Search The Line of Best Fit
Search The Line of Best Fit
Spill tab 4

Bedroom pop connoisseur Spill Tab embraces contradiction on new single "PISTOLWHIP"

11 March 2021, 15:49 | Written by Ben Miles

LA-based Spill Tab's "PISTOLWHIP" is over almost as quickly as it begins. But the French-Korean artist packs a lot into the brief runtime, showing off her ability to portray anxiety and duality in both her lyrics and production.

Glitching and continually building into a cacophony of distortion, there's a sincerely frantic feeling to "PISTOLWHIP". Spill Tab's - real name Claire Chicha - voice descends throughout the track, creating an unsettling feeling of unease as we move deeper and deeper, and as Chicha grapples with the contrasting experiences of betrayal.

“'PISTOLWHIP' is about going through something that really hurts, and the dichotomy of being angry but also being shot down and vulnerable. I wanted to imagine what it'd be like in the head of someone who's just finding out they're being cheated on," explains Chicha. "They're vacillating between pure rage and just wanting to hold on 'cause they love that person so deeply, and then the underlying issues of that relationship sort of start to show in the second verse. It's just a descent into madness I guess.”

Her music moves at will beyond the borders of bedroom pop and synth-based indie, but while her already rich back catalogue has established her name (last year's debut EP Oatmilk as well as "Name", amongst others) "PISTOLWHIP" takes her in a new direction. On the track's accompanying visuals, Chicha says: “It was SO fucking cold the day we shot PISTOLWHIP. It was like 22 degrees and I'm ripping around on a tiny dirt bike with only a scarf holding my titties together. Jade was such a trooper and was just getting it done and we had so many laughs. She also managed to make me look so badass on this little machine that was maxing out at like 20 mph. It was awesome.”

"PISTOLWHIP" is out now. Find Spill Tab on Instagram.
Share article
Email

Get the Best Fit take on the week in music direct to your inbox every Friday

Read next