London-based duo Arliston have returned with their hard-hitting second single, “Hold My Wine”, taken from their upcoming EP, Even in the Shade, which is due for release on the 4th of November. With its bold, rhythmic sound, “Hold My Wine” stands out immediately. Featuring powerful drums and multitudes of swaying ‘80s synths, it’s a testament to the band’s musical maturity that the track manages to be deeply nostalgic while also resisting sounding cliché. The song forms the perfect counterpoint to the EP’s delicate first single, “Mothering”, which was released in August and received critical acclaim.

Speaking about “Hold my Wine”, Arliston’s Jack Ratcliffe says: “We’ve been wanting to make something a bit more playful for a while, so when we first hit on that chorus idea, making a silly middle-class pun on ‘hold my beer’, everything else just fell into place around it. This one was a lot of fun to make.”

Despite the upbeat feel and major chords, the remainder of the subject matter is a contrast, as Jack explains: “‘Hold My Wine’ is about that occasional moment of recognition when you look up from the narrow corridor of your own thoughts and are seized by the idea that everyone else has progressed and developed while you are stuck in an unchanged rut. The protagonist attempts to do something about it in the chorus – but inevitably, he gets it wrong”.

The bittersweet combination of uplifting chords and melodies paired with sombre lyrics is employed masterfully here by Arliston, assisted by the inimitable mix/master skills of Brett Shaw at 123 studios (Florence + The Machine, Foals). “Hold My Wine” and the rest of the forthcoming EP mark a clear departure from the duo’s previous work, illustrating how their sound continues to shift, evolve and grow in new and unexpected ways. “Hold My Wine” is available to buy/stream now on all platforms: https://slinky.to/HoldMyWine.