Today, Witch Post return with the announcement of their new EP, 'Butterfly', out March 20th on Partisan Records. It’s a deepening of the spell they cast upon us with their breakout EP Beast which set their reputation alight; steeped in expansive but emotionally intimate grunge-rock, Alaska Reid and Dylan Fraser make arena-sized anthems feel as intimate as a lover whispering in your ear. To celebrate, they share their latest charm ‘Worry Angel’, another temptation to part the veil from our world and cross into what lies beyond.
There are recurring dualities in their music ('Beast' / 'Butterfly'; 'Dusk' / 'Dawn'), and a deepening of the surreal, folkloric nature of their storytelling which taps into an archaic wisdom we've lost touch with. It all began with their name, derived from the 17th-century carvings in rural England that were crafted to ward off witches. Alaska and Dylan adopted it in honour of the witch. Without a fixed sense of place and caught between worlds, there's a magical sense of belonging to be found in their music for anyone who feels caught adrift.
Speaking on the story behind their new EP - their first to be released on Partisan Records in the company of Geese, Blondshell and PJ Harvey - the band share: “Butterfly is the spring thaw after Beast. Country fair rides, angels and pixies, talismans, an impulsive fling in a small town, coyotes, fawns - we wanted to contrast the wintry rock of Beast and take listeners on a sonic road trip of different perspectives and in-between places.”
Following on from the spectral rock anthem ‘Changeling’ and their hypnotic duet ‘Twin Fawn’, their new single groans like a rusty switchblade; an emotional blood-let which sees Alaska and Dylan at their most exposed before collapsing in on itself. On the track, the band note: "’Worry Angel’ is a lucky keychain you can't go anywhere without. It’s a python that curls around your neck and makes you into a bitch. It’s twisted superstition that guides your everyday. It’s a pixie taunting you every time you close your eyes. It’s crows that caw on your walk home. It’s a sense of being watched. It’s sweaty palms. It’s not real. We're waiting on angels. It’s all real and sometimes it's all just because we feel alone.”
Witch Post is a Gemini-like meeting of minds that happened entirely by chance (or fate, if you prefer). In another stroke of coincidence, they discovered they are from towns which share the same name - one in Scotland, the other in Montana. Alaska's music is drawn from the dark atmospherics of the American indie scene, and Dylan's the wolfish ways of Scottish rock.
The duo sparked intrigue through early singles like ‘Chill Out’ and ‘Rust’ which earned praise from The Line of Best Fit, DORK, PAPER, Clash, Notion, Wonderland and Stereogum among many more, announcing them as one of the brightest and buzziest emerging acts. Their reputation for surprising and shapeshifting has been underlined even more with the acoustic reimaginings of Beast’s ‘Dreaming’ and ‘The Wolf’ - the latter accompanied by a live video which sees the duo’s alchemy in action.
Stay tuned for the next encounter, including their first-ever US shows coming soon.