On Friday, 20th September 2024, the single “Sparrows” by Misha Chylkova, a talented Czech-born Indie/Psych Folk Rock singer-songwriter who emerged from the London anti-Folk scene, will be released on major digital platforms and stores. It is the first preview of her debut album, “Dancing the Same Dance,” which will be released on November 15, 2024 on vinyl, CD, and digital formats by the independent label Gare Du Nord Records.
Stream the single “Sparrow” through the Spotify player below:
With its lively mood and a quite dark sound, the debut single “Sparrows” also has a bittersweet sense of melancholy, in which Misha Chylkova explores one of the cyclical dynamics of love, intertwining autobiographical elements with a broader analysis of the concept of repetition.
The singer-songwriter herself states: “I chose Sparrows to be the introduction to the album because it’s a song that has been close to my heart for a long time. I wrote it a while ago and performed it in London many times – often solo with a loop pedal – but reworking it in the studio and adding a big sound really blew me away, especially including the Philicorda. I’ve always loved the sound of that organ; it has a unique way of wrapping a song in a soft, melodic cocoon. Like most of my songs, it’s built around a loop, but this one also incorporates more of a traditional song structure. And yes, it’s a love song. How else?“
The entirety of “Dancing the Same Dance” has a loop structure, with each song addressing a single stage in the overall cycle of human love. Characterised by circular melodies and rhythms, with influences ranging from Low to Angel Olsen, from The Black Heart Procession to Suicide, the album was largely created in London with contributions from notable musicians such as Darren Hayman (Hefner) and Ian Button (Death in Vegas, Thrashing Doves), as well as Jonathan Clayton (Hurtling, Jim Bob) for mixing, mastering, and co-production.
Misha Chylkova is a Londoner of Czech origin. Always drawn to darkness and repetition, her artistic perspective offers a highly personal view of reality and romantic relationships. In her music, elegance meets simplicity, as she gradually layers melodic threads into a crescendo of complexity. This melodic minimalism, enriched with a touch of sharp humour, was forged in London, where Misha fell in love with music and began playing within the anti-Folk scene alongside artists such as The Awkward Silences, David Cronenberg’s Wife, and Extradition Order. In 2020, she started a fruitful collaboration with Darren Hayman (Hefner), Ian Button (Death in Vegas, Thrashing Doves) and Jonathan Clayton (Hurtling, Jim Bob), which led her to release several singles between 2021 and 2022 with the independent label Gare Du Nord Records. The same artistic partnership is the foundation of her debut album, “Dancing the Same Dance” (Gare Du Nord), set for release in November 2024.
Purchase the single on Bandcamp: https://mishachylkova.bandcamp.com/track/sparrows
Credits:
Song written and composed by Misha Chylkova
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jonathan Clayton in One Cat Studios, London
Produced by Jonathan Clayton & Misha Chylkova
Photos by Eugenio Intini
LineuP:
Misha Chylkova / Vocals, Guitar
Darren Hayman / Bass
Ian Button / Drums
Jonathan Clayton / Philicorda Organ
