By Emily Duff BAXTR are a London outfit creating Alternative Pop-Rock with a blend of dreamscape sounds. Released on the 12th of February, ‘Grace on Fire’ is the third single from BAXTR, following on from their last release ‘Feathers’ which dropped in September. Consisting of three close friends, Floss Mackintosh (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Bash Powers (Guitar, backing vocals and keyboard), and Keiko Jackson (Drums and backing vocals). Having known each other for over a decade, the trio had always envisioned making music together and during the 2020 coronavirus lockdowns finally got the chance to make that dream a reality. Self-proclaimed nerds, BAXTR label their music as DIY Geek pop-rock in dreamspace, a very eclectic description. To me, listening to ‘Grace on Fire’ the band seem to be less ethereal and more experimental. Rather than having a synth element to their tracks that usually comes with this idea of dreamscapes and bubble pop, BAXTR seem to rather create a Paramore-esque sound with dramatic, almost ballad-like, female vocals over the top of juxtaposing rock guitar riffs. Priding themselves on their kitsch, flamboyant sounds - the outfit bring both fun joy and a sense of female empowerment. With a sound eliciting a mixture of 80's pop and 90's rock bands, BAXTR manages to provide the New Wave Brit Pop bangers you never knew you needed. Although their music comes across as rather simple and not far from the norm in comparison to their elaborate self-descriptions, the band’s enjoyment and passion for making music are very clear purely through the energy in the tracks. With great feedback from the likes of BBC Radio One, even before its release, this track is due to be a summer anthem. Contrasting their last release, ‘Feathers’, ‘Grace On Fire’ is a much more lowkey sound. With use of more simple vocal rhythms, the track gives listeners a chance to focus on the instrumental accompaniment unlike ‘Feathers’ which focused on intense vocals with a heavy guitar in the foreground. Always bringing positive vibes, while ‘Feathers’ fought the idea of self-acceptance, ‘Grace On Fire’ argues the point that people can’t be controlled or have their mind changed - both equally important messages. With lyrics explaining, “Every day I tell her that I love her”, and an acknowledgement that, “It’s not my place”, this track shows friendship at its finest form. Doing the most you can isn’t a guarantee they’ll do the right thing but nobody can be forced to go against their heart, even if they know it's wrong. Despite being a new band, BAXTR are bringing a fresh energy that explodes with realism but manages to still remain positive - even the colourfulness of their artwork brings a cheerfulness. If you would like to find out more about the BAXTR girls or keep up to date with their upcoming releases, the links to all their social medias are below via the icons:
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