Based in East London and formed just over a year ago, the quartet Bronze Medallists combine experimental electronica, art-pop with a pinch of shoe-gazery and thought-provoking lyrics to create an exciting and addictive new sound. Mixing indie guitar and drums, and vocal harmonies with raw synths and strings, comparisons have been made to the likes of Postal Service, The National and Broken Bells.
Following the release of their debut single ‘Mathematics’ (Tape Club Records), and completing a major UK support tour, they are now releasing their EP ‘Empire’ with a launch on October 29 at the Old Blue Last, Hoxton, with support from Emperor Yes and Dufflefolks.
Already championed by radio DJs such as Ally McCrae (BBC R1), John Kennedy (XFM), Bethan Elfyn (6 Music), and Jim Gellatly (Forth FM, Clyde FM), this summer they played at Green Man Festival and will be touring with Francobollo in November.
Bronze Medallists' new E.P ‘Empire’ is designed to be listened to in order, start to finish. An old fashioned idea in a world where shuffle is dominant. An exercise in order and chaos, layers of live instruments and programmed samples, with backing vocals from Nena Zinovieff, daughter of legendary synth designer Peter Zinovieff, are channeled into four ambitious songs that document insomnia, love, honesty, mortality and the metropolis.
If opener ‘Empire’ whets the aural appetite, then ‘Norwegian Wood' - inspired by Haruki Murukami’s book of the same name - with its electro loops that morph into a live string arrangement, will leave you unprepared for ‘Policy': recorded completely live, mashing dirgey synths with acoustic instruments, it strikes a chord of change that stands apart so strikingly you could be forgiven for thinking you had just dropped into another band entirely.
Drawing the E.P to a shuddering halt, ‘EH1’ is a two-minute apocalyptic pop song about death. The name was a working title that the band grew fond of. It is the postcode in Edinburgh (singer Oliver’s home town) where a New York-style street grid, emerges from the higgledy charm of the medieval part of the city. Thematically it is a homage to The Flaming Lips' ‘Do You Realise’, the wake up call that only mortality can inspire.
This is not just any old electronica-infused band. Bronze Medallists may be the name, but gold is where they're headed.
Bronze Medallists are: Oliver Price - guitar, synths, lead vocals; Oliver Sheppard - low synths; Ben Ferrari - bass, piano, synths; Luke Roberts - drums.
Stream Empire EP here.
Upcoming shows:
October 12 - XFM's John Kennedy The Remedy at Tooting Tram + Social, Tooting, London (with Charlie Boyer & The Voyeurs and Death Rattle)
October 29 - EP Launch (with Emperor Yes + Dufflefolks) @ The Old Blue Last, Hoxton.
November 1 - Sofar sounds - Secret living room location (pop-up)
November 16 - The End Mini Festival
UK Tour w/ Francobollo (Dates TBC)
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