Chris Cleverley releases haunting electro-folk single ‘Still Life’
UK Dream-Folk Artist Chris Cleverley’s brand new single ‘Still Life’ paints an arresting picture of a dystopian world, ravaged by climate emergency.
Three Counties-based Cleverley is among a new wave of pioneering artists carving an uncharted path through the UK acoustic landscape, with endorsements from The Times, The Telegraph and BBC Radio leading to his receipt of FATEA Magazine’s ‘Male Artist of the Year’ Award fuelling his rising trajectory.
‘Still Life’ is the second single from his highly anticipated 4th album ‘Broadcast The Secret Verse’, scheduled for release in November 2022. Following on from the album’s critically acclaimed debut track ‘Chlorophyll’, released this August, Cleverley’s new single draws audiences even further into the bold new sonic world he has created for this record.
Under the helm of producer John Patrick Elliott (The Little Unsaid/Reveal Records), the track veers drastically away from the acoustic instrumentation of his earlier work, fully embracing eclectic Dreampop, Slowcore, Post Rock and Electronic influences. Seamlessly wielding synths, programmed beats and samples, the track’s gloomy, ominous piano lines build to energetic crescendos of discordant electric guitar, while Cleverley’s haunted whisper mirrors the unsettling lyrical themes. The Deep, Dark Indie feel creates immediate associations with Lo-Fi Indie Greats like Elliott Smith, Cat Power and Low.
This hard-hitting new track paints a vivid, apocalyptic picture of a world drained of vitality and essence, as nations fixated on progress, growth and conflict hasten the deterioration of our natural world. Recorded in a secret pop-up location amidst the serene woodland of the banks of the River Dart, Cleverley harnesses the beauty of his surroundings to truly connect with the imagined tragedy of their deterioration.
The single’s striking cover art was designed by painter Martin D Hyde, revered on the UK Songwriting scene for his work with Reveal Records, Lau and Kris Driver. His dystopian vision is the perfect accompaniment to this bold piece of music, primed for the emotional landscape of 2022.
‘Still Life’ is an anthem for those tired of screaming into the void, powerless to halt the pace of the ever-churning global industrial machine. A song to accompany a summer of unprecedented heatwaves, natural disasters and lifted fracking bans.
‘Still Life’ cements Cleverley’s position as a vital, articulate voice of the UK Songwriting scene.
