In the last twelve months, Scottish synth-pop group, Chvrches, have been setting the blogosphere alight with their meteoric rise from relative unknowns to the UK’s next big thing.
This winter they’ll be making their touring debut on Australian shores for two shows at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory on Friday 2nd August and The Corner Hotel in Melbourne on Monday 5th August.
Back in May 2012, the world got its first glimpse of Chvrches when the track ‘Lies’ debuted on the blog of NYC taste-maker label, Neon Gold.
With the band’s identity something of a mystery initially, as information about who they were and where they came from began leaking, so too did the fever pitch, followed by the scramble of A&R heavyweights, agents, publishers… and of course, the fans.
Their first ever gig at the Glasgow Art School in July was awash with a feverish hype and the string of accolades they’ve collated since then has been unrivalled. By the end of 2012 they were on every music rag’s ‘Bands To Watch in 2013’ list, including ranking at #2 in the UK Blog Sound of 2013 list, and being voted #5 on the BBC Sound Poll 2013 – the highly regarded annual BBC poll of music critics and industry figures to find the most promising new music talent in the UK.
Predictions were correct, as 2013 has thus far seen the threesome continue to sell out shows across the UK, US and Europe, in the wake of their rousingly kinetic appearance at SxSW in Austin an eyebrow raising arrival on the world stage.
So electrifying were their SxSW performances, they were awarded the inaugural Grulke Prize for Best Developing Non-US Act, named after recently passed SxSW Creative Director, Brett Grulke.
Musically, their blend of classic and modern analogue synthesisers, bruised beats and crude vocal sampling came to the fore in their debut single The Mother We Share, released in late 2012, which Pitchfork called “a soaring synth-pop meteorite centered around a sky-high chorus– had enough transcendent pop power to turn cynics to devotees in three minutes flat.”
With their debut EP, Recover (Liberator), released only weeks ago, critics have showered praise upon the new offering with Stereogum saying “the Scottish trio Chvrches find some precisely-triangulated sweet spot, mixing wide-eyed warm-heart melody with chilly synthetic textures and dark mystery.”
Chvrches are Iain Cook, Martin Doherty and Lauren Mayberry – three individuals bearing three distinct personalities on a consummate whole. Appropriating indie sensibilities and aesthetics with barbed pop hooks and an unhealthy obsession with Prince, Chvrches take elements of classic electronica, hip hop and post-punk, and yet sound like none of the above.
Their music is a sonic collage of danceable pop with a dark underbelly, and lyrics both touching and humane, all combined to effortlessly tap the romanticism imbued in the collective beaten-soled heart of the native Glaswegians.
With high profile support slots under their belts with Passion Pit and Two Door Cinema Club as well as their own headline shows and a slew of European festival appearances to come, theirs is a star well and truly on the rise. Do not miss the chance to see Chvrches on these club dates; they won’t be playing rooms this size for long.
Chvrches 2013 Australian Tour
Friday 2nd August – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
www.moshtix.com.au 1300 438 849
Monday 5th August – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
www.cornerhotel.com.au 03 9427 9198
The Corner Box Office (57 Swan St Richmond 10-8 Mon-Sat)
TICKETS FOR ALL SHOWS GO ON SALE WEDNESDAY 17th APRIL, 9am AEDT
