The Actions

“Striding across the dark line between rock and electronics...” - Clash 

Bristol-based duo, The Actions, have announced the release of their forthcoming album, Flourish, out on 15th February 2021 via Niteo Records.

Having met as kids, Marta Argenio aka Silty (vocals, bass) and Mo Stellato (guitar, electronics) performed together in a number of bands and soon started to make inroads in London. Benefitting from a shared musical path, the pair formed The Actions with the intention of creating dark, cinematic slices of music. Evocative and transcendent, forthcoming album Flourish offers the grandiose orchestral sensibilities of Vangelis and blends this with the grooves and dense atmospherics produced by artists such as latest Low and Portishead.

Flourish explores themes of fear, anxiety, escapism and change. The record encapsulates a moment in time; the moment you overcome your fears, take a deep breath and embrace the unknown of a new you, leaving your old self behind. Flourish is about letting go, finding your way forward. Flourish is about rebirth.

Opening track ‘Leap’ sets the scene as moody, guttural soundscapes and samples are juxtaposed by dream-like vocals. ‘Save Me’ offers an airy interval as picked chiming guitar notes are accented by a grooving beat. While ‘Buoyant’ offers the spacious, ominous feel usually reserved for a Ridley Scott sci-fi. ‘Old Flaw’ plays out like a fever dream, overflowing with paranoia, fear tightens the listener in its inescapable grip. As the record progresses, exploring genres from electronica to trip-hop, from post-rock to jazz-infused slowcore, the unerring feeling of bleakness begins to dissipate. Title track ‘Flourish’ summarises the whole album in one song as fear is instead replaced by strength and hope, The Actions imploring us embrace the gift of life once again.

Flourish was written, recorded and produced by the band in their studio in Easton, Bristol. With the record in place the duo finalised the mix of the album at the legendary Invada Studios with Stu Matthews (Portishead, Beak>, Quakers). Their enduring sound has seen them pick up press support from the likes of Clash Magazine and Nothing But Hope And Passion, as well as airplay from BBC Radio 6 Music’s Tom Robinson, Amazing Radio’s Simon Raymonde and John Kennedy of Radio X.

Flourish is out on 15th February 2021 via Niteo Records.