OVERVIEW:
Operating on a plane between avant-garde indie, bubbling electronica and cosmic psychedelia, London group Voka Gentle have an addictive, amorphous sound. A three limb ed beast made up of twins Ellie and Imogen Mason , and William J. Stokes, each is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer with an imperious understanding of three dimensional sound.
The newest single ‘Necrofauna / The Garden of Eden’ - features Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips.
The hallucinatory mix of squelching synth bass and rhythmic samples, three-tiered harmonies playing off against William’s sprechgesang, and a cutting, full-bodied drum beat is reflected in the oneiric themes.
“This song is a dream sequence about the narrator entering the Garden of Eden, the emblem of an idealised pastoral relationship with the natural world, and realising they can’t stand it and want t o consume and bring destruction to it (I see a deer pass me by and I break its neck / Rip off its hind leg and take a bite through fur, sinew and bone).”
‘Necrofauna / The Garden of Eden’ - recorded with neo - metal battalion Pigsx7 guitarist and producer Sam Grant - is the first release in earnest since 2019’s acclaimed debut album ‘Start Clanging Cymbals’, released via Nude Records. Having come through the dues - paying gestation period that leads up to a debut record, there’s a sense of liberation around this new phase for Voka Gentle - a subtle confidence in their craft. It’s well earned too - with high praise from the likes of UNCUT, MOJO and The Line of Best Fit at press. Support comes too from BBC 6 Music - including presenting an edition of Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone - and Radio 1. Tracks from that album also featured on FIFA 19 and The Sims 2020, aiding in recognition.
A live set at the prestigious Pitchfork Avant Garde festival, as well as a clutch of tastemaker festivals in the UK (Dot to Dot , Live At Leeds, The Great Escape, Kendall Calling, Bluedot, Neighbourhood), alongside the serendipit ous shows with The Flaming Lips and sell - out headline gigs, provide a strong live pedigree.
LP FORMAT DETAILS: Sol Yellow Colour Double LP.
TRACKLISTING:
A1. Kestrel
A2. Necrofauna/The Garden Of Eden (feat. Wayne Coyne)
A3. Horse Latitudes
B1. A Selving
B2. Respect My Eccentricity pt. 1
B3. Respect My Eccentricity pt. 2
B4. Miasma Field Modulator (Trafalgar Square 3.3.2020) ± FaV + field recs (blackbird/house martin) (feat. Oliver Wilde)
C1. TV Bra™
C2. See Damage (3OHA)
C3. Election Day
D1. DREAD./TKOE (feat. BELLS)
D2. [When We Go, We’re Taking You All With Us!]
D3. Slow Joe
D4. The Black Swell
SOCIALS:
https://www.instagram.com/voka_gentle/
https://twitter.com/vokagentle
https://www.facebook.com/vokagentle
OTHER ACTIVITY: https://www.leafyoutlook.com/ - https://www.vokagentle.com/
