Esben & The Witch – Violet Cries [Matador]

Brooding post-rock addled haunted indie soundscapes are what Brighton trio Esben & The Witch deal in. They’ve been on my radar since the very promising EP ‘33’ appeared a year ago, meanwhile they’ve been honing their skills at gigs and in the studio. Only to get picked up by indie big guns Matador, they even landed a spot on the BBC sound of poll and unleash this, their debut album. It’s an assured slow burning long player that shows a young band with plenty of vision and a load of potential. To my ears at least they can sound like If Zola Jesus had a slightly more epic, atmospheric hazy sound and binged on post-rock then you’d get somewhere close, there is a haunted disconcerting beauty to them both. If you took Warpaint out of their garage and recorded them having a near death experience through blown amplifiers in a bigger garage with more plug sockets for drum machines and effects units, you wouldn’t be far off either. They even stand quite well with Laurel Halo’s off-kilter lo-fi pop too. It cold even be said there’s a hint of Portishead in there somewhere but that’s enough comparisons: on with the album.

They build soundscapes that slowly unveil: opener ‘Argyria’ melts into view before teasing a more song like structure then seeping into the next track ‘Marching Song’ which makss a welcome re-appearance from the ‘33’ EP and its sounding better than ever its all high drama and pent up tension. The melancholy, delicate beauty of ‘Marine Fields Grow’ is one to really sink into. We’re really rolling with the one two punch of ‘Chorea’ and ‘Warpath’ slap bang in the middle of the record. They both have a bit of drive and intensity its where the album starts to burst into energy, emerging out of the hazy unsettling dreamscapes into something more sinister. ‘Chorea’ has some seriously luscious shimmering guitars, machine drums and sweeping vocal melodies. While ‘Warpath’ runs with a different kind of energy, there is a melodic, other-worldly spiky almost HEALTH-like post-punk shimmer to the guitar lines before it all drops into a spaced out state of bliss.

We get all tender again with ‘Eumendies’ hushed tones, layers of sound and bubbling building electronics that flow out of the quite before getting a bit twisted and upping the energy and fragmenting into bursts of noise and haunted melody and back again then right when you least expect it, an indie disco thump... The final track ‘Swans’ chimes, drones and rings into effect and ushers Violet Cries out in fine off centre style that goes from haunting dissonant passages of shimmering melody it’s a sweet low key ending. Esben & The Witch are a young band that have really found their feet with the debut album, they’re still growing and mutating but they’ve got confidence in their sound and it shows. The song writing, vocals and soundscapes all come together beautifully. Violet Cries is an interesting listen and a solid record, they’re ones to keep an eye on, they’ll be one of the best new bands around for a while.

Video: Esben & The Witch - Warpath



Buy: http://esbenandthewitch.bigcartel.com/

http://www.esbenandthewitch.co.uk/
http://www.matadorrecords.com/

Looking Forward >>>

There is plenty of music to look forward to in ’11 as always, so much so that this list could go on forever. So I’ve chosen a load of people I’m looking forward to hearing more of in the coming year. Plus I’m keeping it to people that are either bubbling under, pretty new, just need shouting about or have something cool on the way I’m excited about.

LHF
They dropped plenty of teasers in ’10 their first EP for Keysound is just the tip of the iceberg just check out their massive radio/mix archives for proof. More EPs and hopefully an album on the way in ’11 means we’re all in for a treat. They’ve built their own world that sounds unlike anything else but gets close to what I’d imagine Flying Lotus soundclashing DMZ on a pirate radio station in another dimension would be like.

Martin Kemp
Easily sitting quietly at the forefront of the UK’s dance underground the Blunted one keeps the quality stuff creeping out consistently. His sound has so much bump, flex and weight that they’re a pleasure to dig out. Its got to be tough to make a tough yet supple house groove that really flexes but he makes it sound easy. More of that will make ’11 more than a pleasure.

T.Williams
He’s been so consistent with his deep techy bass addled vision of the UK house sound in ’10. I’m always reaching for his beats and those of his Deep Teknologi label mates. There is something about the dark side of UK Funky that really appeals to me, the balance of rough and raw with a subtle soulful flex is a killer combination.

Kassem Mosse
At the front end of ’10 I was still pretty bored of house/techno it had been years since I’d been excited by the sound. UK funky and its hybrids slowly brought me back to that tempo and this man Kassem Mosse alongside, MMM, Kyle Hall, Omar S and John Roberts feel it again. A steady stream of 12”s would keep me hooked for sure.

Bakey Ustl
His debut EP on Unthank is one of the most fucked up and compelling house 10”s I’ve heard for some time. I’m really looking forward to hearing what’s up his sleeve for ‘11. More curveballs and mad house grooves are more than welcome around these parts.

Jam City
He’s been taking it kind of slow in ’10 after some hefty hype before anything had really happened he kept his cool and a couple of 12”s later and I’m on board, expect big things from the Night Slugger next year. Rumours of an album on the horizon and god know what else should see that he has a big year. His sound is just infectious, that raw blend of eski grime, supple electro and an ear for turning things on their heads are a good combination.

Non Person
He just dropped a few hints in ’10 but its wet my appetite that’s for sure. The 12” on Clouds label Channel Zero is a killer slice of out there hip-hop with a heavy bass music thread running through it. Sitting somewhere in no mans land between Clouds, Brainfeeder and Mount Kimbie, Non Person finds a place of his own. I’d love to hear more.

