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NorfolkEelectronic Duo BROADS Release FIELD THEORY Album Today, 2/16

By: Feb. 16, 2018
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NorfolkEelectronic Duo BROADS Release FIELD THEORY Album Today, 2/16  Image

British electronic duo Broads are releasing from their 11-track album 'Field Theory' via Humm Recordings. Timed for the occasion, they also unveil a new video for 'Us & The Buzzing'. Not long ago, the band revealed singles 'Let Me Take it From Here' and 'Climbs' , which features mesmerizing vocals from Milly Hirst with exclusive b-side 'Late Devonian'.


Mainstays of the Norwich music scene, Broads are James Ferguson and Mark Jennings. They deliver a variety of music - always delicious - ranging from synth-pop bliss to a hybrid fusion of genres straddling the divide between ambient drone, post-rock and shoegaze. Broads takes a fascinating approach with this album, tastefully showcasing completely different sides of their musical spectrum.

Broads' new album is deliciously diverse as far as electronica goes. 'Climbs' recalls Melody's Echo Chamber and Broadcast, while 'The Lecht' brings to mind both Mogwai and Boards of Canada. 'Mixed Ability Sequencing' most strongly aligns with My Bloody Valentineand Slowdive, leaving you hanging with less than minute of pure guitar reverie, while 'Habitats' brings the duo delightfully close to New Orderterritory.

After several releases as a solo artist, James Ferguson says Broads' dynamics started to change with the release of the 'Hellas' LP (Jan 2016), undergoing a kind of sonic breakthrough with Mark now joining James for live shows and co-writing one of its tracks 'Soft Homo' - the first time Broads had really arrived at their now-signature sound, marrying droning, lo-fi synths and slow build through repetition with straightforward electronics.

Broads started to perform more around Norwich and occasionally in Cambridge, Suffolk and London. By the time Broads released their split album 'Local Closures' with Mark's other project EPIA, they were opening for Mercury Rev at the Norwich Arts Centre, followed soon after by Broads' third album 'Everything is Spinning, Nobody Is Actually In Charge' (December 2016) with Mark and James once again co-writing.

Some very cool developments were happening for the duo, including work on a live soundtrack for the British Film Institute - composing for a sequence of archive film footage of rural/agricultural Norfolk scenes, and performing live in beautiful venues across the region - as well as a sold-out gig at the NAC with Plaid.

Broads took inspiration from left field on this album from road biking in the Scottish Highlands to news of George Romero's death, Purity Ring's second album and Unwound's 'New Plastic Ideas', as well as lot of old sci-fi and horror movies.


Broads release their 'Field Theory' album on February 16 following their February 15 launch show at the Norwich Arts Centre. While the album is to be made available across online stores and streaming platforms, their album and entire back catalogue is also available via Broads' own Bandcamp.



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