BIG|BRAVE’s tour in support of in grief or in hope continues
with dates in the UK, Europe and Japan
BIG|BRAVE’s tenth album, in grief or in hope, is transcendent.
On it, they dive headfirst into guitar-centred droning compositions full of life, an innovative vision of electro-acoustic sound and emotive storytelling.
Witness this devastating beauty live on one of their upcoming tour dates, with tickets available here.
UK/EU shows:
5 Nov. – Tilburg, NL – Paradox [tickets]
6 Nov. – London, UK – Iklectik [tickets]
7 Nov. – Bristol, UK – Simple Things Festival [tickets]
8 Nov. – Glasgow, UK – Nice N Sleazy [tickets]
9 Nov. – Manchester, UK – The White Hotel [tickets]
11 Nov. – Brighton, UK – The Prince Albert [tickets]
12 Nov. – Bruxelles, BE – Magasin 4 [tickets]
13 Nov. – Eeklo, BE – N9 [tickets]
15 Nov. – Hamburg, DE – MS Stubnitz [tickets]
Japan shows:
19 Nov. – Kyoto, JP – Soto *
20 Nov. – Nagoya, JP – Red Dragon *
22 Nov. – Sendai, JP – Birdland *
23 Nov. – Yokohama, JP – El Puente *
24 Nov. – Tokyo, JP – Fever *
* w/ Sallt
The work of BIG|BRAVE is ever-expanding. The trio’s singular masterful sculpting of sonics into songcraft tucks layers of vulnerability into frenetic storms. in grief or in hope marks a shift for BIG|BRAVE towards denser guitar-oriented compositions. With longtime touring bassist Liam Andrews (MY DISCO, Aicher) joining guitarist/vocalist Robin Wattie and guitarist Mathieu Ball in the studio for the first time, the pieces are keenly layered with a rich tapestry of harmonics and tonal intricacies. The trio’s instinctual progressions made more vivid through live recording, harnessing the gargantuan and storied sound of their performances. Wattie writes: “All that I could reflect on was grief and hope; death and life; cause and effect; shared experiences of being a human person.”
The tenth album for the ensemble, recorded with longtime collaborator Seth Manchester at Machines with Magnets, in grief or in hope pays homage to their past while looking into their future. Standout “the ineptitude for mutual discernment” expands on lyrical themes first explored on 2015’s Au De La where “verdure” echoes melodies from the title track of 2014’s Feral Verdure. These references to their past serve as potent reflections on BIG|BRAVE’s evolution as artists. A sonic whirlpool of string instruments surround Wattie’s commanding vocals as she shifts from spectral undulations on pieces like “what may be the kindest way to leave” to the direct, spare declarations of the title track. The ambiguity of mountainous chords on “an uttering of antipathy” are coupled with autotuned phrases emphasizing the protagonists’ isolation inside the fray. Together the trio shift deliver emotional momentum that vividly describes the complex and deep feelings of struggle, pain, and transcendence. in grief or in hope transmits that sense of humanity with every gesture.
REVISIT THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR “AN UTTERING OF ANTIPATHY” BELOW:
PRAISE FOR IN GRIEF OR IN HOPE:
“compelling… moments of almost folky delicacy persist within ever-raging storms of distortion and dissonance.“
UNCUT
“[exists] somewhere between Codeine and Kali Malone… forlorn beauty”
THE WIRE
“Wattie’s vocals…equal parts PJ Harvey, Daniel Higgs and Thalia zedek, her voice is subtle yet full of devastating strength providing a resonant anchor for one of the year’s most powerful and affecting releases.”
METAL HAMMER, 8/10
“an album carved out of air and pressure… it moves like the weather”
METAL EPIDEMIC
“cements their position as artists who are always able to offer something new in the realm of heavy sounds.”
MINT
“as bold and as uncompromising as ever”
GOD IS IN THE TV ZINE
“Minimalist in form yet maximalist in execution, BIG|BRAVE perhaps encompass the grand scope of all they’ve created before… an alluring offering from one of Canada’s most sublime bands.”
NOIZZE UK
in grief or in hope album cover
REVISIT THE VIDEO FOR “THE INEPTITUDE FOR MUTUAL DISCERNMENT” BELOW:
