Andrea Balency releases 2nd EP, 'Volcano'

EP release: 'Volcano' by Andrea Balency (features new single, 'Waterfalls')
Release date: 16 March
Label: Bataille Music
Listen / more artist information: Andrea Balency

Franco-Mexican artist, singer, instrumentalist and producer Andrea Balency follows her breakthrough 2014 with a brand new EP entitled Volcano, demonstrating a growth in style, experience and quality beyond that which she has already earned. Having moved from Paris where she originally settled to write her debut EP Walls (released summer 2014 via Bataille); she now resides in London for an expanded approach to her classically trained electronic compositions.

Balency treats her new forays into sound and melody as research - that is, she experiments and builds a mesh of unfound soundscapes from scratch to achieve a rare sui generis. Each track on this new EP expresses a high resolution of sounds entwining as if it were easy, even on the at times seemingly sparse arrangements. With such a detailed level of consideration, in an avant-garde genre no less, her inherent talent is undeniable, and puts her in the same musical league as Cocteau Twins, Bjork and Jessy Lanza.  

Take for example her unrecognizable cover of John Martyn’s already inimitable ‘Please Fall In Love With Me’. The extra sentiment Balency is able to pack into the classic is a true feat. Elsewhere, the progression from her debut EP is perhaps most obvious in her vocal work. Having stood out for, and built her persona in, the ‘cutely-breathy-females scene’ (The Guardian), Volcano demonstrates a much more rich, more mature, more strong, vocal ability. Her voice has always been a key strength in her arsenal, yet she has discovered a new way to utilise it, finding a beautiful relationship between voice and drums, as if the voice is the thumping heart of a big storm.

RBMA certified, Balency has been charming the music industry ever since her musical presence was spotted in the Mexican art-rock scene. She has since been singled out for tour support by James Blake, Au Revoir Simone, Inc. and Mount Kimbie to name a few, and was even hand-selected by The Cure for the closing gig of their worldwide tour at the Mexico DF stadium, for 50,000 people.

She’s seen many collaborations with a number of producers, of which particular highlights are vocal features on the FKA Twigs / We Are Shining track ‘Breaks’ and on Airhead’s lauded album “For Years”. In fact, the 1-800 Dinosaur co-founder (aka Rob McAndrews) frequently joins Balency on production duties, as he did for her successful debut recording ‘Walls’ (feat single ‘You’ve Never Been Alone’). Festival slots at Calvi On The Rocks, SXSW and Sonar; recent tours with Banks, Metronomy and London Grammar and continual approval from esteemed press are further testaments to Balency’s outstanding talent.

This new EP marks not only a continuation of her achievements so far, but a build towards even more refined material. You can expect another single collaboration with Airhead in the summer; her debut album very soon after, and a more abundant and emphatic live presence than ever.

Andrea Balency plays the following shows in March and April 2015:
March : w/ Sallie Ford, Findlay, C.A.R., etc. @ Festival Les Femmes S'en Mêlent

• 06.03: La Luciole, Alençon @ Festival Les Femmes S'en Mêlent
• 21.03: Chapelle Saint-Jacques, Vendôme
• 22.03: Le Ciel, Grenoble
• 29.03: Gare de Coustellet
• 09.04.15: Co-headline show w/ Koudlam & Superpoze @ Festival des Artefacts, Strasbourg
• 15.05.15: The Great Escape Festival, Brighton

Press for 2014 debut EP ‘Walls’

• ‘Everything is immediately appealing, easy on the ear, but will satisfy fans of the avant-garde, reminding you that sometimes, flukes – out-there experiments such as O Superman – can suddenly find their way into millions of homes.’ - The Guardian
• ‘A truly cosmopolitan mix.. with urban synth lines resembling ‘CMYK’-era Blake to a T. Her vocals place her firmly in a class of her own though.’ - NME
• ‘A spectacular piece of work.’ - Stereogum 
• ‘It’s easy to see why she’s in great demand: Cocteau Twins-meets-SBTRKT waves of avant-garde gorgeousness’’ - Q Magazine
• ‘The sound of something beautifully fragile shattering into a pearlescent emulsion. Pulls you in at first listen but reveals murkier undertones as you jam the repeat button. We like it a lot.’ – Noisey
• ‘Rather than adding to what has become the echo chamber of EDM, Balency’s ethereal voice and soft structures instead aim to mimic the movements of contemporary dance.’ – The New York Times
• Radio support from Gilles Peterson, BBC 6Music