For the first time, elusive London trio Ebbb step boldly from the shadows to announce their debut EP, All At Once out on June 14th via Ninja Tune. Alongside the news, the band have today also released their first official music in the form of double single ‘Himmel’ / ‘Swarm’.
The EP’s singles ‘Himmel’ and ‘Swarm’ are an invitation to explore the contradicting forces which have driven their remarkable rise. “I like that it can’t be pigeonholed,” says Lev Ceylan, speaking of the forthcoming EP. “We really do love plot twists – where it just explodes into something completely different.”
Opening track ‘Himmel’ is a song that builds from an ethereal soundscape before a pneumatic, drill-like beat enters; Rowland’s voice glides with grace over the grinding rhythm. “That song encapsulates the two sides of the sound we have quite well,” says Rowland. “Having the more ethereal, dreamy vocals but with that undercurrent of the low rumblings. It’s kind of like heaven and hell.” These layered elements are a meta depiction of Ebbb’s singular songwriting process in real-time. ‘Swarm’ unfolds in an almost hypnotic groove with Rowland’s voice carrying the track with poise, before it once again takes on an unpredictable journey, resulting in a joyous burst of experimental pop music.
The five-track EP marks the band’s first output for Ninja Tune – home to trailblazing artists including Young Fathers; Black Country, New Road and yeule – a fitting platform for their genre-eschewing sound.
Without releasing a single song, the band – comprised of producer Lev Ceylan, vocalist Will Rowland and drummer Scott MacDonald – has built a storied mythology on London’s underground live circuit which spawned the likes of Squid and black midi. Commanding an atmosphere at gigs that So Young Magazine described as “an almost religious experience“, the melding of Ceylan’s engulfing and enthralling production and beats, with Rowland’s endlessly capable vocals matched with MacDonald’s added stomp, quickly resulted in the band being one of 2023’s word-of-mouth sensations.
1. Himmel
2. Answered
3. Swarm
4. Torn
5. Seamlessly
Following supporting performances with Mary In The Junkyard, PVA, Folly Group and Scaler, Ebbb have shows lined up at The Great Escape in May, followed by opening for The Smile in Switzerland with festival appearances in the UK and Europe including End of The Road, Dot 2 Dot and Left of The Dial. See full touring details below.
TOUR DATES
May 12th | Leeds, UK – In Colour Festival
May 16th | Brighton, UK – The Great Escape
May 24th | London, UK – Oslo Hackney (Dot 2 Dot Festival Pre-Party)
May 25th | Bristol, UK – Dot 2 Dot Festival
May 26th | Nottingham, UK – Dot 2 Dot Festival
June 15th | Ipswich, UK – Brighten The Corners Festival
July 19th | Nijmegen, NL – Valkhof Festival
July 26th | Suffolk, UK – Latitude Festival
July 27th | Oxford, UK – Truck Festival
July 27th | London, UK – Strange Overtones Festival
August 16th | Winterthurer, CH – Winterthurer Musikfestwochen *
August 30th | Brighton, UK – Brighton Psych Festival
August 31st | Manchester, UK – Manchester Psych Festival
September 1st | Dorset, UK – End of The Road Festival
September 19th | Edinburgh, UK – Cave Wave at the Caves **
September 21st | Birkenhead, UK – Future Wave at Future Yard **
September 28th | Sheffield, UK – Float Along Festival
October 17th | Rotterdam, NL – Left of The Dial Festival
November 1st | Brussels, BE – Les Nuits Weekender
* = with The Smile
** = with Scaler + PVA
Photo credit – Vasilisa Skasca