Mumford & Sons have unveiled the video to their new single ‘Ditmas’.
‘Ditmas’ is lifted from the band’s third album, ‘Wilder Mind’, which debuted at number one in six countries, including Australia, the UK and US.
The video was shot on location in Kiev by director Alex Southam (Alt-J/John Grant/First Aid Kit).
Speaking of the experience, Southam explains: ‘Whilst recently filming in Ukraine, I started doing some research and learning about Ukrainian Cossacks ‘ their heritage, history, and associated spiritualism. I was surprised to learn that there is a small but ardent population who keep the traditions going.
‘The narrative for Ditmas came about whilst discussing another idea for the band, when the suggestion of a cossacks were mooted. Cossacks are synonymous with incredible horesemanship, so it felt like a natural fit. Our character (Evgeniy) in the video has grown up within a cossack community.
“The video was shot in the stunning countryside surrounding Kiev which was something to behold. I spent a long time discussing our narrative and approach with Evgeniy, breaking down our narrative beat, as well as I could given the language barrier. Whilst the shoot was pretty brutal and unforgiving – particularly for our hero – we captured something really special.’
Ditmas (or Ditmas Park) is an artist-friendly neighbourhood in Brooklyn, and the location of Aaron Dressner’s studio where Mumford & Sons wrote and demod much of Wilder Mind. It’s a song that emphatically showcases the band’s electric new sound, yet loses none of the intimacy or melody-rich appeal of the songs from their hugely successful albums, ‘Sigh No More’ and ‘Babel’.
Since the album’s release, Mumford & Sons have hit the road on a sold-out headline tour of the US, whilst bringing the first of their 2015 Gentlemen of the Road Stopovers to Seaside Heights (New Jersey) and Waverly (Iowa). Despite having only introduced these new songs into the live sets this year, Ditmas has quickly become a firm favourite.
Ditmas follows the release of the record’s introductory singles, ‘Believe’ and ‘The Wolf’.
Mumford & Sons Live (UK and Europe):
30th June ‘ Rock In Rome, Rome, Italy
1st July ‘ Pistoia Blues Festival, Pistoia, Italy
3rd July ‘ Open’er Festival, Gdynia, Poland
4th July ‘ Goffertpark, Nymegen, Netherlands
5th July ‘ Main Square Festival, Arras, France
7th July ‘ Olympia, Paris, France
9th July ‘ Bilbao Live BBK, Bilbao, Spain
10th July ‘ Nos Alive, Lisbon, Spain
17th July ‘ Waldbuhne Berlin, Berlin, Germany
18th July ‘ Waldbuhne Berlin, Berlin, Germany
31st July + 1st August ‘ Gentlemen of the Road Stopover. Aviemore, Scotland, UK Mumford & Sons, Ben Howard, Primal Scream, The Maccabees, Simian Mobile Disco DJs, Lianne La Havas, Jack Garratt, King Charles, Honeyblood.
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