Wikipedia

Purple Pilgrims

Purple Pilgrims is a New Zealand dream pop duo composed of sisters Clementine and Valentine Nixon.

Purple Pilgrims
Purple Pilgrims at Laneway Festival, 2017
Purple Pilgrims at Laneway Festival, 2017
Background information
OriginNew Zealand and Hong Kong
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • synthesizer
Years active2016-present
LabelsFlying Nun, Not Not Fun Records

Background

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Sisters Clementine and Valentine Nixon are great-granddaughters of folk musician Davie Stewart.[1] They were raised itinerantly between Christchurch, New Zealand and Hong Kong, China.[2][3]

Musical style

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Purple Pilgrims' music combines elements of dream pop,[4] noise,[5] lo-fi, folk, and atmospheric jazz.[6] The duo has been frequently likened to Kate Bush, Beach House[7][8] and 1980s dream pop artists.[9] Stuff has referred to the band as "Aotearoa's answer to haze-pop pioneers Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins".[10]

The sisters' soprano vocal styles have been compared to Marianne Faithfull, Mary Hopkin,[11] Joni Mitchell,[12] Judy Collins, Sandy Denny,[13] Vashti Bunyan and Linda Perhacs.[10]

Purple Pilgrims utilize a mixture of digital and analog recording techniques in their work, from an early DIY approach using cassette tape collage[14] to analog studio processing in their later work.[15]

Career

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Purple Pilgrims released their first recording a self-titled 8" lathe cut record in 2011 via New Zealand underground label Pseudo Arcana.[16] The limited edition release came with a 12-page art zine. The New Zealand Listener called the work "assertively lo-as-fi-can-go ... a good example of gently and deeply moving elegant dream pop."[17]

In 2013 the band released a split LP with American avant-garde musician and frequent Purple Pilgrims collaborator Gary War via London-based label Upset the Rhythm.[18][19]

Purple Pilgrims released their debut LP Eternal Delight in 2016 via Los Angeles based label Not Not Fun Records.[20] The Guardian said that the album "could’ve come direct from golden era 4AD Records when the Cocteau Twins still roamed."[30].[9]

Purple Pilgrims' sophomore album Perfumed Earth was released on August 9, 2019, via Flying Nun Records.[21] The Sydney Morning Herald called the album "an alluring combination of hazy soundscape and songwriting finesse…"[11] while Pitchfork noted “...its lush melodies, strands that wind and splay like a carpet of vine”.[6]

Purple Pilgrims have toured with Ariel Pink, Aldous Harding,[22] John Maus,[23] and Weyes Blood.[24]

Discography

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Albums

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  • Eternal Delight (Not Not Fun Records 2016)[25]
  • Perfumed Earth (Flying Nun Records 2019)[26]

Other releases

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  • Purple Pilgrims Self-titled (8" lathe cut, Pseudo Arcana 2011)[16]
  • "Drink the Juice" (online single, Not Not Fun Records 2017)[27]

Collaborations

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  • Gary War / Purple Pilgrims (Split LP, Upset the Rhythm 2013)[28]
  • Mirage by Roy Montgomery and Purple Pilgrims (Roy Montgomery 'Suffuse' LP, Grapefruit Records 2018)[29]

References

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  1. ^ Street, Danielle (2014-04-14). "Purple Pilgrims - Interviews at Undertheradar". UnderTheRadarNZ. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  2. ^ Gleason, Emma (2020-01-16). "Purple Pilgrims' Valentine & Clementine Nixon on their cult-chic style | Miss FQ". Fashion Quarterly.
  3. ^ Mulligan, Jessie (2020-01-17). "Great NZ Album: Purple Pilgrims - Perfumed Earth". RNZ.
  4. ^ Clausen, Danielle (2016-12-16). "Favourite Things: The Sisters of Purple Pilgrims". Viva.co.nz.
  5. ^ "SHOP". Notnotfun.com.
  6. ^ a b "Purple Pilgrims: Perfumed Earth". Pitchfork.
  7. ^ "Album of the Day: Purple Pilgrims, "Perfumed Earth"". Bandcamp Daily. August 8, 2019.
  8. ^ "Perfumed Earth, Purple Pilgrims". Southsydneyherald.com.au. October 2019.
  9. ^ a b Hennessy, Kate (April 1, 2016). "Music You Missed: 10 essential releases from the Australian underground". Theguardian.com.
  10. ^ a b "Purple Pilgrims: The Kiwi sisters conquering the world from the Coromandel". Stuff.co.nz. March 7, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Zwartz, John Shand, Bernard Zuel, Barney (August 23, 2019). "Music reviews: JJ Cale, Snoh Aalegra, Andrea Keller and more". The Sydney Morning Herald.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Purple Pilgrims | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  13. ^ "Perfumed Earth - Purple Pilgrims | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  14. ^ "Feature - Purple Pilgrims: A Single Shared Heart". Nzmusician.co.nz. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Purple Pilgrims – In Their Own Words". Fortherabbits.net. August 15, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Purple Pilgrims - Purple Pilgrims". Discogs.com. 2011.
  17. ^ "Purple Pilgrims and Radiant Door by Crystal Stilts review". Archived from the original on 2020-07-25. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  18. ^ "UPSET THE RHYTHM | Artists | Gary War / Purple Pilgrims". Upsettherhythm.co.uk.
  19. ^ "Listen to "Earthly Heaven/Joon" by Purple Pilgrims". Pitchfork.com.
  20. ^ "Purple Pilgrims - Eternal Delight". Discogs.com. 11 March 2016.
  21. ^ "PURPLE PILGRIMS ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM - 'PERFUMED EARTH'". Flyingnun.co.nz.
  22. ^ "Aldous Harding announces New Zealand tour for 2020 Arts Festival with Weyes Blood and Purple Pilgrims". NZ Herald. 26 June 2023.
  23. ^ "John Maus". Mistletone.net. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Aldous Harding / Weyes Blood / Purple Pilgrims". The Big Idea. November 11, 2019.
  25. ^ "Purple Pilgrims - Eternal Delight". Discogs. 2016.
  26. ^ "Purple Pilgrims - Perfumed Earth". Discogs. 9 August 2019.
  27. ^ "Drink the Juice, Watch the Video and Join the Surreal Cult of Purple Pilgrims". Vice.com. 26 January 2017.
  28. ^ "Gary War / Purple Pilgrims - Split". Discogs. 28 October 2013.
  29. ^ "Roy Montgomery - Suffuse". Discogs. 17 August 2018.
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