In an effort to neatly categorise, there are some that will try to package this enigmatic Brighton trio as
either a British version of the highly lauded Zola Jesus or Fever Ray, but this is the point where the age old
expression “banging round pegs through square holes” rears its head.
Because although there are many similarities between these acts, through the course of
‘Violet Cries’’ ten tracks this easy-breazy comparison proves to be slightly ill fitting.
With a healthy habit of marrying twitching electronics to ghostly, spirited realness.
Esben And The Witch’s debut album can stand proudly as a delicately crafted, maturely dark album
that melds an almost gothic vibe to exposed hauntingly musical backdrops and powerfully touching
vocals that flit between recalling Diamanda Galas at her most controlled or the dynamically rich Beth
Gibbons, which will surely only further encourage comparisons to Portishead.
There is little arguing against ‘Violet Cries’ being a very special album.
