A band that has been around a relatively short period of time (having weathered the Pandemic Lockdown and tragic loss of a founding member), Georgian are new to these ears and are a completely unique experience coupled with a mesmerizing sound from lead singer Georgia McKiernan.
This is from a session they did at Low Four Studio on August 6 of this year – you can catch the video via YouTube, but I am one of those people who would prefer my brain do the visualizing – hence only audio. Georgian are indeed a breath of fresh air – probably more spiritually akin to Portishead than anyone else at the moment – but it’s unfair to make comparisons since I think Georgia McKiernan has a intoxicatingly hypnotic voice – the degree of stunning quality between her and Beth Gibbons puts them in a class by themselves.
Here’s a blurb from the website She Makes Music which serves as an introduction if you aren’t familiar already:
Manchester based Georgian continues to explore her poised melancholic sound with new single and first new music of the year ‘Learning to Forget’ out now via Heist or Hit.
Formed and fronted by Georgia McKiernan and completed by her band (Harry George, James Poole, James Polglase and Connor Alder), Georgian’s genre fluid output is expansive; a soft bloom of sullen 60s psychedelia and folk horror peppered with Southern Gothic inclinations and a sophisticated jazz leaning. With lyrics that are mournful yet comforting, painted alongside a vivid cinematic landscape, her sound is one that is modern yet nostalgic.
Georgian introduced herself with the singles ‘Big Lips in Leather’ and ‘Soleil’ last year and new track ‘Learning to Forget’ continues to showcase the accomplished musical array of Georgia and her band. Produced and recorded in Amsterdam by Arno Stols (Magenta Studios), it is a track that is both intimately warm yet darkly melancholic, blending progressive rock with dark folk and building in intensity and emotion throughout. The video, filmed in Georgian’s hometown of Manchester and directed by harry right here, sees Georgia struggle through the emotions of re-emerging from a broken relationship.
Georgia says, “’Learning to Forget’ has a true Georgian structure, from starting quite slow, melancholy and reflective, to progressing to a heavy, distorted and powerful sound – expect the unexpected! The song itself discusses heartbreak and how you can be so eager to forget everything when a relationship ends. Even though you don’t want the memories and small reminders of that person, they still happen.”
The band has several videos out – and singles are available via Bandcamp. There is currently a tour of the UK which continues until late September. No word on any U.S. dates, but I suspect if audiences here got a chance to hear Georgian they would be very well received.
In the meantime, spend the next seventeen minutes getting introduced to a band I guarantee you’ll be hearing a lot about in the coming months. Certainly from me.
(deepest appreciation to Low Four Studio for the excellent production).
