A VOID
London-via-Paris alt-rock trio A VOID share new single 5102 taken from second album Dissociation due 9th September
Commenting on the new single vocalist Camille Alexander explains: “”5102” is a sombre grunge track starting with dissonant guitars that slowly progress into a deep emotional outburst. A swim in the moonlight ending in a mermaid attack. The track’s mysterious name is ‘2015’ backwards: the year it was written, long before it was recorded. It’s about womanhood, using the metaphor of witches who have been stripped of their powers and their magic.”
Arriving as a fiery follow-up to earlier releases “Newspapers” and “Stepping on Snails”, “5102” is the last single to be taken from A VOID’s second album ‘Dissociation,’ before its release on 9 September. Described by the band as a “pandemic baby”, the record was written and composed during lockdown by frontwoman Camille Alexander, then arranged with the help of bandmates Aaron Hartmann (bass) and Marie Niemiec (drums). With the album finally recorded between 2019 and 2021 at Stakeout Studios in London, A VOID called on producer Jason Wilson (Reuben, Senser, Dinosaur Pile-Up) who brought his musical craftsmanship to each track and found a compelling middle-ground between vintage influences and trailblazing modernity.
Taking listeners on an emotional journey through its twelve tracks, and playing out like a snapshot of its isolated and uncertain gestation period, ‘Dissociation’ celebrates everything from heartbreak to womanhood to battles with mental health. With its title nodding to these tricky mental processes and the harsh disconnect many of us feel from our thoughts, feelings and identities, A VOID explain: “Nothing is all black or white. Dissociation happens when we experience a chain of significant events. We go through different phases, we question our actions and those of others. It’s very human to realise that there isn’t just one version of yourself, they all coexist. When you compose an album like this, each song is a reflection of a different personality at a given moment.”
But despite its more hard-hitting themes the trio refuse to compromise on fun, with absurdity and an inhibited attitude coursing through each track. The trio add: “We’re a pretty goofy band. It wouldn’t make sense to do what we do together without having fun. There are so many emotions that go through us on a daily basis, that even in the worst moments we can’t help but laugh. This is what we talk about in “Sick As A Dog”: laughter as a means of overcoming traumatic experiences and events. We don’t hesitate to integrate cheeky things into more serious choruses.”
A VOID UK LIVE DATES 2022
24 August - The Old Blue Last, London
25 August - The Victoria, London
09 September - Album Launch @ The Shacklewell Arms, London
14 September - Rough Trade East, London (+ album signing)
21 October - The Hairy Dog, Derby (supporting The Soapgirls)
6 November - The Old Depot, Nottingham (supporting Snake Eyes)
11 November - The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
18 November - The Windmill Brixton, London
23 November - Sidney and Matilda, Sheffield
1 December - The Loft @ The Kings, Portsmouth
