Julie’s Haircut – Radiance Opposition (2025)
Formed in the 1990s, Italian rock collective Julie’s Haircut has been entertaining audiences for over three decades. While the band stood out with distinctive signature sounds, they are by no means a group to sit on their laurels with repetition. As the years progressed, their experimental nature took over, infusing elements of electronica, jazz, psychedelia, soul and blues with rock-inspired tinges. Eclectic and alternative, Julie’s Haircut is a seasoned act that continues to evolve as the decades pass. The latest addition to their discography is the album Radiance Opposition.
Following the singles ‘To The Sacred Mantle’, ‘Wounds’ and ‘Unit Circle’ – which feature on the album – Radiance Opposition is a journey of their experimental nature, showcasing the multi-faceted six-piece. Joining the established team of Luca Giovanardi, Nicola Caleffi, Andrea Rovacchi, Andrea Scarfone, and Ulisse Tramalloni, Italian-Nigerian singer Anna Bassy adds a refreshing twist to Julie Haircut’s music.
Opening with ‘I Can See The Light’, Julie’s Haircut presents a seeming prelude to the tale of Radian Opposition. Hushed and subdued, hazy vocals creep alongside the bold beats and shimmering synths like a ghost quickly swooping across you in the tragic sonic mire; however, Bassy’s dulcet vocals hit about mid-way through the track like a shining beacon pushing against the dark, offering reprieve and power as you hide beneath her delicate skirts.
In ‘Unit Circle’, the melody shifts from eerie haunting to upbeat, toe-tapping fusions of percussion and beats with Bassy’s warm vocals encircling you. For me, listening to ‘Unit Circle’ is like being led away by that vision heard in ‘I Can See The Light’ to dance about a campfire as the heat seeps into your skin. ‘The Earth Knows’ shifts from the stirring African-inspired sounds to a post-punk realm flicked with Middle Eastern influences. Should we continue our tale of travelling along the sonic path, this is the point where you leave the campfire and take tentative steps into the wide, open space.
‘Spring Moon’ washes over you as imps peek from the back of dark bushes, but amidst the fearfulness, Bassy entices you with a finger curled to “turn to me”. ‘To The Sacred Mantle’ flows from the brash rock-inspired African-flecked ‘Spring Moon’ to an obscure crust of percussion clipping in the background. Beautifully layered, strong synths wave in the melody, offering some inspiration; however, the eeriness and haunting of earlier returns with a post-punk tone. For me, Bassy’s vocals dominate the track without being linked to the melody; it’s as if she is commanding you, sending you off, and the instrumentation is the backing.
‘Wounds’ arrives with a soothing tone, as if it is the R&B-inspired balm to the cuts and bruises from the previous brambles and thorns, before falling into the final two tracks – ‘Extinction Of The Sun’ and ‘6 AM Carpet Candlelight’. In the former, Julie’s Haircut hit you between the eyes with a classic rock beauty warming your soul before leading you from the Wonderland. As a closer, ‘6AM Carpet Candlelight’ offers the same hushed tones as ‘I Can See The Light’, but the tambourine, guitars, keys, and wistful vocals seem to push you from Radiance Opposition with a gentle nudge and wave goodbye.
Find out more about Julie’s Haircut on their Facebook, X, Instagram, Bandcamp, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by No Exit PR.
