mxdwn PREMIERE: Stream the Crystalline Coldwave of New Second Still LP Violet Phase

Second Still are a Los Angeles-based coldwave trio consisting of Suki Kwan, Alex Hartman and Ryan Walker. On Friday, May 17 they’ll release their second full-length album Violet Phase, which you can listen to exclusively here at mxdwn.

Violet Phase follows the band’s self-titled debut LP, which was released in 2017. Sandwiching that album were a pair of EPs — Early Forms in 2016 and Equals in 2018.

“For Violet Phase, we really wanted to make something that was different from our first album and most recent EP,” said the band in a statement. “We decided it would be interesting if we all switched instruments and tried to write songs that way. The addition of unconventional instruments for this type of music like violin, saxophone, choice samples, and even running certain sounds through FaceTime all contributed to this album’s uniqueness from our previous material. We’re very proud of the eight songs on this record.”

The new album was produced by Ben Greenberg in a couple of remote locales: Joshua Tree and Idyllwild in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, respectively. The relative isolation of the two recording locations can be heard in the music, which is cold, dark, desolate – yet still undeniably catchy. Previously released singles from the album include “The Future,” “Double Negative” and the title track, “Violet Phase.”

The band will be touring the European Union and United Kingdom over the next two months. United States fans will be able to catch them playing live when they return to Los Angeles for a show in July at the Echoplex with Cold Showers.

SecondStill Tour Dates

05/24 – 1000FRYD; Aalborg, DK
05/25 – Plan B; Malmo, SE
05/27 – Shokoladen; Berlin, DE
05/28 – Munzgasse 13; Tübingen, DE
05/29 – Tsunami; Koln, DE
05/31 – GC Den Dries; Retie, BE
06/01 – The Dome; London, UK
06/02 – The Peer Hat; Manchester, UK
06/05 – TBD; Toulouse, FR
06/06 – Mister Mojo; Tarragona, ES
06/07 – Wurlitzer Ballroom; Madrid, ES
06/08 – Sala Upload; Barcelona, ES
06/09 – Kafe Antzokia; Bilbao, ES
06/10 – Le Farmer; Lyon, FR
06/12 – Kaserma Karlina; Prague, CZ
06/13 – Hafen 2; Offenbach AM Main, DE
06/14 – Baroeg; Rotterdam, NL
06/15 – The Veg; Siegen, DE
07/11 – Echoplex (w/Cold Showers); Los Angeles, CA

Matt Matasci: Music Editor at mxdwn.com - matt@mxdwn.com | I have written and edited for mxdwn since 2015, the same year I began my music journalism career. Previously (and currently) a freelance copywriter, I graduated with a degree in Communications from California Lutheran University in 2008. Born on the Central Coast of California, I am currently a few hundred miles south along the 101 in the Los Angeles area. matt@mxdwn.com
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