Wolf Tone newcomer Art School Girlfriend cleansed her musical palette with electronic music

The Margate-based artist is signed to Wolf Tone, the esteemed label from super-producer Paul Epworth (Adele, Florence and The Machine), and she counts the likes of Plaitum, Rosie Lowe, and Glass Animals as rostermates. We've already had one delirious, measured short-player from her, with more set to come in the near future.

In terms of sound Art School Girlfriend errs away from pomp and glitz in favour of economic beats and subtly complex atmospheres. The sparsely filled worlds of The xx and Wet flutter into earshot, with Daughter's quicksand-like heart tucked into each word, but a penchant for late-night electronics marks her as a different beast. There's a dreamy aspect too, with hypnotic and hypnagogic rhythms underpinning each track; this is music to get utterly lost in.

Check out "Bending Back" below and find out a little more about the world of Art School Girlfriend with our Q&A after.

BESTFIT: Could you introduce yourself for us please?
Art School Girlfriend: "I’m Art School Girlfriend - aka Polly. I’m from Wales and I live in Margate."

What do you try to do with your music and how do you achieve this?
Art School Girlfriend: "I produce my tracks as well as write them, so the arrangement comes first. The arrangement always has some form of drone throughout which I then layer with electronic and - in some ways - classical textures, but I also like a good melody so there’s an accessibility to the music I can never shy away from. My music always comes out sounding quite melancholy whether I intend to or not. I’m a bit of a yearner."

Can you tell us what musical and non-musical influences have shaped your sound?
Art School Girlfriend: "Guitar music will always get my bones - my first influential loves were PJ Harvey, shoegaze, and new wave. After my old band split up I wanted to cleanse my musical palette so just listened to electronic music - things like Austra, Caribou, and John Maus. I used to read way more when I lived in London and would get the bus - Virginia Woolf, Susan Sontag, Milan Kundera."

What should people expect from your Five Day Forecast show?
Art School Girlfriend: "The recorded music is quite sparse and measured, but the live show is a full band setup - I wanted it to be as live as possible so pretty much all the electronics are on hardware samples or triggered by Josh the drummer and Louis the keys player. Jac the guitarist is a wizard at creating the layers and atmospheres and getting his guitar to sound otherworldly."

What are you working on now/next?
Art School Girlfriend: "I’ve a AA-side single out in February. It’s more electronic and beat-driven than my EP. I’m also playing guitar for Orlando Weeks and his project The Gritterman which has been a joy so far."

How is 2018 shaping up? What are you looking forward to next year?
Art School Girlfriend: "Really looking forward to playing with The Rhythm Method and Suzi Wu. I’m doing a show in Margate with some friends (Black Gold Buffalo) in February, then a headline at Sebright to launch the single in March followed by a few festivals in May. I get writer's block come summer, so trying to get as much done whilst it’s still bleak outside!"