Raveen are a Montreal based band described as offering “dark, yet earnest pop-electronic with some serious R&B undertones”. Their ambient jazzy and chilled beats along with sparse singing style bring a distinctly Canadian glacial sound to their music, which to me sounds like open spaces and an atmospheric outdoor amphitheatre of emotions.
Raveen released their self-titled breakthrough EP in February 2014. This was followed by the AB side “Softly to Air” later that year. Always is their new album and it’s slated for release on the 24th of July.
The first track off the album, called Always, is a tantalising glimpse of what’s to come. It’s expansive, expressive and deeply emotional. It draws on the bands influences from pop, electroacoustic, electronica and jazz, with a smattering of choral and orchestral influences. The preview track ‘Always’ from the album of the same name is mesmerising in a breathless and dreamy way and brings to mind that classic noughties track ‘What’s a Girl to do?’ by Bat for Lashes. It’s the perfect tonic for a grey, wintery Auckland weekend. I have been listening to it on repeat on can’t wait to hear the whole album. For now I have pre-ordered a digital copy.
From the band’s media release
Our debut LP Always is our attempt to tell a story with an ambition and scope greater than any of our previous work. It marks our foray into more subdued and lush songwriting anchored by vulnerable, heartfelt lyrics presented as a cohesive whole.
We’d love if you’d listen to the first single/title track from the record on Soundcloud.
This track came together immediately after our singer/producer Eric took a long and introspective trip to Europe. There’s a lot of love in this song. Thematically, it serves as a good summary of the of rest of the record; themes of loss as it relates lost love but also grief, and the perceived loss of something magic in the early stages of adulthood.
This is also the most collaborative 3 minutes we’ve ever worked on. It features the three of us, plus contributions from ten or more vocalists and four or five string players – some of our best friends among them.
Buy the new album on Bandcamp
Listen on Soundcloud
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