A New Nature

A New Nature is the third studio album by British alternative rock band Esben and the Witch, scheduled to be released on the 1 September 2014 through their own label Nostromo Records.

A New Nature
Studio album by
Esben and the Witch
Released31 August 2014
Recorded2014;Electrical Audio
(Chicago)
GenreAlternative rock, post rock, post-punk
Length54:28
LabelNostromo Records
ProducerSteve Albini
Esben and the Witch chronology
Untitled EP
(2014)		 A New Nature
(2014)
Singles from A New Nature
  1. "Blood Teachings"
    Released: 23 June 2014
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic69/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
Drowned in Sound8/10[2]
NME(7/10)[3]
TLOBF(8.5/10)[4]
AllMusic(8/10)[5]

Background

In early 2014, the band left Matador Records and made their own label Nostromo Records. They pledged on PledgeMusic, which is an online Direct-to-Fan music platform that facilitates musicians reaching out to their fanbase to pre-sell, market, and distribute music projects including recordings, music videos, and concerts. On PledgeMusic they put pre-orders for their third album up, in which some include a hand-made bonus EP called And New Life Blossoms From the Ruins, and the money went towards the recording costs.[6]

On April 7, 2014, they released an untitled split EP with Thought Forms, featuring two songs "No Dog" and "Butoh".[7] On April 7, they performed "No Dog" and two new songs "Dig Your Fingers In" and "Those Dreaful Hammers" on BBC Radio 6.[8] They began recording with Steve Albini in April 2014 at Electrical Audio studios in Chicago.[9][10] Their song "Strangers In a Sunless Valley" was featured on the third Audioscope Music For A Good Home compilation in May.[11]

They announced the album in June 2014, and have released the first single from the album, "Blood Teachings", on iTunes. The album was scheduled to be released on 1 September 2014.

Music

The Guardian compared lead single "Blood Teachings" to early PJ Harvey.[12] The Quietus said that ""Blood Teachings" is a good case in point, with its Swans-esque heaving repetition providing a soundbed over which Rachel Davies unfurls a mesmeric vocal, not dissimilar to former Albini collaborator PJ Harvey, building to a razing, fuzzed crescendo."[13]

The band said of the album:

"We wanted to create a record that had a level of purity to it. To strip away the layers and loops and see what lay beneath. To keep things naked, unadorned and raw. The three of us, in a room, making noise. We looked to create a more primal record, full of human emotion and sonic intensity. Drawing on themes of endurance, strength, determination and self-actualisation. Themes that have always inspired us but perhaps, only now, a few years down the line, a few years of touring under our belts, we feel we have the confidence and maturity to explore and shout about."[10]

Track listing
LP[14]
No.TitleLength
1."Press Heavenwards!"10:16
2."Those Dreadful Hammers"3:34
3."Dig Your Fingers In"4:39
4."No Dog"6:01
5."The Jungle"14:32
6."Wooden Star"6:51
7."Blood Teachings"7:54
8."Bathed In Light"2:01
iTunes Cover[15]
No.TitleLength
1."Press Heavenwards!"10:16
2."Dig Your Fingers In"4:39
3."No Dog"6:01
4."The Jungle"14:32
5."Those Dreadful Hammers"3:34
6."Wooden Star"6:51
7."Blood Teachings"7:54
8."Bathed In Light"2:01

Release history
Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom 31 August 2014 DD Nostromo Records
1 September 2014 CD, LP
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References
  1. "Album Review". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  2. Bland, Benjamin (2014-09-01). "Album Review". Drownedinsound.com. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  3. Cooke, Robert (2014-08-31). "Album Review". NME.com. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  4. Day, Lawrence (2014-08-31). "Album Review". thelineofbestfit.com. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  5. Monger, James Christopher (2014-08-31). "Album Review". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  6. "Esben and the Witch: New Album". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  7. "Esben and the Witch: New Album". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  8. "ESBENANDTHEWITCH on Twitter". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  9. "ESBENANDTHEWITCH on Twitter". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  10. "Esben And The Witch Confirm New Album". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  11. "Music For A Good Home 3, by Audioscope". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  12. Richards, Sam (24 June 2014). "Julian Casablancas gets political and Gary Oldman has a rant – plus the rest of today's breaking pop culture news". Retrieved 5 October 2016 – via The Guardian.
  13. "The Quietus - News - Esben And The Witch Announce New Album". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  14. "ESBENANDTHEWITCH on Twitter". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-09-17. Retrieved 2014-06-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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