Newly signed to the Secretly Canadian label (War on Drugs, Antony and The Johnsons), Ben Abraham releases his debut album, Sirens, on 4th March. The album is preceded by a single, You & Me, which was debuted by Beats 1’s Zane Lowe last week, and will be accompanied by newly announced UK tour dates that include his first London headline show, at Servants Jazz Quarter on Monday 7th March.
About Sirens...
In contrast to its ethereal title, Sirens is deeply human. Its songs were written over the Melbourne-based artist’s developing years as a writer and the album has become a kind of musical documentary of the loss, longing and growth that carried Ben Abraham from his very first lyric to this, his first long-player.
Since he began writing songs while working in a childrens hospital, Abraham has collaborated with Ta-ku, Wafia, Gotye and more and recorded this debut album. He has risen to prominence in his hometown of Melbourne and throughout Australia through much lauded live performances, where his voice and talent has consistently blown audiences away.
His parents’ previous careers as Indonesian folk-pop stars had an influence - “They were huge in Asia! They had such strong harmonies and melodies, and cheesy, literal lyrics. They don’t do irony there, but once you’ve surrendered, it’s quite beautiful. I write earnest lyrics too, but that’s where I was when I wrote these songs. And maybe people are responding because they want something honest and spiritual, because so much pop culture explores destruction.”
