Photo by Jordan Hemmingway
Today, Boy Harsher, the Northampton-based duo of vocalist/lyricist Jae Matthews and producer Augustus Muller, share “Give Me a Reason” from their new album The Runner (Original Soundtrack) out January 21st, 2022 via Nude Club/City Slang. Following the heavy presence of lead single “Tower,” “Give Me a Reason” finds Boy Harsher leaning into their signature dark pop sound with snappy synths.
“With ‘Give Me a Reason,’ we wanted to write something that encapsulates that feeling of yearning — the way we feel when we catch eyes from across the room. Our music can be flirty and crushable, and it's fun to play with that,” explains Matthews. Over a steely beat, Matthews intones, “Speak of the devil // and she will appear // afraid of the runner // who draws herself near.” Boy Harsher continue teasing the cinematic universe of The Runner, the short horror film written, produced, and directed by the duo which will be released in January 2022.
Listen to Boy Harsher’s “Give Me a Reason”
Boy Harsher’s fifth release is not a traditional album — it’s a soundtrack that balances eerie instrumentals with pop songs that push the boundaries of the duo’s sound. In the midst of last year’s chaos and Matthews’ MS diagnosis, Muller started working on moody, cinematic sketches. In Matthews’ period of convalescence, it was uncertain what these pieces would become other than catharsis, but she kept thinking about a sinister character: a woman running through the woods. The duo developed this idea further into The Runner, a film that explores lust, compulsion, and the horrific tendencies of seduction. The movie is intercut with a meta-style “documentary” about Boy Harsher’s recording process. The project is a reconciliation of uncertain times made into sound and moving images. The Runner and its soundtrack are both a return to form and an evolution for the duo.
More information on screenings for The Runner is to come. Following the release of the album and film, Boy Harsher will embark on a North American and European tour — all dates are listed below and tickets are on sale now. The duo also recently collaborated with Møffenzeef Mødular to create a limited edition drone synthesizer called The Runner.
Pre-order The Runner (Original Soundtrack)
Boy Harsher Tour Dates
Thu. Dec. 30, 2021 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *SOLD OUT*
Fri. Dec. 31, 2021 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *SOLD OUT*
Sat. Jan. 1, 2022 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *SOLD OUT*
Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 - Boston, MA @ Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre %
Fri. Jan. 21, 2022 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer %
Sat. Jan. 22, 2022 - Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry %
Sun. Jan. 23, 2022 - Durham, NC @ Motorco %
Mon. Jan. 24, 2022 - Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle %
Tue. Jan. 25, 2022 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West %
Wed. Jan. 26, 2022 - Nashville, TN @ High Watt %
Fri. Jan. 28, 2022 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat %
Sat. Jan. 29, 2022 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg % *SOLD OUT*
Sun. Jan. 30, 2022 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg %
Wed. Feb 2, 2022 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory %
Thu. Feb. 3, 2022 - Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco Theater (+ film screening) % *SOLD OUT*
Fri. Feb. 4, 2022 - Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco Theater (+ film screening) % *SOLD OUT*
Sat. Feb. 5, 2022 - San Francisco, CA @ Gray Area % *SOLD OUT*
Mon. Feb. 7, 2022 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom %
Tue. Feb. 8, 2022 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom %
Wed. Feb. 9, 2022 - Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre %
Thu. Feb. 10, 2022 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile %
Fri. Feb. 11, 2022 - Olympia, WA @ Capitol Theater %
Mon. Feb. 14, 2022 - Paris, FR @ Cabaret Sauvage (+ film screening @ La Peniche Cinema) ^^
Tue. Feb. 15, 2022 - Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje (+ film screening @ Lux Cinema) ^^
Wed. Feb. 16, 2022 - Leipzig, DE @ WERK2 (+ film screening @ UT Connewitz) ^^
Thu. Feb. 17, 2022 - Berlin, DE @ Astra (+ film screening @ Intimes Kino ) ^^
Fri. Feb. 18, 2022 - Frankfurt, DE @ Zoom ^^
Sat. Feb. 19, 2022 - Hasselt, BE @ Muziekodroom (+ film screening @ Zed Cinema) ^^
Sun. Feb. 20, 2022 - London, UK @ Earth (+ film screening @ Rio Cinema) !
Sat. June 4, 2022 - Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
% = w/ Hiro Kone
^^ = w/ Kris Baha
! = w/ Helm
Tickets are $8 and doors are at 6:30PM.
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