2.18.2025
Single: Tigers In Cairo – “In Our Fields” ft. Tobias Grave of Soft Kill
With Vocals From Tobias Grave of Chicago Post-Punk Group Soft Kill, the San Diego Group Crafts An Anthem About Finding the Light in Dark Times
Critical Praise:
“(Tigers In Cairo) keep the ‘punk’ in ‘post-punk.’ Regardless of what you want to call it, it’s a damn good song. With a driving punk rhythm and strong melodies, this is one of those songs that pulls off that perfect balance between power and beauty.” – New Noise
“Tigers In Cairo take the best parts of six-string slanging 90s Alt, solidly stoic low-end flex & emotionally pleading Jawbreaker-esque clarity while placing those well-worn signifiers under one modern PowerPunkPostPop umbrella.” – Screaming For Years
“Introducing Tigers In Cairo: a new force in post-punk. …this track is the perfect soundtrack for hot summer days spent hanging around in your friend’s backyard or long drives up and down the coast.” – Amplified SD
“Tigers In Cairo pick up where the heroes of 90s indie and shoegaze left off, taking those sounds, combining them with the punk of their hometown of San Diego, and kicking them into overdrive.” – Drop The Spotlight
The Song:
Influenced by the sound and ethos of 90s alt groups like Jawbreaker, with a helping of Militarie Gun’s melodic assault and The Cure’s crushing soundscapes, Tigers In Cairo stands out in San Diego’s crowded band scene. The self-described post-punk band reached out to a kindred spirit, Tobias Grave of Chicago’s Soft Kill, to deliver “In Our Fields,” an atmospheric and anthemic new single.
Beginning with a wall of driving guitars before opening up into a tuneful chorus, “In Our Fields” offers a poetic representation of living through difficult times, warning against the instinct to withdraw from hardship and urging us to instead find pockets of happiness, whether in community, family, or another safe harbor. Grave makes his presence felt with a gravelly turn on the halftime bridge, his calming presence a contrast with the determined aggression of Tigers In Cairo vocalist David Martin. As the song builds to a cathartic conclusion, drummer Matt Yansch’s fills grow more and more urgent, as guitarist Gavin Rhodes and bassist Dennis Smith cut against his halting rhythms with driving riffs.
Yansch explains how the collaboration came about: “Paul and I have been longtime Soft Kill fans. The song started as just a verse and chorus, but as it evolved—with a mellow break and soaring outro—it became a full sonic journey. I had a feeling Tobias would sound amazing on it. We were already connected on IG, so I sent him the instrumental. He listened and said, “Sounds like Leatherface, I love it,” and that was that. He absolutely crushed it, and when David added his vocals, everything clicked just as I’d hoped it would.”
“In Our Fields” is the third single by Tigers In Cairo, following the releases of “Wavy Eyes” and their debut single, “Always Adored.” The band, composed of drummer Matt Yansch, vocalist David Martin, bassist Dennis Smith, and guitarists Gavin Rhodes and Paul Skura, is based in San Diego, California. Formed as a result of Rhodes’ New Years resolution to start a band in his new hometown, the group came together via a Craigslist ad and local networking. Taking shape one puzzle piece at a time, Tigers In Cairo eventually solidified their lineup and band name. Inspired by the Cure’s “Fire In Cairo” and aspiring to embody the ferocity of an apex predator, the band began recording music. Combining Yansch’s sharp sense of arrangement, with Martin’s lyrics, and Rhodes’ and Smith’s riffs and progressions, Tigers In Cairo have landed on a unique sound that they are continuing to refine. The band is making noise in their SoCal hometown, earning attention from Amplified SD and from national outlets like New Noise magazine.
With much more music on the way, Tigers In Cairo is the local rock supergroup San Diego has been waiting for. Stay tuned for more from the band soon.
Stream “In Our Fields” ft. Tobias Grave of Soft Kill: https://foundation-media.ffm.to/inourfields
Song visualizer: https://youtu.be/sd7yY4_oAYU
L to R – Paul Skura (Guitar), Matt Yansch (Drums), David Martin (Vocals), Gavin Rhodes (Guitar), Dennis Smith (Bass)
photo credit: Eli Corbin
Please contact Michelle or Annjie for more info.
Links:
linktree | instagram | spotify | youtube
“In Our Fields” ft. Tobias Grave of Soft Kill: https://foundation-media.ffm.to/inourfields
“Wavy Eyes”: https://foundation-media.ffm.to/wavyeyes
“Always Adored”: https://foundation-media.ffm.to/alwaysadored