artist - fetch the witches

Still under a year into their career, four piece Fetch The Witches are one of the more promising emerging acts of the North West, hailing from Stoke-On-Trent and currently residing in Manchester.

They play a brand of moody, melancholic rock not unfamiliar to such

parts of England, but also convey a love for Oxford bands like Radiohead, Fell City Girl and early This Town Needs Guns. What is perhaps their calling card is a spacious use of atmospherics in their sound that allows them to break away from ordinary song structures without sounding contrived. Instead, the impressionistic pieces they create can last up to six minutes while sounding much shorter, sounding big without the help of too much studio interference.

So far they've released a digital EP available here, heavy with saddened choruses and tense, jagged riffs. The highlight is X, recalling the math-rock leanings of early Biffy Clyro and carrying an urgency that's shockingly convincing for a first release.

Upcoming single, also titled Fetch the Witches has a more instant feel to it, but never lets go of the band's tendency towards stranger song

structures. It starts with intimate vocals and a one-note guitar line and a skipping drum beat before lush, organic guitars are brought in. There are plenty of great melodies here, often more than one at once, and the chanting of the band's own name is bold and inspired. What's in line with everything else they've done here is the slightly darkened passion residing in the faintly tortured vocals and discordant twin guitars. The single's out September 24th, on a limited vinyl run of 300, available for purchase on the band's shop and featuring some rather exciting cover art. You can also catch them at Manchester's Night and Day Café on November 11th.