The Medicine Hat unveil new single, “New Survival,” in the wake of their self-titled album release later in the year. The song will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Arcade Fire and Of Monsters & Men with its raw lyrics and swirling folk-pop soundtrack.
Known for their moments of prophetic ecstasy just as much as the dark chaos that lurks beneath, latest single “New Survival” acts as a mantra for the hard-working Ontario quintet to push on despite difficulty and change. As frontwoman Nabi Sue Bersche explain, the track is “a hymn I’m singing to keep my fears at bay. It’s about struggle: trying to inhabit my city, my home, my body, my depression, my angst, my art. I wrote it in the midst of some changes in my physical and mental environment; changes I found difficult to navigate. It doesn’t resolve with any answers, but it does resolve with hope. A shaky, raw, unsure sort of hope… A new survival, if you will.”
This bold and unerring sentiment of willingness and intention lends itself beautifully to the shimmering platform it is presented on – Bersche’s vocal delivery is one of sublime ease both in the light, guitar-laced opening and the soaring choruses. Underneath that is a whole host of hypnotic analogue synths and diligently steady drumbeats that weave a rich tapestry of sound captivating, yet not-so-much as to steal the limelight away from Nabi.
With a full-length record set for release in the fall, The Medicine Hat have already played festivals and dark rooms across Canada with innumerable class acts and even collaborated with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra recently.