Stephen EvEns, real name Stephen Gilchrist, is a London-based artist who has just hit my radar through the release of his new album Here Comes The Lights.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Ashley Jones

Though new to me, Stephen is a seasoned performer, having played drums with Blur’s Graham Coxon, Cardiacs and The Damned. His new album also features some heavy-hitting collaborations, including Echobelly’s Debbie Smith, Bob Leith and William D. Drake of Cardiacs, and Jen Macro of My Bloody Valentine.

Here Comes The Lights is rock but not as we know it, bringing together elements of psych with traditional punk attitude. Across its eight tracks, Stephen covers topics as diverse as international harmony, folk rebellion, fading love, and the peacefulness of nature.

It’s an album that makes its intentions clear right from slow-burning eleven-minute opener A Song For Europe. A choir of angelic voices give it a mystical feel though the lyrics are very down to earth. From there, it builds to an all encompassing climax before settling back down into an atmospheric, ambient meditation.

Firefly follows with some raw, classical-infused, contemplative folk and from there we are drawn into a diverse, surreal world rich with captivating, image-laden lyrics and boundary-pushing experimentation. The melancholy start of Lazy Eyes is nicely contrasted by its epic close. Hello Salty Sally is a vibrant biographical tale of growing up at sea with bohemian parents. Happy New Year closes things with a drawling, hypnotic farewell.

With his latest album, Stephen EvEns makes it clear that he knows what he’s doing with his music, and isn’t afraid to express himself through it. Some beautifully bonkers storytelling is what sets it out from the crowd, as does its unexpected compositions. There really is no-one else out there doing what he’s doing.

Here Comes The Lights features Stephen EvEns on guitar and vocals, Jimi Scandal on guitar, Crompton Whesp on drums, Debbie Smith on bass and Josh Perl on saxophone and keyboards. The album is out now via Onomatopoeia Records. You can give it a listen below.