Damu
Every time a track of his comes on the radio my ears prick up. There is something about his synths and infectious melodies that puts him next to the likes of Hyetal, Rustie and half of Night Slugs as someone that can bring a load of emotion to a dance floor in a twisted euphoric ball of energy. With releases on the way for Keysound and Local Action in the pipeline he’s going to be making moves and I can’t wait to hear it.

Esben and the Witch
Like quite a few tips here they where one of mine for last year as well and they delivered some quality stuff bubbled under and got singed to Matador, where they’ll be releasing their debut album ‘Violet Cries’ next year. Top quality brooding post-rock drenched indie music.

Dro Carey
Hazy dreamlike visions of hip-hop and R&B from a youngster from OZ, he’s had one 12” so far on Trilogy Tapes, a load of tumblr posted bootlegs and the odd mix. It all sounds pretty irresistible I’m intrigued. With forthcoming material on Ikonika’s Hum & Buzz label and god knows what else he’s got to be one to watch.

Golau Glau
The mysterious silver pop duo have been a top tip of mine for some time now, they’ve got an album in the works and have been in the lab getting their sound down. No one does the haunted silver pop like them and I for one can’t wait to hear what they come up with.

Murdz 86
He’s a UK Funky machine, raw house sounds with some of the most infectious percussion around. Its tough but with a load of flex, big bass and dance floor potential. Along with the likes of Funkystepz, Ill Blu, Coobe Beatz and Mad One, Murdz is someone I’d love to see releases from in ’11 because every time I tune into Live FM his tracks make my head turn.

Royal T
He’s been around a while but has built up a nice set of 12”s over the last year or so for the likes of No Hats No Hoods and Butterz, which are a solid foundation to build on for this coming year. He’s always switching up and coming differently with his sound by making grime bangers that fit his vibe and spread it out all at once. Alongside SRC, TRC, Teeza, Swindle, Darq E Freaker, Spooky and a load of others grime beats are in good hands.

So many more…

Video Round Up: Esben & The Witch / Worriedaboutsatan

A quick look at some recent visual treats, featuring two Sonic Minefield favourites: Esben & The Witch and Worriedaboutsatan. They both hauntingly beautiful in their own way.

Esben & The Witch - Lucia, At The Precipice




Brilliant young Brighton based band make their video debut with a ghostly little number. They’re currently on tour supporting some big names in indie land so if you don’t know get to know.

http://www.esbenandthewitch.co.uk/


Worriedaboutsatan – Heart Monitor: Teaser I/II

Heart Monitor teaser from worriedaboutsatan on Vimeo.

heart monitor teaser II from worriedaboutsatan on Vimeo.

Leeds duo Worriedabotsatan drop a couple of cryptic teasers for the forthcoming single Heart Monitor. They’re currently readying their tour with the wonderful Her Name Is Calla.

http://www.worriedaboutsatan.co.uk/

Esben and the Witch – 33

Esben and the Witch make a sweeping ambient sounding post-rock infused with elements of electronica that’s really eerie and melancholic as well as brooding intense and beautiful. The three-some from Brighton may well be named after a Danish fairy tale, which even if it isn’t true and my google skills are just sending me in strange directions it kind of fits, the spooky mesmerising ethereal sounds could sound track some twisted tales.

The vocal delivery really reminds me of the Sneaker Pimps or Portishead it oozes with sweet and fragile yet strong melancholy melody that deal with subjects in wistful story-like ways, her voice really is something of beauty. The instrumentation is just as good and full to the brim with tension built with stretched out other worldly guitars both electric and accoustic making swathes of gritty atmosphere or plucked subtle mellodys and electronic percussion and other elements really adding a sense of energy and dread.

33 is a strong EP throughout starting with the small intro number ‘(abstract)’ that melts seamlessly into ‘eumenidies’ via ghostly tortured singing and a beautiful subtle guitar melody that builds into a dramatic electronic bass pulse, piercing high hats and some gritty post-rock noise. When the tension drops into the stripped back breakdown it takes your breath away.

The middle two tracks ‘marching song’ and ‘about this peninsula’ are definite highlights. The first building with marching percussion and swathes of fuzzed guitar before an electronic pulse kicks in and the vocals really pick up the pace with some really swaggering dramatic pent up melody and words on a lone soldier having to walk into battle. The line of, ‘Your veins are my trenches, my gut is my own, the whispers fall heavy with delicate moans’ really gets things kicking off and peaks the track before it descends into ghostly moans and accordion. ‘About this peninsula’ covers similar themes all while reminding me of a post-rock 15 Steps by Radiohead, this must be because of the drum machine. When the first guitar burst kicks in on this one with a euphoric release after the dramatic build it really shows this bands strength.

Closing track ‘corridors’ is a moody deep number with plenty of bass and darkness that opens out into electronic drones and noisy guitars before drifting into an ambient mid passage before picking up a slow house-like kick and an epic soundscape not unlike a toned down Before the dawn heals us era M83 or early Portishead. It’s a nice number that’s for sure.

Esben and the Witch have an ambient post-rock underbelly that stretches out into full on melodramatic songs that are well worth a listen, 33 is an engaging listen. They are currently un-signed so go and show them some love.

http://www.myspace.com/esbenandthewitch