We Speak Music
Sohodolls re-write classic 00’s single “Bang Bang Bang Bang” in stand against gun violence!
London’s influential electro-rockers, Sohodolls returned last year after being out of the limelight for more than a decade. A globally enforced lockdown revived one of their classics “Bang Bang Bang Bang” into an unexpected viral TikTok hit among the Gen Z glitterati. It so happened that Madonna had posted a recording she made of her daughter Estere Ciccone performing her own original choreography to the track and as part of the ensuing TikTok trend “Bang Bang Bang Bang” rocketed up the Billboard Top 50 and is now sitting on over 100m Spotify streams.
The new viral attention inspired Sohodolls to reform and release new singles “Letter To My Ex (Thank You Goodbye)” and “Bad” in 2022, which both picked up considerable press & radio attention, including airplay from Nels Hylton on Radio 1’s ‘Future Alternative’, Frank Skinner on Absolute Radio and features with highly regarded music blog Atwood Magazine. Now Sohodolls have gone back to where it all began to re-write and re-record “Bang Bang Bang Bang” to bring it up to date for 2023.
On how the new Otabek Salamov produced version of “Bang Bang Bang Bang” came about, main Sohodolls songwriter Maya Von Doll said: “I changed the lyrics from “hold the gun” to “kill the gun” to make my standpoint clearer. I’ve always been against guns. After BBBB went viral, I could see some confusion with some people believing it was a song about school shootings and that’s not what it’s about at all and I didn’t want people to carry that narrative nor think I was glorifying guns. I was slightly referencing Kurt Cobain’s suicide but mostly because I was so shocked and saddened by what happened as Nirvana was such a big part of my youth.”
It’s the Nirvana grunge influence that Sohodolls tap into further with the “Bang Bang Bang Bang” re-write, with explosive distorted guitars replacing the original version’s synth heavy backdrop. A more raw and gritty incarnation, the new “Bang Bang Bang Bang” feels both nostalgic for the early 90s and fresh and relevant again for 2023, Maya Von Doll’s voice as sumptuous and infectious as ever.
Revealing further on the song’s themes and the updated new version, Maya Von Doll explains, “The song is actually about being a misfit and finding your tribe. I wrote this song when I was a teenager feeling like I didn’t quite fit in with any of the cliques at school, but I started going out in Soho and meeting all these wonderfully different people. Even though I’ve always been anti-guns, I wanted to update the spirit for the times we’re living in now where you have to be clearer about what you stand for. I do think gun ownership is a bad idea.”
London-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Waz-u returns with his second album, Preludes: Dusk Psalms, set for release on 16 May 2025 via independent label Biodiversity. The 15-track record further refines the artistic depth of his debut, blending electronic textures and classical compositional techniques in an intricate, immersive listening experience.
Ahead of the album release, Waz-u is dropping an exclusive vocal version of ‘Vermillion: G Major’ from the album, accompanied by its original instrumental version. ‘Vermillion’ with Lilyg will be released on 18 April 2025, evoking intimate indie-folk and pop and follows the release of a vocal version of ‘Lament’ with Tom Norrington. ‘The singles are a way to give a voice to the atmosphere of the record and to lyrically encapsulate some of the themes explored,’ explains Waz-u. ‘Lily and Tom are good friends of mine and have both been listening to early iterations of these preludes – it felt right to involve them directly on this record.’
‘Preludes: Dusk Psalms’ marks a new branch of Waz-u’s emerging sound, guided by the duality of tradition and innovation. Combining his musical roots in early ‘90s dub techno and classical music, the album weaves carefully layered synthesizers and electronics to evoke the ambience of sacred music — from the gentle timbres of a choir or an organ to the quiet, open, and reverberating spaces of a church. Also featured throughout the album is experimental musician G9 LUV, who creates textures and drones by bowing his bass guitar, resulting in cello-like sounds. The release follows Waz-u’s 2024 debut LP, Prayer For Dawn, which merged dub, techno, and electronica in an exploration of the ritualistic traditions associated with both organized religion and dance.
Bringing the album’s themes to life, Waz-u will celebrate the release of Preludes: Dusk Psalms with a special performance at Our Holy Redeemer in Clerkenwell, London on 14 May 2025. Set against the church’s resonant acoustics, the event will feature live performance arrangements, including a choir, with further details to be announced soon.
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