Description
Incepted in 2017 in South London’s vivid music scene, PVA was a brainchild of Ella Harris and Josh Baxter with an alignment of musical passions. Subsequently, they brought forth Louis Satchell into the ensemble to play drums, fully realizing their band’s potential. Threading through the city’s effervescent nightlife, PVA has pronounced its presence in notable venues such as The Windmill, Brixton. Their association with prominent groups such as Squid, Goat Girl, Shame, Audiobooks and Black Midi began in the year they added a drummer to their line-up. They were noticed and welcomed by Dan Carey, a facilitator for their breakthrough single – Divine Intervention – under Speedy Wunderground’s label.
As the world entered 2020 with uncertainty due to the global pandemic, it marked a pause in PVA‘s journey; their planned performances at SXSW and Japan dissolved. Nevertheless, their efforts didn’t cease. With a constructive summer spent in association with Ninja Tune, they released an EP named “Toner”. PVA‘s experimentation with lockdown afforded them time to concentrate on producing a diverse mix of music comprising three tracks and an equal amount of remixes. The album featured collaborators like Mura Masa, Daniel Fox of Gilla Band, and Lynks, adding layers to the EP’s textural influence. PVA’s wave grew even higher with a Grammy nomination for Mura Masa’s remix of their track Talks. This success was closely followed by their debut studio album, “Blush” in 2022 with lauded remixes of Carolina Polachek, Goat Girl, and Shame’s tracks.
It will be in January 2026 that PVA will make their grand return to the music scene with their second album, “No More Like This.”. The album perceives imprint and transformation’s nuances in original and exquisite ways. It delves deep into the psyche, traversing the labyrinth of authentic desires obscured by the haze of societal influences. It subtly masterminds an introspective dialogue under themes of desire, commitment, submission, and thoughtful repetition. More so, it contemplates on the lasting impressions that encounters bequeath upon us, thus making a lasting statement on repression’s contribution to authenticity’s dismissal.
Embodying a diverse sonic signature, “No More Like This” integrates a spectrum of genres including trip-hop, electronica, techno, and indie beats. This amalgamation creates an intriguing soundscape that resonates with the key themes of the album. The trio’s second release takes inspiration from brilliant artists such as Massive Attack, The Knife, and the late MF Doom, a rap artist known for his intricate storytelling and superb wordplay. PVA, while acknowledging these artists’ influence, cleverly carves their niche in music and presents a craft that is uniquely their own.
PVA has succeeded in evolving their sound beyond their initial journey. The urge for continuous exploration is evident in their work, and with “No More Like This”, they’ve cemented their status as a shape-shifting band in the fluid realm of modern music. Their reach extends beyond their immediate audiences, impacting artists from different musical backgrounds. This is certainly not the last we will hear from PVA. The future holds exciting possibiliites for this prolific group.
