London five-piece pencil have released their brand new single “Wingman” via State51, marking a significant transition as the band welcomes new guitarist Soph Nathan of Our Girl and The Big Moon following the departure of bandmate Cai Burns. Both Nathan and Burns feature on the latest release, a song about endings, beginnings and the contours of life between, recorded with Polly Mackey of Art School Girlfriend and mixed by Luciano Rossi of mui zyu. The track signals a ceremonial passing of the torch as the band enters a brand new phase in their development, riding the crest of a wave of exciting London bands bringing back a sense of romance and melodicism. The group stated, “‘Wingman’ is a song about endings, beginnings and the spaces in between.”
Marking the follow-up to their acclaimed six-track EP ‘Bohemian Clutter’ released earlier this year, pencil have already attracted widespread attention touring with The Japanese House and building a reputation as an enthralling and unmissable live act with packed-out shows at Green Man and The Great Escape festivals. The band has drawn praise from key press champions including The Independent, DIY, Dork, The Line Of Best Fit, So Young, Clash, Rough Trade, and La Blogotheque, while receiving BBC 6 Music airplay from Deb Grant, Tom Ravenscroft, Marc Riley, and Gideon Coe, with the band also delivering a live session for Marc Riley’s show.