Esben and the Witch (band)
Encyclopedia
Esben and the Witch are a three piece indie rock
band from Brighton
, England
. After a self-released EP
33 in 2009 and a limited 7-inch single "Lucia, at the Precipice" in February 2010, the band signed with Matador Records
. The band's debut single
for the label, "Marching Song", was released on 11 October 2010, with their debut album Violet Cries was released on January 31, 2011.
, Pitchfork Media
and The Guardian
, plus experience of concert
s alongside The xx
, Wild Beasts
, Foals, and The Big Pink
.
In May 2010 the band contributed to the London edition of The Creators Project, warping one of 33s tracks, "Corridors", into an eighteen-minute soundscape to soundtrack artist Karl Sadler's lit forest installation.
On October 19, 2010 it was revealed that the band were nominated for a Q Award as "next big thing", the award eventually being won by Clare Maguire
on October 25 The following day Matador Records announced the band's debut album Violet Cries is to be released in January/February 2011.
On 6 December 2010, the BBC
announced that the band had been nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2011 poll.
Violet Cries received an 8/10 rating from NME
, with reviewer Ben Hewitt describing it as "gothic, but not goth" and "akin to entering a Ye Olde English fairy tale". The album also received favorable reviews from Drowned In Sound (9/10), The Guardian (3/5) and Pitchfork (6.6). The LP was named as one of NME's Top 50 albums for the first half of 2011.
The band have recently been nominated for awards from Vila do Conde International Film Festival (Portugal), and Rushes Soho Shorts Film Festival (UK) for their video for Marching Song in July.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After a self-released EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
33 in 2009 and a limited 7-inch single "Lucia, at the Precipice" in February 2010, the band signed with Matador Records
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
. The band's debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
for the label, "Marching Song", was released on 11 October 2010, with their debut album Violet Cries was released on January 31, 2011.
History
Since forming in Brighton in 2008, Esben and the Witch have had just a few releases behind them including "Lucia, at the Precipice". They have had positive press support from NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, plus experience of concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s alongside The xx
The xx
The xx are an English indie pop band, formed in London in 2005. The band's members met while studying at Elliott School, the same school that produced Hot Chip, Burial and Four Tet. They became a trio when their second guitarist and keyboardist, Baria Qureshi, departed in late 2009. In September...
, Wild Beasts
Wild Beasts
Wild Beasts are an indie rock band from Kendal in Cumbria. They released their first single, "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants", on Bad Sneakers Records in November 2006, and subsequently signed to Domino Records. They have released three acclaimed albums, Limbo, Panto in 2008, Two Dancers in...
, Foals, and The Big Pink
The Big Pink
The Big Pink is an English electro-rock duo comprising multi-instrumentalists Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell. The duo signed to the 4AD label in 2009, and won the prestigious NME Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act...
.
In May 2010 the band contributed to the London edition of The Creators Project, warping one of 33s tracks, "Corridors", into an eighteen-minute soundscape to soundtrack artist Karl Sadler's lit forest installation.
On October 19, 2010 it was revealed that the band were nominated for a Q Award as "next big thing", the award eventually being won by Clare Maguire
Clare Maguire
Clare Rita Mary Maguire is a British singer-songwriter. She was signed to Universal Music Group Polydor Records in 2008. She was rated in fifth place in the BBC Sound of 2011 list of the top 15 most promising new artists. Maguire was also singled out as one of MTV's Brand New: For 2011 Acts...
on October 25 The following day Matador Records announced the band's debut album Violet Cries is to be released in January/February 2011.
On 6 December 2010, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
announced that the band had been nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2011 poll.
Violet Cries received an 8/10 rating from NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, with reviewer Ben Hewitt describing it as "gothic, but not goth" and "akin to entering a Ye Olde English fairy tale". The album also received favorable reviews from Drowned In Sound (9/10), The Guardian (3/5) and Pitchfork (6.6). The LP was named as one of NME's Top 50 albums for the first half of 2011.
The band have recently been nominated for awards from Vila do Conde International Film Festival (Portugal), and Rushes Soho Shorts Film Festival (UK) for their video for Marching Song in July.
Singles
| Year | Title |
| 2009 | "Skeleton Swoon"
|
| 2010 | "Lucia, at the Precipice"
|
| 2010 | "Marching Song"
|
| 2011 | "Chorea"
|
EPs
| Year | Title |
| 2011 | "Hexagons EP"
|
Albums
| Year | Title |
| 2011 | Violet Cries (album)
|