Hen Hoose are back with their 2nd EP titled ‘EP 2’. Here at Discovery Music we have been fortunate enough to have an exclusive listen to ‘EP 2’ before its release day on September 5th and what a treat you are in for! Don’t worry though, while you wait you can listen to the EP’s lead single ‘Catchfall’ which is out now to get you just as excited as I am for the release of ‘EP 2’.
Hen Hoose is a female/non-binary song writing collective that is based in Glasgow. The collective was formed in 2020 by Scottish musician Tamara Schlesinger as a response to inequality that is experienced within the music industry. Made up of a multitude of singers, songwriters, composers, and multi-instrumentalists they released their first EP ‘Equaliser’ in 2023 which saw them nominated for the Scottish Album of the Year Award. I have no doubt that their upcoming EP will also follow suit as this collection of work truly showcases the diverse and unique talent of its members with songs ranging from soulful soundscapes to energetic dance anthems.
The EP is made up of six tracks all of which grab your attention, whether it be the soulful and moving sounds of ‘Wake Up’ by Karine Polwart and The Anchoress or the electronic dance club banger ‘Dance With U’ by Nightwave and Shears. The Singer songwriter Kathryn Williams paired up with MALKA to create the utopic soundscape of ‘islands,’ and AMUNDA and Djana Gabrielle give us the feel-good tune ‘Like Thunder’ with Lucy Parnell and Carla J Easton working together to create ‘Too Far’.
These 5 songs are all exceptional in their own unique ways thanks to collaboration that has been created through Hen Hoose. However, the lead track ‘Catchfall” by Susan Bear and Jill Lorean is truly the attention stealer of this EP. The track itself is powerful not just in its lyrics but also in its meaning, full of catchy melodies and fun rhythms that show case the talent of songwriter and composer Jill Lorean and musician and producer Susan Bear.
Speaking about the song Lorean said, “I am pretty proud of ‘Catchfall’. I feel like you can hear both our personalities in the song, and the lyrics are, in a way, reflective of the collaborative process.”
Hen Hoose perfectly demonstrates the beauty and importance of collaboration while also celebrating and showcasing the powerful talent of Scottish female and non-binary artists. Thanks to the crucial and vital support of Creative Scotland, their collective is still growing, Hen Hoose have been able to expand and is now offering a range of new events such as audio production courses, song writing camps, mentoring sessions, and panel discussions, as well as the newly established Beldina Odenyo Bursary to those outside of the collective.
It’s safe to say that Hen Hoose are making themselves known in the Scottish music scene and I cannot wait to see what they get up to next as they continue to grow. Make sure you listen to ‘EP 2’ on September 5th but while you wait until then you can listen to ‘Catchfall’ and their 1st album ‘Equaliser.’