Tuesday, August 08, 2023

Following up on their acclaimed debut EP ‘Yagana’ in 2022, 5-piece band Pigeon return with a brand new offering: ‘Backslider’

Following up on their acclaimed debut EP ‘Yagana’ in 2022, 5-piece band Pigeon return with a brand new offering: ‘Backslider’.

Dressed as if they would be equally comfortable starring in a modern spaghetti western as they are cutting slick silhouettes on a festival stage - are Guinean singer Falle Nioke, Graham Godfrey on drums, Steve Pringle on keys, Tom Dream on guitar and Josh Ludlow on bass.

As Pigeon develop and hone their sound further, Afro-disco remains at the core while jazz and no-wave make way for new elements of electro, rock and synth pop. The introduction of sequencers and drum machines sprinkles a little more structure into the mix, however the recording process still very much embodies the DIY spirit of band members that enjoy jamming together.

With the Yagana EP gaining extensive support from radio, DJs and fans, each member has found themselves heavily in demand on top of their own individual pursuits – Falle Nioke is releasing his solo work as well as other projects, while Steve Pringle and Graham Godfrey play in various bands (Michael Kiwanuka and SAULT to name a few). Adding to the creative melting pot, Tom Dream pursues filmmaking and bespoke music composition via his own studio, and Josh Ludlow runs his own record label M.A.D. Records.

Amongst all this, they still manage to find time to come together for a UK tour in summer 2023, including Glastonbury Festival, Latitude Festival and The Great Escape.

On title track 'Backslider', a laid-back, 80s funk-rock bassline is backed by a deliberate, plodding drum kit. Kicking off with congas and synth stabs which appear optimistic at first, frontman Falle Nioke proceeds to sing in English and French - calling someone a  'backslider', for their dishonesty and bad behaviour. His cool air of contempt is mirrored by an epic guitar solo drenched in distortion pedal.

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