Straylings met after Dana Zeera had traveled from Bahrain to study in England. Soon drawn to the thriving live scene of North London – a far cry from the Middle Eastern landscape she grew up in. Eventually crossing paths with English guitarist Oliver Drake, who had recently parted ways with former Rough Trade signing The Veils.
Receiving critical acclaim from national and online press, Straylings’ debut LP ‘Entertainment On Foreign Grounds’ garnered backing from BBC’s Steve Lamacq, Huw Stephens, with CLASH Magazine describing their music as “Full of glaring drama, comparable to PJ Harvey,…grandiose and empowering. Pushing theatrically into a world of their own making”.
With long time friend Levi Szendro (hailing from Budapest) on drums, and more recently Dana’s brother Mishal (a songwriter and producer in his own right) covering bass duties, the band toured extensively becoming a frequent presence around London, with sold out shows around the city. Artrocker Magazine described their live performances as; “Compelling…Straylings serve up cinematic heartbreak with a side dose of opium…somewhere between Mazzy Star and Jefferson Airplane”.
February 2018 sees Straylings return with their new album ‘Wild Medicine’. Gaining support from Lauren Laverne at BBC 6 Music, along with Radcliffe and Maconie, whilst CLASH Magazine described their latest offering as “a fine example of the artistry that makes Straylings so beguiling. A rich, detailed return, it’s a beautiful, resolutely independent offering, one that could only come from Straylings”.
Distinctively recogniseable, with the Middle-Eastern influences brought to bear by Bahraini / Austrian songwriter Dana Zeera, combining the arrangements of musician/producer Oliver Drake. Electric piano, fuzz-guitar and synths form a psychedelic wrap from which Zeera’s enigmatic vocal floats spectrally. A sound which draws to mind Grace Slick, elements of Aladin Sane era Bowie and even conjures up the organ infused spirit of the Doors.
Written, produced, recorded and mixed entirely by the duo, their new album is out now via Deadpan Records.
Next show: Thursday 13th September @ Eagle Inn, Salford
Tickets: CLICK HERE
Check out: We Gather We Take Shape
dustypop.com 