‘Hell on Bent Street’, title track for Georgia Knight‘s forthcoming EP, is a prowling track that ebbs and flows with a visceral cutting edge, teetering on the brink of a dark chasm. The guitars clatter with an ominous intent over the driving rhythms, and Knight’s vocals are wrought with a resolute despair, from a whisper to a howl and yet velvet soft throughout.
The result is something that draws in the naked vibrancy of Rowland S Howard, the delivery of Nick Cave or P.J. Harvey at their most rampant and feverish, with a frenetic urgent pace. The unpredictable wildness of Dirty Three come to mind. The lyrics reference something disturbing and dark:
I’m gonna let him touch me
Even though he is foul
I feel I am a cannon
Point me out the window now
Now I’m hell bent
I’m hell bent
I’m hell bent
Knight says of the recording of the track:
I was in Tori Amos mania for a few months in lockdown, especially that song ‘Crucify’, which I love the rhythm of. Any music that makes people cringe or feel embarrassed I really like, and that was pretty much the spirit of writing ‘Hell on Bent Street’. I wanted to grab onto the stomach flip excitement of not giving a shit and escaping in this tune, one for people who like to thrash their headphones. There were a few little kooky recording moments on this tune, the drums turned out the way they are because Holly flipped the kit, so she could fit two extra floor toms in, and also I think had a sack of money on her snare to make it jangle.
The accompanying video directed by Tori Styles is a lusciously rich depiction of internal torment. Knight says:
When I wrote ‘Hell On Bent Street’ I had a raga rhythm in my mind, which evolved into a heavier thing once the band got involved. The video was filmed in my apartment one night. Me and Tori from Wild Rose Media were talking about the song as a shot to the heart of inertia and wanting to titillate you a bit as the character tries to get you to climb back through into the house. There’s a few Easter eggs in there too.
It’s an enthralling companion to the sonic power of the song:
‘Hell on Bent Street’ is out now through Cheersquad Records and Tapes and can be downloaded through the link below:
Melbourne people can next see Georgia Knight playing at Shotkickers on September 21, supporting Freya Josephine Hollick.
The new single follows Knight’s appearance at Dark Mofo in June, and her guest appearance on Hugo Race’s new album Once Upon A Time In Italy.
