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Escapists is a quartet from London that formed a couple of years ago. While students of Bristol University, Oli Court (guitarist) sparked Simon Glancy's (lead singer) musical curiosity, and though Glancy continues to sing with a glum sincerity, much of Escapists' dark inspiration stems from Court.
Escapists is surely an ironic band name given the topics they are already confronting. Glancy lost his mother when he was a baby and was raised in an old rectory followed by a boarding school. If new video 'Burial' is any indication, it is such stuff that informs the band's direction.
Over images of decomposing animal carcasses, issues of mortality are evoked in this Gigwise exclusive, their lead track from a new EP of the same name.
Though the EP's primary themes are acknoweleged as death, religion and the afterlife ('So take my body out to the sea / 'Cos that's where my bones' resting place should be'), there is an undeniably unplifting quality to 'Burial'.
It's an indication of Escapists' talent that their Myspace postings quickly led to a recording opportunity with EMI. Similarly, debut single 'Post Gospel Blues' was crowned John Kennedy's 'Record of the Week' on XFM without a label or manager to aid them.
The 'Burial' EP's three other tracks are 'Ghost in Your Bedroom', 'Witching Hour' and 'Northern Lights', and all confront bleak material with sounds of glorious redemption.
Watch the video for 'Burial' below, exclusively on Gigwise.
Listen to Escapists new EP, 'Burial' in full below: