Beginning life in Brighton in 2008, Esben & The Witch have been bringing us genre-defying music spanning electronic dream pop, metal-tinged post-punk and post-rock ever since. Despite now being spread out across Germany, the US and Germany, the band gathered together in Italy in 2019 to start work on their next studio release Hold Sacred, which will be released on 12th May on Nostromo Records.
“Everything’s changed and nothing’s changed,” says vocalist Rachel Davies of their sixth album. “This kernel is the purest essence of Esben and the Witch since our inception.” The songs that have emerged are different than any previous. They’re brooding, gentle, almost ambient; there are no live drums, and the instrumentals comprise simple, sparse guitar and keys.
More information will be released in the coming weeks, but we’ve been told 2023 is going to be a busy year for the trio.
Image Credit: Sophie Fox.