EP PREMIERE: Levingstone - Modern Burials

Emergent Sydney-based prog-soul outfit Levingstone stand at the cusp of a watershed moment for their nascent musical pursuit as they prepare to release their gorgeous, ultra-smooth debut EP, Modern Burials, into the world — and we're feeling ultra-lucky, given that we've generously been given access to this exclusive premiere stream of the new work today.

It doesn't take a long time of listening for the band's bountiful charms to become easily apparent — whether in silky vocals from frontwoman Sammii Su, the introspective, frequently dexterous noodling of guitarist Jesse Johnston, the smooth walks of bassist Dominic Cabusi, the acrobatic tinkering of pianist/keyboardist Chris Dutton, or even drummer Ryan Mooney's meticulous percussion work, this is a band that draws on its individuals' distinct skill sets to create an eminently listenable whole. Modern Burials is a velvety and delectable collection of progressive soul, an irresistable treat for lovers of songs slightly more cerebral than the status quo.

The EP's themes dwell on notions of humanity and alienation, though Su explains, "Not all of these angles are negative — there are also references to love being a protective force to shroud ourselves in, and I think that seed is planted somewhere even in the darker moments on the EP."

The EP's unveiling has been made even sweeter with a complementary tour announcement, which will see the band make their way around the east coast in support of the new work from this Friday, 8 July, when they warm up (uh, not literally) at the Bello Winter Music Festival (through 10 July); from there, the five-piece will head to stages in Melbourne (Grace Darling, Thursday 14 July), Newcastle (Lass O'Gowrie, Wednesday 27 July) and Canberra (La De Da, Friday 29 July) before heading back home to Sydney (EP launch, Thursday 4 August, at Oxford Circus) and wrapping up at Rad Bar, Wollongong, on Saturday 6 August.

Modern Burials will be released this Friday, 8 July, and will be available via Bandcamp.

For more information about Levingstone or to stay on top of their movements in the near future, head to their Facebook page.