Track By Track: Starling on The Body EP

No Rest For The Wicked

I was in New York dating this guy and it all went to shit. The morning after the up-all-night break up I walked into session with Sterling Fox. He's a cool guy living in a studio house that was a horse stable - weird place, labyrinth-like. I explained my sadness and with fire, he just said "there's no rest for the wicked," and I laughed. We wrote this off the bat. We were in his cinema room; all black no windows, getting into the filmic vibe.

I love the feel of this song. It's dark but it's not ashamed. Eminem was gonna have it on his album, and when he didn't I thought "this is the song for me to return with." It's been a year since my first EP, and it's a different sound - more owned. This links to the "misfit" theme of the first EP, owning my pain.

Large It

This song is hilarious. I really let my balls out in this. Not that I have balls, but if I did I would just shake them out here, naked.

It's a knee-jerk song written in about an hour with Eg White, this brilliant eccentric man, about going out and having a big one. On a deeper level, it signifies my new era of "DGAF" - as Wonderland magazine put it. I actually do give too much of a fuck most days, but on the days where I can lighten up it's nice to have a song that reflects a new facet. The synths are so old school in it, and I love playing it live. At Secret Garden Party, my ear monitors flung out from dancing too hard. It was very funny though also terrible.

In The Dark

Well, it's literally dark. I was backstage at a gig and loving the show, but somewhere along the way my drink got spiked. I was lucky though someone helped me and I was taken home safely. I wasn't hurt, but the morning after I was in session feeling so shaken. I just wrote this all about that feeling, that out of control complete panic. Writing this I realise a lot of my songs are very reflective of the day I've had (or night).

Nick Sylvester, the legend I wrote this with, also produced it. I love the way it all builds in the song, just like the drug did, except it makes beauty of something that was quite scary. I like art for that; the chance to make use of your pain.

Yellow Shoeshine

I had this ex - we went out for years - and every time I came home late he would be mad. When I told some American friends they couldn't believe a girl could be "in the doghouse". I don't know why they found that funny, but I explained that in the UK I'm pretty certain the girl or guy can be in the "doghouse", i.e. be in trouble, regardless of gender.

This song is literally the finger up to him, and to my old self for being so obedient. It's called "Yellow Shoeshine" instead of "Sick On My Shoe" - it's the same thing of course, but I was trying to be posh and clever. I really wanted to call it "Doghouse" but couldn't get that word in the song, too clunky.

I think it's my favourite track on the EP. It's very different sonically to my previous sound but I love the madness. And that feeling, of course. The feeling of freedom.