Hejira – Prayer Before Birth Album
Formed in 2010, Hejira are Sam Beste, Rahel Debebe-Dessalegne,
Alexis Nunez and Alex Reeve - a group of Londoners with a diverse collective heritage spanning the entire globe from Chile and Hungary through to Ethiopia and Germany. Borne of many years of experience performing individually in a bewildering amount of styles with the likes of Amy Winehouse, Tom Jones, Nitin Sawhney, Eric Lau and Connan Mockasin, the band seek to build this musicianship into an uncompromisingly visceral, passionate yet tender sound.
Prayer Before Birth plays out like an ensemble-piece, a debut of rare composure that possesses a questing musical sensibility. There is a delicate orchestration to their playing and arrangements that has more in common with symphonic classical music than rock. Immerse yourself in Artist: Hejira the celestial choral crunk of their latest single ‘Litmus Test’, or the Title: Prayer Before Birth hymn-like ode to London’s psychogeographic emotional pull in Fields Label: Accidental of Rooftops. The title track from their previous 7-inch vinyl Cat Number: AC76 release, Gypsy of the Soul, unfolds like prime Funkadelic, harmony atop Release Date: October 21st harmony, before blending into Echoes, the record’s explosive and Format: CD/ Digital Download hypnotic centrepiece. Then there’s In Our Own Time in all its slow- burning splendour and Time, which features the interweaving male- Tracklisting: female lead vocals that is a cornerstone of the Hejira sound. Full of 1. Litmus Test 2. Time gentle surprises, the whole project feels unhindered by compromise or a 3. Know desire to please. As a consequence, it makes for a magnetic, engaging 4. In Our Own Time listen. 5. Fields of Rooftops
Giving shape to this heady stew of sound is creative polymath and 6. Echoes 7. Pinter electronic music iconoclast, Matthew Herbert who began co-producing 8. Gypsy of the Soul Hejira in 2010. Preliminary work on Prayer Before Birth was completed 9. The Penny at their studio, The House of Dreams in southeast London. The House 10. Powercut of Dreams was Hejira’s sonic Shangri-la, a creative hub between the 11. Reprise years of 2010-2012, attracting a community of musicians, magazine publishers, artists, illustrators, film makers and writers - the perfect context from which to spark their aural alchemy and lead them on the road to Prayer Before Birth.
No strangers to live performance, Hejira will be taking their album on the road for their UK wide TraumTour in October, an extension of their monthly Traum events.Traum began at Servant Jazz Quarters and then moved to Shacklewell Arms to sell-out success drawing in performers from the cream of London's avant-pop scene such as The Invisible, Micachu & The Shapes, Kwabs, Kwes and Gwilym Gold. The growth of the event has led to a community of artists and music lovers with further opportunity for creative cross-pollination between like-minded heads.
Artist Links Website: http://www.hejira.info | Twitter: https://twitter.com/hejira_info Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hejira.info/info
TYPE PR Flat 4 18 Devonshire Place | Brighton | East Sussex | BN2 1QA Phone: +44 (0) 77 9279 1295 Email: [email protected]
Hejira – Prayer Before Birth Album
Litmus Test Single Launch and Film Premiere Tuesday 17th September at Dalston Roof Park
The event will be a celebration to mark the release of Hejira’s new single ‘Litmus Test’ on limited edition 12" vinyl as well as being the premiere of the unique live film of the band performing in their old studio the House of Dreams created with the wonderful Faith Millin and all the Pundersons Gardens team. The night will also feature the screening of another very special film and DJ sets from Hejira and guest DJs.
Copies of the limited edition 12" vinyl with re-works by Floating Points and Seb Rochford feat. Jehst will be available to buy on the night.
Please RSVP to [email protected] for guest list
---- ALBUM LAUNCH Thursday 31st of October at The Round Chapel (1d Glenarm Road, Clapton, London E5 0LY)
Hejira will be performing their debut album 'Prayer Before Birth' produced by Matthew Herbert in the beautiful setting of The Clapton Round Chapel in Hackney accompanied by an 18-piece ensemble including a choir and trombone section. The special concert will be the first time this piece of work will be performed in its entirety and will be filmed and recorded live. Advance tickets: £10 Advance tickets including a copy of the album 'Prayer Before Birth' : £15 Tickets and information available from www.traumpress.com
---- TraumTour - October 2013
Thursday 10th - Brighton - Green Door Store Trafalgar Arches, Lower Goods Yard Brighton Train Station, Brighton BN1 4FQ thegreendoorstore.co.uk
TYPE PR Flat 4 18 Devonshire Place | Brighton | East Sussex | BN2 1QA Phone: +44 (0) 77 9279 1295 Email: [email protected]
Hejira – Prayer Before Birth Album
Friday 11th - Liverpool - The Kazimier 4-5 Wolstenholme SQ. Liverpool, L1 4JJ www.kazimier.co.uk
Saturday 12th - Birmingham - Hare and Hounds 106 High St Birmingham, West Midlands B14 7JZ www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk
Friday 18th - Cardiff - Swn Festival - The Moon Club Womanby Street, CF10 1BR www.swnfest.com
Thursday 24th - Manchester - Soup Kitchen 31-33 Spear St, Manchester M1 1DF www.soup-kitchen.co.uk
Friday 25th - Nottingham - Contemporary Weekday Cross Nottingham, Nottinghamshire County NG1 2GB www.nottinghamcontemporary.org
TYPE PR Flat 4 18 Devonshire Place | Brighton | East Sussex | BN2 1QA Phone: +44 (0) 77 9279 1295 Email: [email protected]