WILDES and St Francis Hotel release chilling re-interpretation of Bruce Springsteen's 'State Trooper', taken from the collaborative EP Kopfkino.
WILDES and St Francis Hotel today release new collaborative EP Kopfkino, and share a visualiser for previously unheard Bruce Springsteen cover and EP closing track, 'State Trooper'.
"State Trooper is one of our favourite Springsteen songs, but our cover of it came about quite indirectly,"
explains WILDES.
"We were listening to a lot of Suicide around the making of the EP, their drum machines and industrial synths heavily influencing both our work, and Springsteen’s simple, but raw production of State Trooper from 1982. We eventually decided to put our stamp on the song by leaning on Springsteen’s initial inspiration from Suicide, and we ended up with an even darker, grittier, electronic version of this already atmospheric song. It’s an important full stop on the EP, capturing the era we were inspired by and the great artists that have impacted us both as musicians."
Together WILDES and St Francis Hotel bring with them a wealth of critical plaudits, and notable collaborations between them with acts including The Flaming Lips, Little Simz and Michael Kiwanuka.
For new EP Kopfkino, the pair delve into the mind's captivating power, exploring the spectrum of human experience from poignant introspection to exhilarating escapism, sonically noting the influence of 80s synth-pop bands such as Erasure, The Human League, and Depeche Mode, as well as trip-hop artists like Massive Attack and Portishead.
From the stark, brooding art-pop of 'In The Floodlight' investigating personal growth and discovery, to 'Are You Gonna Speak?' which offers a shadowy glimpse into WILDES's soul, with raw cries for connection piercing a backdrop of throbbing synths and driving percussion.
The EP's title track 'Kopfkino' explores the blurry lines between fantasy and reality, with WILDES's intoxicating vocals guiding listeners through a soundscape of intense rhythms and atmospheric flourishes.
Speaking more on the EP's themes and inspiration, along with her artistic relationship with St Francis Hotel, WILDES said:
"Kopfkino is an immersion in the mind, and explores both the light and dark that we experience as individuals. From dwelling on a difficult moment frozen in time, to escaping blissfully in to the imagination, and struggling to distinguish fantasy from reality, daydreams visit us all.
Though regularly collaborating for various projects, we chose to come together for this EP because of our shared experience and grounding in the emotive meaning behind the songs. Exploring and getting lost in our own minds, being shut out of the minds of others, and trying to navigate the world at the behest of our subconscious."
New EP Kopfkino finds the two artists combining, not for the first time, with St Francis Hotel responsible for producing WILDES' acclaimed debut full length 'Other Words Fail Me', which drew glowing praise from NPR, KEXP and more.
WILDES is the recording project of Anglo-Irish musician and producer Ella Walker. St Francis Hotel is the moniker of Irish musician and producer Declan Gaffney, known for his work with Little Simz, Michael Kiwanuka, Wasia Project, Lip Filler and more.
WILDES and St Francis Hotel's new EP Kopfkino is out now, and is available to strea,m and download here.
Photo by Elena Garcia