ICE WITCH: the latest single from Chiffon Magnifique, a post-punk/minimal wave project from Gold Coast musician Jed A. Walters, is released today, March 4, 2022. Walters (of Tesla Cøils and The Blackwater Fever fame) is offering up a fresh taste of his minimal wave sounds, along with a spooky new music video.
ICE WITCH is a curious track of serpentine drum grooves, mechanical synth elements and Walters’ gravelly German baritone, delivered with such heartbreak and loneliness. “The basis for Ice Witch came to me quickly, many years ago” exclaims Jed, “…when syncing up my drum machines to my synths and creating these strange, atonal phrases, I knew it was the perfect sonic backdrop to stage my personal tale of heartbreak and abandonment. I had recently gone through a separation with somebody who came from a very cold country. Whilst I was originally enthralled with her sheer beauty – that of some fairy story enchantress – ultimately her narcissistic nature turned out to be quite toxic to me. But it was too late. Her spells had been cast, the damage was done, and I was left feeling worthless and defeated by some sinister Ice Witch”.
The song opens with a crunched-up 808 beat, echoing as if from the bottom of a water-tank, whilst regimented synth bass and atmospheric warblings punctuate Walters’ gravelly voice. He paints the picture of a “dead-eyed woman from the tundra” who ultimately betrayed his trust and left him for dead. As the luscious synth pads enter in the chorus, Jed woefully proclaims his mental despair to this evil temptress, crying out “Done it now! You’ve done it now! And I will pay for you…”. A growly saxophone, performed impeccably by Jed’s friend Toan Le-Vo (Electric Lemonade), enters the mix as the second chorus erupts, squealing delightfully as if charming a snake, all the way as the song comes to its maddening end.
Recorded at Jed’s home studio, ICE WITCH showcases his affinity with analog synthesisers, and the creative processing of drum samples. “Again, it’s all about emotion” says Jed, “writing this song brought out so much frustration, anger and sorrow from me, so it was important to present these rhythmic elements in a jutting, distorted and angry way. I love what you can do to drum machines when you feed them through distortion and echo. The same goes for synths. I love screwing them up.”
ICE WITCH is accompanied by a self-directed music video crafted in Walters’ own wetland neighborhood. The video sees gothed-up Jed exploring a bleak environment of tangled vegetation, concrete and graffiti, where he is stalked by a supernatural being dressed in white cloth. With cinematography and aesthetics akin to David Lynch and Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead, “Ice Witch” is a playful companion piece to the new single.
A follow-up to 2021’s debut single ABOMINATION, ICE WITCH is the next step of Jed’s growing career. Since finding a new voice with Chiffon Magnifique, Jed hopes to release much more new music regularly. “This is just another one of the tracks I have been working on during recent lockdowns” says Jed, “I’m planning on releasing more and more, until I have enough for my concept album I’m working on”.
Chiffon Magnifique will be presenting ICE WITCH, as well as an entire setlist of fresh material, in a live show: APRIL 4 – Vinnies Dive, Gold Coast w/The Sea Shall Not Have Them
ICE WITCH is out today!
Tune in now! 
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