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Photo:  Eli Edwards

Brooklyn-based alternative queer duo Boyish have just dropped their new single “I Think I Hate It Here” off their forthcoming EP My Friend Mica, out this spring. The whirlwind single is accompanied by a high-octane music video, featuring punching bags, a boxing ring, and an internal fight with intrusive thoughts and emotions.

“I Think I Hate It Here” is a whirlwind of unconventional distorted sounds and ethereal textures. The two-and-a-half minute gleaming rollicker finds Boyish breaking out of their melodic bedroom-pop landscape for “a little punk moment,” as the band notes. “We’ve been exploring distortion a lot on this new EP and wanted to push it further on this. It’s probably the most rock we’ve sounded so far.” shares vocalist India Shore. “When Claire was 8, their favorite band was Black Sabbath, they grew up playing dad rock, so they’ve been waiting for a chance to record heavier guitars and distorted drums.”

While the theme of overwhelming anxiety runs deep in “I Think I Hate It Here,” the song also deals with personal uncertainties and the hopelessness that ensues from it. Elevated by forceful production, Boyish shines in “I Think I Hate It Here,” delivering wailing vocals, fuzzy guitar licks, and relatable lyrics of modern young adulthood.  

“I have the most fun playing the bridge, starting with that guitar riff to when the drums come in,” reveals guitarist Claire Altendahl. “When I was recording the guitar parts, I chose all of the amp presets in Logic that were named either 'insanity' or 'scream.' I wanted to make it as loud and intense as I could without giving myself a panic attack. So I layered on about five guitar parts with heavy distortion. When we play it live, I usually end up hunched over trying to catch my breath, and I want to stage dive during it like Jack Black at the end of School of Rock. I love making heavier rock songs like this because I feel like I’m in my garage playing Led Zeppelin covers with my friends.”

The accompanying music video is the product of a dream Shore had where she and Altendahl were beating each other up. It follows the duo performing in the middle of a boxing gym in NYC. “I feel like a lot of times anxiety just feels like getting beaten up by yourself,” shares Shore. “We wanted to create different characters or different versions of ourselves that would beat us up in real life. The video was directed by Chase Denton, and he helped us to finalize the concept. For most of the video, it’s just him chasing us around with a handheld camera.”

The band will appear on a special Record Store Day compilation album, Portraits of Her, which will benefit WE ARE MOVING THE NEEDLE, a nonprofit supporting female recording professionals, such as audio engineers and producers. The band is also gearing up for Seattle’s Capitol Hill Block Party on April 30 and hitting the road with Remo Drive on tour beginning May 7. In addition, Boyish will headline Elsewhere (Rooftop) in New York City during Pride week on June 21.

Boyish Tour Dates:

April 30: Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party
May 7: St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam*
May 8: Milwaukee, WI @ Colectivo*      
May 10: Columbus, OH @ Basement*
May 11: Toronto, ON @ Hard Luck*
May 13: Philadelphia, PA @ Foundry*
May 14: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall*
May 15: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg*
May 17: Washington, DC @ DC9*
May 18: Durham, NC @ Motorco*
May 20: Orlando, FL @ Henao*
May 21: Atlanta, GA @ Masq*
May 23: Indianapolis, IN @ Hoosier*
May 24: Detroit, MI @ Shelter*
May 25: Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s*
May 26: Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall*
May 27: Iowa City, IA @ Gabes*
June 21: New York City, NY @ Elsewhere (Rooftop)#

*Supporting Remo Drive
#Headline show