aaamusic | On 21, Sep 2010

With sparse melodies, melancholic beats and lush, echoing vocals, Oxford trio, Trophy Wife – who describe their sound as “ambitionless office disco” – announce their arrival with a lingering whisper of great promise that suggests a serious force to be reckoned with.

Trophy Wife release debut single ‘Microlite’ on November 8^th through Moshi Moshi. ‘Microlite’ – about an everlasting journey: one by which you never arrive at a destination, but that somehow becomes perpetually fulfilling – is an exceptionally lean and beautiful beast. The band’s production wastes not a single note as sparse rhythms melt around chiming guitars, augmented by lead singer Jody Prewett’s fragile, restrained vocals.

The single’s flip-side ‘Take This Night’, displays a similar level of restrained yet meticulous production, but also shows a more dancy side to Trophy Wife as fine needles of percussion rain down around whispers of guitar and night-crawling bass lines.

The first time the three-piece recorded together was on a remix/cover of Joanna Newsom’s ‘The Book of Right On’. The trio wanted to recycle nothing from the original track, instead reworking the parts from scratch, successfully melding the song into a new form in their own style and with the resultant offspring, Trophy Wife was born.

Trophy Wife say of their creative process: “We wanted to somehow embody all the fun from the preceding night whilst containing the quiet melancholy that is so often found when you’re still awake at 4:00 in the morning and you’re not sure why”.

The band’s sound and aesthetic is informed by influences as diverse as Studio, Polmo Polpo, The Notwist, Hank Marvin and Tortoise. These influences can not only be heard in the band’s music and production, but also echoed in their artwork, photography and videos – all facets of which the three band members contribute to equally.

Trophy Wife head out on tour with Foals during November. They are currently writing an EP, which will be released next year.

Upcoming shows:

3^rd November – o2 Academy, Birmingham, w/Foals & Toro Y Moi

4^th November – o2 Academy, Bristol w/ Foals & Toro Y Moi

6^th November – Rock City, Nottingham w/Foals & Crystal Fighters

7^th November – Guildhall, Southampton w/Foals & Crystal Fighters

8^th November – Dome, Brighton w/Foals & Crystal Fighters

Trophy Wife:

Jody Prewett (vocals, guitar, bass)

Ben Rimmer (keyboard)

Kit Monteith (drums)

www.myspace.com/atrophywife

www.facebook.com/trophywifemusic