What has the gig got lined up for us tonight?Daniel: We’re unbelievably nervous at the moment. We’ve got pretty loud and were obviously going to be playing tracks off the new album so not to alienate anybody tonight.
Thomas: This is first time we have had the chance to play all the songs from the album together. Its exciting playing to your friends but you also know you have to see them again! In other cities you don’t have to justify yourself to anyone I suppose.
Rachel: We haven’t played Brighton for a while either and we have a lot of friends coming as well which make it even more nerve racking.
And are you working on any new material already?
Rachel: We have a few ideas kicking around.
Thomas: Nothing that we can play live yet thats for sure.
Rachel: Songs can start with anything, a progression, lyric, concept, anything. That’s brought to the table and we play around with it.
Thomas: Often those ideas are then taken to a point were the original concept is gone but we like the idea of ideas developing and that feels natural to us to do that.
Rachel: Its the most rewarding when we all have a neutral connection with it and it feels we have all added something to the pot, then its right for Esben & The Witch.
You all swap instruments so I guess you can try anything but there is only three of you.
Rachel: We approach that with positivity rather than a hinderance though. Were not trained musicians either.
Thomas: We have a lot going on live too, like triggering samples and building up layers still. No backing tracks though, so sometimes the songs are slightly different to the original recordings. This allows us to re-imagine them live on stage to the audience.
Rachel: We can re-connect to the songs that way too and freshen them up.
In terms of the state of the current Music Industry, how do you see the relevance of the album nowadays?
Rachel: I think its a struggle for sure due to the internet and buying an album is a little more rare. We were aware of this so we put a lot into the album and the artwork to make people excited about it. Just like it use to feel to me.
Thomas: We didn’t think of it on a larger scale. Its something we have grown up loving, this idea of making an album is what is important t us. Making a body of work that lasts for over half an hour that holds your attention. Were intrigued by soundtracks too and how they are connected. We wanted to make the album feel like that.
What are you listening to at the minute.
Rachel: I have been listening to Juliana Barwick who is a singer from Brooklyn. She uses a lot of loop stations building up some amazing ambient textures whilst sounding a little like the Cocteau Twins. Were lucky enough that she might be joint us for some dates in the states and Im looking forward to seeing her live and how she builds those atmosphere.
Thomas: The new Mogwai track from the new album that is about to be released, and we have all ben listening to the new Kanye West album.
We’ve been thinking about the darker side to nursery rhymes and tales such as Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty and Rock-A-Bye-Baby. They are harrowing when you think about them.
Thomas: We think that too and we get asked a lot about how violent the story of Esben & The Witch is and we see how equally violent nursery rhymes can be. We picked the name because we liked the story and imagery and how the words work.
Rachel: Obviously as its our name the story gets a lot of attention. We never thought we would get asked a lot about the tale either.
Do you get asked which one is Esben?
Rachel: Yes, all time and, like, which one is the witch, which must be me! In fact people have shouted ‘here is the witch’ when I come on stage. Its just something we didn’t think about in the early stages.
Favourite places in Brighton?
Rachel: My favourite thing to do before my precious bike (1974 Raleigh called Delores) was stolen was riding along the under-cliff cycle path by the Marina. Its beautiful. I went there for my birthday last year. It was a children’s bike so not many adults could ride except me!
If anyone sees it, do let use know.
Review
Arriving on stage in a mist of dry ice, and lit mainly by a pair of Victorian style streetlights, Esben and the Witch begin their set with a wave of guitar feedback, leading into debut single ‘Marching Song’. Alternating between vocals and floor tom/cymbal, singer Rachel Davies cuts an imposing yet detached figure, backed up by multi instrumentalists Tom Fisher and Dan Copeman, although much of the synths, drums and bass come courtesy of samples. The dynamics of ‘Marching Song’ provide a blueprint of much of what is to follow, gloomy prog goth that. at its most quiet and intense, recalls Siouxsie Sioux, and at its noisiest, with all three band members furiously attacking the floor tom and cymbal, ‘Saucerful Of Secrets’ era Pink Floyd.
Set closer ‘Eumenides’ begins simply with untreated guitar and vocals, before once again becoming enveloped in guitar feedback, pounding floor tom and portentous synth. This continuous quiet/loud approach at times grows wearisome, and apart from ‘Marching Song’ we would struggle to remember a melody from the entire set. However, we suspect it is not Esben & The Witch’s aim to send the audience off into the night whistling their tunes, and as we leave the Pavillion and head out into an unusually foggy winter Brighton evening, the sense of foreboding the band has created seems entirely appropriate.
INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS BY MATTHEW HODSON
REVIEW BY MATTHEW SNOWDEN.
