DEAD CEREMONY

You don’t really tend to see many bands name-dropping the devastatingly bleak (but brilliant with it) Antlers as an influence. Of those who would cite Peter Silberman’s soul-baring outfit as a reference point, precious few of them are likely to be electronic acts. However, this is where we find ourselves with Kent four-piece Dead Ceremony. Singer Chris Stewart has mentioned the heart-squashingly sad Antlers record ‘Hospice’ as influential in the writing of Losing You, and you can absolutely see where he’s coming from.

The vocal delivery is fraught with emotion without ever trying to lay it on thickly, while lyrically the track as direct as can be, the frequently repeated mantra of the chorus ‘I’m losing you’ hammering the nail deeper into the heart with each intonation. All this is laid over an electronic canvas which is so richly textured and refreshingly moreish.

Dead Ceremony play at Tunbridge Wells Forum on December 11th. It’s one I recommend highly because this is a rare live show from a band who are clearly nurturing a quite unique gift.

Words by Paul Brown

Tipped by Linn Branson & Mary Chang