Born from the fertile creative womb of New York City, CG8 emerged, flaunting an unfiltered, audacious style that harks back to the raw tenacity of old-school post-punk. This indomitable quartet of women have been methodically etching fissures into the imposing edifice of the music scene since their inception. Their music is a blazing beacon in the realm of alternative rock, shrouded in an intriguing mystery, potent enough to captivate an audience and transform any gathering into a roaring conflagration. Their sound vibrates with a fervent will to defy the commonplace, fearlessly broadcasting their dissent. Despite operating in an industry often known for its resistance to change, their determination to effect a transformation remains unyielding.
The dynamic quartet composed of Lida Fox, Veronika Vilim, Chase Lombardo, and Avishag Rodrigues, has freshly released a new single, “cursed angel,” – a track that signifies the third single release from their forthcoming EP, phantasea pharm. This song captures the group’s unique style and takes it a step further, initiating a discordant dance with derangement.
The track intriguingly diverges from CG8’s usual choral narratives. It teases with the harmonious whispers reminiscent of a 60s girl group before diving into chaos, resonating in spectral reverberations. The song distinctly embodies the eerie feeling of mental confinement experienced in an altered mental state, successfully encapsulating and portraying this disquieting sensation.
“It’s about feeling like you’re slipping out of reality; it’s uncontrollable and sometimes you can’t contain it,” says the band. “If you don’t fight it, the outcome can be positive.“
Listen below:
cursed angel follows the hypnotic and erotic “gothgirl1,” co-written with Nick Launay (Kate Bush, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Slits), and the energetic “cicciolina,” a tribute to the Hungarian-Italian pornstar turned politician of the same name.
The origins of phantasea pharm was born out of an obsession with Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of “Old McDonald” ahead of a show in Charlottesville, Virginia. The band decided to pay homage with their own absurdist spin. Vilim dressed up in a cow leotard with pig accessories, Lombardo in a g-string and apron that read “The Grillfather,” Rodrigues became a lawn mower, and Fox took on the role of a sexy rooster. “We went on stage that night and told everyone we were a ‘Fantasy Farm.’” They knew then that would become the basis of their new EP.
The myriad influences coloring their musical palette are as diverse as their sound, with a blend of Peaches, the ethereal Cocteau Twins, grunge-pop pioneers Garbage, Suicide, the B-52s, and Madonna.
phantasea pharm follows last year’s standalone single “dumb bitch” and the EP’s cumgirl8 (2020) and RIPcumgirl8 (2021), and arrives in the midst of their headlining EU/UK tour and festival run that has seen them play Primavera, The Great Escape, London Calling, and more. cumgirl8 will then make their return stateside later this Summer, opening for Le Tigre in Toronto, Montreal, and Boston in July.
The new single “cursed angel” lands on the cusp of their headline act in New York City tomorrow, where they’ll be casting their sonic spells on the inaugural celebration of Baker Falls (previously known as The Pyramid Club). The performance flags their triumphant headlining return to the American soil, after their recent stint with Le Tigre earlier this week. Following this, their musical odyssey will unfurl its sails overseas next month, with scheduled sojourns at the Greenman Festival, Pitchfork Paris, and a host of other international musical rendezvous.
Grab tickets here.
phantasea pharm is out on August 18th.
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