Band of the Day – Hejira
The days until Sŵn are slipping away quicker and quicker, but don’t worry there’s still time to check the our little list a few more times. Behind the door of today’s Band of the Day advent calendar is the cracking Hejira. Alternatively if, like pretty much every person who doesn’t work at a supermarket chain or advertising company, you think it is too early to be exploiting iffy Christmas references I can offer a separate secular entry into this piece: Friday’s Sŵn Festival Band of the Day is Hejira. Mind you Halloween’s not far off now either…
Hail from: London
Members: Sam Beste, Rahel Debebe-Dessalegne, Alexis Nunez, Alex Reeve
Style: Hejira share their name with an album by one of the legends of folk music Joni Mitchell, but that’s where the similarities end. They are unmistakeably a London band; their music is infused with the same foreboding tension and late-night atmospherics that has defined the capital’s sound in recent years, but the band members’ ancestry reaches exotic locations such as Chile, Hungary and Ethopia which definitely seeps into their songs. Above all, the music is deep and rich, and listening can feel like being rolled up in a luxury deep piled carpet (a disconcerting thought I’m sure you’ll agree!).
Sounds like: Imagine Klaxons’ Jamie Reynolds harmonising with Jessie Ware over a Chromatics instrumental, while tribal drums pound menacingly in the background, and you’ve basically got Hejira’s latest single ‘Litmus Test.’ Another song ‘Gypsy of the Soul’ reminded me of a more hopeful version of Radiohead’s ‘Climbing up the Walls, ’ which is never a bad thing. However it’s probably a bit unfair to describe them purely in terms the stylings of other bands, when Hejira are clearly evolving their expansive musical ideas down an original creative path.
Standout Song: Previously mentioned, ‘Litmus Test’ is a haunting and memorable build and release which in the words of the band “…epitomizes the fundamental tenets of Hejira’s musical ideology.” If you’re a fan of the original, make sure you give a listen to Floating Points’ masterful remix which extends the track into a sprawling 9 minute epic.
A little more: Their Sŵn festival appearance will be immediately followed by the release of their debut album ‘Prayer Before Birth’ on October 21st. The man at the head of the operation, Accidental Records’ Matthew Herbert is highly optimistic about the release: “I love this band. There’s a delicate orchestration to their playing and arrangements that has more in common with symphonic classical music than rock.” In a month where the worlds biggest ‘orchestral rock band’ are releasing their fourth album, let’s hope Hejira’s debut is the first step on a path to similar greatness.
Signed to: They will release their debut album through Accidental Records.
When you can catch them at Sŵn: Friday.
Callum O’Donnell
Your intented direction should be Sŵn’s homepage to find a full line up and information on the festival, you could also check Sŵn out on Twitter (@swnfestival) or Facebook for more.
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