Octavian Winters are darkness born out of darkness as the brooding ethereal sound they make came from the tail end of the global pandemic. The San Francisco band are Stephan Salit (guitar), Randy Gzebb (drums), Jay Denton (bass) and Ria Aursjoen (vocals, keyboards) and ‘Undertow’ is the first single taken from their forthcoming debut EP.
‘Undertow’ is loosely inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale of the little matchgirl, standing outside a window on a winter’s night, separated from all sustenance and warmth. Ignored by everyone around, and unable to sustain herself after lighting all her matches for warmth, she freezes to death in the snow. “I think we have seen this dark ‘undertow’ overcome so many people in different and tragic ways during quarantine” says Ria Aursjoen.
The track feels like it was recorded in a studio deep beneath the earth, drawing power from subterranean caves and bubbling magma. There’s tectonic thunder in the pounding drums and rumbling bass and these are covered in a dissonant web of guitar chords and gritty synth. But the light in this inky blackness comes from Ria Aursjoen’s vocals which can skim the instruments during the verses before spiralling up in the vortex of the chorus. Such power, strong and true, a voice that scales the wall of sound beneath her with ease.
‘Undertow’ is officially released on 2 August but the band have been kind enough to give Joyzine readers a chance to hear the track before anyone else, as well as a look at the video made by director, cinematographer, editor and producer Jay Adams. You can also see the video to their previous single ‘Ondine’ below.
Octavian Winters’ debut EP The Line or Curve will be released on October 13 via Stratis Capta Records. Follow them on social media to find out more.
Octavian Winters socials: Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tiktok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
UNDERTOW LYRICS:
The winter stars are bright
Captive in the night’s soft velvet wings
In the mirror of the ice
A curve and then a line
Then the glass bell rings Tracings of the heart
A loop that never ends
Delicate as light
Could you join me here
Could you find a way
To melt the bones of the night
Feel the pull of the undertow
How it draws you down down downward
(See all, forget all, forgive all, can’t you?
See all, forget all, forgive all now)
The matches flare and bloom
Orange fire against the snow
Then gutter one by one
Will you come and warm my hands
Will you come and bring me home
And stay until it’s done
Feel the pull of the undertow
How it draws you down down downward
Feel the pull of the undertow
How it draws you down down downward
(See all, forget all, forgive all, can’t you?
See all, forget all, forgive all, can’t you?
See all, forget all, forgive all, can’t you?
See all, forget all now)
Review by Paul F Cook
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