A fiend for a fiend. I used to be into early White Hills and I thought this would be similar and it is to a fault. Mostly, I just liked the image associated with the press release and it’s a sloooooow Monday. I’m just happy this site is working too.
NYC’s notorious shapeshifting duo White Hills have released new single “Fiend“, taken from their forthcoming philosophy-inspired album ‘Beyond This Fiction’, which is set for release on August 23rd via on Heads On Fire Records.
Subdued and hypnotic, “Fiend“ wraps the listener in a seductive, ethereal embrace. Lyrically, the track is an allegory for our relationship with social media and other forms of current technology that keep us “connected in another dimension” and hustling to stay up to speed with lightning-fast change.
The band’s guitarist, vocalist and synth player Dave W describes the scene the song evokes, saying: “Picture dark city streets with low lying fog. You feel haunted by a presence behind but as you turn around it disappears. You start to run, pursued by an invisible tormenter that turns out to be only your own perception of time and space.”
Inspired by the ideas of Joseph Campbell, the writer/philosopher known for The Power of Myth, new album‘Beyond This Fiction’ explores the idea of “riding between opposites”- forging one’s own path unrestrained by the collective “fiction” that the masses subscribe to. It’s a cry to all the seers among us- call us outsiders or rebels- who feel smothered by convention and see nonconformity as the gateway into divine mystery.
Recorded with longtime collaborator Martin Bisi, known for his iconic NYC sound developed through his work with no-wave titans Sonic Youth, Swans and Lydia Lunch, ‘Beyond This Fiction’ sees the duo orchestrating their distinct guitar heavy meditations into songs with a stronger focus on vocals than previous albums. Neo-psychedelia, indie, post-punk, shoegaze and experimental elements synthesize leading the listener through the doors of perception. Harnessing the seductive accessibility of 2015’s ‘Walks For Motorists’ while evoking the tempestuous soul of the band’s trailblazing 2011 H-p1, White Hills make ‘Beyond This Fiction’ a familiar surprise.
For nearly two decades, White Hills have been blowing minds with their sonic alchemy: a unique mix at once original and recognizable. Their cult reputation emblazoned in celluloid following their performance in Jim Jarmusch’s sultry vampire romance Only Lovers Left Alive, the duo has toured vigorously since their inception. With a vast catalogue that astounds and a relentless punk ethos, time seems to energize the duo, making them increasingly daring and prolific.
‘Beyond This Fiction’ will be released on August 23rd through Heads on Fire Records and will be available on CD, download, Deluxe Cloudy Sea Blue LP w/Poster & Insert and Legacy Black Vinyl LP w/insert. Pre-orders: US | UK & EU
‘Beyond This Fiction’ track listing:
1) Throw It Up in The Air
2) Clear As Day
3) Killing Crimson – official video
4) Fiend – stream
5) Closer
6) The Awakening
7) Beyond This Fiction
