New York, NY (Top40 Charts) As a powerful teaser for their new album 'Black Light White Dark', due out in early 2019, London's ethereal alt-rock outfit Evi Vine presents 'Sabbath' featuring The Cure's
Simon Gallup on bass and
Peter Yates of Fields of the Nephilim on guitar.
They have also unveiled a new video for this track, created by
Craig Murray, known for his extensive work with Mogwai. After asking Evi for ten words to describe the video they wanted, Murray took his favourite things, horror, liquids, hair and sealife to create a semi narrative film.
"We saw
Craig Murray's work for the first time when
Mogwai released Teenage Exorcist, and we just wanted to work with him. The idea has been in the ether for a few years, we just needed the right track & for the stars to align. He's an incredible filmmaker, art and music go hand in hand," says Evi Vine.
Simon Gallup spoke about working with Evi Vine: "Hammersmith ...me drunk ...meet Evi for the first time I mumble that I'd love to play on a couple of tracks ...don't hear anything for ages then an email out of the blue ...Three songs ...feel nervous but really enjoy the songs ...a day trip to the coast and a lovely welcome with dogs ..have beer and made to feel even more welcome ..worry that what I'm playing isn't right or not going to fit in but enjoy myself and the warmth of everything ..have to dash as there is a prom on ...a very bad hill start and a dash back down the motorway ..a quick day that had started 20 months before."
Produced by Dave Izumi (Nordic Giants, Ed Harcourt, Magic Numbers) and mixed by Phill Brown (Talk Talk, Jimmy Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, John Martyn, Robert Palmer), this album also features contributions from other celebrated artists, including Martyn Barker (Shriekback, Billy Bragg, Marianne Faithfull, Goldfrapp) and
Geraldine Swayne (Faust).
As a group, Evi Vine is joined by Steven Hill, Matt Tye and
David 'GB' Smith. Their music explores the dark elemental nature of the human heart, as well as environmental and post-apocalyptic themes.
Sublime and haunting, they create a unique and uncompromising atmosphere with gossamer vocals and precise orchestration. Reverential, physical music, it evokes a rare experience that is beautiful, sparse and deeply intimate.
"I know a lot of people are being shaped by experiences in our lives, ghosts of childhood, self-destructive pain and sorrow, all our personal struggles, doubt, and change. I can feel the earth dying and it makes me so sad. We write reflective songs about the circular patterns of man, and reflecting beauty and violence in the world," says Evi Vine.
Evi Vine's debut self-released debut album '..And So The Morning Comes' was heralded as "the underground gem of 2011" by Drowned in Sound, and championed by
Simon Raymonde (Bella Union, Cocteau Twins) as his album of the year. Directed by Oscar winning Nick Brooks (Fight Club, The Matrix, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Evi joined with internationally acclaimed photographer Patrick Fraser to make the stunning video 'For the Dreamers'.
Their second LP 'Give Your
Heart to The Hawks' (2015) was co-produced by Richard Formby (Mogwai, Spacemen 3, Wild Beasts) and mixed by Phill Brown. It featured Martyn Barker,
Peter Yates, Tatia Starkey (My Vitriol/Lola Colt) and Billy Cote (Madder Rose).
Evi formed this band while living in LA, quickly getting a support show opening for
Slash at the Whiskey-agogo. She has collaborated with Graham Revell (SPK, The Crow Soundtrack), The Eden House, Tony Pettit (Fields of the Nephilim), and
Peter Yates (Fields of the Nephilim). In 2016, Evi sang on Phillip Clemo's 'DreamMaps' album, together with Talk Talk's
Simon Edwards and
Martin Ditcham, subsequently making appearances on BBC6, BBC3 Late Junction and Jazz FM.
Evi Vine contributed backing vocals on The Mission's 2016 album 'Another Fall From Grace', which hit the UK top-40 album chart, and collaborated with Michael Ciravolo on the debut album from LA-based Beauty in Chaos, involving members of The Cure, Ministry, The Mission, Cheap Trick, The Offspring, King's X and Ice T, among others.
In recent years, Evi Vine has toured with The Mission, Chameleons Vox, Wayne Hussey, And Also The Trees, Phillip Boa and The Voodoo Club, and Her Name is Calla. After hearing Evi Vine's debut album and including it among his top five albums, Wayne Hussey invited them to tour with him in 2016 and subsequently with The Mission in 2017. Invited on stage to sing three songs by The Mission, the seed was sown and Vine joined The Mission as featured vocalist for their 30th Anniversary Tour.
"The new album is intense - dark, layered, wonderfully atmospheric, fragile, and at times stripped bare - an album to get lost in....and then surface with Evi's haunting and delicate vocals and the endless space," explains engineer Phill Brown.
'Sabbath' is available now via online stores and streaming platforms, including Spotify, iTunes and Bandcamp. The full 'Black Light White Dark' album will be released on February 22, but can already be pre-ordered on vinyl or CD via the band's website with a full bundle package also available. The first pressing is limited to 300 copies worldwide.
On February 6, Evi Vine will perform at Petit Bain in Paris in support of Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance fame. Evi and Stevie have noted that they feel deeply honoured to support Brendan as both Dead Can Dance and his solo work have always been a huge inspiration for them.
