We’ve been keeping a close eye on Pecq, a dynamic duo that burst onto the scene early 2000s. This East Oxford-based pair, consisting of producer and multi-instrumentalist Hannah (Jakes) Jacobs and Niko O’Brien, crafts a kaleidoscope of electronic and pop influences – their music is alt-pop at its most exploratory. Jacobs, known for her synth wizardry with Barry Can’t Swim and Arlo Parks, joins forces with O’Brien, an audio engineer who has lent his expertise to artists like Liz Fraser and Porij.
Since their debut, Pecq has been on a creative roll, releasing a string of EPs including Stranger (2021), Brittle (2022), and Amnesia’s Ritual (2023). Their latest offering, “stronger,” is far from your typical break-up anthem. Instead, it’s a glitchy, twisting pop track that serves as a powerful mantra for reclaiming one’s body in the face of health challenges.
Jacobs explains the inspiration behind “stronger”: “I live with a bunch of immune conditions and when I’m down about being super sick I do this silly, sassy pep talk, hyping myself up to fight my body. The lyrics are all the opposite to how it feels but the more I repeat that I’m stronger than this, the more I eventually feel it.”
– I love your personality!
– Oh really, which one?