British Synth-wave duo Affair shares new single 'HIGHER STILL’ taken from the upcoming CLOUDS EP out September 2.
After a nearly a decade spent dormant, next month sees synth wave outfit, Affair release their long-awaited debut EP, Clouds. The duo shares lead single, ‘Higher Still’.
A curious haze shrouds the blurred silhouette of once hyped British electronic duo, Affair. Returning after eight years of silence, the pair’s brand-new single, ‘Higher Still’ picks up where they left off, sparkling with euphoric ambition and reinstating the band’s complex and daring aesthetic.
Elsewhere on the duo’s new EP, Clouds, Kirsty’s intermittent vocal echoes behind a whirlpool of staccato synths during crystalline opener, ‘To Get’. Warped synth accents punctuate playful melodies on ‘712’ and ‘Shoulder Length’. Driving through sprawling atmospherics, ‘Lead To One’s’ deep and percussive pulse generates magnitude in Affair’s extensive dreamscape.
Conceived almost a decade prior when both Kirsty and Mike were mutually ejected from a previous musical project, countless bedroom jam sessions led the pair beyond their comfort zones and down uncharted avenues of creativity. With a meticulous, hands-on approach to analogue equipment, the eventual outcome was sparse, permeating and both distinctly unequivocal and transcending of all that proceeded it. Though only short-lived, the band’s blink of the eye existence was enough to leave a lasting impression attracting a flurry of fans, international online press (Vice UK, Gorilla Vs Bear & many more) and even the prospect of a major record deal.
Kirsty/Mike:
“We were contacted by PRs, Lawyers, Blogs, and a major label but we were so shy then we didn’t really know how to handle everything, we needed a manager but just got lost in making music
instead.
We ended up releasing To Get on vinyl with the help of Lo Recordings and a lot of unreleased tracks.”
In 2020, Clouds sounds far from stale and is more relevant today than ever. Discussing topics of loneliness, isolation and a longing to escape, the recent worldwide restrictions to everyday life makes now more than ever a grimly fitting occasion for Clouds to be heard.
Kirsty/Mike:
“During lockdown, we could make many parallels between the songs on Clouds and the situation we all find ourselves in.
It made us realise how relevant they were to the current circumstance and how the songs themselves offer some escapism. we felt obliged to share Clouds with the world for that reason.”
Affair’s Clouds EP will be available online from September 2.
Affair - Clouds