An introduction to the visual world of LCY

Ahead of the release of their Pulling Teeth EP and accompanying graphic novel LCY breaks down the influences for the project and invites us into their visual world.

Especially in lockdown, the music that resonates most usually lives and breathes beyond on the walls of New Music Friday. It stirs emotions, triggers memories and provides a world to escape to when life becomes too much. London-based multi-hyphenate LCY’s Pulling Teeth is a stunning example of the power of considered world-building and exploration of numerous mediums.

Having grown up surrounded by a family of Irish musicians, it’s natural that LCY had an interest in the sonic and cultural traditions of Ireland. After sketching the mythical Celtic goddess Ériu over two years ago and following a period of self-reflection, LCY continued to dive further into folklore when painting the dystopian world that would become Pulling Teeth. The release of the otherwordly Garden of E10 introduced the main protagonist Ériu, who is made up of dog, human and robotic matter. Combined with an accompanying seven image graphic novel, a two-hour soundscape hosted on Balamii and grounded by the sounds of the forthcoming EP, the futuristic AI landscape where Éiru resides in feels truly immersive.

Ahead of the release of their project Pulling Teeth, LCY broke down the visual influences that informed Ériu’s story of creation, worship, mistreatment, trauma and ultimate decay.

Ray Harryhausen invented the technique of Dynamation. When I was really young I would watch his films religiously because they unnerved me but also intrigued me. The music in the action scenes is also incredible combined with the movement of the characters incredibly unsettling.

Niall is a multidisciplinary contemporary artist and they never fail to inspire me. It’s beautiful highly personal work with great delivery and poignant messages often centring around the black experience. Their ability to effortlessly merge artistic techniques is what always keeps my attention and admiration.

I am a horror movie nerd, but a particular super prominent moment for me was when I watched Spielberg’s face meltings. We have the same birthday and clearly a similar affinity with gore.

Anthr0morph is an incredible visual artist who distorts both their own and others being with incredibly instructed pieces always with crazy elegance and a super clean composition.

Coming from Bristol, Aardman animation studios give me the biggest and most overwhelming sense of pride and sparked my love and interest in stop-motion from a young age.. I’m obsessed with cartoons, anime and kids tv programmes and he’s always stayed close to my heart.

I’m obsessed with the shapes that Michaela crafts out of the human body with their couture. It’s made me see the body in a similar way to clay in that it can fit all kinds of shapes, not just the way it’s been made to be contained by western beauty standards.

One of my favourite artists of all time and in my opinion the best figurative painter to have lived. I am always trying to match the unsettling darkness in his work and to me, it represents the deep and dark pain of queer expression.