PVA release their first new music in three years

Having initially made a name for themselves with the dance-punk flair of their 2019 single ‘Divine Intervention’ via tastemaker label Speedy Wunderground, the group went on to sign with Ninja Tune, releasing an EP and an album’s work of techno and industrial-inspired heaters. The band were lauded for their novel approach to melding together elements of the electronic world with a contemporary indie slant, but it was always evident that they’d eventually progress from this point and create something equally daring that saw them move away from their point of origin.

Expecting them to stay in their lane would never have been a likely scenario, and on this welcome return, we see the band dive more into a trip-hop-inspired sound, working with Tirzah and Kae Tempest collaborator Kwake Bass as a producer. Taking cues from the genre’s originators such as Tricky, and also keeping within arm’s reach of modern artists who have kept the experimental flair of the genre going such as Erika de Casier, ‘Boyface’ is a glorious way for the band to enter a new chapter in their arc, and presents us with a first glance at the expansive nature of where things might be headed on their new material.

The musical elements changing and becoming a lot more restrained shouldn’t be as much of a surprise considering how the members have moonlit as remix artists for others including Caroline Polachek, Goat Girl and Shame, DJing across London and at festivals, and generally showing off their range of tastes. However, there are aspects which do feel as they’ve emerged without the influence of their extra-curricular activities, and what does feel most different is vocalist Ella Harris’ delivery.

On previous releases, Harris was occasionally limiting with her words, often leaving empty spaces to create tension rather than fill every gap with another thought and leading to moments that felt as though she was ready to explode into a fit of rage at a moment’s notice. Here, her semi-rapped whispers feel like a slight evolution, with there being a more distinct focus on rhythm and the way her words interact rather than just as textural verse.

Tackling themes of gender identity, body image and club culture, it’s not too far removed from the world that their previous work existed in, but shows a definite evolution in its presentation as the band seemingly move away from the harsher sonic aspects of their formative years.

With No More Like This set to continue pushing the boundaries of what PVA are capable of as a group, listing ambient, R&B and glitch-pop as influences on the record, it’s evident that the three years spent engaging with other aspects of the project has left them feeling rejuvenated and ready to deliver a record that takes risks, rather than resting on their laurels and aiming to recapture the same thing again.

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