The Act: SASHA ASSAD

The Release: 'TEARSTICK'

The Format: DIGITAL EP

The Release Date: MARCH 1ST 2024

The Digital Link: orcd.co/tearstick_ep

The Tracklisting:
1. 'BAD NATURE'
2. 'STILL'
3. 'I DON'T FEEL LIKE TALKING'
4. 'AMELIA'

The Truth: Sasha Assad is a half-Egyptian, half Nottingham artist blending her indie-rock influences with emotive lyrics and ear-worm hooks. 'Tearstick' is a her debut EP and is stuffed to the gills with previous radio hits 'Still' and 'Bad Nature' as well as nubile newbie 'Amelia'.

The panda crew encountered Sasha and her band supporting The Manatees at the Sebright Arms last spring and were smitten like lovelorn mittens by a sound which brilliantly mixed modern multi-cultural indiepop norms with old school collegiate rock va va voomings. It's not every evening we get to compare any new act with Blake Babies, The Breeders and Elastica, but it's not every gig where you get to see something as enthralling and enervating as Sasha Assad.

The coolly regal 'Still' single came out in October last year, with the boisterous 'Bad Nature' following earlier this year. If those tunes are consumed by selfish toxicity then the 'Tearstick' EP is unlikely to raise the mood, as Sasha explains:

"Asked to write about the EP some more - surprise surprise, there’s another song about being sad to add the collection! I’m okay really, I promise. 'Amelia' is a little bit fun and a little bit silly, basically it’s just about me flying a car.

"To break 'Tearstick' down: we’ve got a song about refusing to get over someone (yikes), a song about being a bit rotten sometimes, a song about me not wanting to talk to anyone and then a song about me flying a car. It doesn’t add up really. When I think about it now maybe if I wrote it all down before these songs may not have ended up in an EP together but we’re here now so I hope whoever listens enjoys!"

The Sasha Assad journey thus far has been suitably stealthy: some hometown blossomings, tying Notts in knots; some Steve Lamacq spins, BBC Introducing live love, Radio X support, a Truck Festival ruck, lotsa feeling from This Feeling, consistently funtimes at The Dublin Castle and The Lexington and a few gentle frenzies at The Hawley Arms. Next up, the 'Tearstick' EP is launched with gigs which look very much like this:

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 17TH HAGGERSTON SIGNATURE BREW
(This Feeling Big in 2024 show)

THURSDAY APRIL 25TH BRIGHTON PRINCE ALBERT
(Hidden Herd show)

"Love this! Love this! Love this! Sasha Atlanta Assad's music is a beautiful dreamy voice perfectly surfing on top of a rough-edged aggressive structure of instrumentals! Simplicity balancing on top of monstrous complexity..." - Inpop