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PREMIERE | Howlin’ Whale Releases Primal Energy On ‘Rat’
Howlin’ Whale premieres the music video for “Rat” on Medium. “Rat” is from Howlin’ Whale’s debut EP, Many Lives, dropping June 21, on GYPSYPOP Records.
According to Howlin’ Whale, the “song is a warning spell cast in self-defense and in defense of life itself, as an animal would warn another animal looking to attack in the wild — not a vow of revenge.”
Howlin’ Whale and her band, made up of Fire Mist (guitar), Kavika G (guitar), M.Cat Spoony (bass), and Tyler Hammond (drums), offer a totally sui generis sound, a sound revolving around Howlin’ Whale’s psychedelic harmonica, a style of playing she refers to as “bog.” With roots deeply embedded in the blues, reggae, hip-hop, and rock and roll, bog harmonica effervesces, boils, gurgles, and “howls like a whale.” It’s a raw, gutsy sound, organic and deliciously distinctive.
Howlin’ Whale began refining the sound in 2011, as all-consuming wanderlust drove her hither and yon. Landing in L.A., she contributed her unique harmonica gift to Atlas, the album by Sea At Last, co-writing “Castle” with the band, followed by premiering it on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Electric. Sea At Last’s label, GYPSYPOP Records, captivated by Whale’s inimitable talent, signed her.
