Esben and the Witch
Since forming in Brighton in 2008, Esben and the Witch have forged a sound that springs forth from minds soaked in influences far and beyond any standard set of musical touchstones. Nature and literature, art and science, history and the unknown – the trio eschews the everyday for inspiration drawn from sources weird and wonderful, as well as the occasional Scott Walker and PJ Harvey record.
Garnering interest and intrigue from even the earliest stages of their development, Esben and the Witch have placed themselves firmly at the vanguard of new bands who are not only lurking in the shadows, they’re positively flourishing there. Not without reason, as they demonstrate with Violet Cries, an uncompromising record sure to surprise with it’s stark beauty. Building Violet Cries around a dark core, the trio fiercely retained full control to create the record they wanted to make.
A band statement to fans when announcing its release reads, “there is a boldness and a naivety to the album and the artwork we all feel terrifically proud of and the one thing we felt we had to maintain in this process was that it had to be new, it had to be something which we felt had not been explored previously.” The rewards over the ten tracks are plentiful, also serving to challenge and unsettle the listener.
esbenandthewitch.co.uk/newsreel/
myspace.com/esbenandthewitch
Matador
“…Esben and the Witch have placed themselves firmly at the vanguard of new bands who are not only lurking in the shadows, they’re positively flourishing there…’