aaamusic | On 23, Mar 2011

LOVE INKS
SINGLE ‘BLACKEYE’ MARCH 28^TH

ALBUM ‘E.S.P.’ OUT MAY 2

Watch the video for ‘Blackeye’ below:

Austin, Texas three-piece LOVE INKS are set to surprise and seduce music fans and critics across the board this Spring, with the release of their debut album ‘E.S.P.’, along with their highly infectious, dreamy pop gem and debut single ‘Blackeye‘. In Europe the single will be released on limited edition 7” vinyl on March 28^th through Italian record label Hell, Yes! (Dum Dum Girls, Crocodiles, SISU), followed by the album ‘E.S.P.’ on May 2^nd. City Slang will be releasing the record in the US.

E.S.P. was conceived and recorded with strict, direct motives. The sounds captured within these 10 tracks are simply an electric guitar, a bass guitar, an old drum machine, at special moments a Moog Satellite and, most importantly, the simple yet poignant vocals of Sherry LeBlanc. The combined sound is minimalist dream-pop; imbued with raw emotion, sexuality, and splashes of electronic colour. Focus is placed primarily on the voice, which is direct and honest and real. No frills, tears through extravagant side roads, or indulgent solos necessary.

Sherry is however, a firm believer in positivity. Her lyrics are never abusive or cynical.

“We are a family, and in some ways stronger because we are always supportive. The album reflects a time and place for everyone in the band. A time to pare down to what is necessary, essential. Cut out complexity, and you’ll find a deeper layer that is thicker and stronger. Like the human body, you’ll eventually end up at a nerve; once it’s hit, that’s when we know we’re there, and that’s when we press the record button.”

Self-recorded in their own homes, Austin, Texas, and mixed by a friend; the idea was to get the purest signals from all instruments and feed them through an 8-track reel-to-reel, immediately warming the sounds and weaving it all together. This process was drawn out on a piece of paper in schematics before recording with the concept being: the less digitized, the better. In March of 2010, Love Inks started the process with fifteen or more songs, and by June they were down to a solid ten.
The songs featured on E.S.P. were written to showcase the essence of emotion behind each instrument. It started as an exercise and became the only way to do it, forever. With the guitar and bass, Love Inks found there is a way to drop it perfectly into the song, in between everything, so that the vocal can exist in its own world, floating independently above the song.

Love Inks are currently booking UK tour dates for around the album’s release. Be sure to catch this Texan based three-piece at this year’s SXSW (dates TBA).