Lincolnshire-born, London-based indie electronic artist Evie Balfe has been featuring on these pages since early last year and never fails to impress with her original creations. Her latest gives us something a little different from her though. To celebrate the season, she’s released her own rendition of the John Lennon and Yoko Ono classic Happy Xmas (War Is Over).

By Graeme Smith

Evie originally recorded the track as part of a Christmas show on BBC Radio Lincolnshire but has now released it so the rest of us can share in its joy. Originally penned by John and Yoko in protest against the Vietnam war, the words never lost their relevance, with war continuing to rage around the world. Evie has stayed true to that message while injecting it with a fresh, heart-breaking, crystalline energy.

Merry Xmas (War Is Over) features the Adam Street Singers Choir. It was recorded in Evie’s home studio, produced and mixed by James Albarn, and mastered by Jake Raywood. You can give it a listen below.