big entrance. The intro builds tension nicely before it launches into a rowdy, Libertines-esque stomp giving expression to the contradiction in wanting to “drown in love” while at the same time “being all over it” for the late-night call.
While you will hear echoes of many bands in their music, both older and contemporary, the commitment and verve with which it is delivered suggests it would be as at home on a festival main stage as it is in this sold out four-hundred capacity former railway shed. No doubt there will be some finessing of the set list as they grow into performing the album tracks live, but this evening provides fans with a prefect, and intimate, introduction to them.
A final word for the support act this evening – Ashaine White. Playing a single guitar and without her band, Ashaine is a captivating performer with great talent and wonderful stage charisma.
With a small selection of songs drawn from several of her EPs, her set showed how stripped back versions of well written songs performed in an intimate setting can stoke the interest of an audience who might not have been expecting it. It will be interesting to hear her new material when it arrives and how it sounds performed by the full band.
There’s no news yet on a Gretel tour, but hopefully an announcement is around the corner. This band is definitely one to catch live later in the year.
Article by: James Mitchell
Plug In. Tune Out.
Indie rock eras stitched together. There’s a clear thread of ‘90s grit and early-2000s garage swagger running through Gretel’s guitars, but it’s softened and reshaped by emotionally open moments that give the music space to breathe. Fluid vocals, that shift from clean, delicate clarity to a rough, trembling edge that adds tension and unpredictability.
Photographer: James Mitchell
Plug In. Tune Out.
Ashaine White’s sound leans into intimacy, built on the quiet power of minimalism and emotional clarity. With just a guitar and her voice, she creates a space that is close and unguarded. Every lyric lands with intention and weight. Her vocal delivery carries a natural warmth and subtle dynamism, drawing listeners in without ever needing to overreach.