Rozi Plain, one of the most unique and original voices in alt-folk, has a spellbinding new album - Friend - which is released on May 4, 2015.
‘Friend City’ is the latest single from the London-based, Winchester-born singer-songwriter, a gently flowing synth and electric guitar dappled summertime amble, threading together fond recollections of throwaway comments and actions by Rozi’s nearest and dearest, ‘Friend City’ is another perfectly-formed primer for the boundless joys of Friend, which features contributions from Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor and members of François & The Atlas Mountains, Babe and This Is The Kit among others. Having premiered as Track of the Day via Clash Magazine, who describe 'Friend City' as “a delicious piece of wonky pop... utterly unique”, the track is available to share now.
Rozi Plain’s previous single ‘Actually’ won the Rebel Playlist on BBC 6 Music by 76% of the vote, and has been described by DIY Mag as “about the most gorgeous, all-encompassing introduction imaginable for this London-based songwriter.” Rozi will prepare for and promote the release of Friend with launch shows in Manchester, Bristol, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London, a UK headline tour and summer festival appearances (see dates below).
Partly a breakup album, partly a beacon of bad times gotten through if never forgotten, Friend is a deeply meaningful and wonderfully measured ode to memory, place, companionship and music’s remarkable power as an emotional salve. Typical of Rozi’s instinctive sense of compositional freedom and unpredictability, ‘Best Team’ juxtaposes busy percussion with mellow strings and warm breezes of brass, hurrying busily on its way towards no place in particular. ‘Jogalong’ – which was released in October 2014 as a split 7” together with Rachael Dadd, and hailed by Jo Whiley as her Favourite Thing of the Week on Whiley’s BBC Radio 2 show – drops into the middle of the album as if from a different cosmos, full of tensely circling guitars, heavenly backing vocals and synth lines that orbit like flying saucers. The gossamer ‘Red Dot’ is Friend’s emotional sucker punch, downbeat but somehow uplifting, as Rozi ponders the passing of time and the triviality of marking a date of regrettable significance in the calendar “with a red dot or do you think a green dot?”
Rozi Plain has been making music since her brother taught her a few chords on the guitar aged 13. Raised in Winchester, she spent a few years studying art and painting boats in Bristol, where she began collaborating with long-term collaborators Kate Stables and Rachael Dadd among many others on a thriving local scene. It was there that she made her first two albums, 2008’s Inside Over Here and 2012’s Joined Sometimes Unjoined, each works of deliciously sad and beautiful pop full of heart-wrenching harmonies dotted with unexpected instrumental flourishes. Both records are presently available via Lost Map Records.
UPCOMING ROZI PLAIN LIVE DATES
SAT, APR 11 @ SWN FESTIVAL ALL-DAYER, CARDIFF [TICKETS]
TUE, APR 28 @ CASTLE, MANCHESTER† - ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY [TICKETS]
WED, APR 29 @ THEKLA, BRISTOL† - ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY [TICKETS]
THU, APR 30 @ THE BASEMENT, YORK† - ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY [TICKETS]
FRI, MAY 1 @ SUMMERHALL, EDINBURGH* - ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY [TICKETS]
SAT, MAY 2 @ OLD BRIDGE INN, AVIEMORE^ [TICKETS]
SUN, MAY 3 @ THE DROUTHY COBBLER, ELGIN^ [TICKETS]
MON, MAY 4 @ MONO, GLASGOW - ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY [FREE ENTRY]
TUE, MAY 5 @ THE LEXINGTON, LONDON† - ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY [TICKETS]
THU, MAY 28 @ CLUNY 2, NEWCASTLE [TICKETS]
FRI, MAY 29 @ THE STUDIO, HARTLEPOOL [TICKETS]
SAT, MAY 30 @ THE LINCOLN, SCUNTHORPE [TICKETS]
SUN, MAY 31 @ THE HARLEY, SHEFFIELD [TICKETS]
TUE, JUN 2 @ THE FERRET, PRESTON [TICKETS]
THU, JUN 4 @ THE CAVERN, LIVERPOOL [TICKETS]
FRI, JUN 5 @ THE SUNFLOWER LOUNGE, BIRMINGHAM [TICKETS]
SUN, JUN 7 @ NORWICH ARTS CENTRE, NORWICH [TICKETS]
THU, JUN 11 @ SOUTH STREET ARTS, READING [TICKETS]
FRI, JUN 12 @ JOHN PEEL CENTRE, STOWMARKET [TICKETS]
SAT, JUN 13 @ LONG DIVISION FESTIVAL, WAKEFIELD [TICKETS]
SUN, JUN 14 @ THE PRINCE ALBERT, STROUD [TICKETS]
MON, JUN 15 @ THE MAGIC CINEMA, TYWYN [TICKETS]
SUN, JUL 5 @ KELBURN GARDEN PARTY, LARGS [TICKETS]
MON, JUL 6 @ THE LEMON TREE, ABERDEEN [TICKETS]
THU, JUL 23 @ TRADES CLUB, HEBDEN BRIDGE [TICKETS]
FRI, JUL 24 @ CLOUDSPOTTING FESTIVAL, SLAIDBURN [TICKETS]
SUN, JUL 26 @ THE DEER SHED FESTIVAL, TOPCLIFFE [TICKETS]
† WITH SUPPORT FROM BABE
* WITH SUPPORT FROM EAGLEOWL
^ WITH SUPPORT FROM THE PICTISH TRAIL