In a blaze of fun-loving bubblegum glory, Medicine Cabinet release ‘Factor 50’.
‘Factor 50’ is a surging scream of Indie-Electro-Pop, with Anna Acquroff’s voice swirling from breathy-beach-babe to sun-blistered banshee. There’s elements of Soho Dolls and Shampoo, with ferocious femme vocals underpinned by rock riffs and PC sounds. The noughties are clearly a key inspiration for the band, who cite Sharpay Evans of ‘High School Musical’ and Paris Hilton as key figures in building the track.
Exploring themes of trust and singed skin in an almost playground-tease tone of voice, the song practically bounces through it’s two and a half minutes runtime. The sound is fantastical, something made up entirely and almost fictional in it’s deliciousness. Swirling synths and jumping guitars, driven by pulsating drums. It’s the kind of music that scratches all the right itches, smelling like sunscreen and tasting like the whole candy shop. Exuberance and grit, glitter and spit, with all the fun of pop and the sneer of (something a little bit) punk.
Acquroff says of the track: “It’s an anthem for whether someone will have your back or if they’ll watch while you suffer. It explores suspicion and hope, served with ice and topped with a paper parasol. It will wink at you from behind scratched silver sunglasses, and then burst into flames.” An explained narrative that is almost as prettily-worded as the track itself, setting the band up as story-tellers with wicked imaginations.
As the UK exits some of the hottest months ever recorded, Medicine Cabinet chooses to let summer linger a little longer. Their sound materialises as a well-oiled machine, with this second single solidifying them as being something quite fearsome and other.
The new issue of So Young is out now featuring Sorry, Alex G, Crack Cloud, The Big Moon, The Lounge Society, Been Stellar, Maruja, Comfort, Cowboyy, C Turtle and more. Order your print copy here or read the digital edition below.