Esben and the Witch

Originally from Brighton, but now based in Berlin, Esben and the Witch (aka EATW) is an indie rock band that combines elements of post rock, post metal, and goth to create dark and brooding mood pieces. The blueprint of their music is often slow burning drone punctuated by metal-like bursts, though there are also times when they hit the ground running from the start. Their songs tend to be relatively long with slow build up where the band typically takes their time to get to the payoff. They tweaked that pattern on 2023's Hold Sacred where the slow burn mutated into a quiet smolder throughout the album, giving it almost a funereal vibe. Their sound typically sits at a relatively low register, which works as a backdrop for bassist/singer Rachel Davies' bright, open, and almost dreamy vocals that occasionally has young PJ Harvey undertones.