Gentle Earth - EP
The debut EP by Poisonous Birds
Poisonous Birds present 'Gentle Earth', a four-track concept EP that collides grinding, dystopian electronics with widescreen, cinematic grandeur. Saturated, industrial sound sculptures frame frontman and multi-instrumentalist Tom Ridley's pensive, wandering vocal, whilst drummer Finn Mclean punctuates the field of sound with heavy, visceral rhythm. Lyrically, the work explores our relationship with Earth and how its generous giving might soon become violent destruction and how that would feel to a survivor.
After 4 years immersed in Bristol's diverse music and art scenes, Poisonous Birds emerges as a focused project that knows exactly what it is and exactly what it isn't.
The first single Old Sun is a rich, textured track with rubbery synth arpeggios that wouldn't be out of place soundtracking Stranger Things whilst Tom's vivid lyrics and dreamy delivery crescendo into the biggest topline of the record. Elsewhere on the EP, moments of beautiful, introspective delicacy are repeatedly torn by waves of electronic noise.
The EP closes with the track I Understand But I still Think You're Wrong, where the duo collaborated with bass player Simon Francis of Ellie Goulding, Diagrams and Climbing Club fame. He plays the only bass guitar on the record and joins Poisonous Birds in closing their most gentle song with a grinding, analogue drone.
"Finn & I have made precisely the record we set out to make. It has moments of delicacy, moments of crashing intensity and it's totally real. We're really proud of it."
Poisonous Birds have boldly gone it alone, opening their own label and publishing platform, Be Softly.
"Be Softly is going to be bigger than a label: it's a collective of artists who share a vision. We're collaborating, cross-pollinating and doing it on our terms."
When asked whether he's a control freak, Tom replies "Not really I just can't afford to pay anybody enough to care as much as I do."
The single Old Sun is out now on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Soundcloud and all other digital retailers, with the EP landing February 3rd 2017.
This spring Poisonous Birds will perform Gentle Earth around the UK, using live loops and sequencing to reinterpret the material for the stage. Dates to be announced on poisonousbirds.com.
Written & performed by Tom Ridley & Finn Mclean. Electric bass on track 4 by our friend Simon Francis. Produced by Tom Ridley. Drum engineering, mix & mastering by George Lever @ G1 Productions. Released via Be Softly. Published by Sentric.