Birmingham quintet Ivory Wave have already established a reputation as local heroes. Their exuberant, party-starting mix of swaggering indie attitude, dancefloor-filling beats and glistening synths inspires chaotic scenes wherever they go. Their songs speak of the experiences of youth across the country, but their gigs offer pure escapism with a sea of fans singing along as smoke-bombs amplify the hedonistic vibe.
Ivory Wave’s current single ‘Uptown’ has raised the game for the band, earning them Track of the Week on Radio X, plus further plays at BBC Introducing and Radio 1. They soon followed that by playing Birmingham’s most vital event of the summer, the all-star Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival. Now Ivory Wave build towards an even bigger future by announcing that their debut EP ‘Dream Nights’ will be released on November 8th and can be pre-ordered here; www.ivorywaveuk.com
The EP makes an immediate statement of intent with opening track ‘The Middle’. Kicking off with rave-tinged synths, it builds into a towering beat-fuelled anthem which contrasts its life-affirming energy with a darker tale of living for the weekend. ‘Pale Moonlight’ is just as insistent, spinning an acid house-flavoured vocal loop as if Happy Mondays were born in Brexit Britain. Vocalist George Johnson deploys a huge hook on ‘Weigh Me Down’, supported by the band’s dynamic grooves and deep house piano keys.
While Ivory Wave are natural party provocateurs, the EP’s closing track ‘Young Blood’ captures another side to them. It’s a slow-burner that gradually builds in intensity before it erupts into a wall-of-sound, with a final, rousing contribution from the Birmingham Community Gospel Choir accentuating the song’s feeling that better times are just around the corner.
‘Dream Nights’ was produced by Matt Terry (The Prodigy, You Me At Six) and recorded at VADA Studios, Warwickshire. It was mixed by the Grammy Award-winner Adrian Bushby(Foo Fighters, Muse, Everything Everything).
“Three years of work have been saturated down into 25 minutes of pure Ivory Wave,” says frontman George Johnson. “It’s time for people to pay attention – this is the best Birmingham has sounded for years”
In addition, Ivory Wave have today shared a new video for ‘Uptown’. It’s about growing tired of endlessly living for the weekend – you spend all week planning a big night out only to wake up with a hangover and an empty wallet. The video captures that routine of spending every Sunday in lazy recovery mode, the only benefit of which is epic FIFA sessions on the Xbox. In fact, the band have been embraced by the football community, with adds to the Official Premier League playlist and Soccer AM’s New Music playlist plus match day plays at West Brom.
Ivory Wave are five long-term friends in their early twenties who share an eclectic range of influences – fromOasis and The Stone Roses to Bowie,Sex Pistols and Human League. Based in a lock-up in Birmingham, their mission statement was to blend those influences into a modernist sound which would connect with their own generation.
The band – completed by Connor McMinn(guitar), Luke Morris (bass), Seb Baldwin (drums) and Rob Clarke(synths) – have developed a growing but devoted fanbase with a string of independently released tracks as well as gigs with the likes of the DMA’S and The Twang. It’s a grassroots approach which has further flourished through festivals including the Isle of Wight, Truck and Y Not.
Ivory Wave recently announced their biggest headline show to date at Birmingham’s O2 Institute 2, in association with new music champions This Feeling. Now almost sold-out, any remaining tickets are available from Ticketmaster. First they’ll play the Shiiine On Weekender where they’re the youngest band to feature on the main stage. They’ll then join fellow Birmingham boys JAWS on tour.
The dates are:
NOVEMBER
15th – Shiiine On Weekender(main stage)
16th – Birmingham, O2 Institute 2(headline show – in association with This Feeling)
21st – Liverpool, Hanger 34 (supportingJAWS)
22nd – Edinburgh, The Mash House(supportingJAWS)
23rd – Newcastle, Riverside (supporting JAWS)
29th – Leeds, The Wardrobe(supporting JAWS)
30th – Coventry, The Empire (supporting JAWS)