BIG|BRAVE announce new album OST, share single "innominate Nº ii"

BIG|BRAVE have announced their atmospheric new album OST, out April 25th. Along with the album’s announcement, the group have shared first single “innominate Nº ii,” a sustained, soft-play piece that brings the ensemble’s exploration into minimalism and textural composition into stunning focus. Subtle motifs land with considered motion, with delicate trickles of Wurlitzer, a bare, vulnerable voice, and earthy clangs speckling a light haze.

BIG|BRAVE’s preternatural instincts and depth of skill as musicians are on full display on their most naked and austere record to date, OST. The trio entered the studio with broader concepts and themes in mind, but no preconceived music. The overarching concept was to make a film score for a film that had yet to be created, to use minimal instrumentation, or more specifically not their standard band instruments, and to improvise within these parameters. “Although this record could stand on its own, we envisioned it being paired with moving images, which introduced a fresh and exciting way of working,” notes guitarist Mathieu Ball. In addition to forgoing their usual instrumentation, they notably built their own. Ball created a stringed instrument using piano strings simply called “The Instrument”. This instrument ended up becoming a central figure to the OST’s sound. Guitarist/vocalist Robin Wattie adds: “The strings Mathieu used for his instrument came from a discarded piano thatch that had been laying around in the hallway of my tattoo studio for ages. It took a lot of work to get the strings off but then he made the instrument in only a few days. It blew my mind.” The Instrument’s presence is felt throughout the record as a conductive element amplifying the album’s earthly nature, grounded nature.

OST was fully written and recorded in the studio. The band was free to enter the live room and record a take with whatever instrument was at hand. The record features Wattie, Ball, drummer/percussionist Tasy Hudson, engineer/producer Seth Manchester and MJ Guider’s Melissa Guion. Following OST’s completion, BIG|BRAVE contacted director/visual artist Stacy Lee to visually score the record. Director Lee and BIG|BRAVE, having previously collaborated, had established an artistic understanding which allowed BIG|BRAVE to give Lee no instruction, no limitations: the creative process synthesized across film and music. Select screenings with live performances are in the works.

Leading up to and around the album’s release, BIG|BRAVE will be touring throughout Europe and the UK, including sets at FIAS Festival, Roadburn Festival, and a special “sonic faceoff set” with The Bug in London.

BIG|BRAVE tour dates

Mar. 27 – Leuven, BE – STUK ‡ [tickets]

Mar. 29 – Paris, FR – Main D’oeuvres ‡

Mar. 30 – Pau, FR – La Ferronnerie ‡

Mar. 31 – San Sebastian, ES – Dabadaba ‡ [tickets]

Apr. 2 – Barcelona, ES – Sala Vol ‡ [tickets]

Apr. 3 – Valencia, ES – 16 Toneladas ‡ [tickets]

Apr. 4 – Madrid, ES – FIAS Festival/Teatros del Canal

Apr. 5 – Braga, PT – Gnration [tickets]

Apr. 6 – Lisbon, PT – ZDB ‡ [tickets]

Apr. 8 – Montpellier, FR – L’antirouille ‡ [tickets]

Apr. 9 – Grenoble, FR – Le Ciel ‡ [tickets]