VC Pines returns with his captivating new single 'Be Honest', out November 3rd through Theory Records

UK TOUR ANNOUNCED FOR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM NOV 5TH

“VC Pines just keeps getting better and better with every new track he releases” -

JACK SAUNDERS, BBC RADIO 1

“Soul Pioneer” - WONDERLAND

“VC Pines, something very special going on here” - HUW STEPHENS, BBC RADIO 1

“Songs that speak of self-doubt and self-reliance in a constantly fluctuating world, it’s perfect for these anxiety inducing times” CLASH

"“Smoke Without Fire”, a soulful blast of sax, squidgy synths and an especially groovy guitar line redolent of the one on “Use Me” by Bill Withers. The track comes from his forthcoming EP, Concrete, which you should definitely keep an eye out for." THE INDEPENDENT

“His tunes are huge, emotional stories that have the power to both devastate and reassure”

DORK MAGAZINE

Following on from the enormous success behind his recent EP ‘Concrete’ from May this year, which received radio support from BBC Radio 1 (Jack Saunders), BBC 6Music (Chris Hawkins), BBC Radio 2 (Jo Whiley), BBC Radio London Introducing show, Radio X (John Kennedy), and Absolute Radio (Danielle Perry), as well as tastemaker coverage in CLASH, WONDERLAND, NOTION, The Independent, Official Charts, NPR, Under The Radar, Wordplay, Songwriting Magazine and many more, VC Pines has now returned to deliver his captivating new single ‘Be Honest’.

While ‘Concrete’ was seen as more of a reflection of his environment after finding himself locked down in the capital throughout last year, ‘Be Honest’ sees him explode out of the dark and pursue a bold and enigmatic direction this time around. Still maintaining his effortlessly smooth and soulful aesthetic throughout, his newest effort is about finding the light within the despair, coming to terms with his own personal situation and state of mental health.

Speaking about the new offering, he said, ""Be Honest' is a culmination of things, it was written towards the end of 2020 - the year of fuckery. So the beginning has this distrust and wariness I think we all had at the time. I wanted to convey my own mental health struggles and of those around me due to these strange, uncertain and lonely times. The tune explodes into this ‘no fucks given’ feeling “now I’m just drinking, sleep on park benches in my vomit” that boils and spills over into a sense of paranoia “street lights are blinking, whispering in code have I lost it? Be Honest.” I’d definitely been burning the candle at both ends when this song formed, so I think it’s a small yelp for help but at the same time, encompasses the nervousness of the youth of this country. Working on this with Tobie Tripp was dreamy, we really focused on every layer, from BVs to brass to flute and then he sprinkled his magic string playing on top. It has this meatiness to it, but because each layer is so in and out, it has this child-like ‘dares’ quality to it which I love."

‘Be Honest’ is set to be the start of a new era for VC Pines. While the last year had taken its toll on the young artist, he has come out of the other side a new and more introspective individual. Focusing himself on a broader range of ideas and letting a more creative pursuit invade his musical orientation.

Elaborating on his sound to come, he adds, "I’ve definitely taken a more alternative direction, focusing more on contemporary and unique sounds and pairing them with soulful vocals. I love working with huge contrasts, so for me, using sounds as imagery as a way to paint a modern picture, paired with the occasional ‘classic’ instrument such as trombone or rusty xylophones, and a classic soul voice is a perfect juxtaposition. It all starts with writing a great song on one instrument, and then doing the best I can to fuck with it using influences from Childish Gambino, Glass Animals, Oliver Malcolm and Kanye West producing a blend of London traffic with Hip Hop grooves and soulful melodies."

VC Pines has also announced his plans for a UK tour, starting at the end of February and continuing onto the middle of March. Tickets will be made from November 5th and all confirmed dates can be found below.

VC Pines UK Tour Dates:

24th Feb - Dublin, Upstairs Whelans

26th Feb - Glasgow, King Tut’s

2nd March - Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club

3rd March - Birmingham, Sunflower Lounge

4th March - Nottingham, Rough Trade

5th March - Bristol, Louisiana

8th March - Brighton, Hope & Ruin

9th March - London, Jazz Cafe

DISCOVER VC PINES

lorraine longNovember 4, 2021