Comprising Joanna Backovic and Ian de Sylva, the duo weave compelling tales through a fusion of folk, country and indie, with a lush soundscape that ranges from the celestial to the cinematic.

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Their latest release “Fortune Teller Blues” is a persuasive and unpredictable development to follow the haunting arrangements of their first single release, the well-received “A Face in the Mirror”. While retaining the intrigue and depth of their debut, their latest track showcases a distinctly more swaggering, gritty, and buoyant side to the band that delightedly defies expectation.

Making light of the unpredictability of daily life in 2021, the band’s Ian de Sylva says of “Fortune Teller Blues”:

“Given the precarious nature of our current times, I wanted to explore the pros and cons of 'living in the moment’, proposing that we should ‘seize the day'!”

Fusing a buzzsaw slide guitar riff to a compulsive metronomic beat, “Fortune Teller Blues” lays a lively alt/country foundation for Ian and Joanna’s distinct voices to tell the tale. With Hammond organ licks, rousing handclap percussion and a slick contemporary production, the pair deliver an infectious roots record that pairs classic sounds with a modern outlook.

New Morning Blues is a brand new collaboration from Joanna Backovic and Ian de Sylva. Although a married couple who run a music studio together in Soho, this is the first time they have created music together…. And with bewitching results. From atmospheric alt/folk duets reminiscent of Mazzy Star at their dusky, delicate best; to lovelorn masteries of Nancy & Lee ambition, New Morning Blues are a potent new pairing.

Already well-respected in their fields, Joanna Backovic is a composer and performance artist who creates electroacoustic music, sonic art and score for theatre and film, while Ian de Sylva's pedigree is evident in his past affiliations with Medicine/Warner Bros, Craig Leon (The Ramones, Blondie), The Cranberries and Elastica.

With an upcoming debut album, ‘London’, set for release on the 4th June 2021, “Fortune Teller Blues” and “A Face In The Mirror” offer two spellbinding reflections of what lies in store.

NEW MORNING BLUES - DEBUT ALBUM: ‘LONDON’ - OUT 5TH JUNE 2021
“FORTUNE TELLER BLUES” - NEW SINGLE OUT NOW

BIOGRAPHY

Ethereal, emotional and unconventional, New Morning Blues are here to captivate you. This progressive duo weaves compelling tales through a fusion of folk, country and indie, with a lush soundscape that ranges from the celestial to the cinematic.

New Morning Blues is a new collaborative project from Joanna Backovic and Ian de Sylva. Joanna Backovic is a composer and performance artist who creates electroacoustic music, sonic art and score for theatre and film. She also performs under the name ‘ArHai’, touring extensively through Europe to an ever-growing audience. Ian de Sylva's first band, Silver, released a single on Rough Trade Records and subsequently signed to Medicine/Warner Bros, recording their debut album with Craig Leon (The Ramones, Blondie). They toured with such luminaries as The Cranberries and Elastica, establishing themselves as a first-rate live act. Two further solo albums cemented Ian’s industry reputation as a high-calibre songwriter.

Joanna and Ian also run a music studio together in Soho and, despite being married, this is the first time they’ve combined their musical talents, with the resultant sound falling somewhere between Fleet Foxes, Lee Hazlewood and Simon and Garfunkel.

Together, the pair will release their debut album: ‘London’ later this year. Much like artwork that adorns the cover, the songs too paint a vivid and evocative picture transported from another era. “Polestar”, “Hourglass”, “Face in the Mirror”, “Time Ticks Slowly” and “Water to Wine” all artfully reflect the haunting, heartfelt beauty of NMB’s work. Both accomplished vocalists, Ian’s earthy voice and Joanna’s crystalline tones merge as one over a mesmerizing tapestry of delicate guitars, graceful piano and elegant strings, often driven by a refined rhythm section. This is music written to move, inspire and engage at every turn.